Jack
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Post by Jack on Nov 18, 2010 14:45:26 GMT 1
The new Chief Executive of FirstGroup, Tim O'Toole appears to be looking at reversing the cutbacks that have been made over the past couple of years with the prospect of increasing frequencies where the opportunities 'present themselves'. There is also going to be more devolved power so to speak amongst UK Bus rather than it been Aberdeen centric at the moment.
It does tie into the Dave Alexander interview with Route One about growth opportunities and partnership with local authorities.
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Post by mollman on Nov 18, 2010 18:22:06 GMT 1
Perhaps we could have more localised liveries?
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puggy
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Post by puggy on Nov 18, 2010 18:26:32 GMT 1
Maybe clean some of the buses - the ALX400s and the Scania Wrights are a mess and so are the B10BLEs, at least Arriva and Transdev keep theirs clean!
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77syk7
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Post by 77syk7 on Nov 18, 2010 20:51:08 GMT 1
Maybe smarten up their operations in light of potential competition next year?
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Steve Macz403
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Waits at the bus stop for his bus, 2 days later bus turns up :D
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Post by Steve Macz403 on Nov 18, 2010 21:17:07 GMT 1
Perhaps we could have more localised liveries? Could only imaging that would spiral costs up especially With First transferring buses to and from depots quite frequently. Transdev has a variety of liveries especially in Keighley, including Transfers from Burnley and Pendle,plus the old and New liveries. Its going to take them a while before all their buses are Blue and Light Green. ;D
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SF07
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Post by SF07 on Nov 18, 2010 22:44:44 GMT 1
So, it'll probably be a case of a few services getting better frequencies then rather than expanding routes to unserved places, such as Rothwell or restoring routes like Wharefdale routes (650, 653 etc) or the X64
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Post by stevieinselby on Nov 20, 2010 0:24:17 GMT 1
Given the way the services in York have been salami-sliced back once or twice a year for several years, I wouldn't say there's any sign of the tide turning yet. Sure, periodically they launch some pie-in-the-sky scheme like the AirCoach or the X64 in a blaze of optimism that quickly peters out then dies altogether, while the core network is shaved away all round the edges time after time after time.
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Post by danielnew on Nov 21, 2010 19:59:31 GMT 1
I think the tide will turn eventually especially with the introduction of hybrids into Leeds, the cutbacks have in the last 12 months gone from the sublime to the ridiculous! If not there'll be no bus routes left the way they are going, they must be desperate to cut the frequency of routes like the 95 at night and on Sundays when most are full and surely must be viable.
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Post by busman3 on Nov 21, 2010 20:24:43 GMT 1
May be a case of too little too late.
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Post by uww2x on Nov 21, 2010 23:36:33 GMT 1
I wish First still did the air coach from York. Would make life alot easier for going on holiday.
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jc
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Post by jc on Nov 22, 2010 1:27:46 GMT 1
What was daft about the aircoach was the fact it skirted Wetherby, presumably to avoid upsetting Arriva - even though they don't see enough market in running direct buses of their own. Why not run via Tadcaster? The revenue lost by Coastliner would be minimal on an hourly frequency, plus you're providing easy connection with Woodthorpe/Copmanthorpe/possibly Bishopthorpe (21) at Askham Bar.
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Post by rwilkes on Nov 22, 2010 10:46:12 GMT 1
Things will change On the positive side: First is heavily investing locally in driver training, customer care and marketing. The new national MD of First is going to reverse some cuts and devolve more to local companies On the negative side: In W Yorks there is a culture of hostility and confrontation from Metro and politicians (write to them and complain!) Heavy congestion as in Leeds is very damaging to the economics of bus operation May be negative of positive The recesion will cut jobs and spending so there may be fewer bus trips, or there may be more as people try to cut back on motoring costs, particularly car park charges. Although the fuel cost of a car trip is small compared with bus fares, giving up a car saves £7 per day.
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Post by northerner on Nov 22, 2010 11:10:28 GMT 1
Metro are useless when you contact them - I did, complaining about the response I got from Transdev and how they wasn't interested in resolving the issue and all they did was forward it to Transdev!!
