tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post8632865858460902127..comments2024-03-25T19:07:29.729+00:00Comments on Steve's Bus & Train Page: Modal Shift? In Their Dreams!Steve Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06852377706742868978noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-23315676130706941742019-08-18T20:01:51.431+01:002019-08-18T20:01:51.431+01:00Was it an ECW Event ? The one I attended was...Was it an ECW Event ? The one I attended was a First Bus heritage livery event with very little else attending . 50 years of the EATM and very little to show for it .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-26828789882566254382019-08-01T08:17:18.178+01:002019-08-01T08:17:18.178+01:00Update on SCC Bus Cuts
Most are being axed the od...Update on SCC Bus Cuts<br /><br />Most are being axed the odd one is saved and further discussion ongoing with others<br /><br />There favorite with the ones cut is to use the very limited Connecting Communities service which already struggles to cope<br /><br />https://www.suffolkonboard.com/news/proposed-sponsored-bus-service-changes/<br /><br />https://www.suffolkonboard.com/news/proposed-sponsored-bus-service-changes/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-56915697381950425522019-07-29T14:08:51.610+01:002019-07-29T14:08:51.610+01:00Deja vu, anyone? Is anyone else amazed by our abil...Deja vu, anyone? Is anyone else amazed by our ability to retain little-used services that by-pass the people they are supposed to serve and axe well-used services that serve where passengers actually live and need to go? I know, geography and economics; but it's the equivalent of putting the cart before the horse. Try it.<br /><br />I've lived in three places (well, more but they're the ones I stayed long enough to remember). Throughout the last 50 years, we've changed the responsibilities, the names on the doors and the process (seemingly endlessly - and still we talk about it, endlessly, it seems) but the problem is the same: multiple services on routes because someone once had a bright idea, so we have to axe the ones the passengers actually need because we've run out of money (again). On the other side of the coin we lack resources: staff, vehicles and, of course, the gap funding. So why are we always so anxious to waste what we have? It's a question we could of course ask of every public service. I don't particularly care whether we call it open-market competition, regulation or franchising: it's all the same wasteful shambles run by the same incompetence. Try and magic Suffolk (or any other part of the Shires) into London or Manchester all we like. As once recent political poster put it: All you have to do is "close your eyes and think of England". That's all that'll be left.<br /><br />The only thing I can guarantee is that whilst we have politicians promising to sort it out, then it will never get sorted out. But like kids offered sweeties by the candy-man, who cares? smurfukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04812247601237248526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-75222017286118205242019-07-28T20:24:41.246+01:002019-07-28T20:24:41.246+01:00I suspect the new blog photo has hit the nail on t...I suspect the new blog photo has hit the nail on the head.<br /><br /><br />Buses (like perhaps everything else) have in our modern world to be part of the entertainment industry. Bus travel has to be made fun and enjoyable. It can't (and won't) survive just as a leisure activity for enthusiasts, we have to make it leisure (read a pleasure) for normal people. No, I haven't come up with an early April Fools Day joke.<br /><br />Too many bus managers (and drivers) just don't (or won't) get it. How do we achieve it on a boring commute or shopper service? That's why they're paid megabucks compared to my pittance of a pension! A cheerful and helpful disposition is as vital as a driving licence. But seemingly much harder to get? And yes, appearance matters. A lot. It is about forming a relationship. If we treated partners as we do passengers, then the divorce courts would be busier than they are already (though it perhaps demonstrates how hopeless we all are at it). smurfukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04812247601237248526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-23935748845020402862019-07-28T11:52:26.712+01:002019-07-28T11:52:26.712+01:00Well that is still technically a cut as anyone cou...Well that is still technically a cut as anyone could uses them before. Whether anyone did might be another thingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-58524316389756345062019-07-28T08:05:45.048+01:002019-07-28T08:05:45.048+01:00Whether anything comes from it who knows. Endless ...Whether anything comes from it who knows. Endless hot air has been generated by politicians at both National & Local level but none have delivered<br /><br />Boris Johnson vows to transform local buses as he delivers major speech on transport infrastructure.<br /><br />Boris Johnson has pledged to begin making improvements to the bus system throughout the country "as a matter or urgency" as he focuses on "the local services people use everyday".<br /><br />Drawing on his experiences as London Mayor, which saw him scrap bendy buses and introduce the popular new routemaster, the Prime Minister said "the transformation of local bus services" would start today in Manchester.<br /><br />"I will begin as a matter of urgency the transformation of local bus services, starting here today in Manchester," he said.<br /><br />So it is watch this space and see if anything actually happens<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-86376616166792610702019-07-28T00:21:34.045+01:002019-07-28T00:21:34.045+01:00The TM services are not being cut, but as they onl...The TM services are not being cut, but as they only carry school children they do not have to be registered as services, and so have been deregister Ed, or DDA would apply from January Steve Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06852377706742868978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-33895564476492708402019-07-27T20:23:51.083+01:002019-07-27T20:23:51.083+01:00Plus 40 Diss - Stradbroke - Fressingfield - Norwic...Plus 40 Diss - Stradbroke - Fressingfield - Norwich tooAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-77080387722569290122019-07-26T23:16:13.783+01:002019-07-26T23:16:13.783+01:00Perhaps an even bigger bit of news from Wales is t...Perhaps an even bigger bit of news from Wales is the Free bus passes which Wales had kept at age 60 is now going in line with the rest of the UK and being raised to 60. The reason being that the cost of