Flixbus Discussion

[gingerheid]

Having been to Stansted recently everyone has their bays assigned.National Express , Flibco , First , Central Connect and Arriva .I think airports just use their business model on the bus station .You dont just fly in without a slot.

To be fair, that's true at most non-airport bus stations of reasonable size.

The difference is that most non-airport bus stations of reasonable sizes have roads with bus stops outside, so if you can't get into the bus station there's a semi reasonable alternative just outside.

 

[Deerfold]

The difference is that most non-airport bus stations of reasonable sizes have roads with bus stops outside, so if you can't get into the bus station there's a semi reasonable alternative just outside.

And bus station owners generally are not allowed to discriminate about which companies can use them.

 

[Martin1988]

There is no demand .National Express had the 302 to Northampton.Megabus tried it , , , the coaches carried fresh air.

Never been sure as to whether the 302 could be called under utilised. I remember it being quite busy when I saw it loading in Bristol at weekends.

Interestingly, Covid brought about the withdrawal of the 302 (Bristol to Northampton) and 333 (Blackpool to Bournemouth via Bristol) whereas the 300 (Bristol to Southsea) got withdrawn just over a year beforehand in March 2019.

I think NX briefly ran a Birmingham to Bournemouth via Bristol service in the summer months of 2020 and 2021 and at various points Megabus covered Bristol to Oxford as part of a service that went to Birmingham but from memory they changed the timings several times so that sometimes it returned from Oxford in the afternoon/evenings and other times mid morning.

I reckon a Bristol to Birmingham via Swindon and Oxford service could potentially work if the timings were decent.

 

[gingerheid]

There are some interesting changes to the UK007 Norwich - London direction service over the coming months.

Currently it's a 2x daily Norwich - UEA - Thetford - Stratford service operated using a Norwich based coach giving a c3h journey time to Stratford, giving 6.5 hours in (Greater) London.

In April it's showing as a once daily Norwich - Thetford - Stratford - Victoria service operated using a Norwich based coach giving a c4h journey time to London, 3 hours in Central London or 5 hours in Stratford.

In May it's showing an interesting service operated using two Norwich based coaches:

- An early morning Norwich - Ipswich - Colchester - Chelmsford - Stratford service taking just over 4 hours, arriving at 1000 and returning 2015
- A mid morning Norwich - Thetford - Stratford - Victoria service, arriving 1305 and leaving at 1600
- A mid afternoon Norwich - UEA - Thetford - Stratford service arriving 1845, the balancing journey for which left Stratford at 1130.

It's quite a difficult combination of services to imagine a purpose for, though it is clear that FlixBus has the intent to replace National Express may well have the means of carrying this out.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Feb 2026 ==

Never been sure as to whether the 302 could be called under utilised. I remember it being quite busy when I saw it loading in Bristol at weekends.

Interestingly, Covid brought about the withdrawal of the 302 (Bristol to Northampton) and 333 (Blackpool to Bournemouth via Bristol) whereas the 300 (Bristol to Southsea) got withdrawn just over a year beforehand in March 2019.

These are the sorts of routes that National Express excelled at operating but was disastrously bad at advertising. They were, for example, often the best way from Cambridge to Leicester, Northampton or Nottingham depending on the time of day. But there was no way you'd ever find out that they were!

 

[markymark2000]

Having been to Stansted recently everyone has their bays assigned.National Express , Flibco , First , Central Connect and Arriva .I think airports just use their business model on the bus station .You dont just fly in without a slot.

You've got to think though, this bus station has 40 stands, of which only around 15 are actually used properly. Yes there is space for private coaches as well and some drop off bays, but these are rarely, if ever used to such a level that such a high number of them are needed. Stansted has LOTS of room for expansion of coach services, with no detrimental effect on the service offered.
Just to give some perspective, Flixbus has experience in scheduling large numbers of coaches off a single stand with places such as Leeds and Bristol where there are 60+ departures per day between 5am and 11.30pm from the single bus stand. By comparison, Flibco runs 30 buses per day, from 3 stands in the same time frame. The efficiency difference is mental. Even Heathrow, has 30-40 coaches per hour off it's 16 stand coach station.

