The London bus that won't stop

Residents fed up with buses that don't stop on the Harrow Road, London

[@Nooticus]

'just go go go' from the ticket inspector KILLED ME 😂

[@Smart1529]

RIP Murray Walker The famous F1 commentator. "And its go go go"

[@alivinghuman1]

shows how bendy buses have some advantages over double deckers

[@notdanni4753]

theres a reason why bendy buses dont operate in london anymore...

[@BCrossing]

@@notdanni4753 why? Are they too big?

[@Mgameing123]

That is what I was thinking.

[@Mgameing123]

@@notdanni4753 Because BoJo used cyclists as an excuse WHEN ALL THE TOP CYCLING NATIONS HAVE BENDY BUSES! Honestly routes like the 18 need bendy buses.

[@extanygaming7928]

@@BCrossing yes i remember the 38 bus in hackney would always get stuck on the pavement or waiting for cars to reverse ect by hackney central because it couldn't go round the tight corner properly

[@BlueSheep95]

I live in Germany. The busses on the public bus line, which drove me to school back then, were so full, you couldn't move a centimeter. There were around double the persons allowed by law in the bus. So seeing this bus is considered "full" made me laugh quite a bit.

[@agentlemaninjapan]

I saw this in a movie about a bus that had to SPEED around a city, keeping its SPEED over fifty, and if its SPEED dropped, it would explode! I think it was called, 'The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down.'"

[@stoneageman18]

great film

[@Northerner_Transport_Hub]

​@@stoneageman18great reference an all

[@mitchl4456]

Speed

[@agentlemaninjapan]

@@mitchl4456 Well done!

[@chrism2279]

cc Tenuous and Obscure Simpsons.

[@nathanw9770]

What the 18 needs is an express version of the route similar to the superloop that can pick up and drop passengers directly to significant locations along the route allowing space to be made on the 18 for those who get on at less significant locations. A great example of this is the 140 and SL9. The express route could also be extended to Harrow if required.

[@Abdul.M.]

That's why 140 was split into 2 routes X140 SL9 N140. Route was to busy that's what 18 needs

[@nathanw9770]

@@Abdul.M. Exactly

[@Abdul.M.]

@@nathanw9770 TFL need to spend money to help out rammed 18 route

[@Smart1529]

Yeah how about SL11 From Euston To Harrow which is a combination of 18 and 182. Even 182 gets busy from Wembley to Harrow Bus Station.

[@pwhnckexstflajizdryvombqug9042]

Here in queensland the bus drivers can press a button which changes the destination screen to "Sorry, bus full". Interesting to see London hasn't done this

[@Skyviation]

Most countries have this feature, and even if the bus doesn't have a LED destination screen or it's broken, you could just put a paper sign on the windshield that tells people the bus is full

[@yesmaam5000]

london does that aswell but with bandits

[@crazyt1483]

There is a option it’s just not used because the driver needs to be stoped to change it.

[@nathanw9770]

​@@crazyt1483 They could just do it when they're stopped at a bus stop

[@derektaylor2941]

@@crazyt1483 there are two main makers of LED boards used- Mobitec and Hanover- and both of them have this facility as standard. In fact this is usually set via the ticket machine using a special port that I cannot remember the name of right now. Some companies- Transdev for example- on their newer buses have the etm send a message every minute or so the display showing "this bus will depart in 5 minutes... 4 minutes...." so having a quick button for 'bus full' really isn't an issue.

[@realhass]

as a bus driver sometimes some customers are stubborn to move down or upstairs therefore once that yellow line is crossed I ain’t stopping/ opening front door for safety reasons.

[@alanholderness6138]

Absolutely!!

[@henreereeman8529]

I think it was brushed over just how busy this bus route is. It's the busiest in London! And it runs very frequently, so small delays really add up. The easiest way to fix the current problem is to put in more dedicated bus lanes, or even build a tram!

[@ahuman9143]

There is no way in hell anyone except the 18 users in london wants a new tram system built when trains like the central lines ones are falling apart

[@aboubasakiofire884]

@@zicoazeez3060 Not over 30years old exact 30 year old.

[@andybrice2711]

I'm not sure building a tram system can be described as "easy". If it's impossible to meet the schedule, the easiest solution is to add a couple of minutes to the timetable.

