GHA Coaches in Administration

[Jona26]

DB1, DB2 and 11A to Arriva.

SP1 and SP2 to be an Arriva/Stagecoach combo. Don't know if tickets will be inter-available but it would be strange if not as it's not just a case of Stagecoach running all the SP1 and Arriva all the SP2 or viceversa.

 

[A0wen]

Ouch. The GHA employees were laid off by text.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/14/bus-company-staff-told-firm-has-shut-down-via-text

I appreciate it seems insensitive as a way to communicate, but depending on how its done means everyone gets the same message at the same time.

They were spread out geographically as a company, you'd have had drivers on leave / rest days.

I'm not sure what the best / easiest way to do this is - all the options have issues.

 

[miami]

However, they'll be an order of priority for paying creditors which, unfortunately for the drivers, will have any unpaid wages for employees made redundant down near the bottom of the list.

They are, however there is a glimmer of hope:

If there are insufficient funds to pay you from the insolvent business, all is not lost. You can apply to the National Insurance Fund (NIF) for outstanding payments including salary, notice, holiday and redundancy pay. The NIF is operated by the Redundancy Payments Office and is the most useful first port of call in claiming outstanding payments, although the process can be complex and time consuming.

To qualify for NIF payments your employer must be insolvent and your employment needs to have terminated. You must also have done everything you can to get your payment, including applying in writing to your ex-employer for the payment within six months of the date your employment ended.

A claim to the NIF is also subject to ceilings. This includes a cap of £430 a week for unpaid salary up to a maximum of eight weeks; up to six weeks' holiday pay to a maximum of £800; and outstanding statutory notice, up to a maximum of £430 a week. Your statutory minimum notice is one week for every year worked, up to 12 weeks.

 

[northwichcat]

^

I've heard about people applying to that fund before and they've been told the actual amount they get is (430/7) multiplied by the number of unpaid days, even though you would expect it to be (430/5)

 

[Y961 XBU]

On VOSA:

PG0007381/36 - DAVID JONES & GARY JONES T/A D JONES & SON BUS & COACH TRAVEL, MINDEN, PLAS BENNION ROAD, PENYCAE, WREXHAM, LL14 1TP
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Wrexham Bus Station
Finish Point: Llangollen, Parade Street
Via: Ruabon
Service Number: 5
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 15-JUL-2016
Other Details: Monday to Saturday

PG0007381/37 - DAVID JONES & GARY JONES T/A D JONES & SON BUS & COACH TRAVEL, MINDEN, PLAS BENNION ROAD, PENYCAE, WREXHAM, LL14 1TP
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Wrexham Bus Station
Finish Point: Wrexham Industrial Estate
Via: Hightown
Service Number: 42
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 15-JUL-2016
Other Details: Monday to Saturday

PG0007381/38 - DAVID JONES & GARY JONES T/A D JONES & SON BUS & COACH TRAVEL, MINDEN, PLAS BENNION ROAD, PENYCAE, WREXHAM, LL14 1TP
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Wrexham Bus Station
Finish Point: Redwither Tower
Via:
Service Number: 41
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 15-JUL-2016
Other Details: Monday to Saturday

 

[spargazer]

This may already be known about http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/public_transport/bus/bus_service_timetables.aspx

 

[jamesbwxm]

I was hoping Arriva would get the 41/42 and 5 services, the weekly ticket would be more useful for weekend jaunts elsewhere and I'm (was) a daily user of those services.

Currently on the pushbike though. The 13B to the industrial estate gets me to the wrong side of the estate.

 

[Andyh82]

I was hoping Arriva would get the 41/42 and 5 services, the weekly ticket would be more useful for weekend jaunts elsewhere and I'm (was) a daily user of those services.

Currently on the pushbike though. The 13B to the industrial estate gets me to the wrong side of the estate.

It'd be good if the X50/X52 could pass to Arriva and be fully integrated with the 51 as well, like it used to be in the old days, although it only ever went from Rhyl as far as Corwen not Wrexham.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The 27, 88 and 200 are the big ones which we are still awaiting news on.