There is some argument to say that where there is going to be flooding of a corridor (perhaps the London Stratford flows), that Stansted could act to limit competition there to save chaos at both Stratford and Stansted, but where and operator is providing a different service, or boosting infrequent links, there is no good reason to refuse access to to that other operator.

 

[coach fan]

You've got to think though, this bus station has 40 stands, of which only around 15 are actually used properly. Yes there is space for private coaches as well and some drop off bays, but these are rarely, if ever used to such a level that such a high number of them are needed. Stansted has LOTS of room for expansion of coach services, with no detrimental effect on the service offered.
Just to give some perspective, Flixbus has experience in scheduling large numbers of coaches off a single stand with places such as Leeds and Bristol where there are 60+ departures per day between 5am and 11.30pm from the single bus stand. By comparison, Flibco runs 30 buses per day, from 3 stands in the same time frame. The efficiency difference is mental. Even Heathrow, has 30-40 coaches per hour off it's 16 stand coach station.

There is some argument to say that where there is going to be flooding of a corridor (perhaps the London Stratford flows), that Stansted could act to limit competition there to save chaos at both Stratford and Stansted, but where and operator is providing a different service, or boosting infrequent links, there is no good reason to refuse access to to that other operator.

It really doesn’t….three of the drop off bays are allocated for Nat ex ferry vehicles. The other 5 are regularly used by both flibco and nat ex for dropping off. Fairly often you’re waiting behind wait for a free drop off bay. The next two bays are reserved for meet and greet pool vans.

The next bays are local buses, hotel hoppers, three for Nat ex cross country, three for flibco and four for Nat ex London services.

The remaining 7 bays are for private hire. Realistically there are only really two bays that could be freed up. Even then, it would be tight. Especially on rail replacement days.

Not to mention the layover bays are regularly full to capacity and we’ve lost four bays for Stansted ground personal to do not a very lot in.

 

[markymark2000]

It really doesn’t….three of the drop off bays are allocated for Nat ex ferry vehicles. The other 5 are regularly used by both flibco and nat ex for dropping off. Fairly often you’re waiting behind wait for a free drop off bay. The next two bays are reserved for meet and greet pool vans.

The next bays are local buses, hotel hoppers, three for Nat ex cross country, three for flibco and four for Nat ex London services.

The remaining 7 bays are for private hire. Realistically there are only really two bays that could be freed up. Even then, it would be tight. Especially on rail replacement days.

Your figures come to a total of 27 bays. There's then 7 bays in use for local bus (you didn't give a number for local bus so I counted them). That still leaves you with 6 bay unaccounted for which could be used by any alternative supplier, such as Flixbus.
That is before you look at how wildly inefficient Flibco must be to need 3 stands to run a half hourly service. That level of inefficiency is absurd.

Not to mention the layover bays are regularly full to capacity and we’ve lost four bays for Stansted ground personal to do not a very lot in.

An additional operator such as Flixbus may serve Stansted as a through route and thus not need and layover spaces. Or they may instruct their buses to layover off site (like Flixbus do in Manchester)

That said, the figures don't stack up unless Flibco and National Express are dumping buses there for hours on end and Stansted are just letting it happen. Bearing in mind, the 717, 737 and 777 only have 1 bus each in Stansted at any one time, and even if you gave all the A6, A8 and A9s 90 minutes off after every trip, you would only be using 12 stands there. Flibco has no need to use the drop off or layover stands with their dismal stand utilisation. If NatEx/Flib are using all of the layover spaces, they need to be told to clear off and stop dumping buses. Their bus dumping should not ever be used to justify the silly anti competitive actions of Stansted Airport to prohibit additional operators. There is plenty of space if the place was ran like a tight ship.

 

[Mwanesh]

Your figures come to a total of 27 bays. There's then 7 bays in use for local bus (you didn't give a number for local bus so I counted them). That still leaves you with 6 bay unaccounted for which could be used by any alternative supplier, such as Flixbus.
That is before you look at how wildly inefficient Flibco must be to need 3 stands to run a half hourly service. That level of inefficiency is absurd.


