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Post by dlspotter on Oct 21, 2022 20:39:37 GMT 1
The Witchway shares a lot of route features with the X98, such as busy city centres at the bottom end of the route, and then the majority single lane run between Rawtenstall/Roundhay and Burnley/Wetherby. The Witchway at certain times of the day stops at most stops along the way too. The Witchway doesn't seem to become delayed to such an extent despite these similarities in route and also the same vehicles used. And despite the Witchway having the M66 section, it usually doesn't make up any time on this part. This leads me to believe that the main issues Transdev are having are probably from using the same timetable that First used whilst calling at the additional stops that First didn't serve. First were also unreliable on this service, especially through the spring/summer of 2022 when many X98/9s were canceled as a result of the driver shortage. In fact, the last First bus I used on the service was an X84 branded E400MMC which may have had some engine differences however seemed to run to time throughout, except for a three minute delay caused in Harehills due to a lot of traffic, which remained for the rest of the trip. There is also the issue of the changes to Leeds City Centre traffic management that many other bus companies are having delays with. I remember waiting once on a bus for 30 minutes having just left the bus station due to the poor traffic and eventually got off. The only real suggestions to Transdev would be: Make the service limited stop between Leeds and Oakwood again (If at all possible with the driver shortage) have an additional bus on the rotation and a longer dwell time somewhere - Wetherby would probably not be possible due to the Deighton Bar extension Curtail the route in Leeds City Centre in whatever way possible, however given the closure of New Briggate this too may not be possible unless it were to terminate in the bus station.
Transdev are not 100% at fault for this issue, I have seen many people complain about it being 'worse under Transdev' however some addmitedly never took the service under First due to its unreliability and believed that under Transdev it would be a completely different story
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Oct 21, 2022 21:50:29 GMT 1
I'm also not sure where Connexions are getting extra drivers from here. It’s gone unnoticed that they’ve cut back as well, the X52 no longer runs to Ilkley, various services now have gaps at school times so they can use the same buses and drivers, the Otley minibus routes aren’t actually minibuses at all so they can interwork with schools, weekend services have been cut. Read elsewhere that Connexions were going to drop the X1/A/B if they got the X98 / X99 but presumably unlike the 64 First were not willing to work the journeys Connexions would not. Does that idea have a reliable source, because I always get the feeling the X1 would be the absolute last route they would ever drop, considering it’s the cornerstone of their rivalry with Transdev
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Post by SCH117X on Oct 21, 2022 22:16:28 GMT 1
Read elsewhere that Connexions were going to drop the X1/A/B if they got the X98 / X99 but presumably unlike the 64 First were not willing to work the journeys Connexions would not. Does that idea have a reliable source, because I always get the feeling the X1 would be the absolute last route they would ever drop, considering it’s the cornerstone of their rivalry with Transdev No idea but they have abandoned Saturdays and the afternoon service is pretty poor on schooldays with what services do run providing a giant clockwise loop of Knaresborough for a few hours. Didn't First have to run the rest of the 64 journies due to them being subsidised? Connexions do not operate after c.7pm or on Sundays so whether the those 64 are tendedred or not they would not be working them.
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kendall17
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Post by kendall17 on Oct 21, 2022 22:58:52 GMT 1
Does that idea have a reliable source, because I always get the feeling the X1 would be the absolute last route they would ever drop, considering it’s the cornerstone of their rivalry with Transdev No idea but they have abandoned Saturdays and the afternoon service is pretty poor on schooldays with what services do run providing a giant clockwise loop of Knaresborough for a few hours. Didn't First have to run the rest of the 64 journies due to them being subsidised? Connexions do not operate after c.7pm or on Sundays so whether the those 64 are tendedred or not they would not be working them. Yes, they're tendered. Have been for some time.
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WYBS
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Post by WYBS on Oct 22, 2022 15:05:51 GMT 1
The 11:33 ex-Leeds X98 I had today was on time, and... even waited time at a couple of timing points!
The 12:42 return trip was packed all the way to Leeds, and arrived into Leeds bang on time.
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Post by WYBS on Oct 24, 2022 14:23:53 GMT 1
The X98 I am currently on towards Leeds is bypassing Roseville Road and using Roundhay Road and Barrack Road then onto North Street.
Strangely without using the bus only bit by the car wash, and nearly taking out a traffic light due to the extremely sharp left turn.
The Wetherby bound X99 I was on ran via Roseville road as usual.
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Post by SCH117X on Oct 24, 2022 18:55:41 GMT 1
Looks like Byron Street is not passable for some reason today with workings via Regent Street and Eastgate, then Sheepscar St and North St having also been used.
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Post by leeds rider on Oct 24, 2022 21:48:11 GMT 1
The Metro list of scheduled disruptions says: Byron Street Leeds City Centre | District Heating works 42 Divert via Regent Street and Eastgate X98 X99 Divert via North Street Vicar Lane | Monday 24th October to Sunday 13th November |
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lucyp
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Post by lucyp on Oct 25, 2022 23:15:10 GMT 1
I think it should be - "Wetherby we're not coming very often"; or Wetherby we've given up on the 7 already. A total of 11 buses cancelled today. More than the 36, where only 8 were cancelled, but less than the 1 where 18 were cancelled, although that runs in it's various guises every few minutes, not twice an hour (or already once an hour as they have turned the 7 into already). It's 22:15 and tomorrow's list on cancellations is not yet on their website, so you cannot plan for tomorrow. Will there be more than 11 cancellations? Just an appalling bus company!
