Forum Topic

Haven Green bus chaos

Is it just me or is the 'rearrangement' of bus services at Ealing Broadway a total descent into chaos?No-one has said if this is temporary but clearly TfL have ignored completely the rather poorly advertised consultation.Just who thought it was a good idea to split bus services to Brentford which served one location to stops over 80m apart?Since the clocks changed this has changed from farcical to downright dangerous. In the evening rush hour there are people stampeding in two directions having waited in between the stops for the first or emptiest service heading for Brentford.The melee of people now heading in confused directions has simply made it a mess.The congestion caused by buses is now as bad as it was in the 1970s and has buses going round the block to unclog the area and some are even terminating in other places but not returning to the first pick up point.The worst thing is that these concerns were raised in consultation but according to TfL were overidden by Ealing Council.No-one at Ealing Council though seems to even know where Haven Green is.But it is an accident waiting to happen and whilst it was never perfect, the previous organised chaos was better than the near riot scenerio that now manifests in the dark evenings.

Mark Kehoe ● 3744d24 Comments

Should have existed at least 25 years ago. As long as it is reliable.Should be supported.However as TfL consultations are always ignored unless they are in approval. lets see what happens.

Mark Kehoe ● 3735d

Consultation on extending route E8 to Hounslow Bell Corner via West Middlesex Hospital.I fully support a direct Ealing to Hounslow bus route myself.https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/buses/e8-110-h28

Leslie Bailey ● 3735d

No wonder I couldn't work it out. I am on the E1 when I go to W7.

Ben Owen ● 3740d

And the first prize goes to...Actually I guessed what it must meant by the numbers but not the exact word representation. But readers on W5 are usually bright enough to work it out one way or another.The missive sent to me was full of technical stuff that would make most peoples eyes glaze over so I edited it down a bit.

Mark Kehoe ● 3741d

Mark, I was bemused by your abbreviation of PVR. I remember PVR being a shortened form for Personal Video Recorder. Clearly that wasn't what you meant. So I Googled PVR and learnt that it can stand for Peak Vehicle Requirement.Ah, makes sense now. Uncommon abbreviations with no explanations are frustrating.

Ben Owen ● 3741d

They were trying to find a new owner but it doesn't look like they did. It was a good site for finding others with the same problem as you.  They seem to be spending more time and effort with their international websites.  Why not have a look at their other websites?

Philippa Bond ● 3741d

Whilst on the subject of bus stops on Haven Green I must point out the potential dangerous location of the combined E2 and E9 west bound stop. It used to be in front of shops just to the north of the tube station in a well lighted area with little room for anyone with ill intent approaching passengers from behind. The lights in the canopy above the current shelter have never all functioned at the same, rarely just two or three and as for now none are illuminated. Added to the expanse of unlit park behind this combination presents a late night hazard and potential danger to anyone using this stop.

Martin C. Harris ● 3742d

http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2394054/oxford-street-pollution-plummeted-during-bus-strike-say-scientistsChaos over where to get your bus from doesn't help!

Philippa Bond ● 3742d

The E8 going double decker will see the Optare Tempo hybrids sold off.

Fred Hunt ● 3742d

The E1 bus is a hybrid: http://www.londonbusroutes.net/photos/E01.htm.

Chris Gilson ● 3742d

That's very disappointing.  It shouldn't be that we have to be in the Congestion Zone in order to have hybrid buses.

Philippa Bond ● 3742d

TfL also informed me today that there will be a few changes in the pipeline for next May and July:From 28th May 2016:E2      Retained by Metroline Travel with existing fleet Euro 4 diesel double-decks (pvr 15) Increased evening and Sunday frequencies.E5      Awarded to Abellio with new Euro 6 diesel single-decks (pvr from 11 to 12).    E7      Awarded to Abellio with new Euro 6 diesel single-decks (pvr 10).    Increased evening frequencies. E8    Retained by Metroline Travel with existing fleet Euro 4 diesel double-decks (pvr up from 11 to 15), thus converted to double-deck  Subject to an imminent consultation exercise, the extra pvr is to cover a proposed route extension beyond Brentford to Hounslow. E9      Awarded to Abellio with existing fleet Euro 5 diesel double-decks (pvr from 11 to 12), thus converted to double-deck.  Currently operated by Metroline West And from 2nd July 2016:65 Retained by London United using existing fleet Euro 4 and new Euro 6 diesel double-decks (pvr up from 24 to 27)  with a frequency increase Mon-Sat daytime and all evenings.So no Hybrid of Electric buses for Ealing or Brentford so does not say much for all the Green rhetoric from both boroughs.And no mention of sorting out the mess that TfL are blaming Ealing for.