An additional operator such as Flixbus may serve Stansted as a through route and thus not need and layover spaces. Or they may instruct their buses to layover off site (like Flixbus do in Manchester)

That said, the figures don't stack up unless Flibco and National Express are dumping buses there for hours on end and Stansted are just letting it happen. Bearing in mind, the 717, 737 and 777 only have 1 bus each in Stansted at any one time, and even if you gave all the A6, A8 and A9s 90 minutes off after every trip, you would only be using 12 stands there. Flibco has no need to use the drop off or layover stands with their dismal stand utilisation. If NatEx/Flib are using all of the layover spaces, they need to be told to clear off and stop dumping buses. Their bus dumping should not ever be used to justify the silly anti competitive actions of Stansted Airport to prohibit additional operators. There is plenty of space if the place was ran like a tight ship.

No bus is left on stand .Passengers get off in the drop off bays .You get on stand load up and go .That bus station is busy

 

[markymark2000]

No bus is left on stand .Passengers get off in the drop off bays .You get on stand load up and go .That bus station is busy

In that case the stands are poorly utilised and further emphasises point stands that there is ample capacity for more buses to be added.

The bus station may be busy passenger number wise, but departures wise, it's a drop in the ocean for it's size.

 

[nick291]

No bus is left on stand .Passengers get off in the drop off bays .You get on stand load up and go .That bus station is busy

In that case the stands are poorly utilised and further emphasises point stands that there is ample capacity for more buses to be added.

The bus station may be busy passenger number wise, but departures wise, it's a drop in the ocean for it's size.

Can you imagine if the Heathrow bus and coach operation was like that? Where local service buses drop off now being used for coaches instead? Just wouldn't work! So lord knows what Stansted are playing at by doing something similar.

 

[coach fan]

Your figures come to a total of 27 bays. There's then 7 bays in use for local bus (you didn't give a number for local bus so I counted them). That still leaves you with 6 bay unaccounted for which could be used by any alternative supplier, such as Flixbus.
That is before you look at how wildly inefficient Flibco must be to need 3 stands to run a half hourly service. That level of inefficiency is absurd.


An additional operator such as Flixbus may serve Stansted as a through route and thus not need and layover spaces. Or they may instruct their buses to layover off site (like Flixbus do in Manchester)

That said, the figures don't stack up unless Flibco and National Express are dumping buses there for hours on end and Stansted are just letting it happen. Bearing in mind, the 717, 737 and 777 only have 1 bus each in Stansted at any one time, and even if you gave all the A6, A8 and A9s 90 minutes off after every trip, you would only be using 12 stands there. Flibco has no need to use the drop off or layover stands with their dismal stand utilisation. If NatEx/Flib are using all of the layover spaces, they need to be told to clear off and stop dumping buses. Their bus dumping should not ever be used to justify the silly anti competitive actions of Stansted Airport to prohibit additional operators. There is plenty of space if the place was ran like a tight ship.

I don’t think you know Stansted coach station too well….part of the agreement is that national express essentially uses the layover parking as depot parking since start hill doesn’t have the capacity for parking more than 4 coaches. It isn’t uncommon for some coaches to be parked up for over 24 hours without a single driver touching the coach.

Long stay car park used to be used but that’s now exclusively for airport car park bendy buses.

Flibco need three bays due to the location of their depot being “out the way” so they can allocate drivers to vehicles more efficiently. They’re in the process of trying to acquire another bay too. The only way you could possibly fit another operator in is to lose more private hire bays which I don’t think mag would be to keen on, or national express lose a London bay (likely the a6 bay) and run two different A services from the same bay. Something they’ve done before but didn’t work too well.

Yes my figures were off but I can assure you now Stansted does NOT have 40 bays that are suitable for loading/unloading coaches, its around 30 of which a few are permanently off limits to coaches and buses. I can only assume you wrongly included the layover bays as these are numbered in sequence with the loading/drop off bays but are strictly for layover only. I assume you looked at Google Earth which doesn’t show the far end bays being taken over by the welfare facility maintenance blocks.

 

[markymark2000]

Can you imagine if the Heathrow bus and coach operation was like that? Where local service buses drop off now being used for coaches instead? Just wouldn't work! So lord knows what Stansted are playing at by doing something similar.

