Missing in Action: reliable/fit-for-purpose No.1 bus service

I took buses the other day from Sloane Square down and then back up the Kings Road. Unsurprisingly the service was rather more frequent, and the buses a whole load cleaner, than the rubbish we get served up in SE1.

I have also noticed the number 1 becoming worse, I waited 25 mins this morning on Southwark pk rd only for 3 to turn up at once. As another poster stated, if you can't rely on a bus to get you to work/school on time, most of the time then there is no point in using it. Also the curtailing of routes is becoming more frequent, this is very frustrating, especially at the end of a work day when you're trying to get home and see your kids before they go to bed.
I also contributed to another thread re: the absence of a bus route from SPR towards London Bridge/ Borough, perhaps this is another solution.
The thread is here: http://www.london-se1.co.uk/forum/read/1/175061
With more and more residential development going on ... Pages Walk, Spa Road, Fendall St, to name a few this situation is only going to get worse. If any councillors a reading this, what is the best way forward ?

The trouble is there is likely to be pressure to reduce rather than expand bus services in the next few years - indeed TfL is examining options for significant cuts:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/FPC-20131127-Part-1-Item09-Achieving-VfM-in-the-Delivery-of-Londons-Bus-Service.pdf

Another day, another No.1 tale of woe.

Last night, the bus I got onto was going to Canada Water but was then curtailed to Bricklayer's.

This morning, about 30 of us waited at Alscot Rd for at least 20 minutes, only for the completely packed No.1 that arrived to turf off everyone already on it. Two more No.1s arrived together about 2 mins later, but they were both already pretty full, so there wasn't room for everyone now at the stop to get on. I waited another 15 mins for a fourth No.1 with no joy, so got onto the also-not-running-to-timetable No.78 instead.

James - as resident Oracle! - who do we contact for a remedy to this situation? And what, if anything, are our local councillors doing on behalf of their constituents. Notable that none of them have seen fit to comment on this thread when it's a deteriorating situation that's only likely to get worse.

I wouldn't assume they can scour every forum thread - email or 'phone your local councillor or Assembly Member. Simon Hughes often takes an interest too.

From Val Shawcross' website:

"I am pleased to be chairing the Transport Committee again and remain Labour Spokesperson for Transport. It remains a fascinating area, especially for a South Londoner - we need to do to so much to improve transport in London and make getting about environmentally friendly!"

So while I wouldn't expect Val to scour every thread, it's not unreasonable to imagine she might take a peek at a thread clearly labelled as being about transport.

Along with the bus routes already mentioned, I think you can add the 78 service to the list of those which seem to be less frequent than in the past. I get the 78 daily in & out of the City and it has definitely deteriorated. Considerable gaps between services esp in the evening and the text service used to check when the buses are due is hopelessly unreliable a lot of the time.

A 25 minute wait today for the 1 outside the Grange Road Practice and then two came along at once. I was also stuck at Bricklayers Arms for 30 minutes coming home one night last week. The 1 has got much worse in my view.

Just gone on web to see when the next no 1 stops at Spa Road to get to Tot Ct Rd. Not for 30 mins! Two go to Elephant and Bricklayers first! This is not what the timetable promises at the moment! Where do we write!

SE1 posting by Val Shawcross in 2009 with her email addresses included - this was from the 78 bus route message thread.

Dear 78 and number one bus users,

I have obviously struck a cord with lots of long suffering bus users on the 78 and 1 routes. There is clear not enough capacity on both of these routes, but I feel that the 78 comes out much worse - a small unreliable bus service on what is an incredibly crucial route to work for lots of people. Please can you email me either at Val@ValShawcross.com or Valerie.Shawcross@London.Gov.UK and I will add your complaints to the report I am sending in to TfL. The 78 bus is up for contract renewal shortly so it's the ideal time to make a case to get longer buses and maybe an increased frequency. TfL also need to get to the bottom of why its so unreliable at the moment. Keep your emails coming in - its all useful ammunition.

Best wishes

Val