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Crosville Motor Services - Weston-Super-Mare Cutting Routes

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Dhassell

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Quoted from Weston Mercury
"Increased competition offering cheaper bus fares and a loss of subsidised support from North Somerset Council has led to six bus services being axed.

Crosville Motor Services chairman Jon Jones-Pratt says there are no plans to make any staff redundancies, as some areas of the business will grow.

But, the company’s 103 service – which links West Wick, Worle, Mead Vale, Weston town centre, the Bournville estate and Locking Castle – and its 107 service – which links Worle, Weston town centre, the Oldmixon estate and Weston General Hospital – will stop running on April 17.

Four more routes – the N3, 5, 16, and 14 services which run throughout Weston, West Wick, Locking Castle and Worle – will also be cut from April 30.

Crosville will run fewer services in Weston-super-Mare from April 17.Crosville will run fewer services in Weston-super-Mare from April 17.
Mr Jones-Pratt said: “I want to say thank you to the people of Weston, as well as the support from local businesses that have made operating these services in Weston so special.

“It is with very deep regret that this decision has been made.

“The ever-changing market and operating conditions we witness have had a severe impact.

“Over the years, Crosville has aimed to provide a stable network to Weston and it has seen some wonderful years. Sadly, with increased competition, ticket fare reductions and loss of subsidised support, it was necessary to make tough decisions.”

In Weston, Crosville will continue to run its 100 Coastrider service – from Sand Bay to Regent Street – its 106 service which goes from Worlebury to Regent Street and its 4/4A route, which runs between Hutton and the town centre.

It will also continue to run is 111, 112, 113, 114, 62, and 66 services, which serve a range of villages and towns outside of Weston including Bridgwater, Clevedon, Yatton and Burnham.

Mr Jones-Pratt added: “While the cancellations are evidently a blow to the operation, the future is very much promising and will continue to be progressive as we have always hoped.”

A spokesman from the council said some of the Crosville services are not subsidised by the authority, and added: “Services 103 and 107 operate in direct competition with First and service 5/105 will also face competition from late March when First reintroduce their service 5 on the route.

“As part of the council’s ongoing budget savings, we have taken the decision to either withdraw or not renew funding for the following contracts: 100 – one early-morning journey, 14 – minor diversions to the route, 103 – evening journeys on the route, 105 – minor diversions to the route and 105 – Sunday journeys.”

Seems like another case of local bus firm being knocked down by a big private firm!
Quite a shock for me! The 103 was always a busy route! I can understand why the route 107 has to go, It was a clear copy of first 7 route!
 
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185

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Hardly a private firm, but a public company trading internationally.

trading badly ahem

Glad I bailed out of FG shares at £6 a share instead of the currect £1 :P
 

the101

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I am sure that relations are not too rocky between Jones-Pratt's outfit and First, given that between them they have placed an order for about 160 Yutong coaches for the Somerset Passenger Solutions JV job at Hinckley Point. Bigger fish to fry and all that.
 

richw

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First in WSM are advertising on Facebook they require 30+ new drivers. A clear consequence of crosville retracting
 

Dhassell

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First in WSM are advertising on Facebook they require 30+ new drivers. A clear consequence of crosville retracting

This may be because of a new tender with Bristol Airport to run an hourly express route to the airport, as well and the new route 5 and the X7 and also extending the 3 to West Wick.
 

Marc

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i wont shed too many tears over crosville withdrawing from their competitive routes. crosville have been the agressors --both in terms of fares and service development-- on the weston town services and 107 has been very poor in terms of passenger take up. their fleet of primos has obviously been expensive to maintain and the new rental buses were never going to be sustainable.

it seams that weston is a magnet for operators that pop up-run for a while-promise the world then disappear again. acl... in one spin... crosville... the one constant always there is badgerline/first etc.
 

Dhassell

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i wont shed too many tears over crosville withdrawing from their competitive routes. crosville have been the agressors --both in terms of fares and service development-- on the weston town services and 107 has been very poor in terms of passenger take up. their fleet of primos has obviously been expensive to maintain and the new rental buses were never going to be sustainable.

it seams that weston is a magnet for operators that pop up-run for a while-promise the world then disappear again. acl... in one spin... crosville... the one constant always there is badgerline/first etc.

