TrawsCambria / TrawsCymru

[adey2011]

The tender for the T2 is still being assed by Gwynedd Council

Does that mean there could yet be further delays or revisions. From the amount of yellow shading on the proposed timetable it would seem other than taking the lowest tender Gwynedd have little room to move. Also if for instance an operator has registered part of the journey to Dolgellau and then lost the onward part of the journey how much concern would they have to maintain the 10 minute connection because as a commercial operator there would be no great advantage.

 

[Rhydgaled]

There's a story on Wales Online today about poor bus stops: Shabby, neglected bus stops will never help get more people on to public transport.

Apparently, one Justin Davies (who is reported as being the managing director of First Cymru) has suggested that

the Welsh Government did not appreciate how this hampered its attempts to build a flourishing network of long-distance TrawsCymru bus services.

If the Welsh Government expects TrawsCymru to flourish then I think either they expect it to just be well loaded with passengers making short local journeys or they have no idea just how indirect the T5 service would be for getting from Aberystwyth to Cardigan or, worst of all, Cardigan to Haverfordwest. I've still not had a long run on the T1, but from my one short trip I imagine the Enviros will be a disapointment for anyone making long-distance trips. Getting the routes right is probably as important as improving facilities at interchanges.

 

[WelshBuses93]

I was told by my friend, who is a fellow bus enthusiast who has connections with GHA Coaches that service T3 may be operated by Optare Versa's, presumably the V1170 models. I'll keep you posted if I hear anything else.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

There's a story on Wales Online today about poor bus stops: Shabby, neglected bus stops will never help get more people on to public transport.

Apparently, one Justin Davies (who is reported as being the managing director of First Cymru) has suggested that If the Welsh Government expects TrawsCymru to flourish then I think either they expect it to just be well loaded with passengers making short local journeys or they have no idea just how indirect the T5 service would be for getting from Aberystwyth to Cardigan or, worst of all, Cardigan to Haverfordwest. I've still not had a long run on the T1, but from my one short trip I imagine the Enviros will be a disapointment for anyone making long-distance trips. Getting the routes right is probably as important as improving facilities at interchanges.

You do make me chuckle..... Justin Davies IS the MD of First Cymru. Just thought it funny the way you phrased it, like you thought he might not be!!

Don't imagine what the T1 will be like..... go for a ride on it and then speak with certainty Take a day out and go for a trip then report back

 

[Rhydgaled]

Don't imagine what the T1 will be like..... go for a ride on it and then speak with certainty Take a day out and go for a trip then report back

I have gone for a ride on it, but only a very short trip and I haven't had a chance to take a longer ride yet.

 

[Bwsbro]

I must admit that i am getting slightly concerned for the TrawsCymru T2 service as Gwynedd Council are still evaluating the bids, although the timetable is meant to start in less than a fortnight

Also Gwynedd Council have uploaded the GHA T3 Service onto the Gwynedd Bus Website
http://www.gwynedd.gov.uk/gwy_amserlen_bws.asp?rhif_gwasanaeth=T3

 

[adey2011]

I must admit that i am getting slightly concerned for the TrawsCymru T2 service as Gwynedd Council are still evaluating the bids, although the timetable is meant to start in less than a fortnight

Also Gwynedd Council have uploaded the GHA T3 Service onto the Gwynedd Bus Website
http://www.gwynedd.gov.uk/gwy_amserlen_bws.asp?rhif_gwasanaeth=T3

If you look on TED - Tenders Electronic Daily it quotes a reference no. 348160-2014, this states that as the service has been registered commercially the Council has withdrawn the tender. However no registrations have been made to my knowledge with VOSA yet and the interim timetable shown on this forum about two weeks ago would indicate that not all of the journeys have or will be registered commercially. I believe it could go to the wire with all parties trying to secure the best deal.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
On today's Notices and Proceedings First Cymru have applied to use Mid Wales Travel depot as an operating Centre for the allocation of 8 (eight) vehicles. That is surely more than they would need for the T1 service? - T5 possibly?? also.

