Comments on: How Boris rode his buses into a ditch http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/17/how-boris-rode-his-buses-into-a-ditch/ If there wasn't one before, it's time we started it... Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:07:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Rob Fahey http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/17/how-boris-rode-his-buses-into-a-ditch/#comment-9149 Rob Fahey Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:45:20 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/17/how-boris-rode-his-buses-into-a-ditch/#comment-9149 The fare evasion vs. cost of conductors question has been asked and answered in City Hall several times. The Mayor's figures, as I recall (I didn't take notes at the time I was watching, sadly) suggested that the 49 million which it would cost to put conductors on the buses would recover under 10 million in fares. Not a good investment, from that perspective. There are also serious question marks over the ability of conductors to control problem behaviour on buses. What powers exactly would they have? Can they physically restrain or eject people from buses? For kids playing loud music, removing their bus passes is a great option - and they're arguably more likely to respond well to the presence of a uniformed authority figure anyway - but what about for those aren't children, or those whose anti-social behaviour is more violent or threatening? Conductors, like the Routemaster itself, strike me as an utterly impractical idea which is only popular because of its sentimental harking back to a bygone age. Getting more British Transport Police officers onto problem bus routes is a more practical solution - but, er, that's already happening, so I guess it wouldn't be much of an election policy... The fare evasion vs. cost of conductors question has been asked and answered in City Hall several times. The Mayor’s figures, as I recall (I didn’t take notes at the time I was watching, sadly) suggested that the 49 million which it would cost to put conductors on the buses would recover under 10 million in fares. Not a good investment, from that perspective.

There are also serious question marks over the ability of conductors to control problem behaviour on buses. What powers exactly would they have? Can they physically restrain or eject people from buses? For kids playing loud music, removing their bus passes is a great option - and they’re arguably more likely to respond well to the presence of a uniformed authority figure anyway - but what about for those aren’t children, or those whose anti-social behaviour is more violent or threatening?

Conductors, like the Routemaster itself, strike me as an utterly impractical idea which is only popular because of its sentimental harking back to a bygone age. Getting more British Transport Police officers onto problem bus routes is a more practical solution - but, er, that’s already happening, so I guess it wouldn’t be much of an election policy…

]]> By: Tom http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/17/how-boris-rode-his-buses-into-a-ditch/#comment-8616 Tom Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:01:55 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/17/how-boris-rode-his-buses-into-a-ditch/#comment-8616 "Also, bear in mind that with conductors one would expect fare-evasion to fall sharply, so increasing revenues" Enough to offset: 1) the cost of the conductors 2) the cost of congestion caused by people switching back to cars because of fare rises 3) the loss in revenue caused by driving people off the buses due to congestion and fare rises. ? If you're going to spend money on staff put it into travelling ticket inspection teams working at targetted evasion hotspots and times, not having conductors on near empty buses at 1am. That would be a perfectly reasonable policy and oddly enough is broadly what happens now. “Also, bear in mind that with conductors one would expect fare-evasion to fall sharply, so increasing revenues”

Enough to offset:

1) the cost of the conductors
2) the cost of congestion caused by people switching back to cars because of fare rises
3) the loss in revenue caused by driving people off the buses due to congestion and fare rises.

?

If you’re going to spend money on staff put it into travelling ticket inspection teams working at targetted evasion hotspots and times, not having conductors on near empty buses at 1am. That would be a perfectly reasonable policy and oddly enough is broadly what happens now.

]]> By: Mark Pack http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/17/how-boris-rode-his-buses-into-a-ditch/#comment-8580 Mark Pack Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:04:36 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/17/how-boris-rode-his-buses-into-a-ditch/#comment-8580 Boris Johnson also seems to have run into some trouble with his crime claims yesterday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p84UMKG8B9k Hmm ... is there a pattern here? Boris Johnson also seems to have run into some trouble with his crime claims yesterday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p84UMKG8B9k

Hmm … is there a pattern here?

]]> By: Publicansdecoy http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/17/how-boris-rode-his-buses-into-a-ditch/#comment-8538 Publicansdecoy Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:14:16 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/17/how-boris-rode-his-buses-into-a-ditch/#comment-8538 Also, bear in mind that with conductors one would expect fare-evasion to fall sharply, so increasing revenues... Also, bear in mind that with conductors one would expect fare-evasion to fall sharply, so increasing revenues…

]]> By: Publicansdecoy http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/17/how-boris-rode-his-buses-into-a-ditch/#comment-8537 Publicansdecoy Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:08:43 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/17/how-boris-rode-his-buses-into-a-ditch/#comment-8537 Have any calculations been made as to how this would translate into an increase in fares for bus users? Personally, I would be happy payhing anything up to about £1.50 for a single bus journey (instead of 90p) if I knew that I would be travelling in safety and comfort, with staff on board to ensure that my journey isn't soundtracked by shouting teenagers and shitty tinny 'music' being blasted out through their mobile phones... Have any calculations been made as to how this would translate into an increase in fares for bus users?

Personally, I would be happy payhing anything up to about £1.50 for a single bus journey (instead of 90p) if I knew that I would be travelling in safety and comfort, with staff on board to ensure that my journey isn’t soundtracked by shouting teenagers and shitty tinny ‘music’ being blasted out through their mobile phones…

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