Cityfox Bus

[TheGrandWazoo]

Having visited Newport in January, it was obvious that The One would not survive. I did write to them with a list of reasons why it was not economic, but they kept going. The history of Rhys and co did suggest it was not a business and the visit proved it. Slogans like "the one for school" suggested he hadn't researched the area or understood Newport Bus's Network smartcards, which for under 18s were around half the cost if topped up monthly and valid through to Cardiff. His experiment has robbed Newport Bus of much needed income and probably others unknown.

Now Rhys or perhaps Mr Hand will have to face the consequences from probably both the Traffic Commissioner and the Insolvency practitioner / Companies House. Rhys is listed as a director of 8 companies including Cityfox Cardiff Ltd. As the sole director of Snowdonia Travel, if it was trading whilst insolvent, he will be personally liable for its debts - could be ouch.

Your comments seemed well observed and, viewed in light of events, rather prescient.

It will be interesting to see how the TC progresses this. Mr Siddaway has form for similar.

 

[radamfi]

Having visited Newport in January, it was obvious that The One would not survive. I did write to them with a list of reasons why it was not economic, but they kept going. The history of Rhys and co did suggest it was not a business and the visit proved it. Slogans like "the one for school" suggested he hadn't researched the area or understood Newport Bus's Network smartcards, which for under 18s were around half the cost if topped up monthly and valid through to Cardiff. His experiment has robbed Newport Bus of much needed income and probably others unknown.

Now Rhys or perhaps Mr Hand will have to face the consequences from probably both the Traffic Commissioner and the Insolvency practitioner / Companies House. Rhys is listed as a director of 8 companies including Cityfox Cardiff Ltd. As the sole director of Snowdonia Travel, if it was trading whilst insolvent, he will be personally liable for its debts - could be ouch.

Maybe now the bus industry can stop screaming poverty whilst continuing to campaign against deregulation? Indulging in wasteful, pointless competition like this is a ridiculous largess that cannot be afforded if the industry really is as broke as it claims.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Maybe now the bus industry can stop screaming poverty whilst continuing to campaign against deregulation? Indulging in wasteful, pointless competition like this is a ridiculous largess that cannot be afforded if the industry really is as broke as it claims.

That may be a valid point elsewhere but not in this case.

This was an example of the marketing not reflecting reality - not the first time this has happened as nesw noted.

 

[radamfi]

That may be a valid point elsewhere but not in this case.

This was an example of the marketing not reflecting reality - not the first time this has happened as nesw noted.

As far as I can tell, the area already had an adequate service and so there was no need for a new company to come in. This is not the first service to be duplicated since 1986 where the new company disappears after a short period. Hard to see how the consequential loss in resources can benefit the passenger in the long run.

 

[RustySpoons]

As far as I can tell, the area already had an adequate service and so there was no need for a new company to come in. This is not the first service to be duplicated since 1986 where the new company disappears after a short period. Hard to see how the consequential loss in resources can benefit the passenger in the long run.

I think that is what Foxstar made a point of bettering, the alternative was only adequate. They come along with friendly drivers, clean buses and a pretty good social media presence. This was proven by pretty much all positive comments on Facebook and Twitter from passengers, most begging for them to expand.

I didn't actually realise until literally just now that Newport Bus already run every 20 minutes in either direction. Super ambitious for Foxstar to come straight in with a 12 minute frequency to compete, which makes the vehicle choice even more of an odd choice.

 

[richw]

Your comments seemed well observed and, viewed in light of events, rather prescient.

It will be interesting to see how the TC progresses this. Mr Siddaway has form for similar.

Mr Siddaways history for those unaware:

An appeal by Cornwall Busways Ltd against a licence revocation and fine has been dismissed.

The operator had its licence revoked for failing to operate the number 29 service from St Austell to Bodmin. The operator had refused to operate the service during the 56 day notice period because a competing service had been introduced by Western Greyhound, which it claimed had been ‘fast tracked’ despite the council not requesting it and was being operated illegally. He said service was 29 was ‘losing £5,000 a week’ as a result.

However, Traffic Commissioner Nick Jones said commercial factors could not be considered for a short notice cancelation and revoked the licence, fining the company £300.

Nicholas Siddaway, the sole director of the appellant company, had attempted to surrender the O-licence prior to the public inquiry, which was refused by the traffic commissioner.

The grounds for appeal were that the Traffic Commissioner was bound to accept the surrender of the licence and that he therefore had no power to revoke the licence or to impose a penalty, and that the actions of the Traffic Commissioner for the West of England and her office put the Appellant in a position where it had no alternative but to cease to operate service 29.

