£2 Bus Fare Cap - A Commercial Opportunity…?

[YorkRailFan]

As far as I know there are no double deckers on order to replace the B5s so that is entirely speculative. There are 60 reg and 12 reg B7RLEs in the fleet, 16/17 reg Versa.

Well Coastliner have been testing a Volvo B8L MCV EvoSeti so something is clearly in the works.

There's nothing to release the 16/17 plate Versas for Mainline or Blackburn 6/7 currently. As for the 60 reg B7RLEs, they're likely also end of life and a life on the X41 would certainly see off the end of them.

 

[Leedsbusman]

Well Coastliner have been testing a Volvo B8L MCV EvoSeti so something is clearly in the works.

There's nothing to release the 16/17 plate Versas for Mainline or Blackburn 6/7 currently. As for the 60 reg B7RLEs, they're likely also end of life and a life on the X41 would certainly see off the end of them.

And there’s nothing to release the B5s either. A one off route test is hardly an indicator! You speculation is no more justified than mine.

 

[YorkRailFan]

And there’s nothing to release the B5s either. A one off route test is hardly an indicator! You speculation is no more justified than mine.

Its more of sign than what's going on with Mainline and the 6/7!

 

[Leedsbusman]

Its more of sign than what's going on with Mainline and the 6/7!

Is it? Maybe best to wait until an order is confirmed before speculating on what happens to the outgoing buses.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Is it? Maybe best to wait until an order is confirmed before speculating on what happens to the outgoing buses.

No testing of new buses has occurred on Mainline or 6/7, unlike on Coastliner, unless anyone can prove otherwise.

 

[geoffk]

Are there any routes that could be improved to take passengers from more expensive or unreliable rail routes?

Is that really what we want? Revenue from rail fares is still below pre-Covid levels and promoting a transfer to buses isn't going to help the situation. Which train services do you have in mind?

 

[Leedsbusman]

No testing of new buses has occurred on Mainline or 6/7, unlike on Coastliner, unless anyone can prove otherwise.

Crikey - no testing was done on the 464 either was it before their new buses were ordered.

 

[duncombec]

No testing of new buses has occurred on Mainline or 6/7, unlike on Coastliner, unless anyone can prove otherwise.

I think the situation has been explained enough times now; continuing to stress the point on how one bus company's marginal service may be resourced is starting to look a little rude.

As to the more general point, @Dwarfer1979 sums things up with industry knowledge in post #11: the fare cap is not, and never was, designed to increase patronage, being introduced somewhat rushed, and belatedly, as the non-driver equivalent to the freeze in fuel duty. If I understand correctly, bus companies may end up being (inadvertently) penalised by increasing patronage too much, because their reimbursement wouldn't necessarily change. As is increasingly the case, "bums on seats" is no longer an accurate suggestion of how much of a routes costs may be recaptured.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Crikey - no testing was done on the 464 either was it before their new buses were ordered.

Probably because Blackburn already had E200 MMCs?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Well Coastliner have been testing a Volvo B8L MCV EvoSeti so something is clearly in the works.

There's nothing to release the 16/17 plate Versas for Mainline or Blackburn 6/7 currently. As for the 60 reg B7RLEs, they're likely also end of life and a life on the X41 would certainly see off the end of them.

They may be looking at options but that's not to suggest it's imminent.

As regards any redeployment of B5TLs, something like the Hotline is perhaps more likely than the X41 which really doesn't need deckers. I was thinking that the 12/62 plate Eclipses would be a more reasonable vehicle to replace the current fleet when that happens.

The X41 is a tricky route - it has one or two very busy journeys but not much else, and it has a demanding route in terms of road type and terrain. Yet it doesn't make money so can't really financially justify even mid life vehicles.

 

[YorkRailFan]

They may be looking at options but that's not to suggest it's imminent.