 

[Bwsbro]

If you look on TED - Tenders Electronic Daily it quotes a reference no. 348160-2014, this states that as the service has been registered commercially the Council has withdrawn the tender. However no registrations have been made to my knowledge with VOSA yet and the interim timetable shown on this forum about two weeks ago would indicate that not all of the journeys have or will be registered commercially. I believe it could go to the wire with all parties trying to secure the best deal.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
On today's Notices and Proceedings First Cymru have applied to use Mid Wales Travel depot as an operating Centre for the allocation of 8 (eight) vehicles. That is surely more than they would need for the T1 service? - T5 possibly?? also.

I had heard a rumor from a Mid Wales Travel driver on the T1 Service that First had some plans for Aberystwyth, although the driver wasn't aware on First's Plans

 

[Rhydgaled]

If you look on TED - Tenders Electronic Daily it quotes a reference no. 348160-2014, this states that as the service has been registered commercially the Council has withdrawn the tender. However no registrations have been made to my knowledge with VOSA yet and the interim timetable shown on this forum about two weeks ago would indicate that not all of the journeys have or will be registered commercially. I believe it could go to the wire with all parties trying to secure the best deal.

When do the current contract/registrations expire? With that plus the required notice period (56 days?) it should be possible to derive the deadline for new registrations? Although wasn't the current X50 contract initially only supposed to run for 6 months but now planned to continue until January at least?

On today's Notices and Proceedings First Cymru have applied to use Mid Wales Travel depot as an operating Centre for the allocation of 8 (eight) vehicles. That is surely more than they would need for the T1 service? - T5 possibly?? also.

Eight vehicles? Isn't that getting towards needing a seperate depot rather than piggybacking on somebody else's? I've not seen Mid Wales Travel's depot but Richards Bros' Cardigan and Newport ones don't seem to have much spare space to park many more vehicles when all/most have returned to base for the night.

 

[adey2011]

When do the current contract/registrations expire? With that plus the required notice period (56 days?) it should be possible to derive the deadline for new registrations? Although wasn't the current X50 contract initially only supposed to run for 6 months but now planned to continue until January at least?

GHA announced on their web site that they had secured the T3 at least 2 weeks before it was published in N & P last week and the service starts on the 2nd of November, I think the 56 days tends to be tweaked when Council tenders are being negotiated or awarded. Today Express Motors are showing variations on two services starting on the 12th and 14th September 2014, illustrating that you cannot rely on the 56 days.

 

[Bwsbro]

A operator is able to register, Ammended or withdraw a service In less than 56 days if they apply for a Approval under shot notice. If they pay an inflated cost for the changes to the registration

Normally from Council tenders most routes are approved with short notice


Although Lloyds Coaches have registered certain services following the initial awarding the tender to Huw Taxi of Penygroes. Lloyds drivers are currently unaware of any changes to the service.

On Express Motors Cx64ems which crashed recently at the old Arriva Dolgellau depot has had a second crash into a wall whilst entering the Penygroes Depot to have the TrawsCymru livery applied to it. That's why R1EMS has returned to serving this route

 

[adey2011]

Although Lloyds Coaches have registered certain services following the initial awarding the tender to Huw Taxi of Penygroes. Lloyds drivers are currently unaware of any changes to the service.

Have you seen the new timetable at all? I assume that the Huw Taxi involvement will be north of Dolgellau?

 

[trawscymru27]

Does anyone else find it odd that there has been (to the best of my knowledge) no mention of the improvements to the T3 (X94) in the press and that it's not mentioned on the TrawsCymru website?

By comparison, there was a big fanfare when the T1 started: it had a launch in Carmarthen town centre, the Welsh Government put out a press release and it was in all the local papers.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Does anyone else find it odd that there has been (to the best of my knowledge) no mention of the improvements to the T3 (X94) in the press and that it's not mentioned on the TrawsCymru website?

By comparison, there was a big fanfare when the T1 started: it had a launch in Carmarthen town centre, the Welsh Government put out a press release and it was in all the local papers.

If I recall correctly, the launch event etc. for T1 was only a few days before the service started. The T3 doesn't start until the 3rd so there's a whole week yet. Also, Lloyds Coaches has been calling the T2 'TrawsCymru' for ages but it doesn't appear on the website, presumably because they don't use the TrawsCymru livery. Not sure if the T3 will have the livery from launch day since GHA say they have new vehicles (including double-deck) arriving in early 2015, which presumablly will have the livery. It may therefore be that the official lauch and appearance of T3 on the website will be delayed until the new vehicles appear.

