Trivia: Most Hostile Bus Routes

[Mojo]

Just wandering, what makes you afraid to use them?
I live near 55/94 (City - Ward End) routes and most of the time never seen any problems using them.
So don't think they're that bad.

I remember when I first went to Birmingham properly in 2005 (I moved there 3 years later), you could see from the streets the windows of every single bus on the upper deck were etched, many of them every single window. I remember travelling on buses and smoking (Cannabis) was commonplace. People banging on the driver’s cabin, people playing music out loud and all sorts.

Many locals I knew at the time refused to go upstairs at any time of the day. Not sure on the routes in the city now but their local route was the 2, they wouldn’t travel on it because it was primarily single deckers, and on them it was seen as there was no way to escape the troublemakers.

 

[cockneyviking]

Regularly travel on the N18 and N266 night buses in London,, only seen trouble once, but do avoid travelling through Harlesden on Notting Hill Carnival weekend, it's mayhem especially around 02:00

 

[156478]

Over in West Scotland, it's not a route but a bus station. Kilmarnock Bus Station certainly has some characters lets just say.

The 11 from Kilmarnock - Ardrossan also tends to have quite a lot of characters onboard. Drunken people, people out of their face on drugs, aggressive people etc.

Yep the infamous "three towns" of Stevenston, Saltcoats and Ardrossan, an area full of "characters" indeed!!!

 

[AB93]

Numbers 4 & 6 in York can be quite hair raising

...and the 1 in Chapelfields!

Having driven all three at night too many times to mention, I really don't agree with that.
There is usually quite a jovial atmosphere on board.

 

[asb]

Back when Teesside had subsidised services I needed to connect in Port Clarence, changing from the 589 to the 1 onto Hartlepool. The driver of the 589 refused to go into Port Clarence ‘after dark’ - explaining my needing to connect he compromised on driving me to the very outskirts on the condition I sat up front and the interior lights were off.

Intriguing - I thought the 589 was the daytime only service out there, which was a very pleasant ride. I've driven the 565 there on an evening, and although The Clarences are an unusual and isolated community, I never had any bother that way.

More of an issue was driving through Pallister Park on route 666 (yes, really) on Mischief Night (Halloween to Southerners who are spared this stupidity). Instead of having the traditional brick through the window, some wag threw an open bottle of salad cream instead. There was an unfortunate female passenger sat right next to that window, who as well as having a scare from the noise, and being covered in glass fragments, was also covered in salad cream. Not nice, and waiting for the replacement bus was unpleasant.

Midland Red West canned several evening buses in Redditch due to 'anti social behaviour' - they didnt say if it was passengers or people outside the bus.

The Matchborough Circulars were an issue at night, as the Busways were havens of anti social behaviour due to the lack of other vehicles driving along them. I was a surveyor for the County Council back in 1997, and I was apparently the only one who would work in Redditch at night, although even I would avoid the 57/58 and stick to Batchley and Crabbs Cross, which were no bother at all.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

There was a bus route in Pompey about 15 years ago, that was always being delayed reaching me going towards the centre of the city, as it was forever being attacked with bricks, etc in the estate before mine. Quite frightening as as occasionally I went the other way, and sure enough several journey were disrupted by bricks etc being thrown at the buses. I can no longer remember the route number

Which one is it? I wouldn't be surprised if it was the 2, 3 or 18, as they all go to Paulsgrove. Paulsgrove was known for its pedophile riots in 2000, and has always known for being a bad part of Portsmouth, but luckily nowadays it's perfectly fine in the day.

 

[Westcountryman]

Morebus No8 and 9 service stopped in the evening earlier this week after a bus attacked by someone with a catapult at Turlin Moor. Not the first time this has happened.

 

[[.n]]

Which one is it? I wouldn't be surprised if it was the 2, 3 or 18, as they all go to Paulsgrove. Paulsgrove was known for its pedophile riots in 2000, and has always known for being a bad part of Portsmouth, but luckily nowadays it's perfectly fine in the day.

Don't think its was Paulsgrove - though that does ring a bell as an ares that was best avoided), to be honest my memory of the time is hazy (though the time frame is about correct) - it was somewhere in between Fratton and Hilsea (possibly) - at least a part of the route probably went along the Eastern Road

 

[Darklord8899]

I think a lot of people still think of it like that and I can understand why. It certainly goes through some interesting areas.

I still refer to the 14 as the methadone express!
Remember the old 32/52 circle? That went through every dodgy estate around the outskirts of Edinburgh? I (and others) used to call that the Bosnian Circle

I also heard a driver joke, "if you go into the depot and get handed a bullet proof vest, you know your driving on the 32/52"

 

[Geordie driver]

Interesting thread, let's not forget it's poor lone drivers sent out on these routes with little or no help and support from their companies or the police.

My direct experience.

