How to lose a PTE bus contract. Fast.

[185]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-15038049

This had about 60,000 hits - I reckon they've not got long.

 

[Statto]

"First one driver told me I couldn't get on, so I called up and made a complaint, and now [two] drivers on the route have told me I'm barred."

Shameful deserve to lose there contract.

 

[WestCoast]

That is terrible.

The service operator on the timetable is shown as 'Phoneix Taxis' - a taxi firm running buses sounds suspicious.

http://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/nexus.org.uk/files/documents/bus/333-PHO-040911.pdf

 

[ushawk]

Operator shown on the Nexus website is Phoenix Coaches.

I personally think this is stupid, dont know why you would do that to anyone.

 

[185]

It is indeed Phoenix Coaches, and Nexus has known about this for a few weeks now.

Any other PTE would have had the sense to rip up their contract well before this hit the press.

 

[WatcherZero]

Yes I feel sorry that hes 98 and blind, but he is riding round and round on a circular bus route 'just to keep warm'. The bus isnt there to act like a public house.

 

[185]

Metrolink usually does

 

[hougtimo]

I work with old people, and to be honest, it takes two to tango.

I would like to echo the poster above who said he shouldn't be using it just to keep warm. If it's too cold for him, shouldn't he be staying in? That's certainly what I'd advise.

The fact two different drivers told him he was 'barred' is telling...

 

[Bayum]

I work with old people, and to be honest, it takes two to tango.

I would like to echo the poster above who said he shouldn't be using it just to keep warm. If it's too cold for him, shouldn't he be staying in? That's certainly what I'd advise.

The fact two different drivers told him he was 'barred' is telling...

OH yes.



Let's isolate all OAPs in the winter because they shouldn't go out, so as not to get cold.

 

[trentside]

While there may be other reasons for this gentleman being 'barred' - it still smacks of a PR blunder, especially as he's 98 years old and blind.

As the bus is apparently a circular, I'd think that any passenger would be entitled to board at any point and ride the bus to their stop.

 

[142094]

BBC Look North had footage as well showing an incident where the bus went straight past the man.

There is (or used to be) another service in North Shields which was paid by Nexus, and the company used a battered old Ford Transit minibus on the route. Not sure how roadworthy it was but I wouldn't have got on it.

 

[Greenback]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with travelling the long way around on a circular route whether you are 98 or not. It's something I have done many times in Swansea and in Reading.

 

[gnolife]

Same, I'm often on Stagecoach Manchester's route 394 which does Marple to Stockport via Compstall and Bredbury as opposed to 393 direct.
Same with 307 and 308, I usually take the 308 that does Stockport (circular) via Stepping Hill, Hazel Grove and Bramhall to get to Cheadle Hulme as opposed to the 307 which goes direct.

 

[rail-britain]

Equally, if the operators are in agreement then any member of the public can be refused access or entry to a service

There was a similar case a few years ago where a new bus operator took over a SPT route and banned five people from the using the service within a few days of its operation, which the previous operator had not taken action
SPT agreed with the operator

Some people still travel on the SPT Subway for the entire circle
However I believe they are now more proactive in ensuring this does not happen

 

[WestCoast]

Some people still travel on the SPT Subway for the entire circle
However I believe they are now more proactive in ensuring this does not happen

How do you stop someone doing that on the Subway?

 

[185]

Passengers of all ages and type do get up your nose from time to time but those of us who've been in public transport for some time are generally very tolerant. It's only when the line is crossed and the law is actually broken that customer service should end.

 

[WestCoast]

Passengers of all ages and type do get up your nose from time to time but those of us who've been in public transport for some time are generally very tolerant. It's only when the line is crossed and the law is actually broken that customer service should end.

Guards are generally more customer focused/helpful than bus drivers, in my opinion. There are exceptions of course.

 

[anthony263]

Yes I feel sorry that hes 98 and blind, but he is riding round and round on a circular bus route 'just to keep warm'. The bus isnt there to act like a public house.

Try telling that to most OAP's who seem to think the bus is a clubhouse. Some take a packed lunch and just spend all day riding around on the bus.

 

[rail-britain]

How do you stop someone doing that on the Subway?

Revenue Protection Staff travel on the service, once the train has performed at least two complete circuits (such as Govan to Govan to Govan) they then identify any such person and ask them to leave the train at specified stops where BTP are often waiting
First time offenders simply get their details recorded (and held on file for two years) but if two or more such abuses occur in the next six months then prosecution occurs

 

[anthony263]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with travelling the long way around on a circular route whether you are 98 or not. It's something I have done many times in Swansea and in Reading.

Are there circular routes in Swansea?

I remember the circle line service 99, which even had a decker working it once, much to all the drivers amusement. i did do a round trip on it, then get a photo of it. I think one bus photographer had a bit of a shock when he asked the driver what route it was on.

 

[WestCoast]

Revenue Protection Staff travel on the service, once the train has performed a complete circuit (such as Govan to Govan) they then identify any such person and ask them to leave the train at specified stops where BTP are often waiting
First time offenders simply get their details recorded (and held on file for two years) but if two or more such abuses occur in the next six months then prosecution occurs

If you have an all day ticket, then surely your contract with SPT means that you can travel on the system for as long as your ticket is valid?

