Any info on EL1 and EL2 bus routes?

[TSR :D]

I've tried to researching on it, but reports on it seems to be very variable. Some say it will be converted to tram route, others say it will be bus with its own bus lane and finally, some say it will be like DLR.

I'm confused, I saw this bus route recently, it has its own branding, which makes it seem different to original london bus, yet it runs like bus and follows the route like bus.

 

[starrymarkb]

I've tried to researching on it, but reports on it seems to be very variable. Some say it will be converted to tram route, others say it will be bus with its own bus lane and finally, some say it will be like DLR.

I'm confused, I saw this bus route recently, it has its own branding, which makes it seem different to original london bus, yet it runs like bus and follows the route like bus.

IIRC it works a bit like the Fastrack and Gosport Busways with sections of segregated busway (but not guided). It was originally part of a much grander scheme which would have included a new bridge over the river and a matching busway on the south bank through Woolwich and Grenwich

 

[Class377/5]

I've tried to researching on it, but reports on it seems to be very variable. Some say it will be converted to tram route, others say it will be bus with its own bus lane and finally, some say it will be like DLR.

I'm confused, I saw this bus route recently, it has its own branding, which makes it seem different to original london bus, yet it runs like bus and follows the route like bus.

The EL bus routes were when planned to be one a big network of trams linking North Greenwich, Woolwich, Thamesmead, Barking. What happened is no money for the first phase (North Greenwich to Woolwich if I remember correctly) and it was quietly dropped.

In the end they have developed bus routes instead with the hope one day of maybe getting trams. Was never supposed to be a DLR like system but a copy of Croydon Tramlink. In fact the bus way through North Greenwich was designed to hold trams for the millennium dome in the mid 90's, the right of way got built but not the trams.

**EDIT**

Here's a map showing two of the tram systems.


TFL 2025 Indicative Map by onehourleft, on Flickr

Link to the PDF version

http://altaria.vm.bytemark.co.uk/tube/T2025_indicative_tfL_trnsprt.pdf

 

[W-on-Sea]

It is, basically, a normal bus route! Severe funding cuts did away the plans for a tram. The buses have their own special livery, the bus stops/shelters for the route were a little larger and smarter than the norm in London when they were introduced (but in fact since then the same design has been rolled out elsewhere in London), and they are allowed to go through an otherwise pedestrianised part of Barking Town Centre (East Street and the top end of Ripple Road) that other buses are not allowed to enter. Oh, and one place on the (optimistically named) Thames View Estate there is very short stretch of something like a busway - - -- but whether it is advantageous for passengers or not must be a matter of debate...as one now has to cross into the middle of the road to get onto the bus, which wasn't the case before.

Basically, it's all a big gimmick - and it doesn't even serve the useful purpose of stopping outside (or even particularly near to) its stated destination of Ilford Railway Station.

That said, some of the bit across the marshland to Dagenham Dock can be surprisingly scenic. e.g. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgeezer/4441703222/

 

[TSR :D]

IIRC it works a bit like the Fastrack and Gosport Busways with sections of segregated busway (but not guided). It was originally part of a much grander scheme which would have included a new bridge over the river and a matching busway on the south bank through Woolwich and Grenwich

I wonder what it would be like if this were to happen.

The EL bus routes were when planned to be one a big network of trams linking North Greenwich, Woolwich, Thamesmead, Barking. What happened is no money for the first phase (North Greenwich to Woolwich if I remember correctly) and it was quietly dropped.

In the end they have developed bus routes instead with the hope one day of maybe getting trams. Was never supposed to be a DLR like system but a copy of Croydon Tramlink. In fact the bus way through North Greenwich was designed to hold trams for the millennium dome in the mid 90's, the right of way got built but not the trams.

**EDIT**

Here's a map showing two of the tram systems.


TFL 2025 Indicative Map by onehourleft, on Flickr

Link to the PDF version

http://altaria.vm.bytemark.co.uk/tube/T2025_indicative_tfL_trnsprt.pdf

That map was epic! Thanks for that map. By the way, why do they plan this route if they knew there was no money to make it so?

It is, basically, a normal bus route! Severe funding cuts did away the plans for a tram. The buses have their own special livery, the bus stops/shelters for the route were a little larger and smarter than the norm in London when they were introduced (but in fact since then the same design has been rolled out elsewhere in London), and they are allowed to go through an otherwise pedestrianised part of Barking Town Centre (East Street and the top end of Ripple Road) that other buses are not allowed to enter. Oh, and one place on the (optimistically named) Thames View Estate there is very short stretch of something like a busway - - -- but whether it is advantageous for passengers or not must be a matter of debate...as one now has to cross into the middle of the road to get onto the bus, which wasn't the case before.

Basically, it's all a big gimmick - and it doesn't even serve the useful purpose of stopping outside (or even particularly near to) its stated destination of Ilford Railway Station.

That said, some of the bit across the marshland to Dagenham Dock can be surprisingly scenic. e.g. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgeezer/4441703222/

Although it does serve in Ilford city centre (The one with many shops).
So bus lane specifically for that particular bus route is not all the way? For example, there is no bus lane along between Ilford and Barking section? So it means I can just take other normal bus from Ilford to Barking and it will still take same amount of time?
On that picture, interesting. It's quite rare sight like that in London.

 

[W-on-Sea]

Although it does serve in Ilford city centre (The one with many shops).

Well, it serves the *edge* of Ilford town centre, but really isn't that convenient for the shops or the station - certainly not for anyone with luggage. Indeed, in that regard it is much *less* useful that the three bus routes it replaced that ran directly between Barking and Ilford, one of which (the 179) stopped right outside the station, and the other two of which (169 and 369) did go right into the main shopping area. The EL1 and EL2 do neither, although the 169 still exists and goes through to Barking.

Probably the best way to explain is to look on Google maps (and streetview)
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=ilf...ford,+Greater+London,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=17

The first and last stop the EL1/2 reach in Ilford is on Ilford Hill (just above where Ilford Conservative Club is shown on the map). Previously the buses from Barking either stopped directly outside the station (on Cranbrook Road) or went into the shopping area to the right (High Road/Clements Road)

So bus lane specifically for that particular bus route is not all the way? For example, there is no bus lane along between Ilford and Barking section? So it means I can just take other normal bus from Ilford to Barking and it will still take same amount of time?
.

No,there's not a bus lane all the way. Not even most of the way. The roads are too narrow for that in many places. One thing that was done when the EL1/EL2 was introduced was to try and improve (reduce) on-street parking problems along Ilford Lane - which is a very busy shopping and eating (South Asian cafes and restaurants) street. There were a few other things done like this at a few places on the route, but nothing very major,really.

The 169 takes the same route between Ilford and Barking station, and takes the same amount of time as the EL1/2. There is also the 366 route, which takes a longer route, through very quiet residential streets mostly. In theory that would take longer than the 169/EL1/EL2 (over 20 minutes in the daytime, according to the timetable, instead of 12 mins or so), but if Ilford Lane were very congested, as it sometimes is, it might just be quicker.

Really, it's an ill-thought through experiment. The need to make deep budget cuts were the reason why it ended up this way.