If Metro worked with operators to address issues rather than work against them, everyone would benefit
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Jack
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Post by Jack on Nov 22, 2010 12:42:35 GMT 1
Things will change On the positive side: First is heavily investing locally in driver training, customer care and marketing. The new national MD of First is going to reverse some cuts and devolve more to local companies On the negative side: In W Yorks there is a culture of hostility and confrontation from Metro and politicians (write to them and complain!) Heavy congestion as in Leeds is very damaging to the economics of bus operation May be negative of positive The recesion will cut jobs and spending so there may be fewer bus trips, or there may be more as people try to cut back on motoring costs, particularly car park charges. Although the fuel cost of a car trip is small compared with bus fares, giving up a car saves £7 per day. On the parts of Metro, they seem to keep their eye off the ball whilst banging out the rhetoric about quality contracts and control! There are a number of things that could be done to improve journey times. First of all, look at the Headrow in Leeds between Albion Street going towards Briggate. That's a pinch point for congestion because of drivers going through the bus gate. The council does have the power to have an enforcement camera in place there to fine prohibited vehicles which would be consistent rather than the odd blitz by the Police. Less cars using the Headrow, means more 'green time' on the lights for buses to get through = more reliable bus journey. More revenue for the council as well which could be spent on general highway improvements. A win win situation for everyone. Furthermore, the introduction of the taxi rank on the Headrow eastbound between Briggate and Vicar Lane. Was any modeling carried out as to the effects on increased vehicle movements along the Headrow to Briggate and if re-phasing of the junction at Briggate could have made it more efficient? It just shows how dependent an operator is on their stakeholders over the operation of their businesses.
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Post by fwybuses on Nov 22, 2010 19:00:06 GMT 1
If done very well this could work very well. Could turn the,to quote a women today "crappy bus company" image into a very reliable bus company.
But they need to do alot of things. Spend money on the buses instead of investing in them initially then just leaving them to 'rot'. Take the ALX400 okay i know they are leased but a deep clean & new seats on them won't A)cost much & B)hurt the bus companies finances. Its a false economy.
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Post by uww2x on Nov 22, 2010 19:39:47 GMT 1
Some of Leeds ALX400's are 10 years old now. How many years do they have left in them. ?
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Nov 22, 2010 19:43:23 GMT 1
The new exec is all hot air at the moment, First haven't done anything to expand their network in years, well before the recession.
It's all frequency cuts, services axed, fares increased, practically no publicity advertising any services.
Sadly it may be the same as the MD at Arriva Yorkshire. He is doing good things and the fleet is now fairly modern. But when the service frequencies were reduced to the bare minimum about 5 years ago a lot of this is too little too late.
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Post by northerner on Nov 22, 2010 22:24:05 GMT 1
It's all frequency cuts, services axed, fares increased, practically no publicity advertising any services. To give First some credit they are publishing leaflets route by route advertising the Simple Fares and carrying out leaflet drops. They have also invested heavily in new vehicles and have added additional buses to certain routes to improve reliability
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Post by SCH117X on Nov 22, 2010 23:26:25 GMT 1
What was daft about the aircoach was the fact it skirted Wetherby, presumably to avoid upsetting Arriva - even though they don't see enough market in running direct buses of their own. York-Wetherby services are tendered so it would have been NYCC (largely) that would have been upset. They could have called at Wetherby to pick up but then they would have been subject to metros ticketing arrangements and would not have been able to charge £££. Did anyone ever get on at the advertised Bickerton stop I wonder. Then there was the equally weird routing via the very edge of Knaresborough, presumably so as not to annoy H&D. Recall seeing an empty 120 (as it became) heading for home along the A59 in front of a packed H&D X54, which also is no more
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Post by uww2x on Nov 22, 2010 23:49:35 GMT 1
What happened to the York - Harrogate bus route ?
I know H&D ditched it, but why did HCT ?
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kendall17
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Justice for the 96!
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Post by kendall17 on Nov 23, 2010 1:00:05 GMT 1
What happened to the York - Harrogate bus route ? I know H&D ditched it, but why did HCT ? A simple google and you'd find the answer to alot of your questions. Heres the answer to the one above
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Post by uww2x on Nov 23, 2010 15:50:35 GMT 1
Google isn't always brilliant. If i search a bus reg not many results come up. Hence trying to find the location of York's ex DAF's.
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Nov 23, 2010 16:01:44 GMT 1
Avoid using spaces in the reg's on google is always the best bet
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Post by SCH117X on Nov 23, 2010 19:24:21 GMT 1
HCT had originally intended to withdrawn their X54 but kept in on when they learnt that H&D were pulling theirs. Then they won the Otley locals and the X54 was ended. H&D did the same thing timing wise years ago with the X50 Skipton-York via Otley and Harrogate which was scrapped at the same time at the 36 was increased to half hourly.
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kendall17
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Justice for the 96!
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Post by kendall17 on Nov 23, 2010 19:35:58 GMT 1
Google isn't always brilliant. If i search a bus reg not many results come up. Hence trying to find the location of York's ex DAF's. It is for something like that though. Quite a few articles on the topic.
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