‘Radical’ modernization of London bus system proposed

Prioritize communal needs

David Crossley, Sep 26, 11.

London’s Underground rail network is hugely popular with the city’s residents, carrying over 3 million passengers a day between its 270 stations. However, its iconic buses are even more widely used, transporting 6 million Londoners around the city every day., according to a story in Next American City:

But with Britain’s new coalition government preparing comprehensive budget cuts, the future of London’s transport network is uncertain. The Mayor recently abolished plans for both a £70 million extension to the Docklands Light Railway and a tramline along Oxford Street – London’s popular shopping district – and the national government has repeatedly stated their desire to reduce the £16 billion budget of Crossrail – a high-frequency railway connecting East and Western outer London with the city centre.

Despite this, London is pushing forward with other ambitious plans for its transport network. Crossrail is continuing, and the Mayor has even launched a public consultation on plans for a cable car crossing the river Thames in East London. But funding for this project would need to be sourced privately, and considering the long-term nature of national government spending cuts, London is unlikely to see transport developments as expensive and ambitious as Crossrail for several years.

But to encourage continued use of public transport and make London a more sustainable city, a commitment to developing and improving the network will need to be made, albeit on a smaller budget. Thankfully for London, one potential solution to this dilemma is already endorsed by 6 million Londoners every day – the bus.

Considering the current economic climate, there are real reasons for increased political support of bus-based transport. Since it uses existing infrastructure – the road – the economic and environmental cost of implementing, modifying and maintaining bus networks is less than their train-based equivalents. Bus routes can also be introduced more quickly, and offer flexibilities of movement that track-based travel cannot.

Of course, rail has advantages over the bus, being able to carry more passengers, therefore taking more cars off the road. However, the logistics of routing a train track through a city centre leads to complexities that increase cost, energy used in construction, and time involved.

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Photo: E01