 

[Boo_]

Aound 2000 Stagecoach Ribble Had to pull the M10 after 6pm from lower broughton salford as they used to shot the windows of the buses with BB guns. also about 10 years ago the number 7 in Rochdale got pulled after 7 due to kids bricking windows. and one of the best is the 192 Manchester to Stockport part of the route. people been raped / mugged / bottled / beaten up and often it was for just looking at someone. it the wild west on that route.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Don't think its was Paulsgrove - though that does ring a bell as an ares that was best avoided), to be honest my memory of the time is hazy (though the time frame is about correct) - it was somewhere in between Fratton and Hilsea (possibly) - at least a part of the route probably went along the Eastern Road

That would be the 21 by Stagecoach which goes to another area that was also known for being dodgy (though not part of Portsmouth) - Leigh Park. But like with Paulsgrove, Leigh Park is also perfectly fine nowadays. I rode the whole length of the 20, 21 and 23 and had no problem whatsoever. The 20 and 23 both go to Hilsea and Fratton, and yes, they also aren't the best parts of Portsmouth although they are perfectly fine like anywhere in Portsmouth.

Also using Eastern Road there's the 14 by First which does go to Fratton but not to Hilsea.

 

[rg177]

Up in Newcastle, the 310 goes through the formerly notorious Meadow Well Estate, home to the riots of the 90s. Though these days, it's just your typical rough estate- doesn't seem to be much bother.

Down in Sheffield I was never a fan of the old 3/3a as it went through Firth Park. Once witnessed a bloke try to kick the drivers door in for being asked to buy a ticket.

The 97/98 through the Southey and Page Hall areas were never great either. Particular contrast to the other end of the route which served the very affluent Totley and Beauchief.

 

[Gostav]

I thought I had seen all sorts from my decades of bus travel, from the reassuring days of seeing an Inspector now and then checking tickets with a proper busmans cap on also chinning people for antisocial behavior, to no inspectors and no back up to drivers, to bus drivers getting water at public toilets (remember them!) to top up radiators, bus driver change overs at the Eglinton Toll at the Star Bar and seeing driver emerge from the Star Bar itself - **This was well before FirstGroup days and there is no allegation of drinking and driving being made here, but emerging from a pub to then get on to drive a bus is not reassuring**, experiencing sitting on bus and hearing the "bang" and people screaming in fright as something had been thrown at the windows and then seeing it all shatter into tiny pieces, fights, racism, domestics, sectarianism, football crowds, the middle eastern guy who used to get on and ask people for a pound coin- but offered nothing in return, buses with sick on the floor and other human fluids, glass bottle rolling around the upper decks of buses, school chucking out time, kids getting on at a stop near a McDonalds and using the straw and napkins to shoot soggy baws at people and the worst irk was the smokers.

No wonder bus drivers and indeed depot cleaners and maintenance staff can become demoralised and hardended towards the job.

When l travelled on a Blackpool tram in 2018 I'm very surprised there are two conductors on the tram, one for the front zone and one for the rear, also have a conductor on every Sheffield trams even most East Europen system no longer do like that. So, why not have a conductor on some hostile bus line?

 

[matchmaker]

I can remember a Glasgow Corporation conductor called Thomas Bourne being murdered on a night service in 1969. Following that, all Corporation buses were fitted with an alarm siren operated by push buttons in the saloons and cab. In case of trouble, the driver or conductor would activate the siren and the driver would head for the nearest police station. That was in the days when such places as police stations existed and were staffed 24/7...

 

[Statto]

Not to sure about today but I know that in the past that some routes round Merseyside especially round Kirkby used to be no go areas at certain times, infact I remember when GTL (Glenvale Transport) and various other operators used to operate Leyland Titans in/around some parts of Merseyside you would get the local kids travelling on them with their heads out the windows upstairs.

Still happening, Stagecoach are rerouting, curtailing routes in Kirkby area, most notorious at the moment is Broad Lane/Bewley Drive in Southdene area of Kirkby by the shops.

Worst time of year on Merseyside is around Halloween, with the 30th October known as mischief night around these parts, & buses regularly bricked around then, quite often a trojan bus will operate in the evenings full of the local constabulary trying to catch the yobs in action.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

Morebus No8 and 9 service stopped in the evening earlier this week after a bus attacked by someone with a catapult at Turlin Moor. Not the first time this has happened.

That happened to me on a WMPTE 94 in Alum Rock back in the early 1980s...

Had one Saturday morning with a guy easily in his 70s shouting, swearing and being verbal towards other passengers.

Witnessed violence, racism etc over the years on buses here

I didn't know Donald Trump lived in Glasgow!

 

[Chris 76]

Fascinating thread, I've enjoyed reading it. I was particularly shocked to read about the Glasgow conductor, Thomas Bourne, murdered on a night bus duty. Unfortunately I doubt he's the only bus worker who's lost their life at work from criminal action.
Antisocial behaviour on board does seem to have declined in the last 10-15 years. CCTV must have helped, and I wonder if even yobs have noticed that modern buses are much pleasanter environments than the buses we get nostalgic about. A seat that looks and feels more like a car seat may be treated with a bit more respect.

 

[johnnychips]

^ I think pubs all not chucking out at the same time has helped.

 

[WY Bus Spotter]

The 5 and 91 going through Halton Moor (Leeds) are pretty infamous both to to drivers and the public at night. First have occasionally refused to run buses up there when kids are out bricking windows etc...