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Post by WYBS on Oct 26, 2022 0:05:36 GMT 1
I think it should be - "Wetherby we're not coming very often"; or Wetherby we've given up on the 7 already. A total of 11 buses cancelled today. More than the 36, where only 8 were cancelled, but less than the 1 where 18 were cancelled, although that runs in it's various guises every few minutes, not twice an hour (or already once an hour as they have turned the 7 into already). It's 22:15 and tomorrow's list on cancellations is not yet on their website, so you cannot plan for tomorrow. Will there be more than 11 cancellations? Just an appalling bus company! If they haven't got the drivers then what can they do? I'm not sure what else they can offer to tempt people to work for them, without bankrupting the entire business.
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gledhill56
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Post by gledhill56 on Oct 26, 2022 6:54:23 GMT 1
I think it should be - "Wetherby we're not coming very often"; or Wetherby we've given up on the 7 already. A total of 11 buses cancelled today. More than the 36, where only 8 were cancelled, but less than the 1 where 18 were cancelled, although that runs in it's various guises every few minutes, not twice an hour (or already once an hour as they have turned the 7 into already). It's 22:15 and tomorrow's list on cancellations is not yet on their website, so you cannot plan for tomorrow. Will there be more than 11 cancellations? Just an appalling bus company! And the broken record player is up and running again, thought it had been nice and quiet recently.
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Post by allrounder on Oct 26, 2022 17:37:07 GMT 1
I think it should be - "Wetherby we're not coming very often"; or Wetherby we've given up on the 7 already. A total of 11 buses cancelled today. More than the 36, where only 8 were cancelled, but less than the 1 where 18 were cancelled, although that runs in it's various guises every few minutes, not twice an hour (or already once an hour as they have turned the 7 into already). It's 22:15 and tomorrow's list on cancellations is not yet on their website, so you cannot plan for tomorrow. Will there be more than 11 cancellations? Just an appalling bus company! If they haven't got the drivers then what can they do? I'm not sure what else they can offer to tempt people to work for them, without bankrupting the entire business. Not take on additional work with the Wetherby's. At least until the fully cancelled the CityZaps.
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WYBS
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Post by WYBS on Oct 26, 2022 17:58:51 GMT 1
If they haven't got the drivers then what can they do? I'm not sure what else they can offer to tempt people to work for them, without bankrupting the entire business. Not take on additional work with the Wetherby's. At least until the fully cancelled the CityZaps. So there would be no Wetherby service. It's clear that First didn't want it, and if Connexions were to take it on; it would be at the expense of their other routes.
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Username
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Post by Username on Oct 26, 2022 18:41:56 GMT 1
Not take on additional work with the Wetherby's. At least until the fully cancelled the CityZaps. So there would be no Wetherby service. It's clear that First didn't want it, and if Connexions were to take it on; it would be at the expense of their other routes. To be fair Connexions Buses would probably drop the service by March or down to an hourly service throughout as Connexions buses now interwork most of their buses with schools which will mean there will be a huge gap in the timetable around the time when people would need a service at most.
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Post by Username on Oct 26, 2022 18:46:37 GMT 1
I think it should be - "Wetherby we're not coming very often"; or Wetherby we've given up on the 7 already. A total of 11 buses cancelled today. More than the 36, where only 8 were cancelled, but less than the 1 where 18 were cancelled, although that runs in it's various guises every few minutes, not twice an hour (or already once an hour as they have turned the 7 into already). It's 22:15 and tomorrow's list on cancellations is not yet on their website, so you cannot plan for tomorrow. Will there be more than 11 cancellations? Just an appalling bus company! With First you couldn't check if your bus is going to be cancelled tomorrow either so I don't really get what your point is. Also checking bustimes.org and it seems to say that no X98s or X99s have been cancelled @ bustimes.org/services/x98-sky-class-deighton-bar-leeds/vehicles. Also on the transdev website says that none of them for today were cancelled either: www.transdevbus.co.uk/harrogate/service-updates
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joseph
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Post by joseph on Oct 26, 2022 20:01:40 GMT 1
I think one simple solution would be to have both run every 2 hours (less resources needed) diverting at Redhall to run down to Seacroft bus station terminating there (even fewer resources needed, yay) with a connection onto the 7. All areas have a bus with less need to cut other services to cover, smiles all round once it runs right.
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Post by deerfold on Oct 26, 2022 20:08:48 GMT 1
I think one simple solution would be to have both run every 2 hours (less resources needed) diverting at Redhall to run down to Seacroft bus station terminating there (even fewer resources needed, yay) with a connection onto the 7. All areas have a bus with less need to cut other services to cover, smiles all round once it runs right. I don't think many people are going to be impressed with a bus every 2 hours.