What bylaw/condition stipulates that you cannot do this?

 

[Crossover]

If you have an all day ticket, then surely your contract with SPT means that you can travel on the system for as long as your ticket is valid?

What bylaw/condition stipulates that you cannot do this?

I was thinking the same, as me and a friend had one of the rover tickets that included unlimited travel on the Subway. As it happens we only did 1 round trip (breaking at Partick) which was enough anyway, but I guess we could have been round as many times as we liked. I guess the reason they patrol it is you just pay per jurney, irrespective of how far you go.

Back to buses, in my local area, they have free city/town buses. One of those has now become chargeable (£1) but the rest have remained free, albeit you have to pay 50p (I think) if you stay on for more than a single complete circuit. I guess people were using it as a place to go or as a sightseeing bus :P Obviously there is nothing to stop you jumping off a stop short of the start and jumping on the next one, I guess.

 

[HugePilchard]

I rather think we're only getting one side of the story here. Nexus have weighed in, but from the sound of their response they've smelled a PR disaster brewing and have told the operator to pick the chap up no matter what.

What's missing here is a response from the actual operator, whose drivers may well have good reason for not picking him up.

 

[Blindtraveler]

the national scottish entitlement card has I know resulted an ridership from those wishing to keep warm/have nout better to do. I hold one of these and personally feel that irrispective of a person holding one if they wish to travel continusly they should be asked to pay

 

[rail-britain]

If you have an all day ticket, then surely your contract with SPT means that you can travel on the system for as long as your ticket is valid?

What bylaw/condition stipulates that you cannot do this?

This happens typically once a week and the identified passengers are asked for their tickets
All day and season tickets are accepted
However passengers with single tickets are advised they have travelled beyond their destination (having been observed travelling at least twice round the circle)
Occurances are very rare now, there used to be entire groups of people that travelled all day (as a single ticket was cheaper than heating their home)

 

[ralphchadkirk]

The OAP's ticket did allow him to travel around and around and around. However, the fact someone gets on a bus to keep warm worries me. A bus is not an appropriate place to "keep warm". If the person in question cannot keep warm at home, then this suggests something wrong with social services in that area.

 

[anthony263]

The OAP's ticket did allow him to travel around and around and around. However, the fact someone gets on a bus to keep warm worries me. A bus is not an appropriate place to "keep warm". If the person in question cannot keep warm at home, then this suggests something wrong with social services in that area.

That i agree with, surely someone in the local authority should be getting off the backside and sort it out.

In fact I think lots of people are struggling with the price of electricity etc, in fact I personally think that the prices of electricity and gas etc is making this economic recovery slow down, people havn't got the money to spend on luxurys etc.

Maybe the governemnt should start ccoming down harder on the energy companies, these latest prices rise are absoluty crazy, enough is enough

 

[richw]

The o.a.ps ticket would not allow travelling round in circles unless he kept re presenting his ticket every circle complete. The o.a.p pass still needs to be issued a paper ticket, this is so the council pay the operator for journeys undertaken by old people. Therefore if the old man did not do this, the council won't pay the operator for the journey, and meaning he had no valid ticket or right to be on board

 

[Bayum]

The OAP's ticket did allow him to travel around and around and around. However, the fact someone gets on a bus to keep warm worries me. A bus is not an appropriate place to "keep warm". If the person in question cannot keep warm at home, then this suggests something wrong with social services in that area.

I'm not quite sure I understand...



He's getting on a bus... After doing his shopping... He's not getting on the bus solely to keep warm... He's keeping warm whilst the bus goes round the circular loop of it's service.

 

[Greenback]

Equally, if the operators are in agreement then any member of the public can be refused access or entry to a service

There was a similar case a few years ago where a new bus operator took over a SPT route and banned five people from the using the service within a few days of its operation, which the previous operator had not taken action
SPT agreed with the operator

Some people still travel on the SPT Subway for the entire circle
However I believe they are now more proactive in ensuring this does not happen

It is right that transport companies are able to ban people who break the law and cause trouble. I am unsure of what laws the elderly getnleman is emant to have broken here.

Passengers of all ages and type do get up your nose from time to time but those of us who've been in public transport for some time are generally very tolerant. It's only when the line is crossed and the law is actually broken that customer service should end.

Quite.

Are there circular routes in Swansea?

I remember the circle line service 99, which even had a decker working it once, much to all the drivers amusement. i did do a round trip on it, then get a photo of it. I think one bus photographer had a bit of a shock when he asked the driver what route it was on.

There used to be more than there are now! Of the top of my head there is now only the Mayhill and Townhill Circulars. In my youth there were the Penlan Circular, and more recently the so called 'Hopsital Circular', which provided a tour of Swansea's greatest estates, including Blaenymaes, Clase and Townhill!

I'm not sure if the Sunday Gower Circular still operates though.

The OAP's ticket did allow him to travel around and around and around. However, the fact someone gets on a bus to keep warm worries me. A bus is not an appropriate place to "keep warm". If the person in question cannot keep warm at home, then this suggests something wrong with social services in that area.

You are right, if that is what was happening. I don;t think it;s clear, though, whether the man just takes the longer way around to avoid standing about in the cold for the next bus the other way.