fbb has been asked to find a useful timetable for buses from Merstham to Redhill. It should be simple. The 405 route, despite running into the wilds of Surrey, became a London buses service in 2001. The appropriate website is www.tfl.gov.uk; BUT we already know that "panel" timetables ...
Thus fbb was hoping that such a stop-based departure list (it is NOT a timetable, Tfl) could, if nothing else, provide the guide that his telephonic enquirer wanted. So, here goes.
Timetables?
Timetables?
More? Timetables?
At last, timetables!
No, we ain't got none!
"Go to the live web site"?
Nothing told me this one was dead. It would appear, perversely, that TfL have posted a beta (= provisional) version of a "new" web site on-line and helpfully, oh so helpfully, hidden the version we are used to behind a near impenetrable menu. fbb wonders why. It couldn't be, surely, that TfL is hoping that no-one will ever find "timetables"; then the powers that be will issue a press release telling us that, "as very few people looked up timetables ..." they will no longer be provided. But TfL wouldn't be as duplicitous as that, would they? Wenzit Goh and his NUTS colleagues will have achieved their avowed evangelical aim in the most prestigious area of the UK; no timetables at all ...
... ever ...
... anywhere!
Wenzit and family in Latvian national costume
There is, then, a little cheer to be cheered. If we can retain the will to live and if we persevere with Boris's beta bog-up, we can get something that might help in the way of timetable information.
But better news is at hand. Timetables may be successfully expunged in the capital, but, out in the sticks, in that rural backwater of old Blighty that we call Surrey (where be dragons!), the secret of the 405 can be revealed. There are THREE sources of a proper timetable for route 405.
And one surprising failure. The failure?
My correspondent Rob's mute on that one!
In case comment writers are incensed by fbb's criticism of TfL, let the record state that the new web site does provide journey planning for single trips; here from Merstham to Redhill ...
... in summary form with icons obliterating the route number; and here, textually ...
... with an instruction to walk from Merstham station (enquiry start point) ...
to the Feathers Station ...
... to find the bus stop ...
... which is cunningly round the corner and just out of sight. Hopefully a regular user will understand, but fbb will look at maps - soonest.
Next bus blog : Thursday 3rd April
Might the failure be that unless you are a resident of Surrey the County Council will not post you a copy of their otherwise excellent timetable booklets?
ReplyDeleteGuildford bus station is usually a very good source for such literature (visited two weeks ago) but there was a suggestion that the County booklets might be on the way out ?
Did you know that Wenzit Goh’s older brother Werzit lives in Northampton and has been a member of the team that planned the new Northampton North Gate bus station. Like his brother, Werzit does not believe in telling people too much about buses in case they use them. This explains why parts of the departure screens are cluttered with the news and the weather (which can be seen by looking at the sky) and there is no indication at the bus station where buses to the railway station, cricket, football and rugby grounds or other important locations such as the university stop.
ReplyDeleteWerzit is now working on the new railway station which explains why puzzled visitors are often found outside it trying to work out where the town centre or their destination is, and how they get there.