the scheme has increased significantlyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-84836526441873327042019-07-26T13:09:34.199+01:002019-07-26T13:09:34.199+01:00Can you give examples of empty double deckers oper...Can you give examples of empty double deckers operating subsidised rural services? Steve Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06852377706742868978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-49273267458775603392019-07-24T14:17:12.875+01:002019-07-24T14:17:12.875+01:00the 971 which was one of the 23 routes SCC planne...the 971 which was one of the 23 routes SCC planned to axe has been saved. The route has been changed slightly and Beestons will now run it on a commercial basis<br /><br />The 94a also appears to have been saved. The route is altered slightly<br /><br />Coach Service have deregistered the 86 & 86A from the 29th August<br /><br />Ipswich buses are amending timetables and or routes for quite a number of their services from the beginning of September<br />The Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-84119231833445229652019-07-21T08:34:18.760+01:002019-07-21T08:34:18.760+01:00Some sad news from Wales too: did anyone say "...Some sad news from Wales too: did anyone say "the cost of everything and the value of nothing"? https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/blaengarw-bus-cuts-wales-bridgend-16617754Andrew Kleissnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-4491580161579165162019-07-19T09:57:27.770+01:002019-07-19T09:57:27.770+01:00Someone was complaining that in spite of the numbe...Someone was complaining that in spite of the number of children and teachers in our rural hamlet, there is no school bus. It had to be politely pointed out that it was 8 different schools involved. Also as it is a mix of teachers and pupils and after school clubs, the timings have to be different and on different days during the week. <br /><br />In fact rural school buses cause social isolation, by requiring pupils to go home immediately lessons finish, rather than urban kids who can walk or bus at various times and go via places other than home. The independent school's rural buses are timed to leave at 5 pm to allow pupils to socialise and/or attend clubs after lessons.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-85907855854896583042019-07-18T08:46:15.613+01:002019-07-18T08:46:15.613+01:00Some interesting point in your comments on the mee...Some interesting point in your comments on the meeting. You appear to have come to the same conclusion I have that it was a lot of talk but they plan to do nothing<br /><br />I think in a rural county a franchising model is best suited. The problem I see with that is politicians do not have the competencies to do it and would make a mess of it. Where SCC currently contract services, they negotiate poor contracts and pay over the odds as well<br /><br />Currently Suffolk has more bus operators than London which is simply crazy. It is not efficient and it is not cost effective.<br /><br />The bus operators in Suffolk use far to many large double deck buses on rural service. These add considerably to costa. The cost more to buy. The cost more to clean & maintain. They use more fuel. They need more garage space and space cost money. Smaller single decker’s are also more suited to rural routes and can get around routes quicker and time is money. Faster services are also more attractive to passengers. They also cost more to insure. Most double decker’s are running around with no more than a dozen passengers on them<br /><br />There is a lot to be said for a could Community bus network there are not many around though. The very best example I have come across is the West Norfolk one which largely come about after the main operator in the area Stagecoach walked away. It is more difficult to set one up when there are a number of incumbent players already I an area. . Kings Lynn is a modest size town but now has a fairly comprehensive bus service with mot operate every 30 minutes and even has a comprehensive Sunday services operating hourly so it appears it can be done<br /><br />The problems as I see it are the current regulatory regime or rather the total free for all which I simply not working in Suffolk another problem is lack of funding. Many services in Suffolk will not be totally commercially viable. The other problem Is SCC and the local councils who have no interest at all in public transport and are not receptive to suggestion in fact they are more likely to be obstructive. There attitude is Cant do rather than Can do<br /><br />Lets take the funding is. IUs it as big a problem as SCC make out? Also at least two of Suffolk’s District Councils subsidies car parking to the tune of several million a year but are not prepared to subsidize public transport. If public transport in those council areas were to be subsidized to a similar level it would be sufficient to provide good comprehensive local bus service<br />Another revenue source would be to allow a small charge for concessionary pass holders to help save loss making services. If they then become commercial again the charge is stopped<br /><br />Councils have the power to apply a work place parking levy a very modest charge would raise a lot of money to fund bus services. <br />Proper structuring of the bus service would help keep cost down. So you have several bus hubs across Suffolk Most of these probably already exist I some form or other and services radiate from these hubs. These services would be frequent at least every 30 minutes for the very Rural areas DRM services would be used but these would feed into the services that radiate from the hubs rather than going to the hubs . This would provide a better service by making best use of the DRM vehicles and keeping their journey times down. The downside is the need to change bus but the current DRM set up provided a very limited service because of the length of the journeys they make. There is no perfect solution for the deep rural areas. There is a need to try to move DRM services to an internet based booking system and even trying to move them more to a flexible bus type route where you can book them almost in real time. It would also cut down on Labor costs. AS mostly these services are probably used by the retired the need for telephone booking will need to be retained at least in the medium term but hopefully more and more would book online<br /><br />To quite an extent the above is brainstorming but I think there are workable idea there<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-81134196341802364012019-07-18T05:37:07.956+01:002019-07-18T05:37:07.956+01:00I attended one of them and reported on it!!!
