Creative Commons image by Ultra7
Route 453, which is an 11 year old London Bus Route will have
an open boarding service for the first time in 3 years. The New Routemaster
buses are due to have 3 doors and 2 staircases. The route runs from Deptford
bridge DLR station in South London to Marylebone station via Westminster Bridge
and Oxford Circus.
Brief History of the
route
Creative Commons Image by Badudoy
The route was first formed on the 15th of February
2003 by using double deck vehicles because the Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530G
Artics were not available until the 15th March 2003. The route was
operated by Stagecoach Selkent from Plumstead (PD) Garage. It was the second
former Bendy Bus route that operated outside Zone 1.
From 15th January 2005 the frequency was reduced from 6
minutes to 8 minutes because it needs to free up five bendy buses in order to
increase PVR and frequency for Route 25.
Creative Commons Image by Arriva436
The route was re-tendered on 16th February 2008
because the route contract was passed to Go Ahead London General with a new
fleet of Mercedes-Benz O530G Citaro Artics operating from Mandela Way (MW)
Garage. Passengers liked the bendy buses because of the capacity they had, but
they were hated by traffic users and non-bendy bus riders.
The bendy buses were withdrawn on 24th September
2011 in favour of the Alexander Dennis Enviro400s as part of Boris Johnson’s
political promise to remove the bendy buses because he thought they were
‘unsafe’, ‘unreliable’ and encouraged ‘fare evasion’ because of their 'open
boarding' . The peak vehicle requirement increased from 23 to 35 buses on
weekdays.
The New Routemasters are due to operate on Route 453 on the 4th
October 2014. This will be the second route that will have Open Boarding New
Routemasters. The first route that converted was route 38 on the 10th
May 2014. But Route 38 had prototypes phased in which started from late
February 2012.
There are no plans to have 2nd crew members on the
route, so this will be the 3rd route to use the New Routemasters
without 2nd crew members, so the rear door will operate as a normal
door. I estimate the cost of converting route 453 to the New Routemaster would be nearly £12,500,000 (from PVR of 35
buses for day operation at a cost of £354,500 per bus).
If you think a high capacity of up to 149 passengers on the
Mercedes-Benz Citaro artics was ideal for the route or a double deck with a
capacity of at least/minimum 87 passengers is ideal, or even the Alexander Dennis Enviro500 tri-axle hybrids which have a capacity of up to 116
passengers, please discuss it in the comments below.
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References:
http://www.londontransport.co.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/board-20140924-part-1-item05-commissioners-report-september-2014.pdf (Page 13 on the Commissioners report)