Regardless of the livery of the vehicles used on the 758 the service reliability improved since their introduction despite being operated from Luton rather than Hemel.
I believe that was the case so they nabbed some from Maidstone. When I travelled on a couple the other week, one was a standard example and one a Sapphire, for no apparent reason.
I seem to recall a bit of a three-way occurred? The Citaros to Guildford, Guildford’s StreetLites to Kent to replace the Enviros, and the Kent Enviros to replace the Citaros?
www.wrexham.com
Will be interesting for Arriva Midlands, Oswestry depot that operate on the 2/2A/2C services into Wrexham, and have common sections to the south Wrexham with Arriva Cymru routes 3/4/5. Oswestry had to cut back their 2C Wrexham to Cefn Mawr, temporarily to hourly from a 30 minute back in October, due to staffing issues, perhaps now with staffing looking better they will have to quickly revert the service next week! Oswestry depot are in the odd situation where they issue and accept the Arriva Cymru range of tickets between Newbridge, near Cefn Mawr (before the road was closed) and Wrexham. I'm sure Arriva running into Wrexham out of Oswestry will confuse some people still with the strike action with the Welsh depots.Sorry to diverge from the topic in hand but it looks likely that the strike in North Wales will be going ahead for 5 weeks
Five weeks of “severe disruption” to Arriva buses with its drivers ready for “long fight” over pay dispute
Arriva bus services in Wrexham face "severe disruption" lasting five weeks after workers voted to take industrial action over an ongoing dispute over a pay...
"Arriva bus services in Wrexham face “severe disruption” lasting five weeks after workers voted to take industrial action over an ongoing dispute over a pay deal.
Nearly 400 Arriva bus drivers from six depots, including Wrexham, Hawarden and Rhyl, voted overwhelmingly for industrial action last month.
Drivers in the region will be holding the first round of strike action from Sunday 14th November until Sunday 19th December.
Discussions have been on going between Unite Cymru and Arriva Buses Wales in a bid to find a resolution."
This will impact the region greatly.
*sorry if this post breaks forum rules, don't usually post links on here
handsbusblog.wordpress.com
Arriva replacement tender results
NOVEMBER 11, 2021/ HANTS & SURREY BUS BLOG
The final pieces in the Arriva replacement jigsaw are now falling into place. If you’re new to developments, the story so far has gone as follows (if you’re up to speed, continue scrolling to below these bullet points for today’s news):
Further to our last blog post, the results of the Surrey County Council (SCC) tendering of Monday to Saturday routes 18 and 479, and route 3 Sunday service, have today been made public. We understand that these are initially emergency contracts covering the period Saturday 18th December 2021 to Friday 2nd September 2022. Timetables have not yet been made available.
- Tuesday 5th October 2021: Arriva publicly announce their proposal to close Guildford depot, having told employees the day before. Diamond register commercial 91 and 436 to start 4th January 2022.
- Thursday 14th October 2021: Joint statement from Arriva and Falcon Coaches announces they are in talks over a potential acquisition of the business.
- Wednesday 27th October 2021: Arriva announce that the talks between themselves and Falcon Coaches “have not progressed”, with the depot due to close after the close of service on Friday 17th December.
- Friday 29th October 2021: Stagecoach register primarily commercial replacements for routes 34, 35, 47, 53, 63 and 91, and a new route 6 to partially replace the 36 and 37.
- Wednesday 3rd November: Some additional information regarding Stagecoach’s routes revealed, and we announce we’d heard that Surrey County Council had put the 18 and 479 out to tender.
- Friday 5th November 2021: Stagecoach timetables released showing service levels, and that their extended 1 and new 6 won’t replace some parts of the 36/37. Falcon register replacement 436. We also announce hearing about a possible route 18 extension to cover parts of the 36/37 not covered by 1 and 6.
- Monday 8th November 2021: Diamond cancel their registrations for routes 91 and 436, which had also subsequently been registered by Stagecoach and Falcon respectively.
- 3 (Guildford to Bellfields) will now be operated by Safeguard Coaches on Sundays, meaning they will now operate this route all week. Safeguard resumed operation to the estate (after several years absence) on Monday 7th January 2019, following the launch by Arriva from Sunday 4th November 2018 of competitive routes A/B to the Royal Surrey County Hospital and Park Barn estate served by Safeguard routes 4/5. Arriva later withdrew not just one of their competitive routes, the B to Park Barn, from Tuesday 3rd December 2019, but also their established route 3 to Bellfields. Therefore in the course of just under three years, the 3 will have gone from solely Arriva operation to solely Safeguard.
