Mr Wolmar might have suggested the idea in Labour circles but the One Hour bus ticket concept was proposed by Lib Dems on the London Assembly years and years ago. Boris was asked to introduce it umpteen times via Mayor's Questions. The cost of the scheme was also revealed via those answers. Several years TfL discussed the concept and costs in a Fares Briefing Paper to the Mayor. Therefore there is nothing really very new or very Labour about the idea at all.
I wasn't aware TfL were reviewing the principle of end to end running. Can you say where you saw this? (genuine question btw)
On the subject of "time" then I think the ticket machines and readers are linked into the GPS functionality for I-Bus. This will ensure there is "universal system time" across the bus fleet - assuming, of course, that the kit on the vehicle is working. If you ever sit near the front of a TfL bus so you can see the ETM display you will see a code number of the display that changes as the bus moves along. This is the I-Bus code for each stop that the bus is heading towards. TfL captures this code alongside every card validation as people board the bus so TfL know exactly which card boarded at each stop. It could impute who is likely to be using the card if the card is registered or has some form of linked ID (for a concession). Of course PAYG only cards are transferable. The fact that the stop code display changes as the bus moves shows the ETM and card reader are linked into I-Bus and GPS.
The concept of a transfer ticket on buses has been around since flat fares were first introduced in this country, which, in the case of London, occurred withy Red Arrow routes fifty years ago! My first day's work, in 1967, involved travel on such a route, the 500, from Victoria. Maybe the Lib Dems made lots of noises about them, but, let's face it, the mayoral system precludes the rest of the assembly from having any real power or influence, unless a mayor chooses to listen, which of course the last one never did.
The review of end-to-end running was announced in a one-line paragraph in John Aldridge's excellent column on London buses and bus routes in May's 'Buses' magazine. He appears to be generally very well-informed, so I don't believe it is just speculation. He has made his views known on this subject in previous issues - he thinks, as I do, that TfL had become too ideologically wedded to all buses being 'through' buses regardless of where on the route had the most demand at any one time.
Re the timing element - thanks for confirming what I had suspected, but didn't know for sure. My next question, either to you or to anyone else, is this. How does the passenger, as opposed to the machine, know the precise time they boarded the first bus? I have a free pass at all times, so wouldn't have to concern myself with it, but unless the time is printed out somewhere I can envisage loads of arguments with drivers of the second bus, even though the matter will be outside their control. Actually, I can see this policy being very unpopular with drivers.
