Over to you! Your opinions on the bus service in the Principality
© Monaco Tribune
While frequency on the oft-criticised route 3 should improve soon, the readers of Monaco Tribune have been giving their opinion on the network as a whole. Are users satisfied with how the buses run? What should be done to improve things? Our team has read your suggestions.
“Too big”, “packed”, “practical”, “pleasant drivers” … When it comes to the Monegasque bus service, opinions vary. While most users say they are satisfied overall, and appreciate the friendliness of the drivers, others raise a few negative points.
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“The buses are big, they pollute, they hold up the traffic and often get stuck in traffic: Monaco should set an example with an underground system and in the meantime a fleet of smaller, more frequent buses that run on hydrogen,” says Philippe, who suggests opening Monaco to competition.
Smaller buses, and more of them
Comments that were backed up by Jean-Marc on our Facebook page: “The buses are disproportionately large compared to the size of our Principality and its roads”.
So with the traffic already dense, out of the question to increase the size of the buses in order to make them less overcrowded, which is the second drawback raised by readers: “Too many schoolchildren in the evening on the n° 4 bus at La Rousse and Place des Moulins stops, given that there are school buses specially for them,” Coralie fumes. But according to Florence, another reader, there are not enough school buses either to keep traffic down.
Apart from the problems mentioned, some users suggest solutions, like Laurence, who proposes introducing “more small buses”, in particular on route 3. A second reader suggested in a private message that “the [bus] timetables are reworked in line with users’ needs, especially young people on their way to school. Otherwise it’s usually perfect and the drivers are nice”, she adds.
For Françoise, who is pretty satisfied with the current network, it wouldn’t take much to attain the perfect service: “The buses are excellent, but it’s a shame about the neighbourhood where the Tour Odéon is located as well as the buildings around the high school, there’s nothing around there, just stairs.”
It’s faster on foot than by bus
Route 3, everybody’s bug bear
“Nightmare”, “virus hotbed”, “bone shaker” … Already mentioned in our previous article, the n° 3 is the route our readers love to hate: “A disaster…”, deplores Tania. “Always crowded since the number 2 bus terminates at Les Revoires. Not enough rotation. Too much waiting and especially many people who are on their way to the hospital with crutches or broken or tired arms, or elderly people standing and who cannot find a seat … This needs to be addressed.”
Logistically speaking, it would seem that insufficient consideration has been given to the hospital aspect. A user suggests by private message: “As appointments at the CHPG are often early in the morning, it would be good if route 3 started at least half an hour earlier.”
And for the evening service, Jérôme suggests: “The CAM absolutely has to extend this route so it can continue to connect with route 2, which stops at 9 p.m.!!!!”
For another reader, however, the problem is insurmountable: “I won’t take the n° 3. I live opposite the hospital and when the bus arrives at our stop it is already full, so then it’s a 25/30 minute wait for the next one. It’s faster on foot than on the bus!! Like most of my neighbours, we take the car more than the bus. »
According to CAM operations director Roland de Rechniewski, the situation should improve during the the course of 2022. To be continued!