[@realquadmoo]

Where I live, buses will always stop for you no matter what (unless driver doesn't see you or you are not waiting for that bus route), if the bus is full, you may stand. The only reason a bus that is supposed to stop wouldn't stop is if there's two of the same buses right next to each other, the first one may skip you to let the second one pick up the passengers, it's called leapfrogging but it is rare.

[@sp00ky_guy]

There is often not enough space to stand when these buses don't stop Source: London resident

[@paladinoestetica]

If the bus is full then there's no room to stand.

[@alexfirth]

I lived in Kensal Green pre-covid, this brings back some memories. It used to be like this every morning. Glad someone's bringing attention to this issue for the residents there

[@WilliamSmith-mx6ze]

I lived in London for 15 years and far too many people in London will stand downstairs like sardines on buses rather than looking for a seat upstairs, even where there are plenty empty. I don't see what the attraction is in standing downstairs.

[@highpath4776]

often you cannot managed the stairs, or are only going a few stops.

[@nigelreardon7535]

That’s why I prefer the upper deck because I’m saving space at the lower deck

[@mushroomcraft]

I prefer it for the view

[@Olleetheowl]

If you have standing passengers , up to the legal maximum downstairs. And you then stop because you have room for several more passengers upstairs. When the new passengers board, but don’t want to go upstairs then you can’t move until this been sorted out. Assuming that you are successful in sorting this out, you are now late, and because you are late, you are picking up passengers who would be on the following bus. This then has to be sorted out, this takes more time , Eventually passengers are waiting an hour for a bus, and six come together… people are cold, wet, miserable and missing appointments, some of which are vital, If buses are travelling with empty seats then more buses may not be the answer. Unless paired with giving the driver more time to provide a good service to his or her passengers.

[@KrolPawi]

There are legal limits for how much passangers can be on board standing in UK? That's novel. In poland we just pack each other like sardines .

[@shakespearo]

18 used to be a bendy bus and it was great. Obvious they aren’t suitable for every route but for the 18 it was so fast and efficient.

[@miclockhart]

In addition to this problem, the 18 is also notorious for bunching - when multiple buses come at once, and then some change their final destination mid-way and not going to the final stop! I have had to get off the bus for a few times for that reason, but by the time I got off the other 18 buses that are bunching together are already gone!!

[@kristinajendesen7111]

Thar is 'turning the bus' to try and get them going the right time in the other direction. It is used to try and avoid that bunching up and 3 turning up at once or a long gap between services.

[@michaeltsang1698]

@@kristinajendesen7111 yes but the point is when 3 buses come and all say they go to Euston, only the first one will stop and the others pass through. And then mid way the one you are on suddenly cuts short and you have no way to catch the other two that have gone ahead!

[@kristinajendesen7111]

@@michaeltsang1698 It worked better when we had inspectors along the route instead of everything being done by satellite monitoring and radio. Can't beat a person on the spot making local decisions instead of someone remote. The same thing has happened on the railways when they took away local decision making and knowledge then let someone who hasn't got a clue make the decisions in a London control centre.

[@Peter-mj6lz]

This might be for crowd control so one bus is empty when it gets to a busy stop and the crowded bus doesn't get overcrowded. We a busy route it's necessar6y that some busses stop mid way but maybe it should be better executed.

[@realquadmoo]

Our double deckers have cameras that the drivers can see

[@michaeltb1358]

Some double deckers used to have a window and mirrors so the driver could see upstairs. Now all buses are full of cameras, inside and outside.

[@highbury1972]

I used to live on this route. It’s pretty much a straight line from Euston to Sudbury with a curve at Harlesden. I found living in Europe that Bendy Buses worked better. But Johnson scrapped them all in London, where on some routes they could have been left in place.

[@moleyofsouthend-on-sea8837]

Have the Passengers/MPs ever TRIED to get Passengers to use the seats or indeed go upstairs ? Believe me you ask them to use the Seats and they totally blank you . Concerning the seats upstairs -The Driver has a screen to see upstairs but the bigger issue is getting them to ACTUALLY go upstairs and use them. Concerning Bendy-Buses certain passengers used to crowd around the doors-usually theses were non fare payers in case an Inspector got on to check their tickets/oysters and Passengers with kids in pushchairs used to use them as ''a ram'' to push onto the buses.