- 18 (Guildford to Onslow Village) is another win for Guildford-based independent Safeguard. What we’d reported as hearing regarding an extension eastwards across town to cover Weylea Farm, Bowers Farm Drive, and Merrow Park to Bushy Hill has also been confirmed as accurate, to replace parts of the 36/37 not covered by Stagecoach’s extended 1 and new 6 (although the exact routing between Burpham Sainsbury’s and Merrow Park hasn’t been confirmed publicly yet). This therefore creates a new cross town route Onslow Village – Guildford – Weylea Farm – Burpham – Merrow Park – Bushy Hill. The roughly drawn map from our last post has been reproduced below to give you an idea of the geography between Stagecoach’s confirmed routes 1/6 (blue/yellow), Safeguard’s presumed 18 routing (red), and the current Arriva 36/37 (green).
So while timetables are still to be confirmed publicly for Safeguard’s 3 (Sundays) and 18, and Falcon’s 436 and 479, we do at least know now how the replacement Arriva network will look from Saturday 18th December. There have been a few twists and turns along the way as we have seen, but the transport team at Surrey County Council has done very well in working with operators and arranging such an extensive network replacement in just over four weeks from the original closure announcement, and giving confidence to concerned bus users by securing routes and frequencies.
- 479 (Guildford to Epsom) will be operated by Falcon Coaches “with revised timetable on Saturdays”. This will essentially link Falcon’s southern most extremity of Guildford, reached with the taking on of route 28 on Wednesday 13th March 2019, with their eastern extremity reached on Saturday 4th April 2020 upon commencing several Epsom area tenders (E5/E16/408). This will see them become the primary operator over the Epsom – Ashtead – Leatherhead corridor. The current Monday to Friday frequency is half-hourly Epsom to Bookham, with alternate trips extending to Guildford at an hourly frequency. Saturdays currently see a alternating frequency of every 35 and 40 minutes over the end-to-end route. With the Surrey County Council website mentioning a revised timetable on Saturdays, one presumes this alternating frequency is to be altered to something a bit more evenly spaced. Stagecoach’s separate Sunday service continues unaffected, as this is a separate contract.
The only missing piece I can really think of that hasn’t been formally mentioned is the lone Arriva-operated 0612 Guildford – Worplesdon – Pirbright – Brookwood – Knaphill Sainsbury’s journey on the otherwise Falcon Coaches route 28. I believe this came The only missing piece I can really think of that hasn’t been formally mentioned is the lone Arriva-operated 0612 Guildford – Worplesdon – Pirbright – Brookwood – Knaphill Sainsbury’s journey on the otherwise Falcon Coaches route 28. I believe this came about as a de minimis funded ‘livening up’ of what was otherwise a ‘dead’ run between the depot and Knaphill to start on the 91, after complaints from commuters wanting to get to Brookwood railway station in the morning following changes to the previous timetable during Buses Excetera’s reign on the former Arriva route. Surrey County Council’s October 2016 to September 2017 contract award document shows a de minimis of £4,320 for this journey at the time, with Arriva’s route registration for the single journey seemingly indicating it has remained supported by subsidy to the present day. I’m not sure what patronage was like on this journey though, or if it was just one or two loud voices, however I guess commuting habits following the pandemic may well have altered its need since its launch.
One other peculiarity of the changes will be the 91 school journey between Knaphill, Goldsworth Park and Bishop David Brown School in Sheerwater. This currently only has a morning journey with Arriva, with returning students presumably catching an Arriva 436 back into Woking and changing onto an Arriva 91 home. With the 91 going to Stagecoach with the morning journey retained, but the 436 going to Falcon, students will still be able to get a direct bus to school with Stagecoach but have a chunk of Falcon for half of their return journey. I’m not sure if this could now cause validity issues of return tickets bought on the Stagecoach service, or if most students using this link are in possession of a Surrey County Council-issued fare card or an arrangement will exist to allow them to travel on the 436.
As a result, these two minor points should not detract from the work done to secure the network, and may well be largely non-issues anyway.
Now just to see what vehicles enter fleets to cover this work, and where Stagecoach operate their expanded network from in the longer term (this Route One article mentioned that they are “actively seeking” a base for the expanded operation). When the timetables for the 18, 436 and 479 (and Sunday 3 if changed from current offering) are made available, we will of course keep you updated with a comparative look between the current and new offerings.
Saw my first domestic Christmas tree on Sunday night....humbug
Hi there @RELL6L
Hopefully, it is simply a reflection of a shortage of staff etc. However, Arriva's website is atrocious for disseminating even the most simple of information.
Hi TGW
I think there are a few things that are in play here.
Have they finished their strike in Wales now ?
Bustimes data for Arriva Wales is coming from the Traveline database so data there is incorrect. That said, the Arriva Open Data is even more incorrect with none of the more recent stuff being filtered through.
Arrivas own site doesn't get updated because the staff in the NW & W divisions can't be bothered. They never have been bothered for years. Just sit in the offices twiddling their thumbs hoping that if no one notices their appalling efforts. Merseyside is only active when certain staff members are on duty.
