Stagecoach in Norfolk and Other News

If you live in the Anglian region you will have undoubtedly heard the news that broke late on Tuesday, that Stagecoach are considering closing their Kings Lynn depot, less than 5 years after buying Norfolk Green. An obligatory consultation is taking place, but looking at the activity of other operators it looks to be a done deal. I was alerted to this news a couple of days previously thanks to my wonderful network of contacts, you know who you are, so many thanks for that. Just a shame I was down in Kent on family duties when the news broke!

Konect immediately announced that they were launching a Norwich - Fakenham service from April. Their statement reads as follows.

"Konectbus plans to introduce a new Fakenham-Norwich bus route during April ‘18. Details are to be confirmed, but it will operate at least Mon to Sat on an hourly basis. More information will be posted on our website and s/media in due course."

Quick off the mark there. Lynx weren't far behind, releasing a press statement yesterday which reads:

Stagecoach in Norfolk King’s Lynn potential depot closure
Following the announcement yesterday (30th January 2018) that Stagecoach in Norfolk are likely to close their King’s Lynn based bus operation, Lynx are now looking into the viability of providing replacement bus services.
Julian Patterson, Director at Lynx said “We don’t envisage that any locations that are currently served by Stagecoach in Norfolk will be left without a bus service from 30th April 2018. However, due to the relatively short timescales involved it’s possible that any replacement bus services that we introduce may not initially operate quite as frequently as they do at the moment.”
Additionally, Lynx are now working closely with Norfolk County Council regarding the existing Stagecoach bus network, including those services which are subsidised by the County Council.
Julian Patterson also stated that “As a result of the likely expansion of our business in the near future we will welcome job applications from those with the PCV (bus) driving entitlement on their licence including those that currently work for Stagecoach, providing that they can demonstrate high standards of customer care and driving abilities.” There are also likely to be a small number of engineering and cleaning positions. You can find more information relating to careers at Lynx here.
Lynx, still a relatively new bus operator in West Norfolk & King’s Lynn commenced its first bus service in January 2015 operating hourly between King’s Lynn and Hunstanton on route 35. Since starting the frequency of Lynx buses on this particular route has increased to three buses per hour in each direction as a result of increased demand for high quality bus services in the area. Additionally Lynx have been successful in winning tendered bus routes such as Service 37 (King’s Lynn to Downham Market) and Service 48 (King’s Lynn to Gayton & Grimston) from Stagecoach.
More information regarding any replacement bus services will be made public once plans are finalised in the coming months.

I was aware that Lynx had already applied for an increase in their number of "O" licences, which again indicates that the closure is far more likely to happen than not. Of course it won't have gone unnoticed that there is likely to be quite some competition between Lynx, run by Julian Patterson, and Konect, formerly run by Julian Patterson! It is expected Sanders will vie for some of the North Norfolk Coasthopper runs, but Lynx already have the Hunstanton corridor well and truly sewn up. I will keep everyone fully updated with news as and when I hear it. But it seems another of the big boys has failed to make a success of this region. Sooner or later the lesson that local bus services need to be run locally might get through.

In the meantime, though, it looks like long established routes will once again be split up between different operators and again the question arises of why is there not a day ticket, issued and accepted by all operators? This Summer those holidaymakers used to travelling on Coasthopper between Kings Lynn and Cromer on one ticket may now need 2 tickets, at double the cost, and that is so unfair on them. I suggest Norfolk County Council must take the lead in this, and be strong - operators who refuse to sign up to the ticket will not be considered for Council tenders - that should sort it out! It is grossly wrong that Concessionary pass holders can jump from operator to operator but fare payers can't. Then we hear operators whinge that not enough fare payers get on the bus but no one does anything about it. Well enough's enough and East Anglia needs the Explorer ticket Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire has had since the 1960's.

Speaking of NCC I'm delighted to report that all proposed cuts to bus subsidies have been scrapped due to the rise in Council Tax. That is a start. I look forward to the gradual return of those routes lost over the last 7 years. It will take vision, dynamism and determination, but where there's a will there's a way. We just need someone with the will....

On a similar theme it is expected Suffolk Council will abandon their plans to alter School travel arrangements at a meeting tonight, after some number crunching discovered they won't save nearly as much as first thought. Let's hope common sense prevails.

Which it hasn't in Melton. First have bewilderingly diverted the 800 away from Melton village centre, and re-routed it along the main road, forcing passengers, many of them elderly to cross a busy road if they want to catch the fast bus to Ipswich or Woodbridge. I have spoken to First about this and the reasons cited are timekeeping in Ipswich and low passenger numbers using the service - around 5  10 a day. Stop choking Jane! I drove past Melton Chapel at 9am Tuesday morning, before passes are valid and there were 10 waiting for the bus then! I will do my research and report back, but this daft change, which saves probably all of 30 seconds needs to be reversed forthwith! First have done a lot to improve their reputation and standing in that area over recent years. Taking services away from the client base is foolhardy, and will set that reputation back, leaving the door open for other operators to step in. It has happened before when operators take their passengers for granted.

Staying with first a few items of fleet news - 3 ex Slough E200's are heading to Lowestoft to replace the baby E200's, and 8 more ex Leeds B9 Gemini 2's are heading for Norwich, which will signal the end of 8 more Trident presidents! There are also some new arrivals expected at Konect, but no one seems to know what they are yet!

I'll leave you with LT50. I was in London yesterday and chased this bus from Piccadilly Circus to Clapham Common to get a picture in daylight! Sounds dramatic - I just caught the 88 behind! Anyway it was worth it. Report on London trip at the weekend, including a new bus I liked! I know - well it was a blue moon yesterday!

LT 50 - looks superb or what!