Heathrow is well oiled machine in many respect and handles more departures in their coach station per hour than Stansted does, despite Heathrow being 16 stands on the coach station, and Stansted being 33 stands (40 stands minus 7 for local bus). Bearing in mind too, that Heathrow there are also restrictions that mean tri axle coaches can't be positioned next to eachother so there is more considerations to juggle there.
So while not like for like, and while Stansteds way of working has some benefits (keeping departing and alighting pax more separate), but the pandering to NatEx because of NatExs inability to have a big enough depot for their buses is just a joke.

I don’t think you know Stansted coach station too well….part of the agreement is that national express essentially uses the layover parking as depot parking since start hill doesn’t have the capacity for parking more than 4 coaches. It isn’t uncommon for some coaches to be parked up for over 24 hours without a single driver touching the coach.

This feels like a National Express issue and between them and Stansted using this as a nonsense excuse for not permitting competition. "Sorry this airport can't handle any more buses because two of the operators are dumping buses because the 10 minute drive to the depot is too far for them, or have got themselves depots with not enough space". They all need to get a grip and move into the real world. If NatEx depot isn't big enough, that's a them problem. It's not for an airport coach station to pander to their needs and restrict access from other operators.

Flibco need three bays due to the location of their depot being “out the way” so they can allocate drivers to vehicles more efficiently. They’re in the process of trying to acquire another bay too. The only way you could possibly fit another operator in is to lose more private hire bays which I don’t think mag would be to keen on, or national express lose a London bay (likely the a6 bay) and run two different A services from the same bay. Something they’ve done before but didn’t work too well.

"out of the way" being....... the whole 10 minute journey! If Stansted are falling for this, they either have no backbone, or they are gullible. And even if they are keeping some buses on site, given the fact they only run half hourly, they quite clearly do not need 3 stands and I find it absurd that anyone is trying to justify that having 3 stands for a half hourly service, is perfectly ok and at capacity.


I'm sorry, but any argument that Stansted is full, is hyperbole. There is shed loads of capacity there if it was managed properly as a bus/coach station, not as a NatEx/Flibco dumping ground. Flixbus has proven in the likes of Leeds and Bristol that they can run a highly intensive service from even just a single drive on, reverse off bus stand.

 

[MotCO]

and Stansted being 37 stands (40 stands minus 7 for local bus).

40 - 7 =? Time to go back to school

 

[markymark2000]

40 - 7 =? Time to go back to school

Thank you for pointing that one out haha. Typing too quickly.

 

[coach fan]

Heathrow is well oiled machine in many respect and handles more departures in their coach station per hour than Stansted does, despite Heathrow being 16 stands on the coach station, and Stansted being 33 stands (40 stands minus 7 for local bus). Bearing in mind too, that Heathrow there are also restrictions that mean tri axle coaches can't be positioned next to eachother so there is more considerations to juggle there.
So while not like for like, and while Stansteds way of working has some benefits (keeping departing and alighting pax more separate), but the pandering to NatEx because of NatExs inability to have a big enough depot for their buses is just a joke.


This feels like a National Express issue and between them and Stansted using this as a nonsense excuse for not permitting competition. "Sorry this airport can't handle any more buses because two of the operators are dumping buses because the 10 minute drive to the depot is too far for them, or have got themselves depots with not enough space". They all need to get a grip and move into the real world. If NatEx depot isn't big enough, that's a them problem. It's not for an airport coach station to pander to their needs and restrict access from other operators.


"out of the way" being....... the whole 10 minute journey! If Stansted are falling for this, they either have no backbone, or they are gullible. And even if they are keeping some buses on site, given the fact they only run half hourly, they quite clearly do not need 3 stands and I find it absurd that anyone is trying to justify that having 3 stands for a half hourly service, is perfectly ok and at capacity.


I'm sorry, but any argument that Stansted is full, is hyperbole. There is shed loads of capacity there if it was managed properly as a bus/coach station, not as a NatEx/Flibco dumping ground. Flixbus has proven in the likes of Leeds and Bristol that they can run a highly intensive service from even just a single drive on, reverse off bus stand.

It might not be full to the brim. But it’s busy enough. Why does it need to be fuller? Coaches queuing to get out/in? Sounds hell. As someone that’s been to errr well oiled machine that is Heathrow I can tell ya, going round the block 4 times just for a bay to become free isn’t fun

Demand for coaches from Stansted has also fallen. Passenger numbers are up there, but they still haven’t recovered pre Covid. Let’s not forget greenline were gonna be a third operator right before Covid struck. It was decided the demand hadn’t returned and so a third operator wasn’t needed/viable.

