New bus 301 struggling on roads in Abbey Wood
New bus route 301 linking Bexleyheath to Abbey Wood has been struggling in its opening week.
One particular pinch point is New Road – a steep hill through the woods running roughly parallel to Knee Hill which was the originally intended route of the bus.
Rather than work on Knee Hill, TfL decided to run the bus on New Road after saying buses had to frequently stop. The diversion means more stops are called at yet slows down the journey.
All cars blocking the bus were apparently legally parked. The issue led to “the 301 in opposite direction is also stuck going up the hill. A B11 has been put out of service and turned around”.
The 301 runs alongside the B11 which also used to run up Knee Hill until it was diverted to New Road. The B11 will be cut back in future, curtailed at the old Boiler House in Thamesmead and see frequency reduce.
The hill and parking isn’t the only problem. Diverting to New Road makes for a very tight turn at a junction at the top of Knee Hill.
Patronage on the bus has been slow so far which is to be expected of any new public transport route. I recall taking the new London Overground through New Cross gate when it opened and it was empty. It rapidly filled up. This route possibly will when Crossrail finally begins and large new developments in Bexleyheath complete – assuming journey speeds are consistently quick enough.
If all of the cars are legally parked, there’s nothing much they can do about it. The only alternative would be to run along McLeod Road and double back via Bostall Hill, which would add considerable time onto the journey.
I’ve noticed that cars are being allowed to park closer to a junction than previously and this appears to be the problem in the pictures, but the real cause is putting a dirty, great, double decker along a relatively narrow road that is lined with cars on both sides.
I have lived in New Road for 50 years seeing, hearing and smelling this double decker bus drive past our homes each way every 6 minutes in an abuse of our rights to live a peaceful home life.
This bus was introduced by TFL on false pretences.They Consulted the Pubic on running the route on the A2041 Knee Hill but at the last minute changed there mind without Consulting anyone over the change.None of the residents are against the bus and its function to ferry passengers away from Abbey Wood Crossrail however not developing the substructure ie the A2041 to cope with this bus has now pushed the problem of congestion, noise and pollution on the residents in New Road.
So to quibble of unsafe junctions and parked cars is missing the point, that is the London Borough of Bexley/TFL and Cross rail should have planned this route better.
I and many of the residents will continue to fight against this bus destroying our home life.