London buses ARE too hot

iSon · Fri 06 Aug, 2004 20.25

It's official. Anthony Alldritt was right and it has been reported today that London buses ARE far too hot...BBC News Online reports...

Mayor faces the heat over buses

London's mayor has been criticised for not keeping his pledge to cool down buses by a transport campaign group.

Ken Livingstone said that all new buses must have windows that open, white roofs and automated heating systems.

But the Capital Transport Campaign claims new vehicles which replace old buses do not have these features.

A Transport for London spokesman said all buses ordered after June this year have the improvements but it will take time to phase them in.

Anonymous · Fri 06 Aug, 2004 20.43

Blob from TVForum · Fri 06 Aug, 2004 20.44

Why don't they just put air-conditioning boxes on the roofs of all buses like they do abroad, it works there so I am sure it will work here.

Its about time some investement was put into buses.

Martin · Fri 06 Aug, 2004 21.01

The problem is air conditioning in buses is suited to long journeys.

The latest buses that come with air conditioning have not had windows that can open to stop passengers from opening and let alll the cool air out.

The problem in London is that these buses stop and start constantly as with any city so the minute the door is opening the hot air is getting in and all the cool air conditioned air is escaping.

And if you don't believe me, that is the opinion of some of the people at the top.

DJGM · Fri 06 Aug, 2004 21.08

Barrett wrote: Tell me about it, I was on the bus coming back from my mates house
and it was rush hour got on the bus and it was like a sardine and
these new bendy buses have no air conditioning!

Tell me about it! Coming back home from Bolton town centre today involved travelling on a bendy bus.
From Bolton to Bury on the 471, it wasn't a bendy bus, just a ordinary length single decker bus, but it
was still very hot on board. Going from Bury, back to my hometown of Whitefield, on a 135 service
bendy bus, it wasn't just hot on board, it was bloody roasting! Like a sauna, without the steam!

It got so bad for one elderly lady, the poor old dear nearly passed out!

Having said that, sometimes these bendy buses can get even hotter . . .

BBC News - 03/12/2003 - Bendy bus goes up in flames!

Pete · Fri 06 Aug, 2004 21.53

Well of course air cond also makes the outside hotter as the Tokyo people have discovered.

I think the windows should be driver controlled to stop rude morons who are getting their hair blown a bit from closing the things.

DAS · Fri 06 Aug, 2004 23.17

I was at the back of a double decker Arriva Serving Southend bus and had my hand placed between the seats. No explanation necessary. Anyway, every time the bus slowed down or stopped, my hand got very very hot - not just standard warm. So was I in the vacinity of the breaking mechanism or something?

Anyone?

Hello?

Dr Lobster* · Sat 07 Aug, 2004 21.06

not just the buses, but the tube is horrible. even with nobody on them late at night, they're muggy and smelly. will red ken ever sort these things out?

Anonymous · Sat 07 Aug, 2004 21.31

MrTomServo · Sun 08 Aug, 2004 04.34

Can I just make a point about how fabulous Anthony Aldritt is for recognising this MONTHS in advance of the study? He (and Neon Radio, I'm sure) truly scooped the world on that one.

Well done, Mr Aldritt!

Aston · Sun 08 Aug, 2004 23.18

Barrett wrote:
Dr Sigmund Mohammad wrote:not just the buses, but the tube is horrible. even with nobody on them late at night, they're muggy and smelly. will red ken ever sort these things out?
Tube= hell without the flames.

Why is it that new york has a tube system with air con and london hasn't.

Because the New York subway is literally just beneath the ground, it's not too far to have vents in the road for the hot air to escape too.

However, in London the underground lines are just that - deep underground. There's nowhere for the hot air to go and thus air conditioning systems just wouldn't work...

I got a Virgin train back from Warrington to London today, I had the misfortune of walking through one carriage when I got on-board which was extreamly hot - the AC wasn't working. I had the intelligence (which seems to have escaped all of those who were sitting idoly in there saying loudly that they were going to write to "Richard Branston" and complain, although I'm not sure that individual will be able to help) to walk through the carriage to the next one (thankfully AC working) and find a seat in there. Ohhh it was nice and cool...