Recent content by tomoufc

I’m interested to know more about the effects of free travel on the Bee Network and its services.

We’re nearly at September and no news yet: https://www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk/eligibility-expansion/ I guess technically they could announce changes on 29 September and implement them on the 30th, and the linked statement would still be true. Does feel like it’s delayed though.

Yes. Any plan would have to identify those in best condition to continue for a while longer.

At risk of infuriating Bungle. I’ll just say this and shut up: remember it was antisocial behaviour on a bus (teenagers messing around and playing music) that led to the formation of the Beatles.

Yes that’s right. I really hope TfW had good lawyers when drawing up the contract. There’s another aspect to this of course: they are leased. Surely leasing payments depend on availability? It can’t be the case that TfW are paying leasing charges for trains they can’t use?

Honestly, at this stage I think it’s best they look to retain the 150s to the medium term. Shouldn’t compensation payments from CAF cover their leases?

It is that control you mention, plus the ability to retain resources that would otherwise be diverted to share and bond holders. I get the point that municipals aren’t a magic bullet. I’d be interested to see if new legislation changed the picture around needing to tender to the private sector...

Interesting, thanks. Out of interest, why do they have lower costs, considering their disadvantages arising from economies of scale? I always assumed it was lower staffing costs, related to lower levels of unionisation. (I’m not suggesting life working for a big corporate is a cosy either, by...

I’m anonymous.

Hansard refers? Which debate? The privatisation of busses did indeed cut costs in many respects, but that was on the back of a very successful effort at attacking staffing levels and wages. I don’t see the relevance here.

Yes, they are tendering for franchises. As you say, that’s not the same as ‘tendered services’, which have become the mainstay of SME operations. Why not the same, because franchising is significantly more onerous in terms of specification. So we’re not disagreeing here, it’s just that you think...

But this is franchising, not tendering! The requirements by definition need to be more onerous. Your way to achieve what you want is to abandon franchising, it seems.

So how are you going to maintain the same level of specification while reducing the bureaucratic demands for the franchise bidder. I understand what you’re hoping for, but you haven’t told me how you can get it. 1787258279 This has been my experience with TLC, repeatedly.

Happy to look at the data, if you have it. Cheers.

Yes but surely the vast majority of services are provided directly by the municipal? Unless I’m mistaken and NCT is a brand?