Mark Kehoe ● 3742d

It has never been perfect but until last month there was at least method in the madness.Now it is just pure madness signed off by complete idiots.

Mark Kehoe ● 3742d

There is a large two storey world war II bunker complex under Haven Green. We could go underground and have some of the bus interchange underground.

Nigel Eric Dunwoody ● 3742d

As a major transport hub with interchange between end-of-the-line tube, overground and bus it is a total mess. Why not an elevated bus station over the rail tracks Hammersmith Broadway style? Funding I guess. The open spaces of Haven Green could provide a solution but I suspect off the radar for most. So it is difficult to see how an integrated solution could be planned.  So a mess it will stay.

Philip Coe ● 3742d

I've a printed copy of the consultation and it is full of loaded questions and does not explain clearly what they intended to do.They only way it is comprehensible is to know the area very well.400 responses is a fragment of those who pass through Ealing Broadway's bus connections.But consultation or not it clearly is a cock up and everyone waiting for buses, getting shoved around and missing buses are either angry, cheesed off or plain bemused.But the simple fact is it is now dangerous on more than one perspective.

Mark Kehoe ● 3743d

Actually you will have to search under "65 bus" (what a strange search function this forum has).Anyway-the result of the consultation was 400 responses with 65% in favour. (Not me mate)The TfL link is here:https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/buses/ealingbroadway

Terry Freestone ● 3743d

Anthony Waller posted in this forum back on the 24th of March, 2014, that TfL were planning to move the 65 bus stop.(Search :TFL Bus changes in Haven Green)TfL held a consultation which Anthony included a link to. So this appears *not* to be a temporary arrangement.

Terry Freestone ● 3743d

As an update,TfL are now blaming the fiasco on Ealing Council and data provided by them.No-one at Ealing seems to be able to explain or admit to having anything to do with the shambolic mess.65 and E2 and E8 Brentford bound now stop at different locations, Useless if taking options for Brentford.  And why people are now waiting between two stops and stampeding en masse for the first bus.Utter chaos again this late afternoon, with the 2nd parked 65 departing first leaving some 30 passengers behind and two buses clipping each other trying to avoid a bus trying to manouvre into a blind exit.So who at Ealing is the common sense deprived overseer responsible?  Anyone know?  How can they be contacted and explain this mess?

Mark Kehoe ● 3743d

This sounds like a good tip; thank you Philippa.  Also, I was told that the 65 bus stop boarding point outside Ealing Broadway Station has changed!

Elizabeth Anna Thaddeus ● 3744d

Have you tried using www.fixmytransport.com

Philippa Bond ● 3744d

It takes hours on some kind of expensive premium rate number or you have to write in to complain and when you do ring in you have to identify yourself with so much information it is as if they are collecting data to sell on rather than document complaints. I guese that's what we get when we choose a London mayor in an election whose written documented goal at univerity for his life was to shag as many woman as possible.If you want really unhelpful the Transport for London kiosk at Acton Town tube station comes top of my list. Surly.

Lionel D. Drew ● 3744d

Have noticed how unpleasant journeys are on the 207 and E3.  Behaviour by passengers is appalling.The route I use most, has, in the main, very good and courteous drivers who nonetheless, have to put up with some horrendous abuse and complaints. It is not their fault but often the complaints and anger is understandable.it's just a shame no-one in TfL or the bus operators management are ever there to comprehend and take action on the dissatisfaction but elect to leave the drivers to face the passengers for problems they have no control over.

Mark Kehoe ● 3744d

Have you tried the E3 recently? Buss driver ignores multiple requests for police to be called after a self-professed paranoid schizophrenic threatens a passenger repeatedly. Last two out of three trips Oyster card reader not working.Several rude and unhelpful drivers. Do not use the E3 if you value your personal safety.

Lionel D. Drew ● 3744d