Since you made this posting, how do you feel about the news of High Peak taking over the 27 service (Macclesfield to Knutsford), as the Cheshire East website makes mention of a commercial service?

 

[northwichcat]

Since you made this posting, how do you feel about the news of High Peak taking over the 27 service (Macclesfield to Knutsford), as the Cheshire East website makes mention of a commercial service?

I was very surprised to read that. You might recall High Peak tried to run the service commercially before and finished up making significant increases to the fares and trying to provide a bus every 90 minutes using a single bus which provided an unreliable service. Then the combination of the fare increases, the service reduction and the unreliable service saw a significant drop in usage and High Peak cancelling the registration.

I think the 27 service tries to kill too many birds with one stone but at the same time overlooks some markets. For instance, what about people doing evening classes at Macclesfield college or visiting relatives in hospital after work during the evening visiting session or even what about people working normal office hours in Knutsford?

Like I've pointed out to Cheshire East before the lack of evening public transport between towns in Cheshire East means people from Knutsford finish up going to Altrincham, Stockport and Manchester opposed to Macclesfield or Wilmslow, which isn't good for the local economy in Cheshire East. Yes many people have cars but many people like to have an alcoholic drink even if it's a meal they are going out for, which then should rule out driving home.

 

[317 forever]

Wow - we've seen some big failures (Western Greyhound, Webberbus, PadarnBus) but this must rate as the biggest.

Firstly, a thought for all the staff both drivers and "back of house". Terrible time having to look for a new job plus the short term issue of being without pay presumably. Very very sad.

Also, hope the various local authorities can minimise any disruption though one very minor crumb is that at least it's happened just as the school hols are beginning.

Just hope the staff get sorted as they bear the brunt when these events happen.

I think the collapse of GHA Coaches may be the biggest bus company collapse since National Welsh in 1992.

It'd be good if the X50/X52 could pass to Arriva and be fully integrated with the 51 as well, like it used to be in the old days, although it only ever went from Rhyl as far as Corwen not Wrexham.

I also like the idea of these routes run by Arriva. Then we can travel Chester - Wrexham - Corwen - Rhyl - Chester on an Arriva Daysaver.

 

[Y961 XBU]

D. Jones have confirmed they are starting the 5, 41 and 42 tomoz

 

[northwichcat]

Some more news has emerged

The workers devastated by the closure of Wrexham's GHA Coaches face the task of claiming any money owed to them in unpaid wages, lost holiday pay and redundancy cash.

The 320 staff - except a handful who have been kept on temporarily - were informed on Thursday by administrators from Grant Thornton that they were being made redundant.

The meeting was attended by support staff from ERA Solutions who answered staff questions in relation to the next steps in terms of reclaiming their statutory entitlements.

They will now have to apply to the Insolvency Service.

A spokesman for the administrator Grant Thornton said: "Everyone has been paid wages for the week ended 10 July.

"For the three outstanding days, they should be paid by the Insolvency Service, and have been given claim forms to enable such claims to be made

"The staff will also be making three other claims to the Insolvency Service one, compulsory notice pay, which varies according to length of service, two, redundancy payments, which also vary according to length of service, and three, claims for any accrued holiday entitled not taken up."

The money comes from the government’s National Insurance Fund.

The Government say it's not guaranteed that staff get everything their employer owes them but workers can claim for

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/money-redundant-workers-gha-coaches-11625340

It was reported that on the 88 route on Wednesday GHA drivers started taking the buses back to the depot at around 5:00 leaving no services for some people getting home from work. I wonder if they realised they wouldn't be paid for that day.

Andrew Nicholls was interviewed for the job on Monday, hired on Tuesday and started working for GHA Coaches on Wednesday – before being let go on Thursday.

Mr Nicholls, 34, who was based at the firm’s Shrewsbury depot, claims he was given no indication there were any problems during his interview.

http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/...on-his-first-day-at-work/#c2EIRGgV0yu2pIvh.99

 

[miami]

I find it terrible how salaried employees aren't top of the list when it comes to sorting out creditors.

Andrew Nicholls was interviewed for the job on Monday, hired on Tuesday and started working for GHA Coaches on Wednesday – before being let go on Thursday.