[@Dean0G]

Lateness is no excuse to be making buses skip stops.

[@deloreanman14]

Actually it is. I'm a bus driver in the US and when the bus behind us (follower) catches up to us or is close to doing so, dispatch will put the late bus into drop-off only and the destination signs change to 'DROP OFF ONLY - NEXT BUS PLEASE'. This is usually only done on frequent service routes (10-15 minute headways) but must be done because once the following bus catches up, the leading one is still doing all the work. I know it sucks to be waiting for a bus that finally shows up, only to have it pass you up but it almost always means the next one is minutes (or even seconds) behind it.

[@TheArkamedBat]

Madrid agrees with you. Even if there is a bus behind, the front bus is serving everyone, regulating the headways at the terminuses for each route (they might send the front bus from there a few stops along the route, and/or maybe get on the rear bus and set it a new departure time.

[@deividasverbickas6233]

Bus Eireann even said to bus drivers on busy routes to skip bus stops if they're late

[@charliebramley]

Bunching is the word. You don't want busses travelling in 3s

[@strut06]

​@charliebramley I wish stagecoach would learn this term, most of the day there are 2 or 3 of the same service in convoy

[@railman8454]

Blaming the drivers for not stopping yet the idiots that use them just stay downstairs and stand when there are seats upstairs. Yes, the driver can initiate a pre-recorded "seats upstairs" announcement, but it's like the "let customers off the train first" one... the fact people still need to be told shows how badly society is going through devolution

[@Mgameing123]

To be fair the issue is that I think the 18 has alot of short hoppers who can't asked to go upstairs because there doing a short trip. Honestly the best solution for the 18 is to get bendy buses again.

[@TheArkamedBat]

@@Mgameing123 Agree. Maybe put on some bendy Mercedes-Benz Citaro C2 G (maybe even hybrid buses), like in many big cities.

[@railman8454]

@@Mgameing123 fair point. But even for a short hop just go upstairs. One person's journey isn't more important than someone else's. I know, unrealistic viewpoint...

[@David-um8tb]

Maybe you shouldn't blame consumers for badly designed infrastructure.

[@railman8454]

@@David-um8tb or maybe I can blame who and what I like based on my opinion? #whoareyou

[@discodavid26]

Most London bus routes have little to no give in their timetables for most off the year …hence why some drivers drive like nutters but especially during the summer holidays I used to drive one or two routes that had to wait at bus stops due to having ( normally temporary) too much running time ( which I far preferred as I could counter this by driving slightly slower but far more comfortable for the passengers especially elderly and/or run a minute early before bad roadworks) anyways all the passengers would do was constantly complain even though you could guarantee the bus would be at your/all stops on time ! So my experience is as the driver you couldn’t win either way 🤦‍♂️ would never happen to a train driver (I used to catch trains at Kingston and Sutton that were scheduled to wait 4 minutes at the platforms before moving off again … also I would regularly play the “please use the seats upstairs I bus message but most passengers would ignore …… maybe it’s been taken off? Anyways once you have a single passenger with half a foot over the yellow line at the front off the bus I would either not stop at 10mph or I would stop and see what the onboard passengers would do …… but as always it was the drivers who would get it in the neck it was just a case off who from!

[@derektaylor2941]

There are lots of comments all blaming this on one thing or another. In reality there IS a problem and it is down to the company to resolve it. Whether that is automated messages, or having Inspectors along to assist for a while, that's irrelevant. One thing you can be sure of- they won't be suddenly replacing their deckers with bendies, no matter how much some call for this and no matter whether in some cases a bendy is better.

[@charleslee2002]

Be like Hong Kong, just add an upstairs seat counter in our buses!

