I don't use the bus during the weekday unless I have my entire family with me. That way my husband and I can divide the children up between us, for example by putting them both on one lap (if we get offered a seat) whilst the other wrangles with our bags and the (folded/unfolded) buggy, or whatever permutation allows us to make sure we all travel safely without incurring the wrath of fellow bus users.
The 176 is a short walk from my door. It goes past the friends' house where I drop off my son in the mornings and stops right outside my place of work and my daughter's nursery. But rarely have I made it to work on time by bus because I have had to wait for at least 3 buses to go by before I can get my toddler daughter and buggy on the bus in the first place.
So I drive. I have to park about 10 minutes walk from work due to the exorbitant charges nearer my office, but that's ok (if I can get a space) because I factor that into my journey time, and actually I like the me-and-my-little-girl time. However, if I am running late or going in to the office late, I can rarely find a space. So it would be great to be able to get on the bus - but what happens at the end of the day, when due to having a child in a buggy I can't get on a bus early enough to be at school in time to pick up my son?
I'm lucky to be able to (barely) afford a car, but that'll change soon I'm sure. I feel guilty about the pollution, extra money, taking up a parking space etc etc but really don't see any choice. Until my daughter is old enough to walk/stand for long enough for me not to need to use a buggy in rush hour, we won't be able to use the bus.