As regards any redeployment of B5TLs, something like the Hotline is perhaps more likely than the X41 which really doesn't need deckers. I was thinking that the 12/62 plate Eclipses would be a more reasonable vehicle to replace the current fleet when that happens.

The X41 is a tricky route - it has one or two very busy journeys but not much else, and it has a demanding route in terms of road type and terrain. Yet it doesn't make money so can't really financially justify even mid life vehicles.

Yeah, I wonder if B9TLs from Hotline would then be disposed of instead of passing to the X41. 12/62 plate Eclipses would be a step up but aren't available anytime soon. Regardless, the X41 definitely needs new buses.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Yeah, I wonder if B9TLs from Hotline would then be disposed of instead of passing to the X41. 12/62 plate Eclipses would be a step up but aren't available anytime soon. Regardless, the X41 definitely needs new buses.

The X41 fleet will need replacement at some point but not deckers, and probably not something that incurs depreciation, and probably not imminently.

 

[YorkRailFan]

The X41 fleet will need replacement at some point but not deckers, and probably not something that incurs depreciation, and probably not imminently.

By the time any sort of major fleet movement happens, the X41 fleet will be 20 years minimum anyway.

 

[ic31420]

Is that really what we want? Revenue from rail fares is still below pre-Covid levels and promoting a transfer to buses isn't going to help the situation. Which train services do you have in mind?

Curiously I am currently sat on the X41 1810 departure off Manchester with 38 (edit 44 I counted when I got of) other passengers.

The reason I am on it is because it's £11 cheaper and quicker than using the Tram and Bus. (with 2kids).

Each way (over two days) that's a saving of £22 and almost pays for our hotel room (£30) for the night so it's not to be sniffed at. We've also got seats which is far from guaranteed on the tram.


Incidentally with all the talk of new buses for the X41. Don't the current vehicles have a bit of extra grunt and longer gears for the motorway section?

One passenger got off before Ramsbottom and another got on at Prestwich, we stopped at another stop near Strangeways but I didn't see what happened. It's a shame it's such a stagger out of Manchester and there isn't an alternative route to speed it up towards the M60/66 as it seems most passengers are for Rammy and beyond.

 

[Nammer]

Is that really what we want? Revenue from rail fares is still below pre-Covid levels and promoting a transfer to buses isn't going to help the situation. Which train services do you have in mind?

The rail service between Cosham and Portsmouth has gone downhill in the last year. 2 trains within 14 minutes in both directions, some daytime hours the GWR no longer calls. Only 1 train to Portsmouth Harbour (for Gunwharf Quays outlet & leisure) some hours. Last train back at 21:55 from Portsmouth Harbour on Monday to Fridays. Most people I know now choose the buses as they are very frequent, cost less, run from 4am til midnight (later at weekends) and take just slightly longer than the train.

 

[Ant158]

Curiously I am currently sat on the X41 1810 departure off Manchester with 38 (edit 44 I counted when I got of) other passengers.

The reason I am on it is because it's £11 cheaper and quicker than using the Tram and Bus. (with 2kids).

Each way (over two days) that's a saving of £22 and almost pays for our hotel room (£30) for the night so it's not to be sniffed at. We've also got seats which is far from guaranteed on the tram.


Incidentally with all the talk of new buses for the X41. Don't the current vehicles have a bit of extra grunt and longer gears for the motorway section?

One passenger got off before Ramsbottom and another got on at Prestwich, we stopped at another stop near Strangeways but I didn't see what happened. It's a shame it's such a stagger out of Manchester and there isn't an alternative route to speed it up towards the M60/66 as it seems most passengers are for Rammy and beyond.

For the X41 and X43 there are a couple of journeys that run via Rochdale Road in the peaks missing out the crawl out through Prestwich, not sure how much faster these are in practice. It would be good if this route was extended to Clitheroe again like it was many years ago, the train service is unpredictable and there are a lot more houses and commuters out that way than when it last ran there. These routes have proved a great backup personally this summer with some severe train disruption having taken place.