Buses where the driver has a choice of route

[anthony263]

The X5 Swansea - Glyneath does have some choices around the Neath and Tonna area depending on what vehicle is operating the service. On part of there is one road (cant remember the name) which is normally used except that a double decker cannot fit under the bridge so there have to to take the next left and pass under another rbidge which a decker can just about clear.

Of course that hasnt stopped at least one decker from striking the 1st bridge. Greenabck may remember a incccident a couple of years ago involving one of First Cymru''s last Leyland olympians

 

[Be3G]

Why not? They're just signed as 'bus lane' aren't they?

The only explanation I've ever seen is this:

There was some controversy over whether the TfL routes would be allowed to use the new Fastrack busway, but Kent Council declined on the basis that the TfL buses would lower the image of the service! The journey time from Dartford is however quite quick at 10-12 minutes for nearly 4 miles.

Taken from here.

 

[PermitToTravel]

The only explanation I've ever seen is this:



Taken from here.

There are a pair of yellow "Fastrack buses only" signs, but they are meaningless, unenforcable, and actually both illegal obstructions of the highway. The important factor are the buses only signs on the same post, which in this case only permit local buses to use the Fastrack lanes. I believe that "Local buses only" means only buses that are registered with the Traffic Commissioner to use that route, in this case presumably only the Fastrack buses

 

[scotsman]

Would this include the Megabus Gold S20, which is non-stop from Victoria - Edinburgh. Driver breaks/exchanges take place at service areas en route - so presumably there's nothing stopping a driver opting to take the A702 from Abington to Edinburgh, rather than the M74, M73 and M8?

 

[Deerfold]

Would this include the Megabus Gold S20, which is non-stop from Victoria - Edinburgh. Driver breaks/exchanges take place at service areas en route - so presumably there's nothing stopping a driver opting to take the A702 from Abington to Edinburgh, rather than the M74, M73 and M8?

Coach services which are generally not registered can take any route they like - with the only restrictions being for operational purposes such as driver changeovers.

They don't even have to call at the timetabled stops.

 

[BurtonM]

The reason for Stagecoach Manchester's X41 being so slow is that before it becomes limited stop, it's running through a student-heavy area, and is used by three universities, a sixth form college and two private schools. The 263 is run by one of Manchester's (ever fewer) minority operators, and as such nobody really knows about it or uses it, as well as the fact the route isn't as student friendly. There's even a notable difference in patronage of Stagecoach services on Wilmslow Road - just look at a 111, it goes as far as the Curry Mile before turning right, yet there aren't nearly as many people on them as 42, 43 etc. Going into Manchester is different, though - any bus fills up with students then.

 

[Shrimper]

The X41 becomes limited stop from Northenden to the City Centre, but still picks up in many of the student-heavy areas (Withington, West Didsbury, University) though it does avoid Owens Park. I used to drive it as a regular 41; you could guarantee you'd be the first bus into Owens Park for about 5 minutes and would be hammered. It was typical to end up in Piccadilly after your departure time and when it was a 41 it wasn't uncommon to see a Magic bus substituting to avoid a journey going down as missed.

111 is usually very busy in the peak and when I drove that it always seemed to have a second peak as it went though some of the off-campus student areas and would be very busy before the start of lectures.