One route that came as a shock to me was the 103! Both 3 & 103 are always almost full and I expect there will be more buses on the 3 skipping passengers because they are full!
 

THarris123

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First in WSM are advertising on Facebook they require 30+ new drivers. A clear consequence of crosville retracting

No. It's down to X6/7/9 moving to Weston as Bristol are so short. First have registered the 5 before Crosville announced their plans. The 3 has some changes, but that's about it. Weston also will have Weston Flyer.
 

THarris123

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One route that came as a shock to me was the 103! Both 3 & 103 are always almost full and I expect there will be more buses on the 3 skipping passengers because they are full!

Crosville were doing quite well on 103, but 107 was a waste of time. Pratt just wanted more drivers for Hinkley.
 

THarris123

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i wont shed too many tears over crosville withdrawing from their competitive routes. crosville have been the agressors --both in terms of fares and service development-- on the weston town services and 107 has been very poor in terms of passenger take up. their fleet of primos has obviously been expensive to maintain and the new rental buses were never going to be sustainable.

it seams that weston is a magnet for operators that pop up-run for a while-promise the world then disappear again. acl... in one spin... crosville... the one constant always there is badgerline/first etc.

Crosville hasn't disappeared. He started on so many routes for the same reason as Webberbus - Hinkley. The more routes in the area, the better the chance of getting drivers and the tenders. Difference between the two though is that Pratt knows how to manage his finances - even if that means he has quite extensive creditors.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Crosville hasn't disappeared. He started on so many routes for the same reason as Webberbus - Hinkley. The more routes in the area, the better the chance of getting drivers and the tenders. Difference between the two though is that Pratt knows how to manage his finances - even if that means he has quite extensive creditors.

Webberbus did not get into bus services because of HP3.

Webber was a long standing coach operator, working standard stuff like college and schools work. They then moved into bus operation with the Bridgwater to Langport service in c.2005 - before outline go ahead was given. Then they decided to expand and won the Taunton P&R and then compete with an ailing First on their best corridors (Taunton to Wellington, Bridgwater, Minehead) before the 2012 dossier that suggested that First were looking to dispose of Somerset ops. So they decided that they would gamble on the 37/38 in an attempt to force First out; the rest we all know!

Crosville probably spotted the same weakness with First in the past. A lack of investment, constantly retrenchment etc and so with a base of tendered and coaching work, they could introduce some competitive services. Much like WB or Faresaver or countless other examples across the country. The only curious aspect is why he decided to introduce the 107 anyway (though it is obviously the best of the Weston local services) if he wasn't able to see it through long term.

As for Mr Pratt's creditors, I don't know how good his financial standing is at the moment. However, he may well have taken the very sensible view that he can a) try to battle with a company and not win or b) make a decent living on the SPS work instead.
 

Marc

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i think we may now know the reason for the suddan change in crosvilles attitude.

from the latest notices and processings:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...nt_data/file/597947/np-2585-09-march-2017.pdf

Section 5.1
– Notice of Public Inquiries to be Held
Public Inquiry (74361) to be held at Jubilee House (Bristol), BS5 0GB, Croydon Street, Bristol, on 28 March 2017 commencing at 13:00
PH1107086 SI
CROSVILLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD
Director(s): JONATHAN JONES-PRATT, RAYMOND LUNNEY
UNIT 2, WESTLAND DISTRIBUTION PARK, WESTON-SUPER-MARE, BS24 9AB
S17 -Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger
Vehicles Act 1981)
S26 -Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 26 (The Transport Act 1985)
S28 -Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 28
(The Transport Act 1985)
 

TheGrandWazoo

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i think we may now know the reason for the suddan change in crosvilles attitude.

from the latest notices and processings:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...nt_data/file/597947/np-2585-09-march-2017.pdf

