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Think you're being a bit harsh. Granted, they haven't provided a timetable but they are stating that the service has been extended to Luton Airport, and that it will operate via the busway in tandem with A/Z, X1, X2 and X3.
Now the timetable is available, I'm pleased to see it is an all day service (albeit not evenings), providing a through service to Aylesbury which Luton hasn't had for several years apart from a peak time X61. That it enhances the X2/X3 service to Leighton Buzzard is a bonus as well.
From a personal point of view I'm pleased with the change of route on the 4 in the Lewsey Farm area - returning Arriva buses to the Birds Estate (other than school buses) for the first time for a few years - only a few weeks after Centrebus cut the 17/17A back to hourly from half hourly. Crucially for me, it gives a direct bus to Leagrave station - useful for when its wet and I don't fancy the walk. It'll be a two minute walk to the nearest bus stop to get a bus to Leagrave, rather than about 10 minutes at the moment.
I've noticed that a brand new batch of double deckers have appeared in Luton, and judging by BusTimes seem to be allocated to the 321. They are ADL Enviro400MMC's and are fleetnumbers 4440-4448 (4445 looks like it's not arrived yet). Registrations are YY26FS? (? is obviously different for each bus - 4440 is YY26FSD)
There is at least one bus running around in Stevenage with dedicated SB1 branding, possibly related to Stagecoach's launch of the SB12 route next week which will be directly competing with SB1.
I've noticed that a brand new batch of double deckers have appeared in Luton, and judging by BusTimes seem to be allocated to the 321. They are ADL Enviro400MMC's and are fleetnumbers 4440-4448 (4445 looks like it's not arrived yet). Registrations are YY26FS? (? is obviously different for each bus - 4440 is YY26FSD)
Although sadly, old Arriva habits die hard, and the 757 has reverted to three separate entries for each journey, not actually in chronological order.
Which is particularly disappointing, as the current service appears correctly.
I don't have much detail but there was an accident on, or just off to be strictly correct, the bus way a couple of days ago. A single decker appeared to have hit an entry point a bit to fast and jumped over the guide rail and into the fence. Link to Faceache here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BBY8JqUby/
I don't have much detail but there was an accident on, or just off to be strictly correct, the bus way a couple of days ago. A single decker appeared to have hit an entry point a bit to fast and jumped over the guide rail and into the fence. Link to Faceache here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BBY8JqUby/
Indeed! It looks like the buses transferred from Luton to Milton Keynes to run the X2 and X3 from there are Volvo B7RLE's 3951-56 (KX12GZN/O/R/S/T) - the latter of which was the bus involved in the accident on Tuesday, and Volvo B8RLE Evoras 3967/8/9/74/75 (LF71DLD/E/J/V/X) - the latter the last 5 of the original batch of Evora's left.
The 30 "new" Evora's are all still at Luton running the A,H,L,Z,X1 and X4.
There is at least one bus running around in Stevenage with dedicated SB1 branding, possibly related to Stagecoach's launch of the SB12 route next week which will be directly competing with SB1.
And, ironically, the livery refers to a 20 minute frequency, which Arriva are actually improving on (to every 15 minutes) in a bid to force Stagecoach off the route. And a reference to the fare being £2.80 - I assume Stagecoach will charge this or less?
I have a timetable somewhere from the mid 80s where the frequency was up there (AND there was competition as well). But catching the bus is seen as something only pensioners and the very poor do, locally.
I have a timetable somewhere from the mid 80s where the frequency was up there (AND there was competition as well). But catching the bus is seen as something only pensioners and the very poor do, locally.
I spent some time in Stevenage yesterday. The Stagecoach competitor for SB1 was carrying absolutely nobody. One can only see it coming off, at which point no doubt Arriva will revert to the 20 minute service again. I also travelled around the likes of Ware, Hertford and Welwyn. The loadings were pitiful everywhere despite some of these being perfectly decent and usable levels of service.
I spent some time in Stevenage yesterday. The Stagecoach competitor for SB1 was carrying absolutely nobody. One can only see it coming off, at which point no doubt Arriva will revert to the 20 minute service again. I also travelled around the likes of Ware, Hertford and Welwyn. The loadings were pitiful everywhere despite some of these being perfectly decent and usable levels of service.
What I've noticed is that such loadings in the town that do exist are mainly OAPs who seem to use the bus multiple times a day, often as not as a sort of portable social club.
Companies who do run services put almost no effort into researching what routes are actually needed, and are still effectively using historical routings from 30-40 years ago, unamended. Younger people tend to bike or catch taxis across the town. In Hertfordshire, there are no time limits for concessionary passes, which means there are quite often OAPs on the bus at 7am, complaining that you are sitting in "their" seat.
