Goodbye to the 4-5-free

The 453 bus became a double decker on Saturday, with the 12 to follow in November.

I am sure fare revenue will rise instantly.

Yes,there was some pretty surprised looking people in the early hours of saturday morning wondering where their free taxi home had gone!

I think most opted to wait for the No12 and a short walk home!

The 521 seems to have a lot of people who would rather use it than the 17 for short journeys where they overlap at the beginning/end of the route out of/into London Bridge Bus Station ....why would that be I wonder?

Andrew H wrote:

The 453 bus became a double decker on Saturday, with the 12 to follow in November.
I am sure fare revenue will rise instantly.

Perhaps the 15 or so police officers(although mostly cpso)that had to be present with inspectors can now do something worthwhile.

Andrew H wrote:

The 453 bus became a double decker on Saturday, with the 12 to follow in November.
I am sure fare revenue will rise instantly.

May be our fares will not go up by 7% if people start paying for their ride!!!!

I was on a 453 a few weeks ago that was packed-at the New Kent Road two inspectors got on and as they did most of the bus got off at the back door they did not cover.

I once asked a young guy who did not touch in if he was worried about getting caught and he said if he did get stopped he just said the pay before you board machine had swallowed his money and not given him a ticket.

I buy a pre-paid weekly bus pass and it has never crossed my mind to swipe my pass. It's been checked on bendy buses many times by an inspector and there have never been any problems - not all of us non-swipers are having a free ride! By the way, I welcome the day when all bendy buses are replaced by double deckers.

I got on the new 453 last Saturday afternoon in the New Kent Road and got a seat straight away. A first! I am sure there were a few legit non-swipers like Stevie B, but I would say that they were the exception to the rule. The vast majority of the non-swipers were members of the "something for nowt" club, which us law-aiding mugs are expected to pay for. Unbelievably, there were still some folks trying it on last Saturday (trying to get in the back door, telling the driver they didn't have any change to pay the fare etc). Fortunately, the driver was having none of it and hoofed them off. Can't wit until the number 12 gets changed, what are the parasites going to do then?

The No 12 is converting to double deckers on th 5th November, with the 436 being converted to the same on the 19th November.

By the 31st December 2011, all London's bendy-buses should be a thing of the past!

Got a 453 back from Haymarket after going to the cinema in preference to the freeloader packed 12 - so much more civilised and pleasant!