 

[markymark2000]

It might not be full to the brim. But it’s busy enough. Why does it need to be fuller? Coaches queuing to get out/in?

If coaches are queuing to get in and out, with stand utilisation as dismally low as it is, that highlights huge flaws in the management of this coach station. You are clearly speaking from a 'worst case' scenario where the motorway has shut and 2 hours worth of buses all turn up at the same time, rather than a standard day, because with so few coaches, there is no good reason for such queues to form.

Let’s not forget greenline were gonna be a third operator right before Covid struck. It was decided the demand hadn’t returned and so a third operator wasn’t needed/viable.

Greenline was going to be another London operator though. Flixbus, if they were allowed access, may provide new or different links to other areas. But in any case, that's their own commercial gain or loss. To prohibit access though because you don't think there is demand, is daft.

And let's not forget that while coach demand to Stansted is down, how much of that is down to the stupid anti competitive access agreements with 2 operators who have been in a managed decline for years and struggled to provide any decent network of services to the airport? Things could be VERY different if it wasn't for the silly concession.

 

[coach fan]

If coaches are queuing to get in and out, with stand utilisation as dismally low as it is, that highlights huge flaws in the management of this coach station. You are clearly speaking from a 'worst case' scenario where the motorway has shut and 2 hours worth of buses all turn up at the same time, rather than a standard day, because with so few coaches, there is no good reason for such queues to form.


Greenline was going to be another London operator though. Flixbus, if they were allowed access, may provide new or different links to other areas. But in any case, that's their own commercial gain or loss. To prohibit access though because you don't think there is demand, is daft.

And let's not forget that while coach demand to Stansted is down, how much of that is down to the stupid anti competitive access agreements with 2 operators who have been in a managed decline for years and struggled to provide any decent network of services to the airport? Things could be VERY different if it wasn't for the silly concession.

Currently from Stansted you can get to Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Oxford Heathrow and luton direct by coach.

Local buses providing links to Chelmsford, Colchester, Braintree Harlow and some other Essex towns.

We then have the abundance of London services serving significant parts of north, east and central London including Canary Wharf and Waterloo in the south. And of course the connection to Victoria which itself is connected to the rest of the country.

I really don’t see what more of a decent network you want? For a budget airport of Stansted’s size I’d say that’s a pretty darn good selection of stops and locations. Only Heathrow has better. Where exactly do you think Stansted is lacking? That can’t be achieved by travelling to London and transferring there?

 

[markymark2000]

I really don’t see what more of a decent network you want? For a budget airport of Stansted’s size I’d say that’s a pretty darn good selection of stops and locations. Only Heathrow has better. Where exactly do you think Stansted is lacking? That can’t be achieved by travelling to London and transferring there?

Luton seems to offer a more comprehensive service despite having fewer passengers, pretty good train links and it's also a budget airport (And is going to gain more destinations in April and May when Flixbus start up their 5 new routes to Airport Parkway).

People shouldn't have to travel into London to get onward links, the cross country links from Stansted should be better. And it's clear that will only happen with another operator. You have stated yourself on various threads how NatEx is nose diving into oblivion and have been running things down. You can't seriously be thinking that they are offering the best network out of Stansted?

 

[Mwanesh]

Heathrow is well oiled machine in many respect and handles more departures in their coach station per hour than Stansted does, despite Heathrow being 16 stands on the coach station, and Stansted being 33 stands (40 stands minus 7 for local bus). Bearing in mind too, that Heathrow there are also restrictions that mean tri axle coaches can't be positioned next to eachother so there is more considerations to juggle there.
So while not like for like, and while Stansteds way of working has some benefits (keeping departing and alighting pax more separate), but the pandering to NatEx because of NatExs inability to have a big enough depot for their buses is just a joke.


This feels like a National Express issue and between them and Stansted using this as a nonsense excuse for not permitting competition. "Sorry this airport can't handle any more buses because two of the operators are dumping buses because the 10 minute drive to the depot is too far for them, or have got themselves depots with not enough space". They all need to get a grip and move into the real world. If NatEx depot isn't big enough, that's a them problem. It's not for an airport coach station to pander to their needs and restrict access from other operators.