It's suspended because Arriva put in a deal which was over a certain percentage so it had to be suspended for a ballot. The ballot is going on until the 6th December. Word on the street though (from drivers) is that they will be rejecting the new deal and the strike will resume when it is allowed to which will be 2 weeks from then (due to the notice that the Union has to give for the strike to resume).
www.facebook.com
That's correct and should be arriving imminently. There are a handful of shorter ones as well, not sure if they will be for the A/Z or not.According to Coach & Bus Week, Arriva the Shires are getting some new vehicles -
Coach and Bus Week
Arriva Beds & Bucks invest £2.5m in 14 new MCV Buses eVoRa-bodied Volvo Bus UK & Ireland B8RLE's for its Luton Busway A and Z routes. Look out for full details in issue 1504.
Safeguard Coaches is to expand its bus presence in its native Guildford by again serving an area that last formed part of its network 92 years ago. The return will come through taking on Surrey County Council (SCC) tendered route 18 to Onslow Village.
The independent operator will begin the service on 18 December, the day after Arriva Kent and Surrey closes its depot in the town. Managing Director Andrew Halliday adds that the date concerned is 92 years to the day since Safeguard last served the area, on 18 December 1929. After then, a route swap with the Aldershot and District company took place.
Mr Halliday has also questioned whether the development represents a record for the same operator to make a return to an area that it previously served.
From the same date, Safeguard will add three SCC-funded journeys on Sundays and bank holidays on route 3 in Guildford. They will complement its commercial Monday to Saturday operation. As a result, in a little under three years the service will have moved fully from Arriva to Safeguard.
Safeguard will run its preserved Burlingham-bodied AEC Reliance (left) on some routes in Guildford on 18 December to mark the changes
Also from 18 December, Safeguard will extend its route 18 across Guildford to replace parts of other withdrawn Arriva routes that are not covered by changes already announced by Stagecoach South.
To mark the expansion of Safeguard’s network, the family-owned operator will operate its 65-year-old AEC Reliance with Burlingham bodywork on some services on 18 December. It first ran on the operator’s Westborough route in 1956.
The Hants & Surrey blog published an article last week looking at the changes to the 18 from its current Arriva format. It is being extended across town to take in places on the Arriva 36/37 not covered by the Stagecoach 6.
handsbusblog.wordpress.com
This time last week we had Stagecoach’s new timetables for their primarily commercial routes replacing a number of Arriva routes to be withdrawn next month, but were still awaiting those for the (mostly) subsidised routes. As this week has gone on though, most of these have now been published – the 479 Monday, 436 yesterday, and today the 18 and 28. This just leaves confirmation on whether the 3’s Sunday service, being taken over by Safeguard, will retain the same timetable or receive retiming (sod’s law dictates it will probably appear just as I click ‘Publish’ on this post!).
So today we will look at the 18 and 28, but before that just a quick reminder that the next North West Surrey Bus Users Group (NWSBUG) public meeting is taking place 1000-1200 tomorrow (Saturday 27th November) at Addlestone Methodist Church. This is located on Station Road opposite Tesco Stop E, so is easily accessible on Falcon routes 456 and 461, Diamond 557 and Carlone 592. Tomorrow’s meeting’s guest speaker is Surrey County Council’s Laurie James. On the agenda is the county’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and, of course, the Arriva replacement services in their area.
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Route 28
The quickest route to cover out of today’s two timetable releases is the single weekday morning journey between Guildford and Knaphill Sainsbury’s on route 28, currently operated by Arriva to maintain a link with Brookwood station for commuters. It currently departs Guildford 0612, Stoughton 0623, Worplesdon 0628, Fox Corner 0630, Stanford Common 0632, Pirbright 0635, Brookwood 0643, arriving at Knaphill Sainsbury’s 0649. The vehicle then works onto the 0654 route 91 to Woking, therefore enabling residents of locations en route access to Woking earlier than the first Falcon 28 journey which arrives there 0853 (even if its not advertised/operated as a through journey).
The replacement Stagecoach journey will still arrive at Knaphill Sainsbury’s at 0649, but departs Guildford eight minutes later. Timings en route are Guildford 0620, Stoughton 0628, Worplesdon 0634, Fox Corner 0636, Stanford Common 0638, Pirbright 0641, Brookwood 0645, arriving at Knaphill Sainsbury’s 0649. One presumes it may then go onto the 0700 route 91 departure to Woking, with the 0645 being formed off the 0639 arrival, and 0712 formed off the 0659 arrival.
There are no changes to the existing Falcon Coaches-operated Monday to Saturday service, but as a reminder the Mon-Sat evening and Sunday journeys over the Knaphill – Brookwood – Pirbright (evenings) – Worplesdon – Stoughton – Guildford (Sundays) section of route 28 which are operated as extensions of route 91 will also transfer from Arriva to Stagecoach.