[@EnjoyFirefighting]

living in Germany I've never experienced anything alike. Busses will stop and pick up passengers until they're full ... in terms of actually being full, being all the way up to the walk-through barrier next to the driver; Just that the driver can still see his mirrors; Of course the bus will be delayed quite a bit, while the following bus on the same line will probably catch up ... but they won't just pass a stop and not let passengers board

[@miahaskurti4539]

The Same Happens In Hounslow. Bus Routes 237 & E8 Pass Bus Stops When The Low Floors Are Full. My Local Route, The 235 Is Also Full When I Get The Bus Home From College

[@Mgameing123]

TFL should just get Bendy Buses back on the 18. The 18 is London's BUSIEST bus route and since bendy buses are all single decker there will not be problems with people not making space in the bus. Also whoever says "bendies can't fit" need to remember that bendies can fit better through tight roads than a standard length rigid bus.

[@derektaylor2941]

I'm not sure what your experience is but I have over 2 decades of PSV experience and whilst I would agree that a modern bendi is no easier nor harder to drive than a standard length bus (whatever that is) but I'm interested to know how you view it as easier?

[@jakubdenemark2739]

It would appear to me that the problem is that they arent perfectly legal in London these days...

[@derektaylor2941]

@@jakubdenemark2739 they are. They were and still are. It is just that we had a London Mayor named boris who was trying to score points by supporting the great British double decker against the horrid foreign bendybus. I managed a bus company with some TfL work and we did have some bendies. For some routes they are excellent for others they're a pain. So it comes down to do we let bus professionals choose based on experience or do we let half-witted politicians choose for making some pointless gesture. NB If I were in charge of buying them rather than just operating, I'd have a mix of both.

[@Mgameing123]

@@derektaylor2941 Exactly. Double Deckers should stay where possible because its an icon but on routes where capacity really is needed we need Bendy Buses.

[@Craig-wp3pz]

Dont bother raising your hand, stand in the road and FORCE it to stop!! 😮

[@christopherwaller2798]

It's occasionally happened on other bus routes (eg 29) to me, but usually only during times of significant disruption such as Tube strikes. The 123 bus used to be quite bad in the mornings heading eastbound towards Waltham Forest College, so I would have to walk to the college and get on where all the students were leaving.

[@JayReed-pt8oy]

And this is why i prefer trains more of a relaxing journey i know they can get delays and cancellations but when there on time its stress free

[@grah84mck]

It's isn't the drivers fault. The driver has been told to do this. If he or she doesn't do this and is caught will be issued with a warning for not following company rules. So don't blame the driver. Blame the management.

[@Maxime_K-G]

That's crazy. I've only been on a bus that didn't stop once but there was clearly something wrong with the driver as it was noon and the bus was almost empty. He skipped three popular stops over the length of a kilometer. Luckily I could take a bus back and didn't miss my connection! It's a shame that public transportation does not receive the same level of care as road maintenance. What good is a wide city road if there is no affordable and convenient way for ordinary people to use it?

[@rizwanali649]

This is why they chopped the bus in half and added it to the back and drove the bendy buses. Bendy buses was the solution. But what you really needed to add was Bus conductors just like you had them for the old route masters. There was many times when I got on a bendy bus and I said to myself. Yeap. Definitely you got 140 people on this bus.

[@nataliehilton9334]

Bendy buses weren't just used in London: Manchester got some of them on the 135 service to Bury. They were owned by First group, and then got rid of them not long after finding out that the London ones caught fire.

[@kilodeltaeight]

The fact London busses seem to lack all door boarding is incredible to me - even in Los Angeles our busses are rolling out TAP Card readers at rear doors so you can get on anywhere. In any case, I also wonder why a shortened route has not been considered to add capacity mid-line. If the bus is full by a certain point, have empty coaches start there during busy periods to add capacity. This happens in San Francisco, for example, on routes like the 30-Stockton which are incredibly busy but can’t accommodate full-length coaches.

[@Peter-mj6lz]

People wont pay their fare

[@CameronAdamsify]

I always preferred the upper deck myself. Maybe buses need to have those crowd-monitoring cameras that trains have to gauge how full a section is/isn't

[@smada36]

It's a common misconception that buses are for passengers. Bus operators stopped talking about passengers back in the early 2000's. Buses stopped being made with pax in mind, routes stopped being designed with pax in mind, companies stopped being run with pax in mind. It's now all about how many seats you can run over how many miles at a certain frequency. Pax don't figure in the registration, they don't figure in the targets. It is preferable to the operator to not pick up pax than to pick up the fine for running outside the six minute window. It's just another example of modern day life being OK to be not fit for purpose, as long as it looks good on paper.

