Wirral based Avon buses to cease operations today

[northwichcat]

Interesting they are pointing the finger of blame at Metro Mayor and Merseytravel for forcing them out-of-business by offering discounted travel without properly consulting operators. If that is the real problem could we about to see operators pack up in Greater Manchester as well?

Company directors revealed the decision on Friday, October 5 after 35 years of serving the community.

Avon was in charge of running key services across the borough including the 88, 10A, 17A, 22 and 145.

Directors have cited the cost in running bus services in Merseyside and Merseytravel's introduction of the MyTicket as the reason for the closure.

In a statement, Avon said: "It is with great regret that we have to inform you that after 35 years serving the local community, Avon Buses will cease operations on Friday, October 5, 2018.

"It has been the case for some time, that the cost of running services has been far in excess of the revenues that we receive and while ever effort has been made to cut costs and improve ticket sales it has become obvious tat the situation is unsustainable.

"We have been subject to significant increase in fuel costs that show no prospect of reducing and a very large increase in insurance premiums caused by the 'claims culture' that currently exists nationally.

"On their own these factors would be difficult to manage but the main problem with revenue has been the introduction by Merseytravel of a product called MyTicket.

"This was introduced in September 2014 as an affordable day ticket for young people up to the age of 16 years.

"Again, this was done without any consultation with this company. There is still no need to show proof of age, and we continue to believe that this ticket is open to serious abuse.

"Prior to the introduction of MyTicket, 80% of all cash ticket sales were to adults. The remaining 20% were to young people.

"In the year 2017 to 2018 adult ticket sales had reduced to 37% with young people's tickets at 9%. The remaining 54% of tickets were MyTickets.

"As MyTicket is essentially a discounted half fare, a substantial part of our revenue from adult tickets has been halved and this has had a massive negative effect on our revenues. As our passenger numbers fall well short of those experience by the larger bus companies we have been unable to absorb these losses.

"It is disappointing to note that the Metro Mayor has announced his intention to introduce discounted 'Apprentice Tickets' up to the age of 24 years without first consulting independent bus companies.

"As we understand it, there is an expectation that the bus operator will pick up the cost of subsiding this ticket.

"We have advised Merseytravel on numerous occasions that this is not a sustainable situation and their response has been unsympathetic.

"They suggest that the increase in MyTicket sales shows a growth in young people travelling by bus.

"The reality is that the increase is merely abstracting from the number of adult passengers using the bus.

"To ensure that we continue to accept this ticket Merseytravel have included MyTicket into the pre-paid ticket scheme. This means that to refuse to accept MyTicket would mean that we would have to withdraw from the scheme entirely. We could not accept Solo, Trio or Saveaway products.

"It would be impossible to operate in these circumstances.

"We would also like to apologise to our loyal passengers, many of whom will be adversely affected by this closure."

Stagecoach bus company revealed that it would be taking over the number 22 Avon service which serves Chester, Neston, Heswall, West Kirby and Arrowe Park.

https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/16963053.wirrals-avon-buses-cease-trading/

 

[Polarbear]

Whilst I suspect the spokesperson for Avon does have a valid point about the abuse of "My Ticket", the company has been on a downward spiral for a while now. The drivers have always been fine, but the vehicles are getting on & have become increasingly tatty over the last year or so. The services they operated aren't generally commercial, so they can't have been raking much money in & pass-holders won't bring enough revenue in either.

Off topic, but I note that some other bus operators in Merseyside do have notices on the cab door that state the onus is on the purchaser of "My Ticket" to produce age verification if requested, though I haven't seen this happen in practice.

Although "My Ticket" has probably encouraged a bit of new usage of the bus network, my observations are that it's most definitely abused. I know a lot of teenagers look older than their actual age, but when you come straight out of a pub & ask for a "my Ticket", it's a bit blatant!

 

[Bletchleyite]

"Which will it be? Are you going to pay the adult fare, or am I going to call the Police and report that you have been drinking underage and the pub serving you?"

 

[M28361M]

Although "My Ticket" has probably encouraged a bit of new usage of the bus network, my observations are that it's most definitely abused. I know a lot of teenagers look older than their actual age, but when you come straight out of a pub & ask for a "my Ticket", it's a bit blatant!

MyTicket is for people up to and including 18 years old, so there's a slim chance it could be perfectly legitimate. But yes, a lot of people do take the mickey. It's hard to judge age, especially as teenagers grow and develop at different rates - some 16 year olds who look like they're in the mid-twenties, while some people in their 20s are still "baby-faced". When I was 14/15 I did occasionally have trouble convincing Merseyrail ticket office staff that I was entitled to half-fare.

