Stagecoach North West Discussion

[stagecoachuk]

The bus serves the 2 main schools in Penrith in the morning and then the afternoon so that requires a decker, I guess it just isnt worth butting a B10 or whatever on for the late morning lunchtime services, on saturdays the service is normally run with a B10 or a solo

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/

On a Saturday you would normally see both a B10M and a Solo. That will change from next Saturday when the Solo goes back onto the 77.

 

[CumbrianJosh]

On a Saturday you would normally see both a B10M and a Solo. That will change from next Saturday when the Solo goes back onto the 77.

From next saturday the service will operate as the 508 and will extend to Windermere and Bowness via Kirkstone pass, I'm guessing they will just use b10s on the route and looking at the times it looks as if it will be jointly run with the Kendal depot. The 508 will also operate monday to friday in the summer holidays.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/

 

[darrenw29]

22609 in Service today on 30 or 31, couldnt see which as she was on the Lakes College car park

 

[stagecoachuk]

From next saturday the service will operate as the 508 and will extend to Windermere and Bowness via Kirkstone pass, I'm guessing they will just use b10s on the route and looking at the times it looks as if it will be jointly run with the Kendal depot. The 508 will also operate monday to friday in the summer holidays.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/

Kendal and Penrith run 1 bus each, both a B10M. On a Sunday Kendal will be using a Optare.

Kendal had 20711 out on town services today due to a shortage.

34702 out at Carlisle on the 38 in its new CMS livery.

 

[CumbrianJosh]

16336 on Penrith saturday market service today which is Usually one of the 104 tridents these days(My guess although someone will probs prove me wrong is that a trident is in Keswick on the 78) 16337 on the 108(normally a b10 on a saturday) and 34685 was on the Carlisle operated 104 this afternoon, so things a little mixed up from usual in Penny town
20944 and 20977 were both on 105/106 slots but thats not really anything unusual...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/

 

[andy 37]

I seem to have missed your reply until now, stagecoachuk. Thanks for that clarification. It had me wondering due to the lack of publicity.

16336 on Penrith saturday market service today which is Usually one of the 104 tridents these days(My guess although someone will probs prove me wrong is that a trident is in Keswick on the 78) 16337 on the 108(normally a b10 on a saturday) and 34685 was on the Carlisle operated 104 this afternoon, so things a little mixed up from usual in Penny town
20944 and 20977 were both on 105/106 slots but thats not really anything unusual...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/

16329 open topper on 78 today, been out from thursday afternoon.

Andy

 

[CumbrianJosh]

16329 open topper on 78 today, been out from thursday afternoon.

Andy

Does that mean 16329 will be sticking around for longer?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/

 

[andy 37]

Does that mean 16329 will be sticking around for longer?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/

yes a little longer

 

[CumbrianJosh]

yes a little longer

Why has it gone out instead of one of the new tridents?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/

 

[stagecoachuk]

Why has it gone out instead of one of the new tridents?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/

Not ready yet.

Have uploaded a photo of 34702 taken yesterday on the 38.

 

[darrenw29]

17217 was round at VOSA Lillyhall the other day

 

[jonesy3001]

18326 has had a rear vinyl fitted for fleetwood freeport, how often do you see a ME based bus going to fleetwood??

 

[CumbrianJosh]

I'm heading off to the lakes today
lets hope I can see lots of interesting stuff!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/

 

[Dallamlad]

18326 has had a rear vinyl fitted for fleetwood freeport, how often do you see a ME based bus going to fleetwood??

You don't but I would imagine the people of Fleetwood already know where Freeport is so hardly need telling. It'll be Freeport trying to get people from Lancaster and Morecambe to go over there.

 

[Lilly Hall]

Nostalgia, Man by Richie B., on Flickr


Rear Three Quarters by Richie B., on Flickr


Before & After! by Richie B., on Flickr

 

[TheHovisKid]

Morecambe's 15700 still nobly advertising the launch of Celebrity Big Brother...... even 14196 seems more up to date!

 

[KendalKing]

18326 has had a rear vinyl fitted for fleetwood freeport, how often do you see a ME based bus going to fleetwood??

