Anything at not the 2nd company is that anything that costs even a penny more has to go to director level to be authorised. When I worked in schedules it was more focused on more connectivity, simplicity and real life reliability (look at the pre-covid Calder Valley 590/2/589 timetable for a good example of what I mean). That's when it was ex-drivers but now we are having people out of university who have no clue - it really is an industry that needs to be run 'old school' to run properly. The focus should be on getting that bus out and having it run reliably rather than to what a computer algorithm thinks is best.
From what I have heard, the schedules department is "goosed" for a politer word from the inside... Like there is no desire to make any decent timetables and driver duties anymore. It really is a case of like it or lump it.
Our man on the inside confirming my thoughts. Thanks Josh.
If First didn't know what they was doing, they wouldn't be in business would they? I do think Metro/WYCA have it in first or always had an agenda against them, you never see them mention about Arriva!
Because LucyP isn't bashing Transdev, for the same reasons, let's have a bash First day/
They're in business because they have a captive market who mostly have no other choice but to use their (usually) terrible service. (IE no access to a car, unable to cycle or walk, a disability, elderly etc...).
Nobody said Halifax is the only area. I was just using my local service as a prime example as I won't really know what goes on around Wakefield. I mentioned the 48 as one of my friends regularly used the 46/47/48 services when they're over at a their cousins house for several nights and what they had to say about the service is entirely different to what First Bus has to say.
Why do you think your make knows more about the route than First does?
I used to know way more about the 35 than First did when Bramley ran it. They didn't have a clue what they were doing.
It would be great if the tram used the currently disused Holbeck Viaduct between the railway station and Elland Road Park and Ride site. This would replace the PR1, and allow for much faster journeys that don't get stuck in the traffic that the current bus route does.
However I'm not sure how I'd route it on the Leeds City Centre end for it to end up in town, rather than a platform on the current station.
Regarding the 8, bloody hell! 21 Transport as far as I know are a social care transport provider based in Goole!
They also house vehicles at opposite sides of Selby, I'm assuming the Route 8 will be based from the South Milford outstation (Honeypot Farm) what's only 15 Miles/20 Mins down the A1 from Wetherby.
What sort of vehicles are we talking? Mellor Orion type things?
I actually like the brutally honesty of their social media, I think all this corporate responses the big companies use, wind people up, take a look at Arriva's Facebook page, they are sick to death of the corporate responses, at least brutally honesty, doesn't give the feel of the message hasn't been automated.
On a positive note - sampled the new X1 today departing from the new Halifax Bus Station at 1125 and arrived in Huddersfield BS at 1202. I think the scheduled off-peak journey time of 34 minutes will be too tight and another 3-5 minutes will need to be added. Good to travel up 'The Ainleys' on the original routes of yesterday (old joint Halifax / Huddersfield 43 & the Huddersfield 30). Impressed with 33886 (Enviro 400) at how it tacked the long hill up The Ainleys. Whatever the engineers have done to these buses in comparison with the same members of batch when they arrived in Halifax a while ago has certainly worked!
Good to hear about the E400's improved performance.
Were any of the buses out today branded in anyway?
Well then it seems like an incredibly dumb move from Bradford City Council and WYCA then. To be honest if it were up to me, I would have built a new bus station on the site of Hall Ings Car Park, with the current Interchange being used for Car Park space for the Railway Station.
A huge car park? The whole idea is to move people away from using cars in the city centre, and make the city centre more attractive.
Unfortunately looks like ex Leeds Streetdecks will be appearing at Huddersfield depot this year, the original plan was to be all B9S/B7r/streetlite depot but looks like things have changed again. Not sure on a time scale yet.
Not unfortunate, should improve experience for passengers with more modern buses. There are 18 year olds are chuffing round Huddersfield on busy services. First should start buying new doubles for Huddersfield and Halifax again
I would say that the passenger experience of a Streetdeck is far worse than a B9. A far less comfortable ride. You feel every bump in the road.
Keighley Bus Museum has managed to purchase their longstanding Riverside base.
A post in the 'Keighley Bus Museum Trust Ltd' Facebook group reads:
'KBMT press update;
As noted by Marlene earlier, it is with great pleasure that on Friday 9th February 2024 the Board of Directors of the Keighley Bus Museum Trust in Riverside Keighley received legal confirmation on the purchase of their current home on the Riverside estate off Dalton Lane Keighley culminating in a long process over a great many years. The Board of Directors wish to thank our former Landlord in his help, our Riverside neighbours the people of Keighley and the media (particularly the Keighley News) in helping to highlight our plight which has brought this to a very satisfying conclusion. To celebrate this milestone in our history, our first official public open day will take place on Sunday 5th May 2024, and will co-incide with the 100 year anniversary of the 1924 Keighley Clough, the World’s oldest surviving double deck trolleybus and will include free bus services of local buses running around Keighley. Included will be visiting car groups, stalls, refreshments and entertainments so please call down and see us and meet the Board for a great family day out. More details will follow closer to the event and thank you.'
How could their reputation be any worse? Hopefully Sunak came to investigate my complaints. Hopefully he asked where the 11:06 X99 to Leeds was last Friday? Not on the long cancellation list for the day that they produce, but it still didn't appear. Hopefully he asked why the 12:05 to Wetherby last Saturday was at the Victoria stop before 12:05 but still left late for no good reason. Hopefully he asked why their website shows them as being unable to serve the Tesco stop on Roundhay Road, when the X98 and X99 are not only serving the stop, but waiting there in the bus pull in. Hopefully he was there to give them an award for the most unreliable bus service in the UK.
I do find it a little strange that First have opted to go with a brand new Wrightbus product that hasn't proven itself yet, when the Yutongs have proved themselves at First, Go North East and other operators.
What's the reliability of these new GB Kites like in York, as they've had them for a little while longer?
It is now confirmed by Metro that the Halifax Bus Station won't be fully open from the 18th Feb, it's just that First bus will be squashing all there services into the new bus station, as 10 stands is more than enough for the current amount of buses. In terms of layovers, from observation, I have noticed that the carriageway is almost completed with only the stands not having a finished carriageway. So my theory is the buses will use the layovers to allow all current 10 stands to be used in service. Information at: www.wymetro.com/plan-a-journey/travel-news/bus-travel-alerts/halifaxbusstationworks/
I hope they've started using it better. On my few trips to the new bus station, I've yet to catch a bus from the correct stand as there's been a service laying over in the one it should go from, despite the large numbers of stands allocated for layovers.
Oh dear, that sounds a lot like Wakefield Bus Station; which I've always found to be a nightmare for boarding. Arriva drivers just dumping their bus on a random stand.
Transdev Flyer Versa Y9 TDV was spotted in Pudsey Bus Station today displaying '23 Pudsey'.
Strange.
Are you sure? It was on the A3 all day. Someone has shared a photo from Flickr of it flic.kr/p/2pquVPV Which was uploaded 3 weeks ago and taken on 22nd October. This was when it was used for filming for the Race Across Yorkshire segment of the 2023 Children in Need programme.
Fair enough. Someone posted the photo in 'Transdev Enthusiasts' stating it was today. Said post appears to have vanished.