I think it's notable that, within a few months of the 16-18 tickets coming in (for Saveaways etc), Merseyrail decided that you needed proof of age to buy one - no exceptions. Perhaps that should apply across the board - with a photocard similar to the ones TfGM issue?

Arriva have tweeted that they are covering routes 10A, 83A and 122. Stagecoach say they will be running on route 22 from Monday 8 October. Nothing on Merseytravel's website except a note: "Due to operational difficulties Avon Buses are not operating at this time. We are awaiting further updates from the operator." - if Avon have ceased trading, they might be waiting a long time for that update!

 

[northwichcat]

"Which will it be? Are you going to pay the adult fare, or am I going to call the Police and report that you have been drinking underage and the pub serving you?"

I liked the story of the bus driver who is also a PCSO who saw two young ladies drinking alcohol in the pub when they had asked for child tickets on his bus the previous day.

 

[Robertj21a]

"Which will it be? Are you going to pay the adult fare, or am I going to call the Police and report that you have been drinking underage and the pub serving you?"

Not sure I'd expect a driver to do that, certainly not on Merseyside.

 

[robertclark125]

Whilst its sad to see an operator cease trading, and jobs lost, I'm not actually surprised in this case. The fact was, the driver shortage last year did affect confidence in the business for a while, but it did seem to get back to normal. I wouldn't say bounced back, it just simply got back on a more secure footing.

Slightly off topic, though I feel relevant nonetheless, when the Competition commission, now the CMA, held its investigation into the bus market, there were at the draft stage, a large list of proposals. In the end, only one was adopted, that being that bus operators who owned bus stations should open them up to other operators. One early idea was for bus operators to be made to accept multi operator tickets, and to possibly be banned from marketing their own tickets. That idea didn't happen as such, namely, the CC didn't ban operators from having their own single operator schemes, but as can be seen on Merseyside, there is a scheme that operators have to accept, if they wish to have remuneration for the Solo or trio tickets. It seems, in this case, that particular ticket, 16-18 years old ticket, may be what has partly done for Avon buses.

There's something else to possibly consider, when it comes to multi operator ticketing schemes. For some time, there have been bus service cuts, partly attributed to the amount operators receive from councils, when people use their free bus pass. I wonder if we're about to see a similar situation arise here, where operators complain about the amount they receive for journeys made using a multi operator and/or multi mode ticket. Something else for us to consider?

 

[Bletchleyite]

In the end, it's not really viable for a company to retain revenue risk while someone else is responsible for the ticketing and can change fares at the drop of a hat.

Regulation, and paying operators a fixed fee to operate the service with penalties for poor revenue protection, is the best way to solve this.

 

[robertclark125]

Whilst not seeking to contradict you, Bletchleyite, even in the regulated London market, there have been operator failures. Harris Bus, Easylink, are the two which spring to mind.

With Avon, I think most people will agree when I say, it was a surprise the firm didn't fold last year, during the driver shortage, when several journeys a day were cancelled. However, at the same time, the management appear to have been trying, from what they said in the report on the Liverpool Echo website, to try and secure more funding, and keep the business going. Sadly, for the staff and passengers, it has came to nought.

 

[Eyersey468]

I liked the story of the bus driver who is also a PCSO who saw two young ladies drinking alcohol in the pub when they had asked for child tickets on his bus the previous day.

One of my colleagues a few years ago worked part time as a bouncer at a club, two young ladies who had sworn blind they were children the previous day were surprised when he refused them entry

 

[Busaholic]

I know nothing of Avon Buses, but reading all of the above gives a sense of deja vu, give or take individual details, of the plight of smallish independent operators GB wide over the last few years, particularly in the last two or three. The ones that can buck the trend are few and far between, and mostly situated geographically well away from the major operators, and, even then, are mostly in areas which still subsidise public transport to an extent. If reimbursement of ENCTS starts to become problematic, or division of the 'spoils' from multi-operator tickets, it can be the kiss of death. Then you have to take into consideration the Traffic Commissioners' paranoia about 'financial standing' which can be used as a stick to beat the smaller operator imo, with more rigorous checks than a larger operator would get. I'm not talking about the 'cowboys' here, w3hich deserve to be hounded out, but the 'good guys.'

 

[Polarbear]

Part of Avon's problem was that most of its work was on tendered routes, in an area where Stagecoach & Arriva have pretty much everything that makes good money.

Given the paucity of independent operators on the Wirral these days' it's difficult to see, long term, who would pick up a lot of the routes Avon operated.

 

[Robertj21a]

Part of Avon's problem was that most of its work was on tendered routes, in an area where Stagecoach & Arriva have pretty much everything that makes good money.

Given the paucity of independent operators on the Wirral these days' it's difficult to see, long term, who would pick up a lot of the routes Avon operated.

