London Buses route 521
Encyclopedia
London Buses route 521 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London
.
, that survived into 2009.
Routes 507 and 521 were the first bus routes in London to be converted to articulated buses
, also known as bendy buses. From 2 June 2002, a new fleet of 18m articulated Mercedes-Benz Citaro entered service on the route, replacing the ageing Leyland National
single deckers. Being commuter routes, and so little used outside peak times, these routes were suitable to test the bendy buses on, rather than a major trunk route. Also, many passengers are short distance travellers and unlikely to use the top deck, and they would not have to stand over long periods of time. At the time peak journeys on route 521 ran via the Strand Underpass
rather than Aldwych, making double deck operation impossible.
During late 2003, early 2004, a series of onboard fires on newly delivered Mercedes-Benz Citaros led to withdrawal of the entire fleet, while Mercedes-Benz made some modifications. During this period service 521 was officially suspended, although some Dennis Darts did manage to run some services.
The RA garage code was first introduced when the Red Arrow buses were based at Walworth garage before Waterloo Garage was opened in 1981. There were fears that the artics would be unable to use the cramped Waterloo site, and Camberwell, just across the road from Walworth, was considered for a time. However, these problems were resolved in time for operation to start at Waterloo. In April 2007, the route was diverted to serve the Strand Underpass at all time, an evening service being added at the same time.
Being the first of the routes to be converted to bendy bus operation, the 521 (soon after the 507) was the second route to have its bendy buses replaced, from September 2009, as part of the move to replace London's articulated buses. The articulated Citaros have been replaced by new 12 metre rigid versions.
After the rush into service of the new route 507 Citaros, the 521 conversion went much more smoothly, with plenty of buses to run the route arriving in time. As part of the same batch for the 507 however, many entered service earlier without fleetnumbers, and the buses skipped the whole queue of buses waiting to be fitted with iBus
.
The peak vehicle requirement has been increased from 19 to 31 to cope with the increased frequency, now at every 2-3 minutes during the peak. One criticism on articulated buses was high levels of fare evasion, yet the new Citaros retain open boarding, to help move commuters quickly from the busy rail termini. This has drawn further criticism, as the "Red Arrow" name was dropped on conversion, so there is nothing to distinguish the buses from normal services, with fears passengers may start boarding normal buses through the centre doors.
Another criticism of bendy buses was the low number of seats, with only 49 per vehicle. A standard rigid Citaro has 44 seats, however the new ones for route 507 and 521 have just 21, with room supposedly for up to 76 standees, leading to criticism the new buses were "cattle trucks" and even more crowded than the buses they replaced. Despite the increase in frequency, the total number of seats has dropped.
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
contracted bus route in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London
Go-Ahead London
Go-Ahead London is the trading name used collectively for the London bus operations of the Go-Ahead Group. The name first appeared in August 2008, before which the company had traded under separate names and brands...
.
History
Service 521 is one of two Red Arrow routes, the other being route 507London Buses route 507
London Buses route 507 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:...
, that survived into 2009.
Routes 507 and 521 were the first bus routes in London to be converted to articulated buses
Articulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
, also known as bendy buses. From 2 June 2002, a new fleet of 18m articulated Mercedes-Benz Citaro entered service on the route, replacing the ageing Leyland National
Leyland National
The Leyland National is a British single-deck bus built in large quantities between 1972 and 1985. It was developed as a joint project between two UK nationalised industries - the National Bus Company and British Leyland. Buses were constructed at a specially built factory at the Lillyhall...
single deckers. Being commuter routes, and so little used outside peak times, these routes were suitable to test the bendy buses on, rather than a major trunk route. Also, many passengers are short distance travellers and unlikely to use the top deck, and they would not have to stand over long periods of time. At the time peak journeys on route 521 ran via the Strand Underpass
Strand Underpass
The Strand Underpass is a vehicle tunnel in central London connecting Waterloo Bridge to Kingsway near Holborn. It was built by John Mowlem & Co and opened on 21 January 1964....
rather than Aldwych, making double deck operation impossible.
During late 2003, early 2004, a series of onboard fires on newly delivered Mercedes-Benz Citaros led to withdrawal of the entire fleet, while Mercedes-Benz made some modifications. During this period service 521 was officially suspended, although some Dennis Darts did manage to run some services.
The RA garage code was first introduced when the Red Arrow buses were based at Walworth garage before Waterloo Garage was opened in 1981. There were fears that the artics would be unable to use the cramped Waterloo site, and Camberwell, just across the road from Walworth, was considered for a time. However, these problems were resolved in time for operation to start at Waterloo. In April 2007, the route was diverted to serve the Strand Underpass at all time, an evening service being added at the same time.
Being the first of the routes to be converted to bendy bus operation, the 521 (soon after the 507) was the second route to have its bendy buses replaced, from September 2009, as part of the move to replace London's articulated buses. The articulated Citaros have been replaced by new 12 metre rigid versions.
After the rush into service of the new route 507 Citaros, the 521 conversion went much more smoothly, with plenty of buses to run the route arriving in time. As part of the same batch for the 507 however, many entered service earlier without fleetnumbers, and the buses skipped the whole queue of buses waiting to be fitted with iBus
London iBus system
The London iBus system or officially iBus is an Automatic Vehicle Location system to improve London's buses using technology installed by Siemens AG...