https...I attended one of them and reported on it!!!<br />https://busandtrain.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-future-of-rural-publictransport-is.html?m=0Steve Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06852377706742868978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-39609373538679539692019-07-17T20:39:55.334+01:002019-07-17T20:39:55.334+01:00SCC Rural Transport Meetings
SCC held meetings in...SCC Rural Transport Meetings<br /><br />SCC held meetings in 3 locations in Suffolk to discuss Rural transport. Why only three locations who knows. There are some notes on the Suffolk onboard web site<br /><br />It is all very basic sort of one line brainstorming what is meant by some of the comments is not clear<br /><br />There appears to be no follow up to this or any plan to implement anything. Going on past experience with SCC I suspect nothing will come of this<br /><br />Link below https://www.suffolkonboard.com/news/rural-transport-conversations-march-2019/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-64522570749441539142019-07-16T18:40:42.930+01:002019-07-16T18:40:42.930+01:00I was going to post this, you got there first! Acc...I was going to post this, you got there first! According to the BBC Cardiff Bus, one of two bus firms in Wales still owned by councils but operated at "arms-length", said it might find its "entire market taken by a knock-out blow" from other larger bus companies. I have to say though that it has had NAT nibbling at its profitable routes over the last couple of years; they also closed some routes which were then put out to tender and taken by Stagecoach.Andrew Kleissnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-20641303558389545652019-07-16T14:01:37.788+01:002019-07-16T14:01:37.788+01:00Kids still have to get to school so imagine someon...Kids still have to get to school so imagine someone like Whincops will operate the commercially. As for the 68 that replaced the Kesgrave section of the 165 and has never really caught on Steve Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06852377706742868978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-65260953225038697242019-07-16T14:00:00.688+01:002019-07-16T14:00:00.688+01:00Now that's what I call a regular service!!Now that's what I call a regular service!! Steve Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06852377706742868978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-27280052735590488502019-07-16T13:32:14.667+01:002019-07-16T13:32:14.667+01:00Plans for London-style bus system in Wales
A majo...Plans for London-style bus system in Wales<br /><br />A major shake-up of the Welsh bus industry is being planned by the Welsh Government.<br />Ministers want to boost services by introducing a London-style system where bus operators bid to provide services.<br />It could allow councils to dictate what bus services are provided, but there are concerns it could put some bus firms out of business.<br />New Welsh Assembly legislation is expected to be published within the next year.<br /><br />Ministers in Wales want to take action to deal with a decline in services and passenger numbers. The number of bus journeys fell from 115.7m in 2011-12 to 99.6m in 2016-17.<br />They want to give local councils the power to award firms the exclusive right to run certain routes, preventing other operators from competing.<br />This could see councils effectively fund bus operators through contracts that dictate what routes the bus firms run.<br />Councils could also be given powers to operate bus services directly - which they have been prevented from doing since the 1980s.<br /><br />First Cymru, an operator of bus services in South West Wales, said: "Franchising is an unnecessary expensive and poor value tool that need not be developed - it effectively acts as a brake on investment and innovation whilst it sits as a threat to operators' businesses."<br /><br />Cannot say I have seen any investment or innovation from bus companiesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-56773128445797375122019-07-16T12:42:00.152+01:002019-07-16T12:42:00.152+01:00Lowestoft gets a good level of service and is i...Lowestoft gets a good level of service and is in Suffolk? A bus to Norwich every 15 seconds criss crossing each other for instance . Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-43828471235372973572019-07-16T08:23:24.114+01:002019-07-16T08:23:24.114+01:00Funding Bus Services
