Blackpool No.1 bus frequency reductions are causing pressure on Blackpool trams

[philthetube]

many more than 4, another issue is the number of mobility scooters trying to board, it really needs a member of staff on each half of the tram to prevent overloading, it is not uncommon to turn away 5 or so on a trip, these would board obstructing everything if not stopped. The trams are able to carry 6 as the doors are only ever used on one side on a trip and so scooters can be parked up to them.

Revenue loss is currently virtually nil, it would need to save loads more than 4 conductors to be worth putting in a replacement revenue protection system, loads of back office work for it to be worthwhile.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Is there a reason that BT appear reluctant to get the 'fat doors' out and into service, having spent to much converting them in the first place?

They need 2 conductors, one per deck, when operating the normal service (although only need one when on heritage duties, so you tell me what's going on).

Double deck trams would have been nice, but do any of the European manufacturers of trams build one, I expect not.

No, but if you had to dangle enough money in front of someone such as Stadler, I'm sure they'd bite. Failing that, you could always go to a bus bodybuilder, like they did for the East Lancs built Centenary cars.

The 14 used to go to Freeport/Affinity a few years ago, but they swapped the termini of the two routes round

The 14 always went to Fleetwood Ferry, so it was obviously a change that wasn't worth it, as they currently terminate at Fleetwood Ferry again.

In a town that needs full time over seasonal employment perhaps a bit of joined up thinking is needed to push these as good jobs and upskill people and help solve these shortages.

I've suggested on the main thread that tram drivers/conductors be trained up as bus drivers and vice versa.

 

[davehsug]

Back in Blackpool for a few days. Very strange earlier to see a conductor, getting off the Northbound tram at Bispham, and cross to the Southbound stop. When heading back South later there was a conductor waiting to get on the tram. Where he resumed his duties.
So it seems they're doing this to provide 2 guards between Bispham and Starr Gste and 1 beyond Bispham, where boarding and alighting is lower. Seems like a very clever partial solution to the staffing problems.
I'll be interested to see if this continues tomorrow, or it's just a weekend thing.
Incidentally, the Western train was out. No passengers, so I assume on test.

 

[trainmananthon]

Back in Blackpool for a few days. Very strange earlier to see a conductor, getting off the Northbound tram at Bispham, and cross to the Southbound stop. When heading back South later there was a conductor waiting to get on the tram. Where he resumed his duties.
So it seems they're doing this to provide 2 guards between Bispham and Starr Gste and 1 beyond Bispham, where boarding and alighting is lower. Seems like a very clever partial solution to the staffing problems.
I'll be interested to see if this continues tomorrow, or it's just a weekend thing.
Incidentally, the Western train was out. No passengers, so I assume on test.

They're called jumpers. We usually have 7 or 8 out per day who just shuttle between Pleasure Beach and Bispham all day every day. Attached is a time card from when I did jumping a few weeks ago for the day to give you an example of what a jumper does in a day

 

[RT4038]

It is if you're a Blackpool or Wyre passholder. Passholders from elsewhere aren't their problem, they can use the other bus routes which exist and can be used to make any tram journey with, if necessary, one or two changes.

We seem to have got to the idea of providing a coastal sightseeing bus for non-Blackpool residents on free passes is somehow a sensible use of money rather than using it to reduce tram fares or to increase the frequency on one or two of the other routes.

It's quite possibly the most ridiculous example of pointlessly profligate duplication I have ever seen in my life.

I believe that the reason for introducing the no.1 bus in the first place was, in the deregulated environment, Blackpool Transport were concerned that if they didn't someone else would. Perhaps they are now feeling that, in the current environment, that is less likely and can therefore risk the frequency reduction.

 

[davehsug]

They're called jumpers. We usually have 7 or 8 out per day who just shuttle between Pleasure Beach and Bispham all day every day. Attached is a time card from when I did jumping a few weeks ago for the day to give you an example of what a jumper does in a day

Thanks for that. Noticed this morinig, that the earlier tram was normal, but there was one on the way back.

 

[trainmananthon]

Thanks for that. Noticed this morinig, that the earlier tram was normal, but there was one on the way back.

They're generally out between 0800 and 1900 then after 1900 they just stay on the tram and go to Little Bispham/Fleetwood with it. Makes sense later on in the evening. Can be a bit annoying though like today on earlies, my conductor was on his own throughout the shift and got hammered from mid-morning onwards with the hotels kicking out.

 

[CH7997]

They’re not really using the Flexity fleet as fully as they could. Frequency was improved from 15 minutes to 12 minutes fairly recently, but even so only 11 out of the 18 vehicles are needed for normal service. OK two of the seven ”spare” are long-term broken (although one is finally getting close to coming back), but given the relaxed utilisation there’s hardly been an urgent imperative to get those two working again. The extension to Blackpool North will increase fleet utilisation a bit that’s not due for completion until next year. In the mean time, upping the peak frequency again might go some way to address some of the capacity issues - but one of the issues that delayed the last frequency uptick was having sufficient trained drivers.

You're assuming we have the staff for upping the TT