Solomon Grundy

From the shropshire star article:

I sorry to report GHA Coaches will cease trading tonight plz attend depot meeting 10am Tomoz all wages holidays WILL be paid

That is a terrible way to write anything. 125 characters. SMS messages can do 153 characters in any case, and can be joined together anyway.

I am sorry to report GHA Coaches will cease trading tonight. Please attend depot meeting 10am tomorrow. All wages and holidays WILL be paid.

Still fits in the 153 characters.

 

[notadriver]

I've never known bus or coach drivers to have trouble finding alternative employment. There are loads of other bus and coach companies out there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Y961 XBU]

Arriva have now registered the 5 on VOSA confirming them and D.Jones are to compete for the Route

Has anyone got a full list of what GHA operated? I plan to then see whos got what and what routes where not replaced ect

 

[Bungle965]

Arriva have now registered the 5 on VOSA confirming them and D.Jones are to compete for the Route

Has anyone got a full list of what GHA operated? I plan to then see whos got what and what routes where not replaced ect

Their website is till running.
http://www.ghacoaches.co.uk/timetables/
I believe that they are all still there.
Sam

 

[northwichcat]

Their website is till running.
http://www.ghacoaches.co.uk/timetables/
I believe that they are all still there.
Sam

It's an out-of-date list of timetables. The Warrington services had been withdrawn, while the 87 service is still listed as a 38 service and the timetable for Knutsford to St Nicholas High is still there even though it's been operated by Holmeswood Coaches since last September.

Their route specific sites are still live without any mention of the operator being in administration:
http://ghagold.co.uk/
http://www.beartownbus.co.uk/

 

[Y961 XBU]

Thanks, That will be useful!

 

[northwichcat]

Updates on the GHA fleet have been posted on Ron Newbe's blog site: http://www.ronsbusesandcoaches.com/gha/gha-group-news

In short pretty much everything has been moved to Ruabon, some vehicles have been repossessed by financing companies, some have been scrapped and the administrators will be auctioning off around 80 vehicles: http://www.landwoodgroup.com/online-auctions/80schoolbuses/

 

[neilmc]

I was at Carrog near Corwen on Saturday waiting for a bus into Llangollen which was not forthcoming. I rechecked the timetable on the bus stop and noticed that the service T3 was supposed to be operated by GHA, so I started hitch-hiking instead! Fortunately the bus did actually come about 15 minutes late, operated by Lloyds Coaches. Had me worried.

 

[northwichcat]

First set of GHA vehicles to go under the hammer: https://www.bidspotter.co.uk/en-gb/.../landwood-manchester/catalogue-id-landwo10031 Opening bids vary from £500 (for a T reg Solo) to £6000 (for an 09 reg Wright Eclipse Urban.)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Wrexham council have just awarded bus contracts to RML2418 Ltd and RJ's of Wem Ltd both of which are registered to Unit 10, Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Wrexham and have Arwyn and Gareth Davies as directors!!!

 

[323235]

I hope Mr Bryce isn't running the show, god help us if he is

 

[Bungle965]

For those unfamiliar with the gentlemen what is so bad about them, that is making you all so nervous?
Sam

 

[northwichcat]

I hope Mr Bryce isn't running the show, god help us if he is

It doesn't look like he is. According to his Linkedin profile he's working for a Shrewsbury based company which trades under a few different names which offers airport transfers for tourists going to Chamonix. If you're going to Chamonix then be careful who you book with!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

For those unfamiliar with the gentlemen what is so bad about them, that is making you all so nervous?

They ran a company which incurred £30m of debt which it couldn't repay and frequently couldn't find resources to operate bus services - some of which the company were receiving subsides to run. The staff weren't well looked after, GHA were fined in court for breaching H&S legislation and they lost a whole load of college contracts when VOSA did spot checks and they had something like 9 buses at the one college which were unfit to be on the road.

