"One of the Worst Routes in London" Under Review

---

Have your say on the notorious 266 bus

Transport for London are inviting passengers to send in their comments on the 266 bus after a constant stream of complaints about the route.

The bus, which links Hammersmith and Brent Cross, travels down Askew Road in W12 – the only bus route to go down that road.

Regular users say it is common to wait for up to 40 minutes before two or three buses turn up at the same time and residents around Askew Road have consistently
complained that when a bus does arrive it is often so full that it doesn’t stop to let passengers on. The 266 is also notorious for failing to finish the whole route, coming to a sudden end at Starch Green post office.

W12 resident Annabel Clarke, from the Cathnor Park Area Action Group, says: “The 266 is famous locally for its unreliability – probably because there are so few buses on such a long route. When a bus does turn up on Askew Road – often after a lengthy wait – it is usually too full to let anyone else on. For the elderly and those with mobility problems this is a source of constant frustration.”

A recent Transport for London probe showed that the 266 falls below TfL's own minimum standards for ‘excess waiting’ times. TfL expects passengers to wait for no more than 4.1 minutes but the latest figures show an average wait of more than 5.5 minutes. According to the report, residents have a 13 percent chance of waiting more than 10 minutes.

TfL concedes that the length of the route – 10.7 miles - may be a factor in the unreliability of the service. They say this will be looked at as part of the review.

A TfL spokesperson added: “During this review we will look at a number of aspects including capacity and reliability.”

To have your say on the 266 call 0845 300 7000 or email customerservices@tfl-buses.co.uk before Friday, 29 May.

20 March 2009