Forum Topic

Buses are the most annoying things in Ealing

There are times when I absolutely hate buses. You never know how long you have to wait. You wait and wait and one turns up half an hour later and it would have been quicker to walk and what is most annoying is when you see loads and loads of buses going in the opposite direction while none in your direction and when a bus comes, it is full and you are squashed like sardines. What ever happened to the countdown facility that Boris Johnson had promised many years ago when he said every single bus stop would display the times of the buses and report any major disruptions. I think the 65 bus routes are the worst.

Asha Smith ● 4791d27 Comments

I have no idea, I use the 105 only rarely and I can't say I've noticed the buses or the people smelling any better or worse.The odd night bus with the smell of alcohol and vomit is the only time I've noticed and wanted to get off

Michael Brandt ● 4755d

You tell me....

Marie Anne OConnell ● 4755d

I think all humans can whiff a bit, why is it worse on the 105?

Michael Brandt ● 4755d

More the human kind...!!

Marie Anne OConnell ● 4755d

Stinks of what? exhaust fumes? Report it to the operators.

Michael Brandt ● 4755d

Yes and the worst route is the 105 through Southall .... Stinks to high heaven !

Marie Anne OConnell ● 4755d

Sadly you can't do that on the E8 at Ealing Broadway station as the 'rugby scrum' is at the first stop - GRR!

Nigel Brooks ● 4756d

Emily, I agree - the etiquette of queuing has long gone and it's quite literally a free-for-all getting on a bus at the Haven Green stop.One thing I have found is well worth the effort, especially at Ealing Broadway, is to spend an extra 5 mins or so and walk to the previous stop and then get a nice seat and smile smugly to yourself whilst watching those struggling to get on.

Bud Richards ● 4756d

Re  should run to timetable from there.        xxxxxxxxxxxxxx that may well be Susan, but have you never stood at Acton Town station waiting for the elusive E B train while dozens of  ones to other destinations come and go. And the D L is so slow, clatters along at a walking pace.

Tony Price ● 4756d

Re  Tony, you are so funny.          xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx thanks Asha. Friends and acquaintances  often say the same, am glad to have " been of help " !

Tony Price ● 4756d

The District line does actually run to a timetable which is published.On the Richmond branch it is every 10 mins .It's when a train gets cancelled, diverted or turned early that is frustrating as they just never inform passengers. When this happens it's as bad at almost every tube station. and 'Operating Issues' is not an acceptable reason to give.What does that really mean? On the Bakerloo line it means a driver has not turned up for work!

Michael Brandt ● 4756d

Given that Ealing Broadway is the end of the line, District Line trains should run to timetable from there. Try looking it up on the TfL journey planner.http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en

Susan Kelly ● 4756d

The E8 bus is a pain in the butt... nearly always a single-decker at rush hour, whereas the 65 and E2 are always double deckers. People swarm towards it at Ealing Broadway station and sometimes not everyone can get on. So the poor buggers at the next stop by the town hall have no chance. Then it crawls down towards Hanwell - sometimes it would actually be quicker for me to walk, but don't fancy that in this weather!

Emily Heath ● 4756d

in that case avoid the District Line or you will huff yourself to a premature demise!xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTony, you are so funny. I had a good laugh this morning. You made my day. By the way, you are absolutely right. In the mornings I get the district line from Ealing Broadway and I never know when a distric line is going to turn up, if ever. No point asking the station staff because they just say there should be one any minute.

Asha Smith ● 4756d

Re  five minutes for a tube train, I'm huffing            xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx in that case avoid the District Line or you will huff yourself to a premature demise!

Tony Price ● 4756d

Foreign visitors often express amazement that buses come along every few minutes in London.I think we're a bit spoilt here. If I have to wait five minutes for a tube train, I'm huffing and looking at my watch.

Susan Kelly ● 4756d

The london buses are great compared to those in Provincial cities. I moved to Leicester three years ago and six months later back to Ealing. One reason the terrible bus services.Once Leicester had the cheapest buses and trams in the UK. The trams were scapped and then buses privatised and after initial chaos all that was left was a shadow of the previous services.

Keith Mason ● 4756d

There is no countdown at most 65 stops. The worst being southbound at South ealing Station and at the key interchange at Brentford Watermans.Whenever the service goes wrong the phone app either says no information for this routre or starts counting upwards.The phone app is great but its risky to flash your phone about particularly at islotated stops and a few points in ealing and Brentford.

Michael Brandt ● 4786d

Speaking of good bus services...when I used to work in Westminster, I frequently used the No.159 bus between Oxfrod Street and Westminster...fabulous bus service...every three or so mins.

Gerry Tan ● 4788d

I agree, Gerry, about the 65 being one of the better buses that I use regularly. The 267 used to be the worst but seems to have improved lately.

Susan Kelly ● 4788d

The 65 bus is usually on time and convenient to use - its one of the better routes imo. Perhaps I tend to use it when its free from delays.

Gerry Tan ● 4788d

I've waited upwards of 20 minutes for a 65 at times. If the traffic's bad on Kew Road (which it often is) it buggers the service in both directions (that sounds ruder than its meant to).

Caspar Mason ● 4788d

you are just a transport hog

Walter Coady ● 4791d

Agree with Ben: the Countdown app is the most useful thing my phone has. If there's a long wait for the bus, repair to the nearest café till it's due.

Susan Kelly ● 4791d

There ARE Countdown indicators on most bus stops and, from experience, they are largely accurate.It is VERY rare, if at all, that there is a 30 minute gap between buses.I have just checked the 'feed' from the Countdown indicator at the 65 stop in the High Street and there are FOUR buses in the next 29 minutes.

Nigel Brooks ● 4791d

If you have a phone that has access to the Internet use the following link http://m.countdown.tfl.gov.uk and then type into the search box the TfL unique code which you will find on the post above the timetables. It will give you up-to-the-minute information on when the next bus is due and is correct more than 95% of the time. If you have a smartphone download the user friendly free TfL app.

Ben Owen ● 4791d

Re    I think the 65 bus routes are the worst.               xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx      regarded as the most scenic route in the whole of London, rather frustrating on the return  journey when one has to change buses somewhere en route. But you complain re buses in London, which is one of the few good points as far as I am concerned. I live ( or try ) to live half time in Southampton, where the bus service is ABISMAL in comparison, to my place there,  no service after 6:15 pm, 5:20 Sats and 4:15 pm Sundays, and run only every half-hour except Sundays when only every hour. And my house there is no-where near the outskirts of the City, so I appreciate the London services.

Tony Price ● 4791d