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Friday, 18 March 2011

Replacing the fare dodgers favourite mode of transport - the bendy bus

Back in May 2007 one of my first postings was about the number of people free-riding on bendy buses, so I was pleased to read that:
'Boris Johnson today accused Tube and bus fare dodgers of being a "parasitic scourge" on London as figures showed the problem has got worse.

The cost of fare-dodging rose to almost £75 million last year, up £5  million from the previous year.

At least 120,000 passengers are known to have "dodged" their fare and Transport for London believes many hundreds of thousands of journeys are made each year by people with no valid ticket.

"Fare dodgers are a parasitic scourge on this city costing London millions of pounds," said the Mayor as TfL announced a clampdown on cheats, with more plain-clothes ticket inspectors and police operations. Inspectors and uniformed staff will target specific areas and routes with British Transport Police and City of London Police.

Mr Johnson also said that one of the main reasons he was phasing out "the dreaded bendy buses" was because "they made it far too easy for people to avoid paying".

Bendy buses have Oyster card readers by the rear doors and passengers do not have to pass the driver when boarding.

The Mayor said: "As out streets become bendy-free we are seeing some encouraging signs but these plain-clothed operations are a reminder to everyone using public transport that we expect them to pay their way."'
Hmm reminds me of what I said three years ago:
'Oyster cards seem a great idea and they do work on the tube with controlled entrance and exit from each station but on London buses they are a joke. I took a short journey on a bendy bus today and counted the number of people who got into the bus via one of the centre doors without "touching in"; I made it about 40% ignoring the machines. Many people are getting a free ride on London buses, maybe that is what "cuddly" Ken Livingstone wants but do the rest of us really want to subsidise the travel arrangements of freeloaders? '

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well that is what I woud expect of whiny little englanders of your ilk, rather a fare dogder than a tory, rightwing, wine-swilling coporate eye-kisser, or equally as bad, a swill-eating cocaine snorting pig banker.

Instead of whining about not wanting to do anything and then expect the moon on a stick like a 3year old, grow up, get involved in the Human Community, and make things better so that people can earn enough money (yes a decent wage)so we can properly pay for our fares.

The can't do/won't do atitude you display is the reason why the world is in the shape it is.

So for the the sake of all Human kind stop your Liberterian/reganite/thatcherite bleeting.

Not a sheep said...

I have responded via a new blog post.

Anonymous said...

Thoughts so haven't got anything to say so runs away. coward