West Country Independents

[Dai Corner]

'South Bristol's saved 51 buses forced off road by vandal attacks with 'air guns and stones' reports the Bristol Post

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/south-...s-and-stones/story-29739204-detail/story.html

A bus service saved by a huge public campaign has had to stop running at night after four attacks on buses in different locations on its route.

Wessex Bus pulled all its 51 buses on Tuesday night after the latest attack, in which a brick was thrown through a window of the bus as it travelled towards the Knowle area of South Bristol.

The buses are expected to be back on the road on Wednesday evening, but one of the local councillors who spearheaded a campaign to save the service less than a month ago, said he feared the repeated vandalism attacks might threaten the long-term future of the bus route.

 

[Martin1988]

Council funded

Thanks

 

[Marc]

looks like war!!


PH1107086/22 - CROSVILLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, UNIT 2, WESTLAND DISTRIBUTION PARK, WESTON-SUPER-MARE, BS24 9AB

Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Worle, Sainsburys
Finish Point: Searle Crescent, Asda/ Oldmixon
Via: North Worle, Weston super Mare Town Centre
Service Number: 107
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 14-NOV-2016
Other Details: Monday to Saturday Does not operate on public holidays

 

[freetoview33]

looks like war!!


PH1107086/22 - CROSVILLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, UNIT 2, WESTLAND DISTRIBUTION PARK, WESTON-SUPER-MARE, BS24 9AB

Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Worle, Sainsburys
Finish Point: Searle Crescent, Asda/ Oldmixon
Via: North Worle, Weston super Mare Town Centre
Service Number: 107
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 14-NOV-2016
Other Details: Monday to Saturday Does not operate on public holidays

But then they are working together on hinckley! Weston has become an odd one bit like Bridgwater was when Webber was here.

 

[THarris123]

looks like war!!


PH1107086/22 - CROSVILLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, UNIT 2, WESTLAND DISTRIBUTION PARK, WESTON-SUPER-MARE, BS24 9AB

Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Worle, Sainsburys
Finish Point: Searle Crescent, Asda/ Oldmixon
Via: North Worle, Weston super Mare Town Centre
Service Number: 107
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 14-NOV-2016
Other Details: Monday to Saturday Does not operate on public holidays

I wouldnt say its war quite yet, but I'm sure First won't look too kindly on that, especially after just moving 14 plate vehicles onto the route.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I wouldnt say its war quite yet, but I'm sure First won't look too kindly on that, especially after just moving 14 plate vehicles onto the route.

I wonder what the response will be?? That said, we've been waiting for any sort of response from First for some time.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

The 42 was put up for tender.

Abus retained it and were as surprised as anyone when Wessex then decided to register it commercially.

At the same time, Bugler surrendered the main 672 contract with Abus picking it up with one of the now redundant Solos as has been mentioned.

Blimey!

Didn't know Abus picked up the 672 from Buglers

Thinking of Wessex, and Bath Bus Co, anyone been to the yard near Keynsham at all? Do they allow enthusiasts in or is anything viewable on a weekend?

Looking at going to see the yard and get some numbers/photo's if I can

 

[swifty]

The Ralph Allen School service I believe consists of the 20R. This runs schooldays from Lower Bristol Road Sainsburys at 0750, via Odd Down and Combe Down to Ralph Allen School.

There was an interesting note on the RA School website.
It stated 'Urgent transport message to all students who catch 20R-Message received from BANES Transport Section.'

'Based on the experience of last week we need to make an urgent further change advancing the departure of the morning 20R by 10 minutes from 19 September.This will position both double deck buses in front of the smaller 20A that starts in Weston (the Bath one!) and maximise the benefits of the capacity available.

My comment is the service must be pretty lucrative if it needs two deckers.

This has now appeared on Vosa as a replacement service.

