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Nottingham 'Bus War'

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Deerfold

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In a very strange move, Trent are increasing the frequency of the Ilkeston Flyer with effect from 26th March, from three buses per hour to four.

This will mean that one of the new departures from Derby, the xx35, will run simultaneously with Yourbus. With a combined frequency of six buses per hour at present, it surely can't be in response to demand, is it the opening shot of a move against Yourbus and which stand will the extra bus use at Derby?

Lots of other improvements too - including an evening service on Monday-Thursday, an improved early evening service on Friday and Saturday and running half an hour earlier and an hour later on Sundays.
 
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From the Notts & Derby website:

Latest News
NEW DAY TICKET
Travel on any Notts & Derby service for just £6 per day for an adult. See your driver or call us for more details. Excludes express services.

So that (mainly) covers:
Unibus 4,5,6 in Derby
3 Derby-Barrow (Rush hours on Trent V3)
9 Derby-Ockbrook
11 Derby-Ilkeston
12 Derby-Sawley
17/A Derby-Duffield
35 Derby-Littleover
50 Uttoxeter-Derby
70 Derby-Barrow
73 Derby-Weston
D1 Park & Ride

Worthwhile if the journeys right....
 
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Minor changes to NCT fares from 26th March 2017. Seems more like tweaking than a wholesale price rise
Interestingly giving a financial incentive to use the ticketing with the mobile app.
Freezing the £2 Adult single fare in Nottingham and introducing a discounted £1.90 single fare on the NCTX Buses app
Raising the price of the £3.50 all day ticket to £3.70 if bought on the bus, but freezing it at £3.50 if bought through the NCTX Buses app
Increasing the age young people can continue to pay discounted rates from Under 18 to Under 19
Freezing Under 19 cash and Travel Centre Easyrider prices for the seventh year
Increasing Easyrider prices for the first time for between 5 and 7 years
Expanding the range of tickets customers can buy on their smart phone using the NCTX Buses app to include Single and Under 19 tickets
Reducing Grouprider tickets to half-price (£5) from 09:30 every weekday instead of 17:00 (full price will be £10 on weekdays before 09:30)
Introducing cheaper Local Fares to encourage customers to travel to local shopping centres
Reducing the price of the Network Rider ticket, which covers NCT services to Loughborough, Southwell and Woodborough, from £7 to £6
Extending the City Area and Easyrider boundary to include Gedling Country Park

NCT Website
 
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ashworth

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Minor changes to NCT fares from 26th March 2017. Seems more like tweaking than a wholesale price rise
Interestingly giving a financial incentive to use the ticketing with the mobile app.

Trent Barton seem currently to be doing a more general wholesale rise of prices. Single fares rose by 10p on about half of their routes on 26th February and the same is happening on most of their remaining routes on 26th March.
Also on 26th of February the Off Peak daily cap on the Mango Card rose by 20p from £5.00 to £5.20.
 

kevjs

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The Robin Hood fares are also going up. I think the NCT ones are the same price as on the app.

NCT cash fares (singles) are staying put at £2.00; Robin Hood and App will be cheaper at £1.90 - which is higher than the current Robin Hood of £1.70.

NCT cash day ticket going up to £3.70 - Robin Hood and App to old cash fare of £3.50 (previously £3.15). The NCT App ticket is 24 hours from time of purchase - so you could go out from work, have a few drinks get the bus home, then get the bus back to work the following morning which is rather handy...
 

howittpie

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From March 13th Centrelink and Medilink will no longer be free according to Nottingham Post. The fare appears to be £1 single with Robin Hood PAYG or £1.20 cash and very confusing concessionary pass rules. If you are city resident it is still free on both Centrelink and Medilink however if from outside the city the medilink will no longer be free to the park and ride sites but if going from QMC to City Hospital will be free after 9.30am.
 
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edwin_m

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The Centrelink bus is now combined with the former Citylink 1 to Queens Drive P&R. I tried to use it last week for the short hop from the station to the Victoria and was surprised to be asked for a fare. I have emailed the council to point out that their leaflet incorrectly states that fares are only changed to/from Queens Drive, and also suggesting that charging from the railway station but not from the car parks at Broadmarsh and Victoria isn't good for integrated public transport.
 

Bwsbro

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The Centrelink bus is now combined with the former Citylink 1 to Queens Drive P&R. I tried to use it last week for the short hop from the station to the Victoria and was surprised to be asked for a fare. I have emailed the council to point out that their leaflet incorrectly states that fares are only changed to/from Queens Drive, and also suggesting that charging from the railway station but not from the car parks at Broadmarsh and Victoria isn't good for integrated public transport.

If I recall correctly. The leaflet stated that a fare would be taken between Queens Drive and Broadmarsh Bus Station. Therefore by boarding the service at the Station you would be liable to pay the flat fare for traveling between the Railway Station and Broad marsh Bus Station, a distance of about 500 yards. With the remainder of service to the Victoria Centre free
 

edwin_m

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If I recall correctly. The leaflet stated that a fare would be taken between Queens Drive and Broadmarsh Bus Station. Therefore by boarding the service at the Station you would be liable to pay the flat fare for traveling between the Railway Station and Broad marsh Bus Station, a distance of about 500 yards. With the remainder of service to the Victoria Centre free

Leaflet linked from http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/tr...ervices/citylink-1-and-2-bus-service-changes/

the City Centre section of the Centrelink route remains free of charge, the below fares are applicable for the Park and Ride stop at Queen’s Drive.