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WYBS
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Post by WYBS on Oct 26, 2022 20:18:38 GMT 1
I think one simple solution would be to have both run every 2 hours (less resources needed) diverting at Redhall to run down to Seacroft bus station terminating there (even fewer resources needed, yay) with a connection onto the 7. All areas have a bus with less need to cut other services to cover, smiles all round once it runs right. Making drastic cuts like that only does one thing: gradually loses all remaining passengers. As for terminating it in Seacroft, just one question: Why?, huh?, what?, who?, where?, when?, and cor blimey mother!
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joseph
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Post by joseph on Oct 26, 2022 20:32:31 GMT 1
I think one simple solution would be to have both run every 2 hours (less resources needed) diverting at Redhall to run down to Seacroft bus station terminating there (even fewer resources needed, yay) with a connection onto the 7. All areas have a bus with less need to cut other services to cover, smiles all round once it runs right. Making drastic cuts like that only does one thing: gradually loses all remaining passengers. As for terminating it in Seacroft, just one question: Why?, huh?, what?, who?, where?, when?, and cor blimey mother! So it can connect with other Leeds routes rather than struggle on through to Leeds, could have been worse like a connection onto the 49 at Monkswood lol. To be honest, if they haven't got the drivers and are cutting other services regularly to run the X98/9, such as the 36 (it's mostly a half hourly service nowadays in reality) then they'll see those routes lose custom too.
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Post by WYBS on Oct 26, 2022 20:47:16 GMT 1
Making drastic cuts like that only does one thing: gradually loses all remaining passengers. As for terminating it in Seacroft, just one question: Why?, huh?, what?, who?, where?, when?, and cor blimey mother! So it can connect with other Leeds routes rather than struggle on through to Leeds, could have been worse like a connection onto the 49 at Monkswood lol. To be honest, if they haven't got the drivers and are cutting other services regularly to run the X98/9, such as the 36 (it's mostly a half hourly service nowadays in reality) then they'll see those routes lose custom too. Not a Single passenger would get off at Seacroft Tesco surrounded by hooded riff raff 'yooves' and wait for an hourly no.7 or a First service going all the way round the estate.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2022 20:55:39 GMT 1
If you was wanting to cut them back & have them timed to connect with other services,surely Shadwell would make more sense than Seacroft? The turning circle is that not far from the A58,its a nicer area to wait plus it would probably be easier to time it to connect with Firsts 7S rather than the various Seacroft to Leeds services. Now that day riders are usable on any service & weekly M-Cards are not that more expensive than Transdevs own ticket it shouldn't make much difference swapping between the 2 operators.
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WYBS
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Post by WYBS on Oct 26, 2022 20:59:18 GMT 1
If you was wanting to cut them back & have them timed to connect with other services,surely Shadwell would make more sense than Seacroft? The turning circle is that not far from the A58,its a nicer area to wait plus it would probably be easier to time it to connect with Firsts 7S rather than the various Seacroft to Leeds services. Now that day riders are usable on any service & weekly M-Cards are not that more expensive than Transdevs own ticket it shouldn't make much difference swapping between the 2 operators. Patronage has just gone off the edge of a cliff.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2022 21:18:22 GMT 1
If you was wanting to cut them back & have them timed to connect with other services,surely Shadwell would make more sense than Seacroft? The turning circle is that not far from the A58,its a nicer area to wait plus it would probably be easier to time it to connect with Firsts 7S rather than the various Seacroft to Leeds services. Now that day riders are usable on any service & weekly M-Cards are not that more expensive than Transdevs own ticket it shouldn't make much difference swapping between the 2 operators. Patronage has just gone off the edge of a cliff. Compared to having a through service to Leeds,i'd agree but i was comparing it to changing at Seacroft. Maybe If/When Leeds starts getting a tram based system (As i think the Seacroft route is one of the first possible branches going by whats been said on other forums) then it would make more sense to change there. No matter if you either terminate outside the city for improved reliability or just have an unreliable route into Leeds passenger numbers will still end up falling off a cliff. It's just one of many examples of how the UKs bus networks are in a complete mess.
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Post by SCH117X on Oct 26, 2022 21:23:04 GMT 1
Being forced to change buses is one way to drive passengers away - Transdev made a successful 11th hour intervention to cancel NYCCs plan to turn the Ripon-York service amongst other into operation by its own minibuses with that service terminating at the Poppleton park and ride site so I cannot see them making any such change to the X98 / X99. One change that would not surprise me is the daytime X99s that terminate at Wetherby being extended to Harrogate to resume a half hour interval without restoring the cut 7s and in doing so making driver changes that bit simpler. Its noticeable that some of the delays that have arisen have been at Wetherby probably due to a late arriving replacement driver.
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lucyp
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Post by lucyp on Oct 26, 2022 23:48:25 GMT 1
"Only" 5 cancellations on the 7 today. 18 on the 36 and 10 on the 1. They really don't like serving Leeds do they! It's like bus station bingo. You get to the bus station and there it is - cancelled. The 18:04 X99 was 9 minutes late leaving Wetherby.
Shall we take bets on the total number of cancellations and late services tomorrow?
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