New buses and operator for Bus 484

[Bic Basher]

A nice surprise to see swanky new buses with double doors on the 484 today. I don't think I ever saw so many of them going up and down Dog Kennel Hill in it's history.

[PeckhamRose]

Oh fabulous! Was this pressure from the public?

[reetpetite]

Great about time! No more struggling to the front to get off when the bus is heaving .

[James Barber]

This route was retendered as part of Transport for London tranche 339 with consultation starting in February 2009.

Input from Southwark residents, councillors and officers meant we asked for the route to call into Sainsbury's on Dog Kennel Hill. TfL rejected this as it would make the journey less direct, lengthen the journey and overall increase the subsidy costs.

What they did agree to was including longer buses as an option in the tendering process. In October 2010 Abellio was awarded the contract (previous operator London Central) on condition new buses were used.

The most recent communication from TfL Buses to Southwark in February confirmed the new operator and buses would start in March.

Clearly they've made a great start.

If you ever have concerns about particular bus routes do let local councillors know. We raise issues with council officers who are in regular contact with TfL so when bus route contracts come up for retendering they have lots of feedback to give TfL. Council transport officers also check with councillors what inputs and views we hold before submitting the councils input to TfL.

[Nero]

The P13 cd do with a revamp too. A slightly bigger bus with better ingress/egress (is that the right language?) would be welcome.

[dreamingofsleep]

I've heard that even 3' extra on the 484 bus means it can't get round the corners residential streets of Lewisham. New buses are the same length as the old, but have an extra set of doors to ease exit.

[James Barber]

Hi dreaminofsleep,

The timetable is a little better.

The new buses are E200 darts/Enviro200 9.3m long rather than previous EL2000-Dart DELs which were 9.0m long. The extra doors should make it much easier for people to get on and of the buses.

The previous contract had 11 buses with one being kept as a spare.

The new contract has 12 buses with presumably one being kept as a spare as well.

With the extra doors it should be slightly easier to stick to the timetable.

NB. I'm not a bus spotter but my curiosity was aroused!

Hi Nero,

The P13 was only recontracted a couple of years ago and isn't due to be retendered for some time. Only way to effect change on that is some evidence of overcrowding.

[dreamingofsleep]

Hi James - thanks for that... my husband drives them and said they've tried 33' buses on the route in the past, but they were too long. 31' must be the upper limit.

Fingers crossed for their success!

[Alex K]

@Nero: That language can't be correct. As any fule no, an egress is a female eger -- and egri are never seen on buses.

[Michael Palaeologus]

One of the new 484s whizzed past me today. It actually smelt new.

The bus drivers are wearing smart new unforms and get out of the bus and salute as passengers get on and off ... maybe.

[PeckhamRose]

Oh very funny MP.

FWIW James Barber, if there were any joined up thinking with government and (bus) companies then they would be forced to go to Sainsburys because if they did I might not use my motorcycle so often to go shopping.

Nahhhhhhhh you're right, riding a bike for any reason including shopping is good reason enough.

But you get my point I am sure...!

[Ridgley]

Waiting to see what they will do with the 78.

[James Barber]

From what I can see "Trident 9.9m/Enviro400 double deckers introduced (from route 38)" will be introduced during April.

[newmommytobe]

I got on the new 484 Wednesday evening and it was nice to see the new bus but felt horrible for the poor woman with the driver shutting the door virtually in her face, and drive off.

Seems like the new buses come with at least one young-ish driver with a nasty attitude.

[witsd]

If we were bus drivers, putting up with all the crap that gets thrown at them 10 times per journey, I'm sure we'd all have a matching attitude in no time!

[maxwella]

A sweeping generalisation I know, but I think a lot of these bus drivers are on a bit of a power trip and simply take pleasure in causing misery where possible.

I've experienced and witnessed plenty of occasions where they see you running for the bus, you get there just in time and they decide to quickly close the doors and pull off! Or, simply decide they don't want to stop the bus and let you on, especially when the bus is half empty! Plus, it seems that they have no respect or empathy for mothers with pushchairs, pregnant women rushing for the bus or even decent kids just trying to get to school and back (they all get tarred with the unruly school children brush).

Sometimes they're just so rude it's unbelievable. Totally unnecessary and lacking any kind of customer service. A lot of the time I think they just get back what they put out!

Thank goodness I'm not having to use the 484 regularly at the mo as it is usually an absolute nightmare!

[aquarius moon]

What on earth has happened to the 484 timetable?

I waited 20 mins for a bus at Lewisham station on Saturday, then 25 mins at Dog Kennel hill on Monday.

My daughter has been late for college twice this week, missing the train at ED station, because of having

to wait too long for a bus.

Whereas before, there used to be two 343's to every one 484 running along the back of Peckham Rye park, this

week there have been around four 343's to one 484!

They might be nice new buses, but I think I prefer the old ones with the original, more reliable operator.

[The Minkey]

Waited 20 mins or so for a 484 home from lewisham market this afternoon. I suspect there may have been rather longer gap between buses, as most of the seats were already taken by the time it pulled up. Then again, there are fewer seats in the new buses as they've made way for the rear doors.

In theory the rear doors are a very good thing, providing the driver knows how to use them. They seem to have two speeds: The first opening is the fast one which was never long enough to allow everyone off. They were then re-opened in slow-motion to release the rest of those waiting to disembark.

Things got a tad more lively at Brockley Cross when the opening front doors managed to trap a woman, who was trying to get her bags off the rack, against the hand rail. Bizarrely, the driver didn't do anything and it took a passenger standing nearby to release her by forcing the door back.