[@ace-paidinfull5240]

No such place as kensal town, its either kensal green or kensal rise #dummies lol I used to drive this route and ill be honest, its a flipping nightmare. But not at all points of the route. Harlesden, stonebridge and Wembley are the most challenging areas. You even have regular 9-5ers pulling antics at edgware road…

[@derektaylor2941]

I drive a desk now but I can say that I USED TO miss my London driving on Nat Ex work, but the idea of driving around London all day? I take my hat off to you and any TfL'er for that. I recently drove (car) into London for the first time in several years and only from M1 over to Paddington area. Never again. Not unless the British Army wants to loan me a Challlenger Tank.

[@kristinajendesen7111]

40 years ago I found the same thing. I worked them out of Westbourne Park but I had a conductor back then. Stonebridge and Wembley they just wouldn't go upstairs.

[@Dinki-Di]

Ah a bus that doesn’t stop to pick up passengers so that it can maintain its schedule. I’m reminded of “Yes Minister”, where the hospital ran more efficiently without patients.

[@Abdul.M.]

My local route 65 ans 237 always full when you try go upstairs seats taken. Both routes have high frequency.

[@Itsjustsxm]

Im from Harlesden and grew up getting on this packed bus route to everywhere it goes Wembley, central ldn etc. Not suprising I think one of the reasons why it gets packed constantly is because the bakerloo line trains needs to fix up very unreliable and slow and sometimes never runs to its full route most of the times. TfL needs to invest more into their transport

[@itsmeteorain]

Like how when filming from the pavement, every bus stopped.

[@playlikelegends119]

VERY TRUE, I USED TO LIVE IN HARLESDEN AND MY SCHOOL WAS ALL THE WAY IN SOUTH LONDON SO I WAS LIKE HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET ALL THE WAY THERE? BUT ANYWAY, AT THE BUS STOP CRAVEN PARK, AROUND 5 AM, THE BUS WOULD ALWAYS SKIP THE BUS STOP JUST BECAUSE THE LOWER DECK IS FULL AND THERE ARE ACTUALLY A FEW SEATS ON THE UPPER DECK. SO WE WOULD ALWAYS HAVE TO GET ON THE 266 AND RUN TO THE 18 AT THE NEXT BUS STOP. I WAS ACTUALLY GETTING FUSTRATED BECAUSE IT IS ALWAYS MAKING MY FAMILY AND I LATE. I HONESTLY THINK THAT DRIVERS NEED TO CHECK THEIR CAMERAS BEFORE SKIPPING A BUS STOP. I MEAN ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS TO BECOME A BUS DRIVER IS TO HELP YOUR COMMUNITY GET AROUND THE WORLD SO ALWAYS BE KIND AND SHOW COMPASSION FOR STRANGERS. THANK YOU BUS DRIVERS FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR LONDON.

[@andrewhendo8472]

found the 2 most charismatic bus passengers in London 😅

[@buzzukfiftythree]

How ridiculous! Bendy buses are used widely on the continent. Some now even have two articulated sections (e.g. Bern, St Gallen in Switzerland) and function perfectly well. I haven’t heard of any issues there with them catching fire. Alternatively, why doesn’t London reintroduce trams? OK the cost and the disruption would be considerable, but most large towns and cities in Western Europe have tram systems and they seem very popular.

[@khidorahian]

Honestly think a new light rail system would be good, maybe above the road or… even below.

[@jacksugden8190]

Can’t blame the driver/operator if he/she can’t see the upper deck, it’s happened to me a few times at Oakwood on the 121, so nothing new, answer was being back the bendy bus, put crews back, or increase the service with more buses, or scrap the 18 completely.

[@DF-ml4es]

One thing that you people need to realise is it’s not the driver’s fault 😂😂😂. You need to blame the people who won’t move upstairs because most drivers don’t want to terminate the bus or hold back just because some silly passengers won’t go upstairs so have a go at the right people 👍🏾

[@ziggydamaestro]

A perfect example of today’s journalism. If this was Just A Minute, you’d be told off for repetition and waffling.

[@oddities-whatnot]

Cant think of any worse place to live and commute in than London. Or Birmingham as a close second.

