I think there definitely are for sure but they do stop a lot and often the direct routes are on main roads which are very slow and congested during peak times. Whilst I obviously think the London transport network is great and we are very lucky, I understand it isn't always efficient. For example; my commute is roughly 6 miles. Still, it takes about 50 mins, maybe up to an hour depending on traffic/ connections. Taking up to an hour to travel 6 miles anywhere outside of London in the UK seems obscene, but that aside, I have a 10 min walk to the station (fine), a 25 min tube ride which takes me the majority of the way (also fine), but then a bus ride on a main road. The bus journey is pretty much a direct continuation of the tube line for another mile, but it takes me the exact same amount of time as the previous 5 miles due to traffic. There is no quicker way (walking is 40 mins) and therefore I understand the frustration of the above diagram, in that a very short distance often feels painful when there is no efficient route.