 

[Bwsbro]

Gwynedd Council recieved official confirmation from Lloyds Coaches regarding their plans for their commercial journeys on the T2 route

A Gwynedd Council Official has informed me that they are awaiting Express Motors to inform them of their journey details (Hopefully Today)

Once both information is recieved a new timetable will be published by Gwynedd Council on their website (Wednesday strongly hinted)

 

[adey2011]

Gwynedd Council recieved official confirmation from Lloyds Coaches regarding their plans for their commercial journeys on the T2 route

A Gwynedd Council Official has informed me that they are awaiting Express Motors to inform them of their journey details (Hopefully Today)

Once both information is recieved a new timetable will be published by Gwynedd Council on their website (Wednesday strongly hinted)

Does that mean that any journeys that Lloyds and Express are not covering commercially will be covered by Huws Taxis? or will Lloyds and Express be asked to put in a price for the tendered operation.

 

[Bwsbro]

Following consultation with Express Motors and Lloyds Coaches. Gwynedd Council have published a new tender for (Additional Services)

The Closing date for this is Friday 31st at 12:00 noon

The services should commence from 2nd November

 

[adey2011]

Following consultation with Express Motors and Lloyds Coaches. Gwynedd Council have published a new tender for (Additional Services)

The Closing date for this is Friday 31st at 12:00 noon

The services should commence from 2nd November

Lloyds today cancelled service 30(X27) from December 21st, this service is largely off peak but does serve as positioning runs for services 30, 33 and T2. Probably all will be revealed if it is all or most of the X27 service being withdrawn once the full T2 timetable is available or a case of removing duplicate workings. I wouldn't have thought service 30 is withdrawn as it interworks with service 29.

 

[WelshBuses93]

According to the management at G.H.A. Coaches, 3 x Twin deck buses are to be used alongside a 40 seater single deck vehicle, so presumably they will be Alexander Dennis. The single deck will probrably be used on the 'additional trips' and the 5th vehicle 'might' be operated with either the new Scania OmniLink YR14HLU or another vehicle.

 

[Bwsbro]

The T2 tender closes at noon today. Although the story ain't over yet as there is a situation with Lloyds Coaches commercial services

Hopefully the timetable will be up by teatime today

 

[adey2011]

The T2 tender closes at noon today. Although the story ain't over yet as there is a situation with Lloyds Coaches commercial services

Hopefully the timetable will be up by teatime today

Express Motors yesterday registered service T2 on VOSA but only from Bangor to Dolgellau, are we to presume that Lloyds and Express will meet up in Dolgellau with passengers changing buses? Certainly make a lot of sense for the operators, cutting out a lot of positioning of vehicles etc.

 

[Bwsbro]

New Timetable uploaded by Gwynedd Council. Services to be shared between Express Motors and Lloyds Coaches

 

[WelshBuses93]

I wonder what Lloyds Coaches will use on their share of the T2?
So according to the timetable, Express will be using 3 vehicles on their share of T2, so perhaps the 2 Scania OmniLinks will be used alongside another vehicle.

 

[Rhydgaled]

The T3 service now has a page on the TrawsCymru website, illustrated (like the T1 page) with a Stagecoach Optare Tempo from the T4 route (although, it seems, with place names on the livery photoshopped out). Also, the route diagram at the bottom of the page seems to show the connecting service T2 at Dolgellau as going to Bangor via Aberystwyth! The timetable linked from the page has a similar route diagram, but actually (correctly) shows Aberystwyth and Bangor as being in different directions on the T2 service.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
In other news, some sources are suggesting: "The T3 service started on Sunday to replace the former Wrexham to Barmouth X94, which was cancelled in December last year".

Transport Minister Edwina Hart, said:“I am very pleased that we have been able to re-start this important service after Arriva pulled out last year.

I thought the X94 was re-let on an interim contract last December, there hasn't been a 10-month gap in service as the above quotation would suggest has there?