[@CerysKnowles]

Pretty sure the times are an estimation, I'm in the southeast and buses are always late but turn up, I understand if they are sticking to schedule because of the busy hustle and bustle of the city. Also as someone with Customer Service experience, personally I believe that the customer should be notified if there is a delay or a cancellation of said service.

[@kristinajendesen7111]

Haha, as an ex №18 driver (Westbourne Park), this was a problem in the 80s. I had a conductor back then though. The 7s, 28s & 31s were Routemasters but the 18s were the modern (then), Metros & Titans. For some reason the passengers, especially in the Wembley area, were too lazy to go upstairs. So you had a bus absolutely rammed solid downstairs but empty on the upper deck. Nothing racial here but it was the Indians that didn't want to go upstairs and would crowd the lower deck. I don't know if it's the same now. Obviously you can't have the platform next to you full of people for safety reasons and to be able to see the nearside mirror. Must be even harder driver only without a conductor.

[@jimyu9147]

I thought there were usually mirrors that let drivers see the upper deck, weren’t there? 😂

[@reyesojeda9603]

The solution might be found in America ..... A Seattle suburban transit agency, Community Transit, has Double Decker buses and they're equipped with cameras streaming live footage for the driver, so they can see what's going on up top.

[@SEPK09]

FGS simply get conductors on them to force people upstairs Jeez you want a slide ruler to work it out !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@andrewvannan1714]

If drivers do that in Scottish towns, they get smacked later on in the shift by other public who keep an eye on the timetable

[@cornpopper4921]

TRANSPORT FOR LONDON IS A DISGRACE!!

[@eattherich9215]

It's not just drivers on route 18. I am convinced that most drivers are just sociopaths that shouldn't seek a customer facing job.

[@iOSalltheway]

Stand in front of it on the road, did it once in my Asian country, it jammed brake and stopped

[@deividasverbickas6233]

Jenius

[@emjackson2289]

I saw this movie once about a bus that had to SPEED around the city at over 50mph and if its SPEED dropped below 50 it would EXPLODE! I think it was called "The Bus That Couldnt Slow Down!"

[@angusgrant6903]

I scrolled for a few minutes to see if anyone had commented that the MP looks and sounds like a post-2018 Hugh Grant character, but I could find one so I guess it's up to me

[@MrDragpics]

And they stop stop stop to regulate the service.

[@9ancho]

i live on the 18 but literally every bus is packed so i usually take the 52 and 206 to my destination

[@simonkalavazides6422]

They should have an x18 bus route.

[@hpekristiansen]

Do not blame the bus. Blame the drivers.

[@Devkumar43072]

I have noticed that the bus drivers terminate services early without asking for permission from the bus operations department in the company's depot. The SL8 drivers are cunts at doing this as there is a mcdonald's at Hayes The Grapes in which they would cancel the bus there then lock down the bus to go to the McDonalds then do an empty bus movement to the next bus stop up then run a one way shuttle service to uxbridge.

[@damiencrowley2506]

Thats the passengers fault for not going upstairs, they just point blank refuse. The passenger's arrogance is the problem not the drivers.

[@ilghiz]

MPs riding a bus? Unheard of in my damn country

[@dfisher99]

Tfl just a joke. The mayor is meant to be the chair but simple goes missing at times like these. There are simply dozens of other examples of tfl not providing a proper service anymore. Take the District line beyond Barking where 10 minute gaps in service are common place.

[@caxusmusic4723]

the Harry Porter bus

[@user-bu9nb8wr6e]

So typical of the attitude of transport for London and Khan.

[@infamouselixir90]

Driver has every right, if people are not willing to move upstairs and all stand downstairs then the bus has plated limits for seated and standing. All seated upstairs and downstairs is a mixture of the two! exceeding these with full knowledge puts the driver at risk of offence and being put in front of the traffic commissioner for it which could be a ban!! So if nobody wants the stop then I would drive past too instead of stopping and some entitled arse telling me he’ll have my job for refusing to board them

[@thomasdalton1508]

Why not stop and tell the passengers getting on that they can only get on if they go upstairs?

[@sachapajot-barrass9762]

Because its too full, people can't get through to the staircase as its too busy downstairs.@@thomasdalton1508

[@alanholderness6138]

​@@thomasdalton1508If the bus is full, they're not going to fight their way through to get to the stairs. Even if they tried but failed, once they're on they are not going to get off again.