PH1094121/12 - ABUS LTD, 104 WINCHESTER ROAD, BRISLINGTON, BRISTOL, BS4 3WL
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Bath, Twerton Parade/Green Park Gyratory
Finish Point: Bath, Ralph Allen School
Via:
Service Number: RA3
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 14-NOV-2016
Other Details: Monday to Friday when Ralph Allen School is in normal session One return journey on each route

 

[carlberry]

'South Bristol's saved 51 buses forced off road by vandal attacks with 'air guns and stones' reports the Bristol Post

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/south-...s-and-stones/story-29739204-detail/story.html

The dedicated decker for the 51 was on the 3A today. Wessex vehicle allocation at it's finest!

 

[Colly405]

... Wessex vehicle allocation at it's finest!

Am fairly regularly seeing Streetlites on the One2 now. Is this deliberate? Due to a lack of passengers?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And in other news, the new (November) timetable for the 625 (Severn Beach - UWE) is on Traveline. Shows it as Severnside still, mind!

 

[Martin1988]

Eurotaxis put another minibus out on the college day only 680 route from Filton to Yate yesterday evening.

From a distance it looked like a vehicle I hadn't seen before but I didn't manage to get close enough to see the registration number.

Does anyone have any idea as to how many minibuses Eurotaxis currently have in their fleet and what the registration numbers are?

 

[Marc]

crosvile 107 timetable and route is now on travelline. 107 will do mostly the same as first 7, but will also call at uphill for weston general hospital and off peak run from oldmixon up to asda.

pvr looks to be 7, althogh lots of college day / college holday only journeys at peak times.

 

[carlberry]

Abus's ex Bennetts P&R Merc has now lost it's P&R logos and Severnside Transport have aquired an Enviro 200! MH07EPY working the 626 this evening.

South Gloucestershire's 462 service still providing employment for Yellow step entrance DDs, only a couple of months left now!

 

[DaveHarries]

Not sure if it has already been reported on here but, according to the "Fleet and Enthusiast Section" of the Somerbus of Paulton website, the Mercedes OC500LE / MCV Evolution AE11 BDF - originally purchased new by Somerbus for their 175 (Bath - Peasedown St. John) route passed to ABus, Bristol during August.

Could be used on the 349 at a guess: I have been seeing an Optare Solo on there in B&NES colours for the last couple of weeks at least.

Dave

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Not sure if it has already been reported on here but, according to the "Fleet and Enthusiast Section" of the Somerbus of Paulton website, the Mercedes OC500LE / MCV Evolution AE11 BDF - originally purchased new by Somerbus for their 175 (Bath - Peasedown St. John) route passed to ABus, Bristol during August.

Could be used on the 349 at a guess: I have been seeing an Optare Solo on there in B&NES colours for the last couple of weeks at least.

Dave

349 tends to be deckers. The X9 might be a more likely call?

 

[DaveHarries]

It looks as if UBHT may be replacing the vehicles used on the shuttles between Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol University and the Hospitals: seen at Bristol Temple Meads at around 08:35 this morning was a new Solo SR registered YJ66 AON.

This was the only one I saw all day so I am not sure if this is the only one purchased.

HTIOI,
Dave

 

[ooo]

It looks as if UBHT may be replacing the vehicles used on the shuttles between Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol University and the Hospitals: seen at Bristol Temple Meads at around 08:35 this morning was a new Solo SR registered YJ66 AON.

This was the only one I saw all day so I am not sure if this is the only one purchased.

HTIOI,
Dave

How old are the current solos?

 

[DaveHarries]

How old are the current solos?

I am not sure. The current shuttles are a mix of vehicles of which at least one is a Solo Classic though.

Dave

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Surprised this hasn't been posted

http://m.bristolpost.co.uk/revealed...obus-network/story-29793957-detail/story.html

 

[ooo]

Surprised this hasn't been posted

http://m.bristolpost.co.uk/revealed...obus-network/story-29793957-detail/story.html

Also the fare information is covered in a separate article in the Bristol Post

 

[THarris123]

Also the fare information is covered in a separate article in the Bristol Post

I wonder if First get it, will the day tickets be valid on the service?

If First don't get it surely it will put question on Freemans future?

