The Good, the Bad and the Fares. (Buses in general)

Member Name: LostAngel

Product:	Buses in general
Date:	28/07/01 (186 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: See op

Disadvantages: See op

To be honest red buses in London are getting a little rusty and we don’t see too many new buses around but I have to say still they are one of the best means of transport in London.

I have been using them for many years now. Although now a days I don’t use them very often as compared to my college days but still there are times when I prefer taking a bus rather than using my car as finding a place to park the car can be very difficult at times and at some places in London you may have to pay up to £4 per hour for parking. With the passage of time I have seen so many changes, some good and some bad. While the service has become worse in some aspects,
There have been some new developments proven to be very useful.

I’ll divide my op in three sections, the Good, the Bad and the Fares.

GOOD
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Ø They are cheaper than tubes.
Ø They are available nearly 22 hours a day as compared to the underground service, which seizes after midnight.
Ø They are great for sightseeing.
Ø Due to the development of bus only lanes they can move faster through the traffic while cars are stuck in traffic jam.
Ø The new fares are very simple and convenient.
Ø There are a lot of passes and discount fares available for students, senior citizens and children.
Ø The new low floor buses are great for Mums with buggies.

BAD
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Ø They are not very reliable.
Ø Not always on time and sometime you have to wait for ages.
Ø During peak hours you can be stuck for hours.
Ø Not all drivers are very helpful and friendly
Ø The quality of service differs in different areas of London.
Ø Many buses needs to be replaced and new buses are required.

FARES
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The new fares are very convenient and there are many passes and discounts available.

Ø There are two standard fares, £1 in central London (zone 1) for a single ticket and 70p for any other zone. (Zone
2-6). 40p for children age 5-15.
Ø A special pass for only £2 is also available for a single day. You can have as many rides as you want.
Ø You can buy one day, weekly, monthly or even an annual pass for any zone, for discount prices. Very useful for regular users like students, not only saves money but time as well.
Ø Special concession passes for students (33% off), children and senior citizens.
Ø Saver tickets is a pack of six tickets for £3.90 which you can use anywhere, anytime.
Ø All tickets and passes are available from most of the newsagents, main stations and underground stations as well.

NIGHT BUSES
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Night buses run from midnight to 7 am, not as frequent as regular day buses but are very useful means of transport at the time when no other transport is available.

MOBILITY BUSES
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These are special buses for handicap and people with physical disabilities. Not too many around but you can find their route and timings from the guidebook.

LEAFLETS
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Leaflets and maps are available from all stations and are very useful. You can find general bus guide, night bus guide or guides and routes for local areas. You can also get information from 24 hour phone line service by dialling number 0207 222 1234.

With all the problems that the London bus service is facing at the moment it’s still one of the best and most economical means of transport. By using the information line and leaflets you can plan your journey in advance and can avoid most of the problems.

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