"out of the way" being....... the whole 10 minute journey! If Stansted are falling for this, they either have no backbone, or they are gullible. And even if they are keeping some buses on site, given the fact they only run half hourly, they quite clearly do not need 3 stands and I find it absurd that anyone is trying to justify that having 3 stands for a half hourly service, is perfectly ok and at capacity.


I'm sorry, but any argument that Stansted is full, is hyperbole. There is shed loads of capacity there if it was managed properly as a bus/coach station, not as a NatEx/Flibco dumping ground. Flixbus has proven in the likes of Leeds and Bristol that they can run a highly intensive service from even just a single drive on, reverse off bus stand.

Lay over bays have nothing to do with the stands .They are the other side.I dont think the airport will allow passenger bays .Its easy to criticise without being on site .Stansted runs smoothly unlike Heathrow where you cant have tri axles side by side.Some of the cross country links you mention serve aitports .Beyond that very few people travel to sustain the cross country routes you want.Stansted to Nottingham failed due to low numbers.

 

[markymark2000]

Lay over bays have nothing to do with the stands

I know they are separate. The normal stands are largely empty. And the other user was justifying Stansteds lack of capacity because of the lack of layover spaces. I was merely showing what a flawed argument this is, to refuse new entrants running through routes because of no layover spaces.

Its easy to criticise without being on site.

It's very underutilised from my observations. It can be busy passenger wise on each departure, but the number of stands compared to number of departures are a million miles apart.

Stansted runs smoothly unlike Heathrow where you cant have tri axles side by side.

I agree Heathrow has issues with tri-axles. But it says a lot when Heathrow is handing far more departures per hour, with far less stands, and does all of this with the restrictions on tri-axles. It shows what a joke Stansted is. Refusing access to their half empty bus station because operators are stupidly inefficient and the bus station is just a dumping ground.

All of the justifications made thus far for Stansteds nonsensical system are just over exaggerated and/or based off a one off extreme bad day. On a normal day to day, you could run this bus station on 1/4 of the stands and make it work smoothly.

 

[coach fan]

Ok I can’t reply to this markymark anymore….its clear he is talking purely from an enthusiasts view and not an operational view. There is absolutely nothing wrong with how Stansted coach station is run. You’re completely missing the point that Stansted is London focused with a bit of Essex and the south east. But mainly London. Heathrow is country focused. Nothing to do with competition rules or layover bays….

 

[markymark2000]

Nothing to do with competition rules or layover bays….

Just for clarity. You brought layover bays into the discussion (#2,256)

its clear he is talking purely from an enthusiasts view and not an operational view

False. I've much experience in that operational side and my role(s) have included dealing with this sort of thing for 10+ years. Both timetabling for efficient stand use and avoiding stand clashes, but also sorting these things on the ground.

 

[embers25]

Its not all about new routes. The ludicrously underused Stansted bays, if allowed for use by competitors, would increase service frequency and reduce fares on existing routes too. The current NX monopoly (bar token flibco) results in very high prices on most journeys there and the convoluted NX routes have crazy journey times.

 

[coach fan]

Its not all about new routes. The ludicrously underused Stansted bays, if allowed for use by competitors, would increase service frequency and reduce fares on existing routes too. The current NX monopoly (bar token flibco) results in very high prices on most journeys there and the convoluted NX routes have crazy journey times.

The fares are as cheap as they are gonna get. It’s an airport service. There will always be a premium attached to the price as with any airport service as the coach stations charge more because….they can.

The convoluted routes will be changing around spring due to complaints from all corners with a more direct route to Victoria.

 

[embers25]

Fares used to be cheaper when thee was more competition with Terravision etc and the services were more direct and more frequent. Flix have shown, even on airport services, they can offer cheap fares and Nottingham to Stansted on NEx often had cheap advances, as did Stansted to London, but those days are long gone thanks to the monopoly.

The A8 is comical in that it has to tour half of London in the 90 minutes it takes to go from Victoria to Tottenham Hale as, unlike the old route which was competing with Terravision, there is no competition and so NEx just run one bus covering everything that takes forever. Utter madness that they ever thought this made sense and it must be costing them big time in loadings. It would have killed the service completely if any competition was allowed and Stansted wasn't just taken up with parked up coaches.

