(27 Nov 2024, 10:31 pm)Andreos1 wrote Dont forget the ideological mess caused by numerous busmen. 

Rubber their hands with glee when she had her batshit ideas.

Of course, her batshit ideas enabled some crazy unsustainably competition, which quickly died out, resulting in today’s private and inept monopoly. Quite like the water privatisation. 

As for the comment suggesting it’s hard to compare 1986 to today, I take that on board . However, London was never deregulated and works well (I compare it to Hartlepool where I live now with its very few services ). I go to London with work quite often and amazed at the coordination, the frequency of services etc even in the suburbs like Acton . This is despite there being a very regular Tube across Acton and White City. 

If there are no reforms, buses will die. Going back to Hartlepool, Uber is resulting in me using the bus less . Even before the bus fare cap, if the two of us travelled to the town centre to get to the Station , it would be £3.80. Now it’s £4.00 combined. Pretty often, I can get an uber for literally 20 p more than the combined fare but much more door to door. No need to leg it to the bus stop, urging our lass to hurry as the bus is due! 

However, I know that once Uber is dominant and seen off the buses, their prices will rise.