I have contacted the Council to tell them this appears to be wrong.

While digging that back out I've just noticed: http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/tr...edilink-and-centrelink-park-and-ride-service/

The table below details the proposed fares and tickets for Medilink and Centrelink Park and Ride bus services and are applicable to every stop on both routes:

So this (which applies from 13 March) would appear to suggest that the free part of Centrelink is being abandoned anyway.
 
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So this (which applies from 13 March) would appear to suggest that the free part of Centrelink is being abandoned anyway.
I certainly read it that way. To clarify though, it is the free fares that are being abandoned, not the service itself, but in some ways it effectively amounts to that, since it will be seen as just another bus that does a loop of the city centre, rather than anything notable as for short journeys in the centre.
 
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kevjs

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I certainly read it that way. To clarify though, it is the free fares that are being abandoned, not the service itself, but in some ways it effectively amounts to that, since it will be seen as just another bus that does a loop of the city centre, rather than anything notable as for short journeys in the centre.

It's never even looped the city centre... I wonder how many people who use it would not have concessionary passes in any case? i.e. will it actually make a difference?
 

edwin_m

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Comprehensive and prompt reply from the council public transport team. They advise that the driver shouldn't have tried to charge me from the station to Victoria Centre, but it's also rather academic as they confirm all journeys on Centrelink will be chargeable from March 13.

I don't think they would have planned to launch a new Centrelink service at the end of January only to suddenly start charging for it from mid-March, so I can only assume this is the result of some sort of unforeseen funding crisis.
 

ashworth

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I wonder how many people who use it would not have concessionary passes in any case? i.e. will it actually make a difference?

I've never used it when in Nottingham for shopping etc. I do occasionally use it if I want to get from the Victoria Bus Station to Broad Marsh Bus Station as part of a longer journey e.g. Hucknall to Keyworth. I will probably walk now. The only time that I may now still use it would be if it's pouring down with rain and I need to get from Victoria Bus Station to the Railway Station and I have luggage. That may not be more than once or twice a year!

When you put all these fare rises together, Centrelink, NCT, Trent Barton plus Mango and Robin Hood Card. That's more or less a general across the board increase in fares for the bus passengers of Nottingham.
 
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howittpie

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It's never even looped the city centre... I wonder how many people who use it would not have concessionary passes in any case? i.e. will it actually make a difference?

The few times I have used would say a fair number plenty of mothers with children and have seen a good number of students. Last time I used I was the oldest on it and I am middle aged.

It is interesting the tram is now cheaper for short hop in the city with its £1 cash fare that runs between Trent University and the station.
 
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From nctx website:

LOCAL LINK BUSES OPERATED BY NCT
1 day ago 13th March 2017, in Monthly Newsletter, Service Changes

Nottingham City Transport currently operates three Local Link services on behalf of Nottingham City Council under contract:

L10 between City, Wollaton and Beeston
L11 between Beeston, Wollaton Vale, Bilborough, Bulwell, Bestwood Park and Arnold
L14 between City, Hyson Green, Heathfield Estate and Bulwell
NCT has handed back these contracts to Nottingham City Council and our last day of operating the L10, L11, L14 will be Saturday 29 April 2017.

Nottingham City Council are sourcing a new operator for these services, who will begin operating them from Tuesday 2 May 2017.


I think these were City Transports last remaining tendered routes?
 

Robertj21a

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From nctx website:

LOCAL LINK BUSES OPERATED BY NCT
1 day ago 13th March 2017, in Monthly Newsletter, Service Changes

Nottingham City Transport currently operates three Local Link services on behalf of Nottingham City Council under contract:

L10 between City, Wollaton and Beeston
L11 between Beeston, Wollaton Vale, Bilborough, Bulwell, Bestwood Park and Arnold
L14 between City, Hyson Green, Heathfield Estate and Bulwell
NCT has handed back these contracts to Nottingham City Council and our last day of operating the L10, L11, L14 will be Saturday 29 April 2017.

Nottingham City Council are sourcing a new operator for these services, who will begin operating them from Tuesday 2 May 2017.


I think these were City Transports last remaining tendered routes?

Haven't these already been registered for ongoing service by Nottingham Community Transport ?
 

edwin_m

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Further reply from Nottingham City Council as to why they changed the Centrelink route and then imposed fares only six weeks later@

I understand your view. We were originally intending on introducing the fares on the full Centrelink route at the same time as merging the old Centrelink and Citylink 1 routes together. Our Council members did not vote to approve this however and so approval came at a later date, on 6th March.

This may also explain why most of the pre-January publicity for Centrelink is still in place, showing the old route and mentioning it is free. It will be interesting to see if this changes in the next few days/weeks.
 

winston270twm

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Yourbus are advertizing their 2012 DF Streetlites for sale in this weeks Bus & Coach buyer/Routeone
 

Deerfold

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Hi..