[@thomasdalton1508]

@@alanholderness6138 If you wait until people move upstairs before driving off (and tell them that's what you are doing), it won't take long before they move upstairs.

[@alanholderness6138]

@thomasdalton1508 Valid comment but would it bother the driver if they move or not? They still get paid and it''s just going to make the bus late / later. Having been a driver for over ten years on busy London routes, it may of been something I tried once or twice.

[@londonerwalks]

The problem is the no.18 bus route is run by the French company RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens).

[@SLTyt]

What does that have to do with it? TfL set the route contract requirements (such as number of buses and capacity) and all routes are tendered out to private companies

[@londonerwalks]

@@SLTyt London transport services shouldn't be run by a French company who's main interest is their shareholders and passengers in French cities.

[@SLTyt]

@londonerwalks That's just how the tendering system works. TfL don't run any routes themselves. There are also other companies such as Arriva and Metroline (CkmfortDelgro) so I don't get why you're singling RATP out. As I said before, it's TfL who set the requirements of the contracts such as capacity

[@londonerwalks]

@@SLTyt I'm singling out RATP because as the video states, that is the company who will not stop the no.18 bus at bus stops.

[@SLTyt]

@londonerwalks It's only the 18 that has made headline news because it affects an MP and a Transport Journalist instead of just the normal public. This happens on many other routes as well? This problem isn't unique to the 18. What do you want RATP to do about it anyways? They're running the service that TfL want. They can't just magic more buses and drivers out of nowhere, and in London most people don't listen when the driver asks them to move upstairs

[@ConstantinSPurcea]

Well busses have a weight limit and also a passenger capacity limit. Hard to keep track of how many passengers are on board at any one time but judging by a full floor of people… probably enough. So even if there are a few seats upstairs, if lots of people are standing down stairs and nobody has requested to get off… it won’t stop at a random small bus stop on some small road just for you. People take public services like these for granted lol but in reality if they’ve got people on they couldn’t care less about you waiting at a bus stop.

[@peterwilliamallen1063]

This situation is utter rubbish as all double deck buses are equiped either with a periscope or camera to scan the upper deck and this was introduced all over the country when double deck one person operated buses started. Why does London always have stupid quirky ideas, I know London Buses have more Standee room down stairs but I cant understand why these aukward people are standing up down stairs when there a vacant seats onthe upper deck so causing drivers not to stop, this does not happen in any other part of the ccountry.

[@damon1957ful]

Ill never give up my car or motorbike and never visit citys like london birmingham , as i hate shareing my space with poeple i have no control over , when i was young i went every where, now i am scared to walk in citys streets too many gangs and non british

[@TheLion-b3h]

The iBus effect…..!?! Mileage over service…abusive controller culture, the iBus system is UNREGULATED !!! Driver get the blame and sacked if they tell “tales”

[@MarciaWilson-hq9ii]

Those that can go upstairs. Should do do

[@moover123]

lol a bus that doesn't stop because it's late. only in london i guess. my commuter line did have an issue and ran late every single time. they finally adapted the shedule last december and added 5 minutes for the route which turned out to be plenty so now it has to wait at two stations before continuing.

[@crix.antimony]

Simple, Being more late = LOSE ROUTE CONTRACT

[@kristinajendesen7111]

Simple...no buses then. It would happen to any firm, it's the passengers. I worked the 18s 40 years ago and it was exactly the same as far as passengers not going upstairs.

[@ROTREV]

18 might go to metroline. The contract is finishing in November. Hope it’s not retained

[@GodAtum]

Actually you are wrong. The 64 will stop when the lower deck is full and play the announcement "There are seats on the upper deck" until people move up.

[@nathanw9770]

The 64 is much less frequent than the 18 so they have more time to reshuffle passengers at stops whereas the 18 doesn't.

[@yetiboysw8933]

"The bus doesn't have time to pick up passengers which is why it is supposed to do" really! It took you something like 20 years to realise that! Buses are there to make money for the company, not to pick up passengers! Now you complain the bus doesn't stop, there will be more pressure on the drivers from the company and more pressure to the company from tfl. You will never get service that is suppose serve as long as it Is done to save or make money!