The tribunal said that the operator could have reasonably foreseen the competition and that there was not sufficiently compelling material to call into question the judicial decision to allow Western Greyhound to vary its service at short notice. The appeal was therefore dismissed, though the operator has said it will publically campaign to discredit the system.

https://cbwmagazine.com/cornwall-busways-loses-appeal/

 

[richw]

I think that is what Foxstar made a point of bettering, the alternative was only adequate. They come along with friendly drivers, clean buses and a pretty good social media presence. This was proven by pretty much all positive comments on Facebook and Twitter from passengers, most begging for them to expand.

All singing all dancing decorated with flowers is unviable in the industry unless
You’ve got other successful income sources to subsidise it.

 

[RustySpoons]

All singing all dancing decorated with flowers is unviable in the industry unless
You’ve got other successful income sources to subsidise it.

I wonder if it was hoped that the income from the taxis and rail replacement work would subsidise the service bus side of things until it could pay for itself?

Although if that was the case I'd doubt they'd be literally giving money (not an insubstantial amount either considering how 'popular' the service was) away to random ticket holders. Especially if they're not even paying for the buses they're leasing - that is of course only speculation as nothing has been proven, but lease companies don't take their vehicles back at short notice for no reason do they?.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

As far as I can tell, the area already had an adequate service and so there was no need for a new company to come in. This is not the first service to be duplicated since 1986 where the new company disappears after a short period. Hard to see how the consequential loss in resources can benefit the passenger in the long run.

That Newport Bus is rather lacklustre and of a different era is probably reflected in this comment

I think that is what Foxstar made a point of bettering, the alternative was only adequate. They come along with friendly drivers, clean buses and a pretty good social media presence. This was proven by pretty much all positive comments on Facebook and Twitter from passengers, most begging for them to expand.

So you had an existing service but questionable how "adequate" it was - reliability by NB wasn't great and then you have the exact fare operation. Not perhaps the usual issue as here we had a new entrant who wanted to do things differently - no shame there; there have been numerous examples since 1986 where services have improved.

However, a number of people were understandably sceptical of the move for many of the reasons cited within the thread, not least richard13's comments.

 

[GRAHAMJ]

I think that is what Foxstar made a point of bettering, the alternative was only adequate. They come along with friendly drivers, clean buses and a pretty good social media presence. This was proven by pretty much all positive comments on Facebook and Twitter from passengers, most begging for them to expand.

I didn't actually realise until literally just now that Newport Bus already run every 20 minutes in either direction. Super ambitious for Foxstar to come straight in with a 12 minute frequency to compete, which makes the vehicle choice even more of an odd choice.

As always, not all may be what it seems. I was surpsied at how many positive reviews Foxstar had received, unable to now go back and check because the page has gone, but i am sure you will find that many reviews were left by friends of Rhys Hand. Just check the reviews of other 'City Fox Group' companies, friends and employees feature heavily. If i asked my Mum to leave a review of my work she would leave a glowing review no doubt!

 

[radamfi]

So you had an existing service but questionable how "adequate" it was - reliability by NB wasn't great and then you have the exact fare operation. Not perhaps the usual issue as here we had a new entrant who wanted to do things differently - no shame there; there have been numerous examples since 1986 where services have improved.

But what has been the net effect on patronage of all these competitive services? There has been a huge amount of money lost by incumbents and by aggressive operators over that time. What if that money had been used for actual long term improvements to services?

 

[nesw]

Newport Bus recently registered a change to their 15/16 that serves Bettws starting in May.

 

[Westnat]

I think that is what Foxstar made a point of bettering, the alternative was only adequate. They come along with friendly drivers, clean buses and a pretty good social media presence. This was proven by pretty much all positive comments on Facebook and Twitter from passengers, most begging for them to expand.

I didn't actually realise until literally just now that Newport Bus already run every 20 minutes in either direction. Super ambitious for Foxstar to come straight in with a 12 minute frequency to compete, which makes the vehicle choice even more of an odd choice.

They had all positive comments because they actively deleted all negative comments! This was particularly noticeable on the day their buses were reclaimed by Dawsons. There were many critical comments posted which mysteriously vanished, while the positive comments remained.

 

[Dai Corner]

They had all positive comments because they actively deleted all negative comments! This was particularly noticeable on the day their buses were reclaimed by Dawsons. There were many critical comments posted which mysteriously vanished, while the positive comments remained.

I can confirm that as my comment was one of those removed and I was barred from making any further ones.

