Stanton’s of Stoke

[James101]

Roadside timetables in Stoke have been updated to show new Stanton’s of Stoke services 19, 19A, 62 & 218 as well as changes to existing services 60 & 61.

Unusually these have not been referred to on Stanton’s website, Facebook page or VOSA. The change to the IN2/GO2 has been listed elsewhere so odd these have not, if indeed they are genuine services.

The 19/A seems to be a Snyed Green and Cobridge circular, but is only peak hour service, aprox 0700-0900 & 1600-1800, there’s a solitary 19A journey which operates the opposite way around the loop.

62 seems to compliment existing services 60 & 61, providing journeys to Ball Green generally slotting between the wider gaps in First’s AI timetabled service 8.

The 218 Endon-Newcastle via Hanley & Stoke may be positioning journeys for Newcastle area schools?


Attached images are from roadside displays in Northwood, Stoke on Trent, taken today.

 

[PaulWC]

The 19 and 19A were one of a series of services put out to tender earlier in the year, although there was supposed to be an off peak service as well -

BSIP Bus Service Enhancements - SO92 - HDG/2024/716 [Notice]

To enhance the existing bus network by increasing the frequency, hours of operation and introducing ... A Tender Notice by Stoke on Trent City Council. Value £1M.

bidstats.uk

 

[davehsug]

If someone could find a few trips for the Stantons bus which parks outside my home during the daytime, I'd be most grateful!

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Based on the limited (but very useful anyway, thanks) information;
the 60 Hanley to Brown Edge Schools is slightly re-timed with an additional inbound journey,
the 61 Hanley to Bradeley has an additional 5 1/2 round trips,
the 62 Hanley to Ball Green is new with 3 1/2 round trips at peak times.
Overall a significant improvement in the service between Hanley and Sneyd Green / Smallthorne.

The idea of the 19 / 19A was to provide a service to the health centre in Cobridge, I'm not sure that the peak only service meets that need.

The 9 / 9A proposal is effectively covered by the enhanced 60 / 61 / 62 services for the Sneyd Green area but the Tunstall - Mill Hill - Bradeley element isn't provided for.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Based on the limited (but very useful anyway, thanks) information;
the 60 Hanley to Brown Edge Schools is slightly re-timed with an additional inbound journey,
the 61 Hanley to Bradeley has an additional 5 1/2 round trips,
the 62 Hanley to Ball Green is new with 3 1/2 round trips at peak times.
Overall a significant improvement in the service between Hanley and Sneyd Green / Smallthorne.

The idea of the 19 / 19A was to provide a service to the health centre in Cobridge, I'm not sure that the peak only service meets that need.

The 9 / 9A proposal is effectively covered by the enhanced 60 / 61 / 62 services for the Sneyd Green area but the Tunstall - Mill Hill - Bradeley element isn't provided for.

The exisiting off-peak service 90 does already provide a Ball Green/Norton/Bradeley/Smallthorne/Tunstall link though, albeit via Stanfields/Haywood Hospital instead of Mill Hill. And the 99 (First) already links Tunstall and Mill Hill. I can't see a great deal of need in providing a direct link between every gatepost tbh. I'd much rather see the money being used on even better evening and weekend services and/or providing further funding for the low fares scheme; but that's starting to stray off topic for this thread.

 

[markymark2000]

Given Stantons seemingly high quality coaching operation, it's a shame that they, like a number of other seemingly high quality coach operators, lack the skills when it comes to local bus. They didn't have contactless for a while, didn't join the multi operator scheme until the BSIP funding came in and made the multi operator fare very low. As stated above, website out of date, poor updates to Facebook. From what I see, they do really well and put all of their effort into the coaches and just don't care about the bus side at all. Shame really given the poor quality of First. D&G at times can be quite poor too. There is real potential for strong local independent operator.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I understand from a reliable source that the new /amended services under discussion started on Monday. Some of the vehicle tracking on bustimes.org supports this but many journeys are not tracked.

Stantons do well at what is most important to normals - the buses run!

 

[markymark2000]

Stantons do well at what is most important to normals - the buses run!

That is true, when people choose to use them, they do seem to do alright. They don't do anything through to attract new customers. In the nicest way possible, your current client base will only be around for so long, you always need to be trying to attract new customers or even get existing customers to travel more. Also changing timetables and not informing your current customers, that never goes down well. Yes they turned up, just not at the time anyone was expecting them thanks to no notice timetable changes.

Some of the vehicle tracking on bustimes.org supports this but many journeys are not tracked.

Another operator that believes compliance with bus open data laws is optional.

 

[James101]

This morning I seen the 08:xx trips on the 218 & 62 operating. Didn’t see either the 08:xx or 09:xx of the 19 when scheduled.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Timetables for the 60, 62 and 218 can be viewed on Traveline SW, nothing for the (revised) 61 or 19 yet.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Updated/new timetables now on Bus times.org - 19 only features two PM journeys, nothing for the AM.

 

[markymark2000]

Updated/new timetables now on Bus times.org - 19 only features two PM journeys, nothing for the AM.

Stoke or Staffordshire council have put the details on Traveline then (even if only some of the details). Shame really, we shouldn't need to wait for councils to upload to Traveline, operators should be complying with Bus Open Data laws and then routes will show up a lot quicker. It's because of situations like this (incorrect information for the past week), why Bus Open Data got brought in.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Updated/new timetables now on Bus times.org - 19 only features two PM journeys, nothing for the AM.

I went to Hanley yesterday. The 'where to catch your bus' poster includes services 19 / 19A from stand G. On stand G the departures sheet just shows those two afternoon journeys.

 

[Trainman40083]

I understand from a reliable source that the new /amended services under discussion started on Monday. Some of the vehicle tracking on bustimes.org supports this but many journeys are not tracked.

Stantons do well at what is most important to normals - the buses run!

A driver of an operator where I live (outside Stoke) said to me, that he was surprised his operator did not get more complaints. But, I don't see why they would. They turn up, reasonably to time. For most normals, that is all they want. Certainty of travel.