[@LoganSmith-s4e]

They ever 5 minutes

[@LTZ1729]

This happens on the p13 sometimes

[@chrism2279]

Faster journey if you manage to board though.

[@eattherich9215]

Faster journey back to the garage if the driver doesn't stop.

[@Talkathon408]

It would be better if buses were paid for out of taxation. This would reduce costs for several reasons and increase bus usage. Double deckers could also have more doors ( like at the back) which would speed up boarding, making the bus service more efficient.

[@robeycleaverland2155]

Poloi Frencha Cleaverland: Absolutely anxious and very rude to driver, always ignoring then went! This is disrepectable for busdriver, unfriendly for London buses to people. I was living in Scotland, there are always friendly local buses better than London buses. How come to see that could be too miserable of it in London buses right. No kindful or friendly advance with people, huh??... That pretty shame for that gone be worst London buses physical of behaviour problems, always skips to caught to miss the bus behind down there! Why don't wait for the standing bus to through the queue bus passway the buelane to check who the passenger caught the bus-stop here in the point. Now, did you see that, pretty disgusting passing away could be missed!!! I know that bus was full, so why don't use both of it use the single deck or double buses route 18 or other routes together to make a little press set down to selection of the stations better than delays. Should be try a little support together to do it properly. Now, is pretty sad and very disappointing, London transport by buses is letting down it is now. I don't like London, because of the bad services of London transport buses, no friendly with people. Because too missing passing those buses it is hell! :(

[@davidjackson-uj4zf]

Till those lazy people to go upstairs

[@PsychicLord]

The 18 is operated by a French company...... say no more!

[@thebus-ter]

But they're having a financial crisis

[@alanholderness6138]

......and the relevance is??

[@emvvehicles_8]

Sounds the route of the 18 could use a subway to run under it, Los Angeles Metro is in the process of building a Subway extension under its busiest bus line which is the 720 from Westwood to Downtown Los Angeles, many people take the 720 to 7th St Metro Center or LA Union station to transfer to the Blue Line to south central & Long Beach or Metrolink to San Bernardino & antelope valley so having this subway extension will improve commute times.

[@jakubdenemark2739]

the problem is that 18 doesnt run through the main areas and outside of london, so having a subway under the suburbs wouldnt be economically possible...

[@charliewhu66]

Of course u squeeze through and tap😂 not fooling anyone lol

[@627kenton]

Driver cant do anything. He announce move down inside the bus and front passenger dont listen them. They keep stand over there. Its very easy to make comment on anyone. Many times driver beaten by passenger. A driver as person need carry many responsibilites and safety for passenger. Tfl need make aware to people by media source listen to driver. Its very easy being media BBC you point out in news. You need to understand driver situation. Need to see both side.

[@charliebramley]

Timetable change...

[@Alex1234496]

The problem is people stay downstairs for the convenience of getting off. That's why you should always push in and get on the bus first as I always do or jump in the back.

[@asherswing]

cheap lazy excuse

[@StevenHaggis]

Is this BBC bull again?

[@mrlilmatt123]

Why would it matter if the downstairs *WAS* full?! Why would that make a blind bit of difference to people just walking upstairs?? TFL are full civil service daft aren't they...

[@SoneliasT]

What's the excuse of Line of Sight? they have cameras everywhere, including upstairs

[@Tr7ln]

It used to be a problem on the 279 and 349 near Edmonton Green where it wouldn't stop but there wasn't any space up on the top deck of even the lower deck

[@cameronallan5624]

Imagine having buses that don’t stop. Here in the north we DON’T HAVE BUSES.

[@cameronallan5624]

Obviously we do, but the timetables are no way near as frequent as they are in London.

[@WillDoesTransport]

@@cameronallan5624 the amount of money pumped into London's buses is a joke when, here in the rest of the country relatively unregulated (At least compared to London, and more recently Manchester's Bee network) operators have a monopoly.

[@celebrityrog]

Welcome to San Francisco how buses work here. Except it isn’t cause bus is full it’s cause drivers are lazy.

[@roachtoasties]

The bus driver has got to know there's room upstairs. There must be a camera up there for the bus driver to view.