 

[father_jack]

I can confirm that as my comment was one of those removed and I was barred from making any further ones.

His "blocked" list on twitter must make the servers creak !!!

 

[Mwanesh]

Has anyone seen that Rhys has not responded to this forum.He normally replied on time before.He has just vanished .Even on facebook and twitter i sent messages he is not answering.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Has anyone seen that Rhys has not responded to this forum.He normally replied on time before.He has just vanished .Even on facebook and twitter i sent messages he is not answering.

To be absolutely fair, he might be pretty busy dealing with the fall out from all this.

 

[nesw]

He posted a tweet yesterday ‘Good evening from Palma’ , followed today with ‘so relaxed’. Nothing like escaping problems of his own making. I wonder whether the staff who lost their jobs are as relaxed?

I did expect that he would’ve replied to this forum and it appears that he last logged in using that username over a month ago.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

He posted a tweet yesterday ‘Good evening from Palma’ , followed today with ‘so relaxed’. Nothing like escaping problems of his own making. I wonder whether the staff who lost their jobs are as relaxed?

I did expect that he would’ve replied to this forum and it appears that he last logged in using that username over a month ago.

He’ll be working remotely!

Mind you, with the coterie of Ops Managers and Compliance Officers that they employ (!), sure it’s all ok.

As an aside, is the Keynsham Local Link still running?

 

[backontrack]

And so the CityFox saga rumbles on.

 

[Jordan Adam]

And so the CityFox saga rumbles on.

You mean crumbles?

 

[backontrack]

You mean crumbles?

Here's a picture of Rhys Hands that was taken the other day.

(It's the 'this is fine' meme, which consists of a two-panel webcomic featuring an anthropomorphic dog sitting in a burning house on a chair by a table with a mug of coffee and saying the words “This is fine" while looking perfectly cheerful and oblivious to their surroundings.)

 

[freetoview33]

Here's a picture of Rhys Hands that was taken the other day.
View attachment 61309

Nothing wrong with his ambition. Just his execution has something to be desired.

 

[backontrack]

Nothing wrong with his ambition. Just his execution has something to be desired.

But I'm not criticising his ambition. I'm criticising the execution.

 

[richw]

Nothing wrong with his ambition. Just his execution has something to be desired.

When he had Phil on board he seemed to have the right influences on him and going in the correct direction. Other names he has had on board with less than favourable reputation seem to be when things have gone wrong. We don’t need to repeat his Transport Managers history!

 

[carlberry]

But I'm not criticising his ambition. I'm criticising the execution.

Execution? Wow, the penalties from the traffic commissioners have been upgraded recently then!!

 

[father_jack]

Here's a picture of Rhys Hands that was taken the other day.
View attachment 61309

Cityfocks, brought to you courtesy of Swan Vestas, the safer match !!!!

Image of box of Swan Vestas matches

 

[Bletchleyite]

Execution? Wow, the penalties from the traffic commissioners have been upgraded recently then!!

It might well concentrate minds at some of the more disreputable small independents!

 

[nesw]

I thought that Fat Bus Bloke might avoid writing about the exploits of ‘slight of’ Hand however, today’s blog is the first part of his look at the buses of Bettws.
http://publictransportexperience.blogspot.com/2019/04/bet-its-better-at-bettws-1.html

Part 2 and the ‘juicy bits’ follow tomorrow. Meanwhile Rhys continues to post photos of his relaxing break; one tweeter replied to one of his posts asking whether his employees are as relaxed? And how many does he employ 5, 15, 90, including the layers of management?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I thought that Fat Bus Bloke might avoid writing about the exploits of ‘slight of’ Hand however, today’s blog is the first part of his look at the buses of Bettws.
http://publictransportexperience.blogspot.com/2019/04/bet-its-better-at-bettws-1.html

Part 2 and the ‘juicy bits’ follow tomorrow. Meanwhile Rhys continues to post photos of his relaxing break; one tweeter replied to one of his posts asking whether his employees are as relaxed? And how many does he employ 5, 15, 90, including the layers of management?

I had seen that on PTE

As for the Cityfox empire and its comprehensive management structure...

LinkedIn
Rhys Hand - Group MD
Kevin Hempstead - Regional Manager Wales
Matt Thompson-Taylor - Regional Manager South West
Chris Bearman - Ops Director Cityfox Bus
Cityfox Group website
Andrew Murphy - Head of Operations
Sue Arrowsmith - Head of Commercial
Nick Siddaway - Head of Finance
John Smith - Head of Engineering
Louise Chivers - Compliance Officer
Dan McIntyre - Operations Manager (Bath) Taxis