Section 5.1
– Notice of Public Inquiries to be Held
Public Inquiry (74361) to be held at Jubilee House (Bristol), BS5 0GB, Croydon Street, Bristol, on 28 March 2017 commencing at 13:00
PH1107086 SI
CROSVILLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD
Director(s): JONATHAN JONES-PRATT, RAYMOND LUNNEY
UNIT 2, WESTLAND DISTRIBUTION PARK, WESTON-SUPER-MARE, BS24 9AB
S17 -Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger
Vehicles Act 1981)
S26 -Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 26 (The Transport Act 1985)
S28 -Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 28
(The Transport Act 1985)

Indeed - a potential curtailment of his O license.
 

Dhassell

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i think we may now know the reason for the suddan change in crosvilles attitude.

from the latest notices and processings:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...nt_data/file/597947/np-2585-09-march-2017.pdf

Section 5.1
– Notice of Public Inquiries to be Held
Public Inquiry (74361) to be held at Jubilee House (Bristol), BS5 0GB, Croydon Street, Bristol, on 28 March 2017 commencing at 13:00
PH1107086 SI
CROSVILLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD
Director(s): JONATHAN JONES-PRATT, RAYMOND LUNNEY
UNIT 2, WESTLAND DISTRIBUTION PARK, WESTON-SUPER-MARE, BS24 9AB
S17 -Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger
Vehicles Act 1981)
S26 -Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 26 (The Transport Act 1985)
S28 -Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 28
(The Transport Act 1985)

You able to clear up in Normal terms what this means?
 

Busaholic

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Potential revocation or curtailment of operators license for either maintenance or failure to operate scheduled services

IF it's the latter (and I have no idea if it is) then the Traffic Commissioners for the area have recent previous in putting a generally well-regarded independent operator out of business for a situation that may not be of their own making, while seemingly ignoring similar behaviour by a competing, but larger, incumbent operator.
 

the101

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IF it's the latter (and I have no idea if it is) then the Traffic Commissioners for the area have recent previous in putting a generally well-regarded independent operator out of business for a situation that may not be of their own making, while seemingly ignoring similar behaviour by a competing, but larger, incumbent operator.
Traffic Commissioners do not put operators out of business willy-nilly. Those that are revoked invariably deserve it, and if the revocation is considered unjust then there is always the option of going to the (independent) Upper Tribunal on appeal. Given that the UT overturns a small proportion of revocations, it is logical to conclude that TCs' action is rarely (if ever) excessive.

I imagine that Jones-Pratt will hire one of the Backhouse Jones mob to represent him and come away with a slapped wrist if it's his first time in such a situation.
 

Busaholic

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Traffic Commissioners do not put operators out of business willy-nilly. Those that are revoked invariably deserve it, and if the revocation is considered unjust then there is always the option of going to the (independent) Upper Tribunal on appeal. Given that the UT overturns a small proportion of revocations, it is logical to conclude that TCs' action is rarely (if ever) excessive.

I imagine that Jones-Pratt will hire one of the Backhouse Jones mob to represent him and come away with a slapped wrist if it's his first time in such a situation.

I think your statement that ' those that are revoked INVARIABLY deserve it' betrays an uncritical mindset. In any case, if an operator is in trouble for failing to run scheduled services, or late running or a combination of the two, in an area like what I shall call Avon, then how come the large operators, with one dominating the area like no other, are not brought to book too, because their services can no more avoid the traffic chaos than the chastised small bus company?
 

carlberry

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I think your statement that ' those that are revoked INVARIABLY deserve it' betrays an uncritical mindset. In any case, if an operator is in trouble for failing to run scheduled services, or late running or a combination of the two, in an area like what I shall call Avon, then how come the large operators, with one dominating the area like no other, are not brought to book too, because their services can no more avoid the traffic chaos than the chastised small bus company?

First has been up before the TA on several occasions over the last few years for late running, it could be said that it's the smaller operators that have avoided this up to now.
 

richw

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S17 is finance and repute,
S26 is failure to operate registered services
S28 is the section that gives the TC the right to revoke, suspend or disqualify for breach of any of the other sections,
 
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