That what I thought when I first saw it!!!!!:roll:

Then I thought, the next time the 89 breaks down in Lancaster, then Gez could sent that out as the replacement.

 

[darrenw29]

34616 on a 554 heading out of Wigton around noon today with a broken display and a huge 554 dest board, then spotted again on a 30 later in the afternoon, still broken display!!

 

[Lilly Hall]

34616 on a 554 heading out of Wigton around noon today with a broken display and a huge 554 dest board, then spotted again on a 30 later in the afternoon, still broken display!!

I then did a 48 in it and then it went on to 50s.

 

[CumbrianJosh]

34616 on a 554 heading out of Wigton around noon today with a broken display and a huge 554 dest board, then spotted again on a 30 later in the afternoon, still broken display!!

the new extra 554s must be Lilyhall operated then? I'm trying to figure that one out..

I had a great day in the Lakes today! I decided to try some landscape photography at Buttermere and if there's a prize for being 3rd Passenger on the first 77 of the year then I have a claim I must have had one of cumbria's faster drivers! he took some of the little narrow roads by storm, I felt a bit queezy when it reached buttermere and even got to see a japanese girl throw up soon as she got off the bus(why am I telling you all)

anyway nothing unusual really, 16329 on 78 still.
info bus 40011 was being used as a driver shuttle in Windermere..

not stagecoach but interestingly Alba travel used one of their AD122 branded buses on their new 208 route today..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/?saved=1

 

[cainebj]

the new extra 554s must be Lilyhall operated then? I'm trying to figure that one out..

The old Cockermouth School X5 now extends to Keswick (8:10 from Workington I think it is), does a return Keswick - Carlisle - Keswick, then I think it runs not in service back to Workington.

 

[stagecoachuk]

The old Cockermouth School X5 now extends to Keswick (8:10 from Workington I think it is), does a return Keswick - Carlisle - Keswick, then I think it runs not in service back to Workington.

It is booked to be a B10M too.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

the new extra 554s must be Lilyhall operated then? I'm trying to figure that one out..

I had a great day in the Lakes today! I decided to try some landscape photography at Buttermere and if there's a prize for being 3rd Passenger on the first 77 of the year then I have a claim I must have had one of cumbria's faster drivers! he took some of the little narrow roads by storm, I felt a bit queezy when it reached buttermere and even got to see a japanese girl throw up soon as she got off the bus(why am I telling you all)

anyway nothing unusual really, 16329 on 78 still.
info bus 40011 was being used as a driver shuttle in Windermere..

not stagecoach but interestingly Alba travel used one of their AD122 branded buses on their new 208 route today..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/?saved=1

40011 was being used to go around all the bus stops and update them with the new timetables.

 

[Ado 16]

A post on Cumbria Council's website:

3/4/2012- Government bus cuts begin to bite in Barrow

Cumbria County Council's Leader is warning that national underfunding of bus services and central Government cuts in grants to bus operators are beginning to impact on local bus services, with passengers facing reduced services, higher ticket prices and operators beginning to walk away from providing services which are too costly to run.

Stagecoach, a key operator of bus services across Cumbria, has notified Cumbria County Council that it is withdrawing its current contract to run a number of supported services in the Barrow area, namely the no.7 service between Millom and Barrow and the M1-3 service between Millom and Haverigg. Stagecoach has also indicated that it intends to pare back the evening and weekend services on its no.2, 3 and 4 Barrow town centre services so that commercially-run services on those routes stop at 6pm rather than 8pm Monday to Saturday and 4pm on Sundays.

Bus companies must give 56 days notice if they wish to change existing contracts, so the Stagecoach withdrawals will not come into effect until 20 May. Cumbria County Council will now retender the contracts for those routes to gauge whether another bus operator is interested in running the services from 20 May onwards. However, the paring down of commercial services is likely to put further pressure on the council’s budget for supporting bus services. Therefore, even if the Barrow area services that Stagecoach has given notice on are saved, then other services (in all likelihood rural ones where there are few passengers relying on the service) will no longer be sustainable.

In another blow for passengers, Stagecoach is taking the commercial decision to increase its fare prices from April 16th, with average price rises of 13% in services operating from the depot in Barrow, 10% in services around West Cumbria, 8% in and around Kendal and 5% in the Carlisle depot area.

