37 Bus Route - good and bad comments please

[caro ed]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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> Hardly worth putting on extra buses.

> Seems to me people here expect a bus just for

> them, just when they need it.

Given the huge consistency and number of people saying the same thing on this thread that there aren't enough buses, I don't think that's exactly a fair comment DF.

[tomy]

Nothing more to add to what is above - just another voice in support. Route is fantastic, service is a running joke amongst everyone I know who uses it.

[ironjawcannon]

Yes, It is an important bus route. It is difficult to go towards Brixton any other way. Sometimes I have waited rather long but moe people would use it if it was reliable.

[jimmyay]

countdown timers at the bus stops would be great .there was a consultation locally ( by a prospective parliamentary candidate) before the last election and i think many people would appreciate countdown timers if TFL could do this. It's an OK ish service and great that it is 24 hours, but we could do with a 10 minute service all day and every 20 mins overnight, rather than the half hour after 11pm as is currently the case.

[jimmyay]

PS I think the delays often happen on Sundays due to the route going through Clapham Junction and the congestion on Battersea rise. Perhaps there could be a fast route which went around this?!

[Cassius]

Agree with the other posters - really useful route (although all the way to Richmond really was a slog), but not enough buses. I have also waited more than 30 minutes on a regular basis and more than an hour a couple of times.

[MissB6]

I couldn't agree more with the comments on here... I too spend half my life waiting for this bus as I have friends in Clapham and pl1ay sport in Brixton. Like others, I often find it quicker to walk, and have even beaten the bus home walking from Brixton before!! You can guarantee that when you've been waiting forever and you finally see that blurry number 37 in the distance, getting closer and closer - you'll soon see it's 'not in service'!! In my view, the best thing TFL can do (if they can't increase the number of buses) is to install countdown timers at more bus stops along the route. Especially at Herne Hill station where it's a big commuter interchange. I'm forever whinging to my boyfriend about the buses and he tells me to write to TFL. I've always thought it was pointless because they are unlikely to listen to one person - but now I know it's not just me, I'm tempted to forward a link to this thread!

[Le_37]

Maybe terminate at Clapham Junction - 337 goes via Putney as do South West Trains from CJ, other routes go to Wandsworth - and increase frequency of buses. The W7 in Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace runs every 6 mins; something of comparison with the operations of the 37 would make the route more popular and more reliable. Quick access to Herne Hill, Brixton, Clapham Common and 'Battersea' Junction are important.

Just my opinion.

[Lhell]

I waited 45 minutes for a 37 in Herne Hill the other day from 1015pm. It was painful as I could have walked it in 20.

[tarafitness]

It does seem as if everything has been said already but just want to echo other comments that it is a fabulous route but a rubbish service.

The number of times the 37 has saved our bacon when returning home having caught the very last tube to Brixton and feeling a little out of pocket.. such a relief to see the familiar double decker turning off Acre Lane to whizz us back to ED. We used to live in Herne Hill and it seems that the only way to get back here (if we don't want to have to catch 2 buses.... e.g. 40/176/185/484 to King's Hospital and then 68 or 468 back down the hill!) is to take the 37, it's a great route and does cut right through.

I love the idea of an express service... say Clapham Common/Junction to Peckham Rye, that would be fabulous as it's always full up then... perhaps a new 484 style short bus running every 5-10 mins instead of a big double decker every 20-45 mins depending on what time you're unfortunate enough to be standing out on Dulwich Road in the cold waiting for one!!

[ech]

Thanks James for doing this.

Agree with all the comments above. It's a really useful route with very little alternative options but the service is terrible. It's so unreliable, they frequently arrive 2 even 3 at a time then there's not another for ages.

[cab]

Very unreliable, I have waited up to 30 minutes for a bus at weekends/evenings. Only time i've ever seen someone shoot heroin was on the 37. Quicker to walk to Herne Hill than to wait for a bus. Too few of them!!

[Ko]

agree that there are too few 37s!!

[Msgee]

useful route

bit gappy tho- especially evenings. Rrrrrrrrrr.

[The Minkey]

Definitely could do with a countdown timer at Herne Hill.

[HonaloochieB]

A good root as my Aussie chums might have it.

Perhaps another one an hour or two if you're feeling generous.

Also the bus stop opposite Lambeth Town Hall was destroyed a few months ago - an errant driver took it out - I hope and trust none of the drug dealers/loafters/nogoodniks who congregate in the area were hurt.

But, can the shelter/information board giving ETA of buses be reinstated?

If I know I have a 15 minute wait of an evening then I can at least knob off to the Traid shop to see what Timberland samples they have in stock and I can't purchase because they all seem to be mediums (feel free to insert a Doris Stokes joke here).

Actually forget the shelter, the information board is more important.

There's space enough to take shelter there provided you don#t mind occaisionally being in close proximity to drug dealers, loafters and nogoodniks.

[Jumoak]

A big no to the bendy bus idea. It would cause so much congestion around the North Dulwich/ Herne Hill area where there are no bus lanes. Dulwich Road would come a stand still - and it's pretty bad around there as it is during rush hour. Plus on those frequent occasions where they appear to be running together, bendy buses would be a nightmare.

Even though the 37 would take me to work directly, it takes so long I prefer to get the train with 2 changes. The amount of times I have felt completely exhausted taking that journey from Clap Junction to Goose Green. It took three Radiohead songs to travel along Clapham Common once. Thankfully I love Radiohead!

Did I hear that they're introducing a train line from Peckham Rye to Clapham Junction? I hope so. But I digress...

[StraferJack]

This thread = closest thing to a consensus this forum is ever likely to see

[Jumoak]

cab Wrote:

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> Very unreliable, I have waited up to 30 minutes

> for a bus at weekends/evenings. Only time i've

> ever seen someone shoot heroin was on the 37.

> Quicker to walk to Herne Hill than to wait for a

> bus. Too few of them!!

My first experience of someone smoking heroin was on the 177 - which also starts from Peckham bus station. Maybe it was the same person?

[mrs f]

I think everyone on here has echoed my thoughts, great route. I'd use it more if it was more reliable especially with a buggy, I one had to wait for three as all the buggy spaces were full... It puts me off going to Brixton, i wouldn't want to drive but the bus is so unreliable its painful.

A speedy service would be amazing as we have lots of friends in Putney & it takes forever to get there (but amazing there is a direct bus!) also count down things would be great.

[Jeremy]

A couple of people have mentioned countdown timers. I agree this would be great, however, I remember James saying that they weren't planning to install these in the future, as the council are in favour of a cheaper SMS notification system instead (despite the number of phone thefts that already occur at bus stops).

[Jeremy]

Jumoak Wrote:

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> Did I hear that they're introducing a train line

> from Peckham Rye to Clapham Junction? I hope so.

Yep - via Denmark Hill and Clapham High St. Work is underway.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/15401.aspx

[Ridgley]

That's is great news as I am orginally from that side of town.