.
The peak vehicle requirement has been increased from 19 to 31 to cope with the increased frequency, now at every 2-3 minutes during the peak. One criticism on articulated buses was high levels of fare evasion, yet the new Citaros retain open boarding, to help move commuters quickly from the busy rail termini. This has drawn further criticism, as the "Red Arrow" name was dropped on conversion, so there is nothing to distinguish the buses from normal services, with fears passengers may start boarding normal buses through the centre doors.
Another criticism of bendy buses was the low number of seats, with only 49 per vehicle. A standard rigid Citaro has 44 seats, however the new ones for route 507 and 521 have just 21, with room supposedly for up to 76 standees, leading to criticism the new buses were "cattle trucks" and even more crowded than the buses they replaced. Despite the increase in frequency, the total number of seats has dropped.
Current route
- Waterloo Station Interchange
- Tenison Way
- Waterloo RoadWaterloo Road, LondonWaterloo Road is a road straddling Lambeth and Southwark, London, England. It runs between Westminster Bridge Road close to St George's Circus at the south-east end and Waterloo Bridge across the River Thames towards London's West End district at the north-west end.At the northern end near the...
- Waterloo BridgeWaterloo BridgeWaterloo Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, England between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. The name of the bridge is in memory of the British victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815...
- Strand UnderpassStrand UnderpassThe Strand Underpass is a vehicle tunnel in central London connecting Waterloo Bridge to Kingsway near Holborn. It was built by John Mowlem & Co and opened on 21 January 1964....
- KingswayKingsway (London)Kingsway is a major road in central London in the United Kingdom, designated as part of the A4200. It runs from High Holborn, at its north end in the London Borough of Camden, and meets Aldwych in the south in the City of Westminster at Bush House. It was built in the 1900s...
- Holborn StationHolborn tube stationHolborn is a station of the London Underground in Holborn in London, located at the junction of High Holborn and Kingsway. Situated on the Piccadilly Line and on the Central Line , it is the only station common to the two lines, although the two lines cross each other three times elsewhere...
- Southampton RowSouthampton RowSouthampton Row is major thoroughfare running northwest-southeast in Bloomsbury, Camden, central London, England. The road is designated as part of the A4200.- Location :To the north, Southampton Row adjoins the southeast corner of Russell Square...
- Theobalds Road
- Drake Street
- Procter Street
- High HolbornHigh HolbornHigh Holborn is a road in Holborn in central London, England. It starts in the west near St Giles Circus, then goes east, past the Kingsway and Southampton Row, and continues east. The road becomes Holborn at the junction with Gray's Inn Road....
- HolbornHolbornHolborn is an area of Central London. Holborn is also the name of the area's principal east-west street, running as High Holborn from St Giles's High Street to Gray's Inn Road and then on to Holborn Viaduct...
- Holborn CircusHolbornHolborn is an area of Central London. Holborn is also the name of the area's principal east-west street, running as High Holborn from St Giles's High Street to Gray's Inn Road and then on to Holborn Viaduct...
- Holborn ViaductHolborn ViaductHolborn Viaduct is a bridge in London and the name of the street which crosses it . It links Holborn, via Holborn Circus, with Newgate Street in the City of London, passing over Farringdon Street and the now subterranean River Fleet.It was built between 1863 and 1869, at a cost of over two million...
- Newgate StreetNewgate StreetNewgate Street refers to:*Newgate and Newgate Street in London*Newgate Street, Hertfordshire, a village in Hertfordshire*Newgate Street, Newcastle, a shopping and entertainment street in Newcastle upon Tyne...
- King Edward StreetKing Edward StreetKing Edward Street is a street running between the High Street to the north and Oriel Square to the south in central Oxford, England.To the east is the "Island" site of Oriel College, one of the colleges of Oxford University...
- Angel Street
- St. Martin's Le GrandSt. Martin's Le GrandSt Martin’s le Grand is a street and former liberty in the City of London between Newgate Street and Cheapside to the south and Aldersgate Street and London Wall to the north. To the east of the road once stood the collegiate church and monastic precinct of St Martin's, of ancient origin...
- CheapsideCheapsideCheapside is a street in the City of London that links Newgate Street with the junction of Queen Victoria Street and Mansion House Street. To the east is Mansion House, the Bank of England, and the major road junction above Bank tube station. To the west is St. Paul's Cathedral, St...
- St Paul's StationSt. Paul's tube stationSt. Paul's tube station is a London Underground station in the City of London on the Central Line, between Bank and Chancery Lane stations, and is in Travelcard Zone 1....
- New Change
- Cannon Street Station
- Monument Station
- King William StreetKing William StreetKing William Street may refer to:*King William Street, Adelaide - the central boulevard of Adelaide*King William Street - a street in Central Hamilton*King William Street - a street in London...
- London BridgeLondon BridgeLondon Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
- Borough High StreetBorough High StreetBorough High Street is a main street in Southwark, London running south-west from London Bridge, forming part of the A3 road, which runs from London to Portsmouth.- Overview :...
- Railway Approach
- London Bridge Station