 

[RS465]

The fares are as cheap as they are gonna get. It’s an airport service. There will always be a premium attached to the price as with any airport service as the coach stations charge more because….they can.

The convoluted routes will be changing around spring due to complaints from all corners with a more direct route to Victoria.

I’m not sure why National Express change the routes all the time, but the current arrangements are just a mess. In the past two years, the Whitechapel corridor has been served by route numbers A8, A7 and A9, and now the service deviates via Stratford making journeys overcrowded and long winded. Bethnal Green keeps having stops removed and implemented not just by National Express but Airport Bus Express when they were around.

The every 20 minute frequency on the A9 is justified, but the Liverpool Street originators are never at Stratford on time and are at least 10 minutes late on every service. Meanwhile the Canary Wharf originators get to Stratford so early, it’s already there before the earlier bus from Liverpool Street has arrived at the bus stop. Then one from Liverpool Street will bypass Stratford and the passengers are forced to get a service 20 minutes later than they intend to.

The Stratford to Stansted A9 should really be its own shuttle service, or at a push should only extend to Canary Wharf.

The A8 is of course its own mess, and Liverpool Street and London Victoria should be served more directly. If serving Tottenham Hale is that important, which is questionable with the train right there, I think a Kings Cross - Tottenham Hale - Stansted route could work.

 

[coach fan]

I’m not sure why National Express change the routes all the time, but the current arrangements are just a mess. In the past two years, the Whitechapel corridor has been served by route numbers A8, A7 and A9, and now the service deviates via Stratford making journeys overcrowded and long winded. Bethnal Green keeps having stops removed and implemented not just by National Express but Airport Bus Express when they were around.

The every 20 minute frequency on the A9 is justified, but the Liverpool Street originators are never at Stratford on time and are at least 10 minutes late on every service. Meanwhile the Canary Wharf originators get to Stratford so early, it’s already there before the earlier bus from Liverpool Street has arrived at the bus stop. Then one from Liverpool Street will bypass Stratford and the passengers are forced to get a service 20 minutes later than they intend to.

The Stratford to Stansted A9 should really be its own shuttle service, or at a push should only extend to Canary Wharf.

The A8 is of course its own mess, and Liverpool Street and London Victoria should be served more directly. If serving Tottenham Hale is that important, which is questionable with the train right there, I think a Kings Cross - Tottenham Hale - Stansted route could work.

Fully agree with that 100%. Finally it seems the company is. Well…alsa who they’ve merged with. Watch this space is all I can say for now.

It should never have been changed from what it originally was. A7 to Victoria via Waterloo and Southwark.

A8 to Liverpool Street via Mile End and Bethnal Green on return.

A6 to Paddington via Golders and Finchley Road.

A9 direct to Stratford.

It worked for years and made them millions a month in walk up forecourt sales alone. I feel those glory days are done. But we shall see.

 

[Mwanesh]

Its not all about new routes. The ludicrously underused Stansted bays, if allowed for use by competitors, would increase service frequency and reduce fares on existing routes too. The current NX monopoly (bar token flibco) results in very high prices on most journeys there and the convoluted NX routes have crazy journey times.

Which competitors .Flixbus have taken a majority stake in Flibco so they cant really compete against themselves.How many Flixbus services operate M11 or A1 corridor .

 

[markymark2000]

Which competitors

I think Embers25 may not have worded it the best. It's not just competitors but also other operators who wish to run coach services (you can provide a service without it competing with existing routes).

Flixbus services operate M11 or A1 corridor .

8 per day. However that is not to say that any of these would divert and nor does it give an indication of what services Flixbus would provide if Stansted were to be more open to all coach operators (not just National Express and the token alternative operator which only has access so that Stansted can claim that there is competition and it's not a NatEx exclusive airport).

 

[coach fan]

Flibco is flixbus in all but name….they’ve been selling tickets on their behalf since the contract began and they now own a majority stake in them and want to introduce a route to Victoria so they can sell connecting tickets to other flixbus services around the country.

I’m not sure how much more flixbus could operate in there anyway. It doesn’t make much financial sense to offer too many cross country routes from Stansted when you can operate them for Victoria and get guaranteed bums on seats.