GHA also created bus wars with other smaller operators. In one case Arriva cut back a half-hourly service to hourly - any operator was free to register replacement services for the one Arriva stopped running and a few weeks after they were withdrawn Routemaster Buses of Nantwich registered replacements. However, after Routemaster did that GHA registered duplicate services a couple of minutes ahead of the Routemaster ones with Stephen Byrce infamously saying it was in response to "Routemaster invading GHA's area." Apparently GHA were allowed to start running services in Chester despite not having any historical links to Chester but Routemaster weren't because GHA got their first! I also don't recall hearing any objections about GHA invading Routemaster's area when GHA registered some Nantwich services. That bus war almost caused Routemaster to go out of business. GHA submitted a cancellation request for the route in question as soon as Routemaster stopped running their service.

 

[richw]

It doesn't look like he is. According to his Linkedin profile he's working for a Shrewsbury based company which trades under a few different names which offers airport transfers for tourists going to Chamonix. If you're going to Chamonix then be careful who you book with!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


They ran a company which incurred £30m of debt which it couldn't repay and frequently couldn't find resources to operate bus services - some of which the company were receiving subsides to run. The staff weren't well looked after, GHA were fined in court for breaching H&S legislation and they lost a whole load of college contracts when VOSA did spot checks and they had something like 9 buses at the one college which were unfit to be on the road.

GHA also created bus wars with other smaller operators. In one case Arriva cut back a half-hourly service to hourly - any operator was free to register replacement services for the one Arriva stopped running and a few weeks after they were withdrawn Routemaster Buses of Nantwich registered replacements. However, after Routemaster did that GHA registered duplicate services a couple of minutes ahead of the Routemaster ones with Stephen Byrce infamously saying it was in response to "Routemaster invading GHA's area." Apparently GHA were allowed to start running services in Chester despite not having any historical links to Chester but Routemaster weren't because GHA got their first! I also don't recall hearing any objections about GHA invading Routemaster's area when GHA registered some Nantwich services. That bus war almost caused Routemaster to go out of business. GHA submitted a cancellation request for the route in question as soon as Routemaster stopped running their service.

So were they assumingly the owners of Gha for those not in the know?

 

[northwichcat]

So were they assumingly the owners of Gha for those not in the know?

The Davies brothers owned the company. Stephen Byrce was brought in as General Manager after he jumped ship at YourBus following the retirement of Ian Hyslop who was previously GM and was in charge when the Warrington bus wars started.

 

[Bungle965]

It doesn't look like he is. According to his Linkedin profile he's working for a Shrewsbury based company which trades under a few different names which offers airport transfers for tourists going to Chamonix. If you're going to Chamonix then be careful who you book with!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


They ran a company which incurred £30m of debt which it couldn't repay and frequently couldn't find resources to operate bus services - some of which the company were receiving subsides to run. The staff weren't well looked after, GHA were fined in court for breaching H&S legislation and they lost a whole load of college contracts when VOSA did spot checks and they had something like 9 buses at the one college which were unfit to be on the road.

GHA also created bus wars with other smaller operators. In one case Arriva cut back a half-hourly service to hourly - any operator was free to register replacement services for the one Arriva stopped running and a few weeks after they were withdrawn Routemaster Buses of Nantwich registered replacements. However, after Routemaster did that GHA registered duplicate services a couple of minutes ahead of the Routemaster ones with Stephen Byrce infamously saying it was in response to "Routemaster invading GHA's area." Apparently GHA were allowed to start running services in Chester despite not having any historical links to Chester but Routemaster weren't because GHA got their first! I also don't recall hearing any objections about GHA invading Routemaster's area when GHA registered some Nantwich services. That bus war almost caused Routemaster to go out of business. GHA submitted a cancellation request for the route in question as soon as Routemaster stopped running their service.

Wow okay defiantly not the sort of person you want running the company then!
Thanks for that.
Sam

 

[Observer]

Wrexham council have just awarded bus contracts to RML2418 Ltd and RJ's of Wem Ltd both of which are registered to Unit 10, Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Wrexham and have Arwyn and Gareth Davies as directors!!!

These being the Shropshire Bus & Coach licenses for those unaware...GHA bought them over a year or two ago.

 

[swifty]

There was a short GHA Solo broken down just before the A12 on the M25, this afternoon, heading towards Dartford, possibly off to Ensign?