The P Bus

Over the course of canvassing, I and my team have received many comments about the route of the P bus.

Earlier today I set out on adventure to experience for myself the delights of the route from High Street to Crossmead and back.

What follows are my thoughts as and when they occurred on the journey.

[The times in the square brackets are the scheduled times as per published timetable / followed by a time - early or + late]

P BUS - a log for Thursday 10 March 2011

10:25
Arr High St - timetable lists next P due @ 10:35 - but P not yet showing on interactive display
NB many buses along High St not parking parallel to kerb. This could cause difficulties for passengers with mobility issues [eg pushchairs] to get on and off. Also impedes on-coming traffic

10:30
And still no info on P - but I do know that A due in 6 min and E due in 17

10:31
Oh and now another E has popped up, due in 6

10:35
Bus due, but no sign of it and no idea from the sign when it might arrive

10:36
Bus arr - and yes it parks at angle. Why?

10:37 [10:35 / + 2 min]
Bus dep

10:39
On-coming P in final of 4 along narrows beside Tesco Metro and blocks our access through.
Drives ought to show more courtesy to each other

10:40
Truck outside Samuels impedes progress. Even though we have right-of-way, on-coming K forces its way through.
This truck parking here probably prevented the previous P bus seeing that he would cause obstruction

Q Could there be some method of organising this stretch of road so that only 3 buses max go through at a time? Any more is more than likely the block the exit onto the wide bit High Street

10:42
Arr Top of Fore St13 passengers on- board

10:46
Arr St Thomas library
7 off/7 on

10:47
Turn into Buller Rosd clear, but does queuing go get into shopping normally cause problems?

10:49 [10:42/ + 7 min]
Dep with 3 extra passengers

10.50
Bit of bus jam as on-coming P turns off Okehampton Road

10:53
Turn into Isleworth Rd made more difficult by car on yellow box junction

10:54 [10:49/ + 5 min]
Arr High Meadows/ Charnley Ave
8 passengers
Young child tells her Dad that she likes this - travelling on a bus - He responds [with an irony that child won't understand] "yes, this is luxury"

11:00 [10:50/ + 5 min]
Arr @ Crossmead 5 min late, and the time due to depart. so no wait for us.
Anecdotally, this appears to be unusual, must people I've spoken to mention arr here EARLY and having to wait 7 min

11:00 [10:00/ on-time
Turn into Barley Lane 6 passengers + 1 child

11:02
Right turn into Barley Farm Road - cars parked on RHSOn bend some cars parked on kerb in RHS. Drivers really don't know their Highway Code

Q: Do many passengers get on at stops on BFR? - none on this journey
Q: What stops people parking on LHSQ: Would shorter buses be more practical
Q: Do passenger numbers ever require these big buses

No problems with the turn onto Berkshire Drive and Bowhay Lane

11:05 [11:05 / on-time]
Arr High Meadow.Charnley Ave

11:07
Car parked near bus stop on Isleworth Rd cause bus to park in middle of road to pick up passengers

11:08
On-coming P bus met in Okehampton RoadIs

Q: Is Buller Road link useful - for Cowick residents? What about St Thomas?
Would it be better to use Okehampton Street directly onto Exe Bridges?

11:11 [11:12 / - 1 min]
St Thomas Shopping Centre
2 off/5? on 17 + 2 kids
Oh make that 16 as ticket inspector was one of the peolpe who got on
Appears everyone has paid correct fare

11:15
Bottom of Bridge Street

Green P&R coming down Fore St gives way to us

11:18
Parked at angle outside BHS - no obvious reason, as no other buses in lay-by

11:19
Passing P bus at junction with Sourh St

Courteous Dartline bus gives way outside M&S - drivers from rival bus companies seem to be more considerate than Stagecoach drivers. is this common?

Straight through narrow bit

11:20 [10:24 / - 4min]
Arr back in High St. Due to dep @ 11:24, so driver turns off engine - but is this because an inspector is on-board?12 + 2 Still no info on P Bus on info sign on opposite side of road.

Try the text messaging service - lists next 3 buses to arr at stop

Yet text message service informs me on next 3 buses due at stop. All are due before next P at 11:35

Walking along Sidwell St, I see a P bus heading to High St, so try text service again - tells me P is due at 111:35. That's right.

Since more than 3 services stop at the High St stop, surely it would be better to come up with a system that lists when each bus that stops there is due, rather than just the next 3?

Could there be some scheme to reduce the cost of fares:
Oystercards scheme?
Unlimited transfer for hour?
Carnet - 10 for price of 8?
Clip ticket - like Amsterdam?