The company cites the new 20% reduction in the Bus Service Operators Grant (a Government grant which reimburses local bus operators for some of the excise duty paid on fuel consumed) as a key reason for the price hike.

Click to read on.

 

[Dallamlad]

A post on Cumbria Council's website:

3/4/2012- Government bus cuts begin to bite in Barrow

Cumbria County Council's Leader is warning that national underfunding of bus services and central Government cuts in grants to bus operators are beginning to impact on local bus services, with passengers facing reduced services, higher ticket prices and operators beginning to walk away from providing services which are too costly to run.

Stagecoach, a key operator of bus services across Cumbria, has notified Cumbria County Council that it is withdrawing its current contract to run a number of supported services in the Barrow area, namely the no.7 service between Millom and Barrow and the M1-3 service between Millom and Haverigg. Stagecoach has also indicated that it intends to pare back the evening and weekend services on its no.2, 3 and 4 Barrow town centre services so that commercially-run services on those routes stop at 6pm rather than 8pm Monday to Saturday and 4pm on Sundays.

Bus companies must give 56 days notice if they wish to change existing contracts, so the Stagecoach withdrawals will not come into effect until 20 May. Cumbria County Council will now retender the contracts for those routes to gauge whether another bus operator is interested in running the services from 20 May onwards. However, the paring down of commercial services is likely to put further pressure on the council’s budget for supporting bus services. Therefore, even if the Barrow area services that Stagecoach has given notice on are saved, then other services (in all likelihood rural ones where there are few passengers relying on the service) will no longer be sustainable.

In another blow for passengers, Stagecoach is taking the commercial decision to increase its fare prices from April 16th, with average price rises of 13% in services operating from the depot in Barrow, 10% in services around West Cumbria, 8% in and around Kendal and 5% in the Carlisle depot area.

The company cites the new 20% reduction in the Bus Service Operators Grant (a Government grant which reimburses local bus operators for some of the excise duty paid on fuel consumed) as a key reason for the price hike.

Click to read on.

What's this? Government spending cuts hitting poor areas hardest? Never. Not surprised at all.The harsh reality is that rural services especially don't make money but are often the most vital.

As far as I am aware SC have tried to keep as many services as possible but at the end of the day they are a private business out to make a profit so it is to be expected that they won't run services that barely break even.

 

[Blindtraveler]

sodding torys!

 

[mbonwick]

The amount of retenders the affected routes have been through in their history suggests that they always were very marginal at best.

Has to be said though that the cut in BSOG is a huge mistake.

 

[Blindtraveler]

you said it! im angry on the residents behalf as whats happening to them is happening here too with First Scotland East and much as I hate first the fact they have no choice but to make huge cuts is v sad. It also demonstrates how hard times are as I guess SC have tried a good bit harder

 

[cainebj]

It's not the only route in the Barrow area to be affected. Ulverston Town Services 60 (which was cut by the council a while ago) has gone full circle. It was taken up commercially by Stagecoach, cancelled for being loss making, temporary 3 month contract, and I believe it has just passed to Lecks Travel under contract, for tuesday and thursday morning operation only.
Its only a matter of time before more commercial routes across the country are scrapped, with councils stepping in and in turn axing smaller contracted routes not worth running, again.

I always wonder how much longer Lillyhall's 48 will cling on, especially when one 30 an hour could pass through Northside during daytimes only, instead of some buses ending up with a 5 minute layover in Workington.

Back to topic, the latest fleetcards show Preston as withdrawing all 6 of their Volvo Oly's, making them fully low floor on paper, for now.

 

[KendalKing]

16661 got towed off the Bus station this evening.

 

[Class20]

Back to topic, the latest fleetcards show Preston as withdrawing all 6 of their Volvo Oly's, making them fully low floor on paper, for now.

No surprise, both the 61 Blackpool and the 59 Blackburn are now advertised as low floor and the 4C is better off low floor to allow all students access to the service. These were the last routes to see regular Olympian service.

On another matter.
I dont know if this has been the case across the region but Stagecoach have implemented an increase in nearly all fares across Chorley, Preston and the Fylde. Tickets have seen an increase in price ranging from 20p to £1.