Click here to view the new route 28 timetable effective Saturday 18th December
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Route 18
The Arriva 18 currently runs on a generally hourly basis, offering 11 weekday and 12 Saturday journeys around a clockwise loop to the west of town, with a journey time of 24 minutes. As a result it sees the appearance of numerous vehicles each day, interworked with other routes. On school days, one morning and one afternoon journey extend across town up London Road to/from George Abbot School.
As previously reported, the 18 will be operated by Safeguard Coaches and extended across town from Saturday 18th December to Bushy Hill via Weylea Farm, Bowers Farm Drive and Burpham Sainsbury’s, the eastern fringe of Merrow Park, and Merrow Church. This is to fill in gaps created by new Stagecoach route 6 which partly replaces the northern section of Arriva’s 36/37 town circulars between Guildford, Burpham and Merrorw Park. What the 6 doesn’t do is divert off London Road to loop around Weylea Farm (Weylea Avenue/Sutherland Drive), perform the double run to serve Bowers Farm Drive, or bridge the gap between Merrow Park and Bushy Hill (from where their extended route 1 replaces the southern section of Arriva’s 36/37).
This cross town extension of the 18 therefore helps retain buses for residents of Weylea Farm and Bowers Farm Drive areas, a link between Merrow/Bushy Hill with Merrow Park and southern Burpham (and the Sainsbury’s supermarket), and more convenient drop off/pick up for those travelling to/from Sainsbury’s from stops served by both the 6 and 18 (only Guildford-bound 6s will serve the stop closest to the store). It also offers a new direct link to Farnham Road Hospital for the east of town.
The journey time around the Guildford and Onslow Village circular section remains at 24 minutes, with the Guildford to Bushy Hill and return Bushy Hill to Guildford sections taking 26 and 28 minutes respectively, meaning a full round trip takes 1 hour and 18 minutes. The option chosen has been to offer a 90 minute (every 1hr 30min) interval service during the day, sandwiched between the retention of the George Abbot School school day extensions and morning/evening peak journeys serving Onslow Village. The 12 minutes of layover time in each 90 minute period has been kept as one block of time between arriving at Guildford Bus Station from Bushy Hill and departing towards Onslow Village. This therefore means the off-peak pattern buses will perform per continuous circuit will be Guildford – Onslow Village – Guildford – Burpham – Merrow Bushy Hill – Burpham – Guildford (layover and repeat), however the layout of the timetable starting and finishing at the Bushy Hill end highlights that the route does operate as cross town ‘through journeys’ in both directions despite the westbound wait.
Onslow Village therefore sees its number of journeys drop from 11/12 on weekdays/Saturdays down to 8/7 on weekdays/Saturdays as a result of the frequency reduction, with five of these in each direction extending over the full route to/from the east of Guildford each day. Weylea Farm sees some additional peak ‘shorts’ in the form of a morning journey into Guildford, and the last two journeys from Onslow Village extending beyond Guildford to there. From my (admittedly limited) observations the 18 is currently a fairly lightly loaded route but, while this change does cause a frequency reduction, the timetable should hopefully still fulfil the needs of the majority of residents at the same time as maintaining a service for those whose travel needs are not served by the new Stagecoach 6.
The map below is repeated from one of our recent blog posts and shows the geography of how the revised 18 (red) interacts with the revised Stagecoach 1 (blue) and their new 6 (yellow). It also depicts how all three routes (1, 6 and 18) fit together to replace the current Arriva 36/37 circular (green).
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Historic Occasion
This isn’t the first time that Safeguard’s vehicles have graced Onslow Village with their presence. In fact their return on 18th December is particularly fitting, as their last day serving the area was 18th December 1929 – some 92 years ago to the day! – after which a route swap with Aldershot & District took effect. Their taking on of the council supported Sunday service to Bellfields, commencing the following day, will also mean we’ll have seen the Guildford to Bellfields route go from full Arriva to full Safeguard operation on route 3 in just, well, 3 years! Anyone going out to observe the changes in and around Guildford on 18th December, which will be a fairly historic occasion given they come about as the result of the closure of one of the last remaining London Country bus garages, will be treated to the sight of Safeguard’s AEC Reliance (200 APB) operating some services. This 65 year old vehicle was new to the operator in 1956 for their Westborough route. More details on this will be announced when confirmed.
Yes, They are for the busway as far as 5 have arrived and some are already in service (photo is not by me)
Good to see but the marketing budget hasn't been blown....
If I search for Arriva Luton on Google it offers me a page on Arriva's website which lists all Arriva routes in Luton EXCEPT the busway routes which are some of the most important routes in the area. They really need to get someone who knows what they are doing to sort out their website.
Yes they already have been
They have already been on that service and have been on 24 and 27.
SV is also an Aberdeen mark isn’t it? Bit strange
