First HAS Axed Greyhound

[overthewater]

https://twitter.com/passtrans/status/258618530612793345/photo/1/large

that is a shock.

 

[Greenback]

The Cardiff - Swansea route seems to be staying.

 

[anthony263]

Wonder if this is why the greyhound coaches from Southampton are being casaded to south wales.

Sadly I dont think First have put enough effort into the greyhound brand in the UK.

The south wales greyhound service is currently doing very well although it has always been a busy profitable route and I think there is a market for a direct coach link to Bristol International Airport which would be better if it linked to Cardiff Airport as well.

Coach services do seem to be popular in south wales these days so I would like to see more services start.

Slightly off topic but is it any wonder why Neport bus are planning a coach link between Chepstow and Swansea via Newport & Cardiff?

 

[richw]

They announced last week they were extending the Cardiff - swansea route

 

[wintonian]

I won't use National Express due to an issue I had some years ago so I thought Grayhound was going to be a cheap alternative to the train to London,.

Unfortunately it was never going to work for as I would have to travel backwards down the M3 to Southampton or Portsmouth to get on one and although according to the website you were able to buy tickets on a turn up and go basis (space permitting) I have never been able to work out how much such a ticket would cost, leaving me unable to compare it to the train for value for money/ speed vs cost.

It seem to me a bit like someone at First had a good idea got it all up and working and then left the company and no one else left at First Group was interested, leaving it to effectively wind itself down.

 

[Greenback]

It's pretty easy to see why the South Wales service is doing well as it serves a popular retial park that is not rail conencted as well as Cardiff University and the suburbs of Swansea.

But I'm not sure why the South Coast routes ar enot doing so well. Is it merely because there is more competition?

 

[overthewater]

Will Megabus start a service? there already have Megatrain...

 

[Mojo]

But I'm not sure why the South Coast routes are not doing so well. Is it merely because there is more competition?

Is there really that much demand to travel from London to Portsmouth/Southampton, by coach?

I can understand why it might be more popular on other, longer distance routes where the train fares are expensive (e.g. London to Bristol, London to Leicester, etc.), or on regional routes, but for a route like this on the Southern Electric network where trains have been popular for a very long time, I couldn't imagine there's been that much demand.

 

[overthewater]

Is there really that much demand to travel from London to Portsmouth/Southampton, by coach?

I can understand why it might be more popular on other, longer distance routes where the train fares are expensive (e.g. London to Bristol, London to Leicester, etc.), or on regional routes, but for a route like this on the Southern Electric network where trains have been popular for a very long time, I couldn't imagine there's been that much demand.

Nat Express has flood and enhance its routes between the points and have seen new growth.

Old saying goes, if you want to making a bus route butter put on some competition.

 

[Greenback]

Is there really that much demand to travel from London to Portsmouth/Southampton, by coach?

Perhaps not. First must have thought there was a market there, but maybe they were simply wrong. There are certainly more trains in competition with the coaches there than in South Wales.

 

[Deerfold]

https://twitter.com/passtrans/status/258618530612793345/photo/1/large

that is a shock.

Is it possible to post that without a link to twitter?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The Cardiff - Swansea route seems to be staying.

That's not a huge suprise as they just Greyhound branded the existing 100 route. Is it keeping the branding?

 

[overthewater]

Is it possible to post that without a link to twitter?

Alas Not, since its the pic of the front page from Pass-transport mag. There is no article yet. One might appear on Friday morning.

 

[Deerfold]

Alas Not, since its the pic of the front page from Pass-transport mag. There is no article yet. One might appear on Friday morning.

Found it - thanks (http://www.passengertransport.co.uk/latest-issue/).

 

[BestWestern]

Unfortunately the south coast Greyhound service appears to have simply not been up to standards, I understand that the frequency dropped after introduction and perhaps the product being offered just didn't stand up against the frequent rail links and the well established NatEx coach services from Portsmouth/Southampton to the capital. Can't help feel that this was something of a missed opportunity, perhaps in the light of First's recent enthusiasm for offloading bus operations it simply wasn't a priority?

As for the Welsh route, Cardiff - Swansea hardly seems far enough to sustain a whole, non-specific brand name of it's own, and it certainly isn't in keeping with the original Greyhound operations which were somewhat more long-distance!

 

[anthony263]

As for the Welsh route, Cardiff - Swansea hardly seems far enough to sustain a whole, non-specific brand name of it's own, and it certainly isn't in keeping with the original Greyhound operations which were somewhat more long-distance!

I have a feeling First when they start the Cardiff - Bristol Airport service may just merge the it with the the existing Swansea - Cardiff service which may be a better idea.

service 100 is now facing less competition since National express reduced the amount of services they run west of Cardiff although Stagecoach are looking to expand westwards with a a few extra megabus services to Carmarthen etc.

A good greyhound route would be from South wales to Liverpool

 

[richw]

They announced last week they were extending the Cardiff - swansea route

I have a feeling First when they start the Cardiff - Bristol Airport service may just merge the it with the the existing Swansea - Cardiff service which may be a better idea.

Sorry to quote myself, but you have just reminded me of what the extension I had mentioned earlier in the post.
I had read somewhere that the Swansea Cardiff journeys were being extended to bristol (possibly the airport, but cant remember exactly now)

 

[anthony263]

Truth be told I was told the services would be staying seperate for the moment

 

[fgwrich]

If anyones interested, both 'Billie Jean' & 'Proud Mary' have turned up in Exeter this week...on hire to First Devon & Cornwall... On First Great Western Barnstaple Branch Rail Replacement Services!

Now, sticking those on Rail Replacement and people really won't want to see a 143/150/153 in Barnstaple again.