Probably Arriva, at higher costs to the council - so some routes will get abandoned.

 

[northwichcat]

22/X22 is being taken on by Stagecoach from Monday.

 

[185143]

MyTicket is for people up to and including 18 years old, so there's a slim chance it could be perfectly legitimate. But yes, a lot of people do take the mickey. It's hard to judge age, especially as teenagers grow and develop at different rates - some 16 year olds who look like they're in the mid-twenties, while some people in their 20s are still "baby-faced". When I was 14/15 I did occasionally have trouble convincing Merseyrail ticket office staff that I was entitled to half-fare.

I think it's notable that, within a few months of the 16-18 tickets coming in (for Saveaways etc), Merseyrail decided that you needed proof of age to buy one - no exceptions. Perhaps that should apply across the board - with a photocard similar to the ones TfGM issue?

Arriva have tweeted that they are covering routes 10A, 83A and 122. Stagecoach say they will be running on route 22 from Monday 8 October. Nothing on Merseytravel's website except a note: "Due to operational difficulties Avon Buses are not operating at this time. We are awaiting further updates from the operator." - if Avon have ceased trading, they might be waiting a long time for that update!

I've certainly (legitamately!) come out of the pub and got straight onto a bus/train/tram with a young person ticket-and not just in Merseyside either.

Does make you wonder when I can get I pint without being ID'd *and* get a discounted ticket-also without ID...

 

[Statto]

MyTicket is for people up to and including 18 years old, so there's a slim chance it could be perfectly legitimate. But yes, a lot of people do take the mickey. It's hard to judge age, especially as teenagers grow and develop at different rates - some 16 year olds who look like they're in the mid-twenties, while some people in their 20s are still "baby-faced". When I was 14/15 I did occasionally have trouble convincing Merseyrail ticket office staff that I was entitled to half-fare.

I think it's notable that, within a few months of the 16-18 tickets coming in (for Saveaways etc), Merseyrail decided that you needed proof of age to buy one - no exceptions. Perhaps that should apply across the board - with a photocard similar to the ones TfGM issue?

Arriva have tweeted that they are covering routes 10A, 83A and 122. Stagecoach say they will be running on route 22 from Monday 8 October. Nothing on Merseytravel's website except a note: "Due to operational difficulties Avon Buses are not operating at this time. We are awaiting further updates from the operator." - if Avon have ceased trading, they might be waiting a long time for that update!

Ironically, apart from a small section around Aintree University Hospital, the rest of the 122 route is already covered by the Arriva 63.

Avon were on a slippery slope last year when they expanded into Liverpool, using buses/drivers from Prenton depot rather than having n outstation in Liverpool, & then not having enough drivers to cover all the routes. Another problem is the commercial routes they operated no one else wanted.

 

[Ianigsy]

My seventysomething parents were reasonably regular users of the 10A between Birkenhead and New Brighton because it saved them the walk back up from Morrisons at New Brighton to the railway station. But I suspect that Avon were heavily dependent on concessionary and Merseytravel ticket revenue as a lot of their routes took in the hospitals in the area.

 

[childwallblues]

Quite a number of the routes on the Wirral are now to be taken ver by Stagecoach and operated fron Rock Ferry Depot from next week. These include the 16 17 80 and 91. Also two schools services. Short Enviro 200s 36314-19 have been transferred from Stagecoach London but it is not yet clear whether these buses will operate the new routes.

 

[childwallblues]

36314-19 have arrived at Rock Ferry Depot to operate former Avon services starting today.

 

[Wirewiper]

My seventysomething parents were reasonably regular users of the 10A between Birkenhead and New Brighton because it saved them the walk back up from Morrisons at New Brighton to the railway station. But I suspect that Avon were heavily dependent on concessionary and Merseytravel ticket revenue as a lot of their routes took in the hospitals in the area.

It seems to me that services like this, which fill an essential role but are heavily reliant on concessionary fares reimbursement, will be better provided going forward by specialist CIC (Community Interest Company) operators, than by small operators trying to operate on a fully commercial basis.

 

[Statto]

Arriva are withdrawing the 10/10A/83A, however rumours going around from another forum are, 418 diverted via Prenton Hall Road, & 407 extended from Moreton Town Meadow Lane to West Kirby, both partly replacing the 83A nothing official yet though.

 

[Bwsbro]

Arriva are withdrawing the 10/10A/83A, however rumours going around from another forum are, 418 diverted via Prenton Hall Road, & 407 extended from Moreton Town Meadow Lane to West Kirby, both partly replacing the 83A nothing official yet though.

The Arriva registrations had an end date of 17th November when they were originally registered