Also, apparently WAG is to tender TrawsCymru services in future after the confusion with commertial operators over the T2 service that has been discussed on this topic recently. Mention of Arriva screwing up the original plan for TC1 is also made. Would passing responsibility from the local authorities to WAG actually get around the protection of commertial services though? It is said that "fragmentation of long-distance routes between four authorities and seven operators blurred accountability" but I am concerned that having multiple operators means local operators like Lloyds Coaches, Mid Wales Travel, Richards Bros and Express Motors have the option to bid and offer local knowledge and approachability (Richards at least are very good at the latter, in my experience). Letting the whole TrawsCymru network to a single firm would leave only the big players (First, Arriva and Stagecoach, presumably) in a position to bid.

 

[Bwsbro]

Having spent most of the day stuck in Dolgellau I was able to observe the vehicles operated on both the T2 and T3

Express Motors
R1EMS - 0915/1715 ex Bangor, 13:55 ex Aberystwyth, 19:35 ex Dolgellau (Actually departed 19:23)
CY64EMS - Started from Penygroes @ 16:08 17:35 ex Dolgellau
MX13BAU - Now In white livery and based at Dolgellau Car Park - 11:20 ex Dolgellau and 13:30 ex Bangor

GHA Coaches - All have TrawsCymru on Front and Nearside window
BA04GHA - Had problems in Dolgellau in the early evening
CA07GHA
CX58GHA
YR14HLU

Plus One other bus - Didn't see

Lloyds Coaches
YJ14BCZ - 07:35 ex Aberystwyth, 11:15 ex Bangor, 15:30 ex Aberystwyth Morrisons, 17:35 ex Dolgellau
YJ14BCV - 10:00 ex Aberystwyth, 15:35, 19:35 ex Dolgellau. 17:55 Aberystywth Morrisons


Lloyds Coaches will now be operating more drivers from Dolgellau with YJ14BCX being stabled their overnight it had been operating the X27 all day

 

[Rhydgaled]

19:35 ex Dolgellau (Actually departed 19:23)

Early running? Tut, tut, tut.... Wonder who had to pay for taxi for missed connections out of the T3 service, or was the T3 early too (or just lucky that nobody wanted the connection)?

Thanks for the vehicle information by the way.

 

[Bwsbro]

Early running? Tut, tut, tut.... Wonder who had to pay for taxi for missed connections out of the T3 service, or was the T3 early too (or just lucky that nobody wanted the connection)?

Thanks for the vehicle information by the way.

The T3 was late as the T2 Aberystwyth had departed before CA07GHA arrived on the T3 although it was terminating at Dolgellau

 

[adey2011]

Lloyds Coaches will now be operating more drivers from Dolgellau with YJ14BCX being stabled their overnight it had been operating the X27 all day[/QUOTE]

Very interesting to see your notes regarding the first weekday operations at Dolgellau, you mention Lloyds stabling a Solo SR overnight at the former Arriva garage. I passed by last Saturday and KE52 OBX was parked in the yard, the building itself is still boarded up over the windows. Do you know if Lloyds intend to use it as a depot basing their Dolgellau service and school buses there or is it purely for overnight stabling. I had heard a whisper, and that is all it is that Lloyds had acquired the building?

 

[Bwsbro]

Lloyds Coaches will now be operating more drivers from Dolgellau with YJ14BCX being stabled their overnight it had been operating the X27 all day

Very interesting to see your notes regarding the first weekday operations at Dolgellau, you mention Lloyds stabling a Solo SR overnight at the former Arriva garage. I passed by last Saturday and KE52 OBX was parked in the yard, the building itself is still boarded up over the windows. Do you know if Lloyds intend to use it as a depot basing their Dolgellau service and school buses there or is it purely for overnight stabling. I had heard a whisper, and that is all it is that Lloyds had acquired the building?[/QUOTE]

Lloyds are currently using the yard for stabling vehicles. Unsure weather they have taken over the building as the Arriva sign is still up on the Arran Road side.

From being in Dolgellau on Thursday the awaiting T2 driver to Aberystwyth was waiting inside the vehicle (20 min piror to departure

 

[WelshBuses93]

S1EMS (CX10AUP) - Optare Solo M950 was out on the 11:20 Dolgellau - Bangor and the 13:30 return trip too.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/welshbuses93/15743249182/