Nottingham 'Bus War'

[MCR247]

Well I suppose there isn't much point posting a proper press release saying that they are going to launch a new route and destination when they aren't telling you where etc yet! Early next week when they give details I would have thought that there would be a press release

 

[ARedFlyer]

The new NCT route will be the number 33. So that should give some clues as to what it'll be. I'm guessing yet another QMC > Beeston > Wherever? route.

 

[MCR247]

University boulevard? Does the University of Nottingham know more than us?
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/current/transport.phtml

 

[Deerfold]

University boulevard? Does the University of Nottingham know more than us?
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/current/transport.phtml

Well it's certainly not an old route number.

 

[MCR247]

Although further down the page 'rainbow 5' is mentioned :?

It also lists a service 193 and the 37 isn't mentioned :?

and then finally, Midland Mainline

Tbh I think its just an old page that hasn't been deleted as the uni website does no longer look like that and obviously none of the links work

 

[WillPS]

Although further down the page 'rainbow 5' is mentioned :?

It also lists a service 193 and the 37 isn't mentioned :?

and then finally, Midland Mainline

Tbh I think its just an old page that hasn't been deleted as the uni website does no longer look like that and obviously none of the links work

Dont forget "Trent and Barton Buses"!

 

[Bunting14]

That page goes back to about 2003-4. The 33 was a stop gap when NCT were struggling to get Bus drivers. What is now the 13 and 14 did not run down Castle Boulevard during non peak hours but went down Derby Road then Lenton Boulevard before going over Abbey Bridge.

 

[Deerfold]

That page goes back to about 2003-4. The 33 was a stop gap when NCT were struggling to get Bus drivers. What is now the 13 and 14 did not run down Castle Boulevard during non peak hours but went down Derby Road then Lenton Boulevard before going over Abbey Bridge.

Ah, yes - rings a bell now. I remember the 194 too.

 

[burns20]

PB0002362/179 - NOTTINGHAM CITY TRANSPORT LTD, LOWER PARLIAMENT STREET, NOTTINGHAM, NG1 1GG
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: QUEENS MEDICAL CENTRE FORCOURT
Finish Point: BULWELL BUS STATION
Via: TROWELL ROAD , ASSARTS FARM
Service Number: 33
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 22-OCT-2012
Other Details: Mondays to Saturdays ( Daytime)

 

[MCR247]

Hmm looks interesting

The only full service not serving town?

EDIT: NCT have said that it won't be a part of any line, so i suppose it'll just be run with spares

 

[Deerfold]

Someone seems to know a bit more about it:

http://trentsidetraveller.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/mystery-nct-route-33/

 

[bb21]

What's wrong with 29 or 32, both of which are numbers from the original Pink routes range?

 

[Deerfold]

What's wrong with 29 or 32, both of which are numbers from the original Pink routes range?

I suspect they'd want to avoid 32 as there was a long standing route in Bulwell with that number (Barton Bullwell - Nottingham via Chiwell and Beeston Rylands).

The 33's probably been disused for longest so it's least likely to confuse anyone.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
NCT seem to have forgotten to announce the route - certainly nothing on their web site...

 

[MCR247]

I was thinking that!

Got a passenger focus survey today on the 27

 

[Deerfold]

Timetable's available if you look hard enough though...

http://www.bilborough.ac.uk/SiteData/Root/File/Bus timetables/033TT_Oct12.pdf

 

[MCR247]

NCT do have a timetable on their website, I was just referring to there being no press release in the news section

 

[Deerfold]

NCT do have a timetable on their website, I was just referring to there being no press release in the news section

Ah yes - they fooled me by not having it in the 30s section...

 

[Tomonthetrain]

It seems premiere are getting a bashing on Facebook at the moment.

There again with their repaint skills I am not surprised.

 

[MCR247]

Ooh need to take a look!

Oh wow there is a premiere enthusiasts page

 

[Tomonthetrain]

https://m.facebook.com/?refsrc=http...t_create_time.1350223680:page_id.434156600563

There Facebook page. It makes interesting reading!

 

[nctx]

https://m.facebook.com/?refsrc=http...t_create_time.1350223680:page_id.434156600563

There Facebook page. It makes interesting reading!

Link does not work?

 

[WillPS]

Interesting that they include a tram connection. Who would use this service as part of their route to town?

 

[MCR247]

Red 8 --> tram?

 

[ashworth]

Interesting that since Premier took over the 228 service between Hucknall and Bulwell via Bestwood they have changed the route into Hucknall from it's previous route as operated by Yourbus.
Despite the fact that Premier are now advertising through tickets on the 228 including the tram they are now missing out the stop near Tesco which is most convenient for the tram and running along the more direct route into Hucknall via Station Road instead.

The stop near Tesco was one of the busiest on the route with shoppers travelling to/from Tesco to the Vaughan Estate and Bestwood Village. I've heard lots of complaints especially as this was not advertised and many people on the first few days of Premier stood at the Tesco stop for buses that weren't turning up!
I think most of the shoppers from Bestwood Village are now using Trent Bartons 141 service instead.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Photographed 3352 in nottingham. Looks like they missed a bit!!

 

[MCR247]

What a surprise...

 

[tbone]

Re facebook, I think it's fair to say that Trent Barton recieve a similar number of complaints on theirs, the difference being that Trent Barton fully promote theirs and have won awards for the way they deal with such complaints. There's no closed doors, the way you respond is seeable by everybody!

Also worth noting that Trent Barton search for themselves on twitter, so if anybody says 'trent barton' in a tweet, they see it and respond to it, so, if for example, I tweeted "my trent barton bus is late again", they go out of their way to find it and respond. Pretty good in my opinion!

 

[Ginga]

Doyle's side of the story regarding NCT 33.

Doyle's Coaches The full story.......... Nottinghamshire County Council put out a tender for a bus service between Eastwood and QMC serving various areas in between. We at Doyle's (along with others) put in a valid bid for the work and were successful. However following our success another operator decided to register the majority of the route on a commercial basis which resulted in NCC having to cancel the supported service. We are extremely disappointed in the results of this predatory action which has caused the demise of our service 330. It is our opinion that the commercial service is not viable in the longer term and will be happy to return when the inevitable happens.

 

[tbone]

If it's saving the tax payer money then it's not predatory behaviour. If NCT can run the route comercially then NCC have been wasting money and Doyles have been taking money from the taxpayer that they shouldn't have.

 

[trentside]

Doyles seem to be having a period of bad luck again - they lost quite a lot of work to Yourbus and TM Travel a couple of years ago, causing them to downsize. They subsequently gained contracts in Mansfield and Chesterfield, but have now lost the Chesterfield contracts, the 330 and some work in Derbyshire - I seem to recall that it equates to around 7 vehicles worth of work.

I'll be interested to see if NCT can make the 33 work commercially. The corridor seems to be constantly chopped and changed - ever since Dunn-Line dropped the 170 group of services there doesn't seem to have been any stability with the contracts passing to Doyles, Yourbus, Premiere then back to Doyles before NCT's commercial registration.