If you want to know who funds Premiere, look at their bread and butter work - Schools and Council Contracts. Its the tax payer!

If you're talking about the former bus operator in and around Nottingham, it's 4 years since they went into administration.
 
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Hi..

If you want to know who funds Premiere, look at their bread and butter work - Schools and Council Contracts. Its the tax payer!

An interesting review of the history of premiere here. Wikipedia article

They did indeed have a significant rendered and contract arm, but also expanded (too) quickly it's commercial bus and tour operations. Whilst this thread would take too much time to read in full, all of the details are covered here.

For a bit of comedy see Aredflyer's posts!
 

winston270twm

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Two are for sale in this week's trade press.

There's 35 still showing as for sale on the Yourbus website, most / if not all have been with other operators for sometime.

The 2 x 61 platers for sale this week with the DF Streetlites is the first time any have been advertized for sale for some time.
 

Pigalle

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From Derby City Council's Meeting Report for 15th March:

"After receiving the outcome of a public consultation exercise, Cabinet voted through changes to the Council’s Concessionary Fares Scheme. It was agreed that the Red Arrow service to Nottingham would be withdrawn from the scheme, while the X38 service to Burton-upon-Trent would be retained. The move follows a similar decision taken by Nottingham City Council in April 2016."

See: https://news.derby.gov.uk/meeting-report-council-cabinet-wednesday-15-february/

Full paper here:

https://cmis.derby.gov.uk/CMIS5/Doc...WGewmoAfeNQ16B2MHuCpMRKZMwaG1PaO=ctNJFf55vVA=
 

Pigalle

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From trentbarton, maybe of interest.

Customers rank trentbarton drivers the best

trentbarton drivers are the best in the bus business, according to the latest Transport Focus survey of passengers.

The survey, which ran across the final four months of 2016, saw trentbarton’s drivers given the highest rating – 91.5 per cent – of all the bus companies in the national study.

trentbarton discovered last week that its drivers were the best in Nottinghamshire. Now the overall results are in and they are the national number one.

Transport Focus is the independent transport watchdog that represents the voice of customers and campaigns for better transport. It spoke to hundreds of passengers who were asked to give their views about punctuality, travel information, bus stops, waiting time, cleanliness and the drivers.

Ratings for driver appearance, greeting, attitude and overall satisfaction all topped 90 per cent. trentbarton’s drivers also ranked top for smoothness of driving and safety. Customers felt more secure on trentbarton’s buses than other operators’.

The only criticism voiced by passengers was about an issue beyond the control of trentbarton or any other bus company – congestion. Traffic jams were cited as a cause of slower journey time by more than one in three passengers affected.

trentbarton managing director Jeff Counsell said: “We are absolutely delighted that our drivers have been judged the best in the country. We put a huge amount of effort into getting our recruitment and training right and this is reflected in our drivers being scored incredibly highly by our customers.

“We are also delighted to see our score for value for money on the rise. Our great value ticket options combined with massive and ongoing investment in the fleet and its on-board technology and creature comforts adds up to a great offer.

“This congestion trend has been worsening for three consecutive years now and everyone – all operators and their customers – need the local authorities to do their utmost to unblock the jams.”

Source: https://trentbarton.co.uk/news-and-media/our-news/article/numberone2017

Full survey results here: http://d3cez36w5wymxj.cloudfront.ne...03/22113710/TF-BPS_Autumn-2016-Report_web.pdf
 
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It looks likely that High Road, Chilwell is about due for reopening in the next week or so. Middle Road probably won't be much longer, which means that buses could return to their normal routes. Oh well high rd back to the bus-jam of old. This got me thinking what are the likely impact on existing bus services once tram operations start, and are there any opportunities for new services?
My initial thoughts:
Toton Line:
36/y36 - the present frequencies are probability unsustainable, but I can't see either operator wanting to be first to reduce.
Skylink - can't see any real impact
Indigo - may not want to follow the tram route directly, Beeston shorts wouldn't make sense, may extend Briar Gate services to maximise longer journeys.
y5 already very lightly used Nottingham - Long Eaton - Long Eaton to Derby only?
18 and local-links can't see a big impact
Opportunities:
More diverse routes to Beeston to avoid overbusing Derby Rd. Possibly via Ilkeston Rd and Jubilee campus
Long Eaton - Toton P&R - stapleford likely viable peak time only
Derby - toton P&R direct - likewise. A non TB operator may fancy that one!

Clifton Line:
Can't see any major changes. NCT will probably tweak frequencies but I can't see core changes.
Opportunities:
Again, I can't see much. Maybe Airport - Kegworth - EMD - Clifton P&R, but I guess that would be marginal

I thought I would repost my opinion piece of the impact of the opening of the tram extensions​ on the bus services in the area. Interesting to review what has actually happened in the 2 years.

Skylink - no major change
18 - initially proposed curtailment or cancellation, but still similar to pre tram
36, No change to route or frequency
Y36 - cancelled
Skylink Express New service, originally serving Clifton P&R
48 Slight reduction in frequency
Other changes in Clifton, but not major.

Overall the impact of the tram has been limited.
 
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