Green Line 797

[MedwayValiant]

If it was Olympian Coaches, Road Runner Buses, SM Coaches, or Townlink Buses - all four more or less the same company - their O-licences were revoked effective 26 February and they have ceased trading.

Arriva are so short of drivers in Harlow that they've been subcontracting to independent operators, so I doubt they'd be in a position to start anything like this at present either.

 

[Teflon Lettuce]

If it was Olympian Coaches, Road Runner Buses, SM Coaches, or Townlink Buses - all four more or less the same company - their O-licences were revoked effective 26 February and they have ceased trading.

Arriva are so short of drivers in Harlow that they've been subcontracting to independent operators, so I doubt they'd be in a position to start anything like this at present either.

Seems a bit odd that 4 companies have closed down and yet Arriva has a shortage of drivers... does that say more about Arriva as an employer or the standard of the unemployed drivers?

 

[Busaholic]

Seems a bit odd that 4 companies have closed down and yet Arriva has a shortage of drivers... does that say more about Arriva as an employer or the standard of the unemployed drivers?

I've no personal experience of the companies or their drivers, but I've been incredulous over a period of some years how the Traffic Commisioner for the Harlow area allowed this series of interrelated companies to start routes seemingly willy-nilly and to abandon them in the same cavalier fashion, just not bother running routes or journeys for days or weeks on end and, basically, operate like something out of the Wild West. Now what do we call those 'characters' from the old films, the ones that were not Indians?

 

[jon0844]

I realise Harlow is in Essex, but some (all?) of those operators were in Hertfordshire too and using a nice mix of ancient buses, many without any proper screens to display the route number/destinations. A total mess and very off-putting for anyone who needs a bit of a nudge to use buses.

And HCC also seemed to manage to get some operators in the past to just disappear, so of course the routes stopped running and with no 56 day notice.

I would see it as being very much like the wild west, as councils clearly have little to no control and using buses is very much a gamble. I am amazed that if we want people out of their cars we aren't looking at buses in the same way (or at least a similar way) to running trains.

Imagine if train operators just stopped running trains one day, or routes changed every month or two.

Mind you, some TOCs seem to have mastered the lack of drivers bit.

 

[notadriver]

I am amazed that if we want people out of their cars we aren't looking at buses in the same way (or at least a similar way) to running trains.

Imagine if train operators just stopped running trains one day, or routes changed every month or two.

Mind you, some TOCs seem to have mastered the lack of drivers bit.

I think tfl run their buses in a very strict and controlled way. I don't think there's a real shortage of train drivers; if there were then vacancies would be constantly ongoing for trainee train drivers as they are for bus drivers.

 

[jon0844]

Of course TfL does. But outside of London and some other cities, it's a total shambles.

The driver bit at TOCs was a bit tongue in cheek too.

 

[Robertj21a]

Seems a bit odd that 4 companies have closed down and yet Arriva has a shortage of drivers... does that say more about Arriva as an employer or the standard of the unemployed drivers?

Having had plenty of experience with Harlow drivers I'd say that Arriva have been very sensible in maintaining better standards, despite any shortages. They may not be perfect but then the smaller operators weren't bothered at all most of the time.

 

[jon0844]

Uno seems to be training drivers on the Hatfield business park all the time. Given the cuts in services, I assume a lot of existing drivers left (I know a few that have) and wonder where they went. I'd have thought if Arriva need staff, that would be a logical and sensible choice.

 

[jon0844]

I see they've taken the 797 numbering and other text off at least one of their buses. It can't be long for this world!

 

[skyhigh]

How many buses were done up for the 797 in the end? Were the seats re-trimmed with a green pattern or are they still in uno trim? Either way, I agree the branding's not looking as if it's got a long term future on that bus...

 

[jon0844]

I'm told Uno is seeking to axe its services to Broxbourne, via Hertford, later this year and also they've now got to the stage where they're running some services just once or twice in a day, just once per week.

I did laugh reading the press release about the big campaign to promote buses from the new station forecourt to the business park, which kicked off a month after the last round of cuts that has slashed services.

It's a campaign to encourage bus usage. I'd have thought running buses was a way to encourage bus usage!

 

[A0]

I notice on HCC's Intalink site that the remaining 797 journeys will be withdrawn on 28th August.

Bringing to an end a London - Stevenage Green Line link.

 

[jon0844]

The latest scandal is that Herts County Council took the remaining £230k from the S106 funding for transport on the Hatfield Business Park to fund an overspend at Hatfield railway station, meaning that an awful lot of services could be axed next March.

I'm surprised the local press hasn't picked up on it. The details were obtained from a freedom of information request, meaning money to fund buses until 2025 will run out next April (well, actually it has already gone).

 

[Robertj21a]

The latest scandal is that Herts County Council took the remaining £230k from the S106 funding for transport on the Hatfield Business Park to fund an overspend at Hatfield railway station, meaning that an awful lot of services could be axed next March.

I'm surprised the local press hasn't picked up on it. The details were obtained from a freedom of information request, meaning money to fund buses until 2025 will run out next April (well, actually it has already gone).

Why don't you pass the information to the local press ?

 

[jon0844]

I have contacted the local press twice and not had a response. To be honest, the paper has had so many things cut that the reporters left are only likely to want to do nice easy press release re-writes and details of local traffic and events they can get from feeds. This would require real work, with the need to make contact with the council, find out the possible impact, check with lawyers etc etc.

It's frustrating to say the least. The council is getting away with it, no doubt because they can claim that money for a road project (it's apparently to fund an overspend on the road junction and traffic lights) is still transport - thus the money was usable for this purpose, even if it isn't what was intended.

But as it stands it doesn't even need to try and spin a good excuse!

 

[Mutant Lemming]

I see they've taken the 797 numbering and other text off at least one of their buses. It can't be long for this world!

It has been operating on the 602.

 

[jon0844]

It has been operating on the 602.

I've seen it doing other runs too. The TfL bus is also quite often put on for the 600.

 

[class387]

I've seen it doing other runs too. The TfL bus is also quite often put on for the 600.

Yep. Had that bus (the 797 one) on the 610 yesterday while trying to get home form Potters bar after the person was hit by a train.