The 16 through Armley Town Street can be pretty entertaining on a night and sometimes outright scary. It ranges from drunks playing acoustic guitars to mothers of 5 (with a pram) threatening drivers.

Anything going down Dewsbury Road on evening- forget about it.

The 82 through Toxteth in Liverpool always kept me on the edge of my seat during my uni days; whether it was scally kids running about or general 'dossers' bothering you.

The only time I've ever been on a bus that got bricked was a Stagecoach Preston brand new X2 MMC going through Bootle. Though I suppose that's what they call a welcome present round those parts.

 

[Pat1105]

When l travelled on a Blackpool tram in 2018 I'm very surprised there are two conductors on the tram, one for the front zone and one for the rear, also have a conductor on every Sheffield trams even most East Europen system no longer do like that. So, why not have a conductor on some hostile bus line?

West Midlands Metro have conductors on all services.

The simple answer is that it costs too much. Also, what could they do that the driver can’t? They’d be sat around for most of the time anyway. If someone is being a nuisance, they’re not necessarily going to take any notice from a member of staff. All they can do is ask them to leave the bus. It’s more of a job for the police to deal with, as they have more powers.

 

[Geordie driver]

Bus staff have the authority eject punters, but it's the modern world, throw someone off and he will be in the paper the next day with his compo face and a list of why he is right. The companies won't back driver nor put inspectors out, so decent passengers suffer. Profits before everything.

Most people are fine but a tiny minority are just awful, I would say roughly 1 percent.

Tyne and Wear Metro tried conductors for a while, especially on the Manors to the coast line in the evening, time I was on he was asking people to take their feet off the seats (pet hate of mine) and was just being ignored. Zero support and I never saw the dedicated police team after 6pm.

 

[TB]

The Ravenscliffe Estate on the outskirts of Bradford has it's moments. Many's the time First Bradford (and YR before them) have diverted the 645 (or it's predecessors the 608/609) direct via Harrogate Road between Eccleshill and Greengates, rather than through the estate. Think there have been brickings, shootings (both buses and at least 1 driver, i believe), robberies and maybe even arson. Tyersal, Holme Wood and Bierley estates are almost as bad.

 

[175mph]

The Orchard Park estate in Hull is notorious for the buses serving it having their windows smashed with bricks and other hard objects.

Shame as well, as Stagecoach Hull has a decent amount of Enviro MMCs but often end up putting the older, ten year old Enviros on the routes serving the Orchard Park estate.

 

[Journeyman]

Surprised no-one has mentioned Northern Ireland. During 'The Troubles', vast numbers of buses were hi-jacked, burned and used as barricades. Belfast and Derry / Londonderry were worst affected, but the problem affected other towns and cities too.

Nothing like on the same scale nowadays, but the occasional sporadic incident has been known to occur.

Ulsterbus went through an absolutely vast quantity of ex London Transport Swifts and Merlins in the seventies. They were treated as essentially disposable - almost all of them ended their lives bombed or burned out.

 

[route101]

Yep the infamous "three towns" of Stevenston, Saltcoats and Ardrossan, an area full of "characters" indeed!!!

Was at Kilmarnock Bus Station earlier in the year, i doubt these characters leave Ayrshire or Kilmarnock. Typical of small towns.

 

[upasalmon]

There was a brick aimed at a Stagecoach 10A in the Rainhill area of St Helens. The 10A is a joint Arriva-Stagecoach service between Liverpool and St Helens. All parts of Merseyside are susceptible to vandalism particularly but not exclusively the end of October. Kirkby can be a hotspot for vandalism. Railway bridges are another problem as after dark kids can climb them unseen. I know this is an expensive solution but could footbridges and such be encased in what I call a large cage? The BTP are thin on the ground but could they patrol hot Spots? Of course the scallies can go elsewhere. This is controversial but I think the police would be better employed against transport vandals rather than partying students and face mask refuseniks.

I forgot to add in the good old days of publicly owned bus operation the Merseyside PTE had two way radios in the 1970s and 80s. Then Ridley's madness came and this vital safety feature was abandoned (to cut costs etc). If cab firms can have radio why not bus Operators? How much is it costing bus firms by NOT having radios?

 

[markymark2000]

There was a brick aimed at a Stagecoach 10A in the Rainhill area of St Helens. The 10A is a joint Arriva-Stagecoach service between Liverpool and St Helens. All parts of Merseyside are susceptible to vandalism particularly but not exclusively the end of October.

Now now, you can't say that. I've never heard of any issues with bricking buses in Raby Mere or Ince Blundell. Don't go tarring everyone with the same brush

(Disclaimer, I am joking)

I forgot to add in the good old days of publicly owned bus operation the Merseyside PTE had two way radios in the 1970s and 80s. Then Ridley's madness came and this vital safety feature was abandoned (to cut costs etc). If cab firms can have radio why not bus Operators? How much is it costing bus firms by NOT having radios?

Stagecoach Gillmoss & All of Stagecoach Manchester have radios but it can take forever to get a reply on there so drivers tend to ring up instead.