The A3 Bus Gate

Visited the A3 bus gate referred to on www.pauljohnston.info with Priyen Patel our researcher. We met Paul Saunders and other residents. Paul has a very impressive archive with photos and press articles from years back detailing the dangers posed by this bus gate when it was opn in the past. Priyen and I took some of our own while we were there. We witnessed a near concertina collision as a couple of cars had to brake sharply as a bus slowed dramatically to get through the gate. The approach to the gate is obscured by a pedestrian footbridge and any driver behind a bus would believe themselves to be on a 50mph (80kph) 6 lane dual carriageway and would not expect a bus to take a sudden lurch to the left, apparently through the crash barrier that runs along the full length of the road.

We observed buses going down the slip road, completely occupying an advisory cycle lane. Any cyclist using it would have no chance against an oncoming bus. The only 'safe' place for cyclists is, thus, the footway.

One bus overshot the gate completely (it was going far to fast to make the turn) and carried on down the A3. It still managed to stop at the same stop it would have used if it had used the gate.

This is a piece of arrogance by TfL who refuse to listen to the people who know. My hope is that someone doesn't end up paying for it with a limb or even their life.