 

[ooo]

I wonder if First get it, will the day tickets be valid on the service?

If First don't get it surely it will put question on Freemans future?

Also if First don't get it I wonder if there will be less of a reduction in services which would compete with Metrobus

 

[Marc]

I wonder if First get it, will the day tickets be valid on the service?

If First don't get it surely it will put question on Freemans future?

i think the plan is for single operator tickets and all operator tickets to both be on there and sold at machines.

the reading plan for bristol aint going well. all we have is a few buses with silly liverys and cuts to many services.

metrobus doesnt have to be one operator. it could be different companies on different routes or even more than one on each. but it will kill many standard bus routes in the city. 73 75 and x48 wont survive it at their current levels. baring in mind how busy glolucster road services are they dont need cutting in frequyency.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

i think the plan is for single operator tickets and all operator tickets to both be on there and sold at machines.

the reading plan for bristol aint going well. all we have is a few buses with silly liverys and cuts to many services.

metrobus doesnt have to be one operator. it could be different companies on different routes or even more than one on each. but it will kill many standard bus routes in the city. 73 75 and x48 wont survive it at their current levels. baring in mind how busy glolucster road services are they dont need cutting in frequyency.

I think you're right in that the Metrobus "award" isn't finalised and may involve more than one operator. Also, we've seen how First have managed to win the Park and Ride and are being much more competitive (ask Wessex). So I think we're some way from writing James Freeman's obituary.

As for JF's impact thus far, well he's been in situ for about 18 months. He's managed to both obtain the P&R in Bristol, all but remove Wessex from UWE and rationalised the business especially moving away from low margin or loss making work. To be honest, the cuts in Wiltshire/Frome were always going to happen (losing money on an unequal battle with Faresaver) whilst it made more sense to concentrate most of the battle with Webberbus with one subsidiary (aside from the 126). However, the Bristol service cuts recently are as much a reflection on the driver shortage and the increasing impact of traffic congestion on reliability and fleet size.

Yes, route branding does seem a bit slow and despite various reports and press releases, we're still wondering how much new fleet Bristol will receive in the coming months. However, the other way of looking at it is... What exactly did we expect would happen?

Clearly, some of the routes that you've mentioned are clearly going to be massively affected. The X48 is a possible/probable casualty, the 903 is definitely going, and clearly routes like the 73 and 90 will be greatly impacted. However, we could easily be caught in a maelstrom of speculation as to what may happen and who might get it <insert name of any proper bus company and CityFox> but think it really is too early to say with any accuracy.

 

[Marc]

what are wessex useing on bath 14??

 

[carlberry]

349 tends to be deckers. The X9 might be a more likely call?

AE11 BDF on X9 yesterday in First livery.

 

[ooo]

AE11 BDF on X9 yesterday in First livery.

Is that the Express Yourself Version?

 

[Whiteway215]

what are wessex useing on bath 14??

I saw three of the Wessex service 14 departures from Dorchester Street yesterday afternoon and all were worked by E200 s. 20512 was one of them. Not many passengers being carried on them though, nil on two of the buses and three people on the other.

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Is that the Express Yourself Version?

It is that version.

I hadn't realised until today that the journeys operated by Abus on the X9 had changed from two out of three off-peak circuits to all the peak journeys (06:20 to 10:35), but nothing departing Bristol between 11:05 and 13:35 (all First), then all departures 14:05 to 18:30, which means 3 vehicles out when they cover the service. Details of who (AB or FB) runs each journey are shown on Traveline.

BX54 EBG, 816 SHW and AE11 BDF were the afternoon buses today.

First were running double-deckers on all three of their circuits at lunchtime; is this usual?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I saw three of the Wessex service 14 departures from Dorchester Street yesterday afternoon and all were worked by E200 s. 20512 was one of them. Not many passengers being carried on them though, nil on two of the buses and three people on the other.

Yep, saw a 14 with one passenger just by the Weston pub about 5.30 followed by a Dart with probably 2/3 of a load on. However, it is early days