Wednesday, March 30, 2005
A HEALTH ISSUE – AT THE BUS TERMINUS
John Beanse, Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary candidate for Chingford & Woodford Green, has been in contact with London Buses over recent months about the practice of some drivers of letting their buses stand idly at the terminus with engines running. This is against official policy – in fact at North Chingford Bus station, there is a sign specifically asking drivers not to do this.
John Beanse said: “It’s not just a question of noise, waste of fuel and pollution, it is also a health issue, particularly given the increasing numbers of cases of asthma nowadays.”
When he first contacted London Buses about this, he received a curt and totally dismissive reply from their Customer Services department:
“No First Capital drivers run their engines and cause noise and fumes while at the Bus station.” !!
Soon after this letter, John Beanse happened to be in the vicinity of the bus station where THREE buses were standing (2 First, 1 Arriva) – all with their engines running and going nowhere. John Beanse noted the details and sent them off to London Buses. Since then he has encountered the same practice at Albert Crescent, Chingford Mount. He commented: “Here there are not only passengers waiting, but also many shoppers going by.
I have made it clear to London Buses that the purpose of providing the information is definitely not to get individual drivers “into trouble”, but to try to get the management of the bus companies to ensure that the policy is adhered to – and also to prove to London Buses that the original complaint was accurate and their dismissive reply was wrong!”
Since then, London Buses have followed up the matter with the bus companies and John Beanse has received letters of apology from First and Arriva.
He said: “I just hope now that the sensible procedure of not having engines running will indeed happen in future.”
John Beanse said: “It’s not just a question of noise, waste of fuel and pollution, it is also a health issue, particularly given the increasing numbers of cases of asthma nowadays.”
When he first contacted London Buses about this, he received a curt and totally dismissive reply from their Customer Services department:
“No First Capital drivers run their engines and cause noise and fumes while at the Bus station.” !!
Soon after this letter, John Beanse happened to be in the vicinity of the bus station where THREE buses were standing (2 First, 1 Arriva) – all with their engines running and going nowhere. John Beanse noted the details and sent them off to London Buses. Since then he has encountered the same practice at Albert Crescent, Chingford Mount. He commented: “Here there are not only passengers waiting, but also many shoppers going by.
I have made it clear to London Buses that the purpose of providing the information is definitely not to get individual drivers “into trouble”, but to try to get the management of the bus companies to ensure that the policy is adhered to – and also to prove to London Buses that the original complaint was accurate and their dismissive reply was wrong!”
Since then, London Buses have followed up the matter with the bus companies and John Beanse has received letters of apology from First and Arriva.
He said: “I just hope now that the sensible procedure of not having engines running will indeed happen in future.”
# posted by John Beanse @ 8:40 PM 