It does not seem unreasonabl...Funding Bus Services<br /><br />It does not seem unreasonable that there should be a fairer balance between cars and buses. Councils are prepared to subsidise cars but not buses. I did a few calculation for Barbergh & Mid Suffolk both provide Free Parking I also included some of the main supermarkets. For this exercise I assumed a typical car park charge of £2 for up to 2 hours and just used the hours 9am to 5pm & assumed an average 50% occupancy Mondays to Saturday. If a fraction of the money that is used to subsidise these car parks was used to support bus services it would dramatically improve them<br /><br />Barbergh Approx £1.8M a year<br /><br />Mid Suffolk Approx £1M a year<br /><br />Cost of operating 1 bus for 12 Months between £90,000 and £130,000. If say 50% was used for cars & 50% for buses that would be enough to fund an extra 12 buses at least in Barbergh . Tis assumes fares revenues cover 50% of costs<br /><br />In Mid Suffolk it would be about an extra 7 buses<br /><br />There will be more parking spaces as well most of these towns will have a Co-oP which will have free parking<br /><br />I think anywhere that provides free car parking should be required to make a contribution towards bus servicesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-60290333267179113672019-07-15T10:30:17.193+01:002019-07-15T10:30:17.193+01:00Latest Bus Cuts All from September
TM01 Leiston –...Latest Bus Cuts All from September<br /><br />TM01 Leiston – Aldeburgh – Thomas Mills High School<br /><br />TM02 Reydon - Halesworth - Yoxford - Thomas Mills High School<br /><br />68 Ipswich – Kesgrave<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-22799899853147895222019-07-14T17:30:39.044+01:002019-07-14T17:30:39.044+01:00But you are expecting them to subsidies you car P...But you are expecting them to subsidies you car Park & Rides?<br /><br />It is perfectly possible to provide reasonable public transport in many rural areas but in Suffolk even the towns are losing their bus service. IT neds a change of business model. Rural areas are ill suited to the large bus companies and to make matter even worse is many areas are severed by lot of operators which is expensive and inefficient<br /><br />Kings Lyn which is not a large town seems to have got a Community bus services that works. It even provides Sunday services. Yes the deep rural areas unless on an Interurban route may be dependent on DRM services but the towns and large villages should be able to support a decent service. . THe approach is really to have a serious of hubs which already tens to exist with services radiating out to the larger villages you then have DRM service feeding into these spokes<br /><br />Bus services are the one form of public transport that pretty much gets no subsidy. Cars are subsidised, Rail is subsidized so why should not buses get some subsidy ? Bus can also help to reduce congestion and pollution. In Suffolk it is pretty much only Ipswich which has an acceptable level of service and possibly just about providing a service is Bury St Edmonds. Elsewhere forget it. If the services are not there people cannot use them<br /><br />Currently it is not a level playing field. Take Barbergh they heavily subsidies cars but do not subsidises bus at all. If buses got the same level of subsidy services could be dramatically improved, IT is similar across Suffolk. Park and ride facilities are heavily subsidised but almost nothing for the normal public bus servicesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-40639268522687111432019-07-12T12:58:37.558+01:002019-07-12T12:58:37.558+01:00Steve, what you said above is a good analysis of t...Steve, what you said above is a good analysis of the problem, both financially and logistically.<br /><br />There is model shift in rural areas, but to the car. How many other people would want to go to the East Anglian Transport museum from your area on a Sunday? Enough to fill a bus? Rural life and expectations has been changed by the car and the bus is no longer relevant. What I need as a rural resident is more park and ride, but like the local station offering multi-day and 24/7 operation, but not charging £8 a day because it is town centre.<br /><br />However over 90% of the UK population lives in urban areas and that is rising. Model shift to public transport is necessary to reduce time wasting congestion and pollution. In places like Bristol and London it is happening. This is due to better public transport running 24/7 and reducing roads and parking available to cars. This needs much more improvement.<br /><br />Politian’s will talk to the 90% and you happen to be part of a 10% minority.<br /><br />As resident of a rural community you have a choice. Either you work with your neighbours to offer each other lifts and car-shares and the resulting friendship (which I do). Or you move into town where you can walk to a bus stop and the shops (which I plan to do). My parents did the former until their mid 70s and then moved to the edge of town in walking distance of a bus stop and shop, but still with a view of grazing sheep. Locally we have a widow who is now 93 who still drives a bit and offers lifts very much in exchange for companionship, but the local church has realised that her church taxi service also now needs to be offered by others.<br /><br />Where you choose to live is your choice and you can’t expect the tax payer to facilitate staying put as your needs change. The free bus pass was supposed to be for use on spare capacity of existing buses. It was not for providing the complete bus or taxi.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com