Bus Stops
The London bus stop usually consists of a small shelter and a signpost
detailing the name of the stop, along with a list of places towards
which buses will head, the numbers of the routes that stop there,
and the letter code (eg 'G') for the bus stop if there are other
stops nearby. There will usually be a map of the local area and
a guide to which routes travelling in which directions will stop
at each stop in the area. The map will also give an index of local
bus routes accompanied by the letter codes of the bus stops at which
you might wait for a certain bus. If you're not sure which bus to
catch, then use this index instead of panicking and catching a bus
to Winchmore Hill4. Some
stops also have a 'countdown' dot matrix screen which lists the
next few buses to arrive, but with varying degrees of accuracy.
Some buses won't even appear on the list until they're within
sight, while others will appear on the list but fail to materialise
for some time, only for three of the same number to turn up at
once5. Occasionally, a bus stop will be marked as being out of
use, with a temporary bus stop being placed nearby or instructions
on how to find a nearby stop being posted in the bus shelter.
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