When changes are made, they often result in bizarre routings that don't really serve the communities well - the SB7 to Great Ashby for instance does not call at the train station on the way to Great Ashby, which, given the number of commuters that used to catch the service is bizarre. Now if you catch it, almost no-one travels to Great Ashby and services were cut.
As regards the SB12, there is no real need for this service - there is a need for a reliable, cost effective service, which the SB1 is often not. At £2.80 per person, when there are 3 of you, you're better off getting a taxi (there's no shortage of these or Ubers in the town). I wonder which non-resident dreamed up this service?
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One of the reasons we decided not to move to Harlow was the fact at the time there was a reasonable daytime service, but no evening bus service to where we would have lived.
Acceptance of ENCTS passes on the Green Line 757 has changed a few times in recent years. For however long it lasts they're currently accepted along the full route during statutory hours, as my mother was delighted to learn when she used her Luton-issue Older Persons card on it today.
Acceptance of ENCTS passes on the Green Line 757 has changed a few times in recent years. For however long it lasts they're currently accepted along the full route during statutory hours, as my mother was delighted to learn when she used her Luton-issue Older Persons card on it today.
This was the subject of great debate in Stevenage when we had a Greenline coach to London. When the company finally relented and allowed oldies to use the service after 9.30, the same people then campaigned to be able to use their passes all day as it was "not fair to discriminate against pensioners"
*Head/hands*
Said oldies hated the coaches used as they had quite steep steps to ascend and also requested they use "normal" buses on the route.
This was the subject of great debate in Stevenage when we had a Greenline coach to London. When the company finally relented and allowed oldies to use the service after 9.30, the same people then campaigned to be able to use their passes all day as it was "not fair to discriminate against pensioners"
*Head/hands*
Said oldies hated the coaches used as they had quite steep steps to ascend and also requested they use "normal" buses on the route.
I’ve put myself through such torture by travelling on the full 724 route* from Harlow to Heathrow a few years back in Enviro200MMCs (with a couple of hours break at St Albans). When I reached Heathrow I had some sense of achievement, but I also questioned my life choices…
*This is if you can still consider the 724 a Greenline route
When Sovereign ran the route BITD, they used these SB1 buses when the coaches weren't available, and given their age and decrepitude, they were indeed torture.
I’ve put myself through such torture by travelling on the full 724 route* from Harlow to Heathrow a few years back in Enviro200MMCs (with a couple of hours break at St Albans). When I reached Heathrow I had some sense of achievement, but I also questioned my life choices…
*This is if you can still consider the 724 a Greenline route
Unless you value convenience and not having to change with luggage over speed.
I regularly change trains at Leeds rather than Bradford even when there's a time penalty of half an hour, depending how knackered I am and what I'm carrying.
Not many would do the 724 end to end regally, i see it more as an express route serving the Towns & City along the way (like would go Hatfield-St Albans). Those using it all the way from Harlow to Heathrow (or anywhere east of St Albans) are most likely catching a plane at Heathrow, so use the 724 rather than paying the parking fees at Heathrow.
Not many would do the 724 end to end regally, i see it more as an express route serving the Towns & City along the way (like would go Hatfield-St Albans). Those using it all the way from Harlow to Heathrow (or anywhere east of St Albans) are most likely catching a plane at Heathrow, so use the 724 rather than paying the parking fees at Heathrow.
Not many would do the 724 end to end regally, i see it more as an express route serving the Towns & City along the way (like would go Hatfield-St Albans). Those using it all the way from Harlow to Heathrow (or anywhere east of St Albans) are most likely catching a plane at Heathrow, so use the 724 rather than paying the parking fees at Heathrow.
Absolutely - the 724 is a selection of overlapping flows in the main, and probably few people spend much more than 30-45 mins on there....except the driver!
Not many would do the 724 end to end regally, i see it more as an express route serving the Towns & City along the way (like would go Hatfield-St Albans). Those using it all the way from Harlow to Heathrow (or anywhere east of St Albans) are most likely catching a plane at Heathrow, so use the 724 rather than paying the parking fees at Heathrow.
I see Arriva have put out another set of cuts in the Watford/Hemel area, making the 322 a near useless route.
Surely it can't continue for longer in this form
I'm aware the corridor isn't the most heavily used but the downgrade in service provison from a few years ago on the A411 between Watford and Hemel on the ex500 is remarkable
Especially on Sundays, where I think the Hemel to Watford options left would be the 20, taking twice as long, or the train, which is less convenient for a lot of Hemel and Watford.
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