• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

First Greater Glasgow

Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
Can tell those EK roadworks are causing issues for other services too. The 6 is awful at the best of times but somehow it's worse
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20200303-093657_First Bus.jpg
    Screenshot_20200303-093657_First Bus.jpg
    180.2 KB · Views: 25

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
Might be a record but there's 8 buses all due towards Clydebank on the app at my stop just now. Shows how bad a lot of what I need to deal with is.

1,1A,1B and 1D then 4 2s all due at once
 

Zakforbes4

Member
Joined
15 Nov 2019
Messages
111
Location
Glasgow
I'm 50/50 on that idea. Duntocher would get nicer buses, efficiency wise it makes sense so that 6s dont run empty from EK through Clydebank to the business park but the reliability would fall through the floor and Avondale would capitalise on this. One delay on the existing 6 route- which is a nightmare for reliability would destroy the service and they would turn buses at Clydebank and abandon the runs out to Duntocher.
Avondale won't fall through there 300 is probs least used service as there 100 200 and 400 are much busier
 

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
Avondale won't fall through there 300 is probs least used service as there 100 200 and 400 are much busier

400 is something I see a lot and tbh First gave them a decent customer base by getting rid of the 42 when they did. Don't see them taking much custom away from the 100/300 because they won't go back into Parkhall or Linnvale or boost service into Duntocher with anything new so the best bet with the Streetlites is that there's an off chance people might switch to the M60 from the 200
 

Observer

Member
Joined
3 Nov 2014
Messages
709
If Avondale can't make a go of the Linnvale service with their no expense spent approach then I don't see First deciding to have a go as well.
Wouldn't really say no expense spent...but obviously in the wrong places. If their solution to fixing a broken bus is just to buy another one when it would cost less just to repair them and keep them going for longer, whilst struggling to retain staff (look up those Indeed reviews, not just the fleet that has a high turnover rate), there's still money getting spent.

Could they be more efficient? Of course, but that's not really our place to say as we don't run the company, just people commenting on all this.
 

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
Can tell those EK roadworks are causing issues for other services too. The 6 is awful at the best of times but somehow7 it's worse
7

Noticed a lot of people complaining on twitter for it. My record was waiting over an hour at Clarkston , maybe over 90 mins late at night for one.

One of them 6s might be a duplicate .Had that on the app .
 

Zakforbes4

Member
Joined
15 Nov 2019
Messages
111
Location
Glasgow
Tbh to fix the number 6 it's kinda easy bring in a 6B Duntocher to Glasgow via clydebank and Anniesland and a X6 clydebank to East kilbride via yoker Scotstoun clydeside express glasgow motorway East kilbride
 

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
7

Noticed a lot of people complaining on twitter for it. My record was waiting over an hour at Clarkston , maybe over 90 mins late at night for one.

One of them 6s might be a duplicate .Had that on the app .

Yeah I've waited over an hour twice before during the day midweek and at the weekend a few times I've had 3 or 4 not turn up at all either
 

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
Tbh to fix the number 6 it's kinda easy bring in a 6B Duntocher to Glasgow via clydebank and Anniesland and a X6 clydebank to East kilbride via yoker Scotstoun clydeside express glasgow motorway East kilbride

It's as unique an idea as I've seen for the 6 problems tbh and I wouldn't be opposed to this. Would come in handy for going to my friends house in Calderwood anyway as I normally need to get a 1 then an 18 then a 6 to get there in the quickest possible time
 

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
It's as unique an idea as I've seen for the 6 problems tbh and I wouldn't be opposed to this. Would come in handy for going to my friends house in Calderwood anyway as I normally need to get a 1 then an 18 then a 6 to get there in the quickest possible time

The only problem is the west end link is lost between Southside/EK .
 

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
In addition theres a diversion around caley at the mo , seen the buses backed up on butterbiggins road this morning.
 

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
Yeah I've waited over an hour twice before during the day midweek and at the weekend a few times I've had 3 or 4 not turn up at all either

Over an hour , but you have other services at your bit !
 

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
Over an hour , but you have other services at your bit !

Was never where I stay it happened lol. Top of Hope Street twice and I've had other long waits at Anniesland and Calderwood at the terminus meaning it's always been my only option at the time
 

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
Was never where I stay it happened lol. Top of Hope Street twice and I've had other long waits at Anniesland and Calderwood at the terminus meaning it's always been my only option at the time

Least in the City Centre you have 1 , 2 and 3.
 

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
Week from hell this week , services all over the place,big delays.

And to add misery they have stopped the 31 going up my bit . No notices on any bus stops , just a sly twitter message that doesn't even mention that a chunk of the route is being missed .
 

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
Week from hell this week , services all over the place,big delays.

And to add misery they have stopped the 31 going up my bit . No notices on any bus stops , just a sly twitter message that doesn't even mention that a chunk of the route is being missed .

Seen a few complaints about the 31 this week. Been lucky that I've not had to use buses this week at all because seemingly the 1s, 2s and 6s are all worse than normal. Also seen more people than normal complain about buses not turning up at all. Wonder if there's been more breakdowns than normal
 

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
Seen a few complaints about the 31 this week. Been lucky that I've not had to use buses this week at all because seemingly the 1s, 2s and 6s are all worse than normal. Also seen more people than normal complain about buses not turning up at all. Wonder if there's been more breakdowns than normal

I got caught out last night . The diversion was changed at somepoint during the day. Theres no signs on bus stops and this morning i see a few waiting. How are the elderly supposed to know if they dont use twitter? This may have an bad effect on 31 that cant be recovered
Loads of roadworks all over.
 

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
I got caught out last night . The diversion was changed at somepoint during the day. Theres no signs on bus stops and this morning i see a few waiting. How are the elderly supposed to know if they dont use twitter? This may have an bad effect on 31 that cant be recovered
Loads of roadworks all over.

Yeah the communication of roadworks is generally horrendous by First. Obviously it's one of the many downsides to not having great social media use too but more needs to be done off of social media too. Not hard to put up signs the second you know about a diversion
 

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
I think reliability will continually make customer numbers go down in Glasgow for First tbh. Unless they actually improve timetables it's hard to see how the numbers won't fall. Can't expect them to stay if it's not value for money and constantly not reliable. Where I stay I'm lucky because of the number of buses but if you rely on anything every 15 mins or less frequent that isn't reliable there's only so long you'll do it before you go elsewhere
 

SarahDFIG

Member
Joined
9 Jan 2019
Messages
381
I think reliability will continually make customer numbers go down in Glasgow for First tbh. Unless they actually improve timetables it's hard to see how the numbers won't fall. Can't expect them to stay if it's not value for money and constantly not reliable. Where I stay I'm lucky because of the number of buses but if you rely on anything every 15 mins or less frequent that isn't reliable there's only so long you'll do it before you go elsewhere
Unfortunately First have no control over roadworks/traffic but we do have an solution. The next order we will be trialing ADL's new prototype which can take off and land to avoid these issues :)
 

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
Unfortunately First have no control over roadworks/traffic but we do have an solution. The next order we will be trialing ADL's new prototype which can take off and land to avoid these issues :)

Plenty of buses are constantly late though and that is where the problem lies. It doesn't take much common sense to know they don't control traffic/roadworks but even when roads are quiet and roadwork free a lot of First buses run late and obviously that is extremely off-putting and part of the reason passenger numbers fall
 

carlberry

Established Member
Joined
19 Dec 2014
Messages
3,169
Yeah the communication of roadworks is generally horrendous by First. Obviously it's one of the many downsides to not having great social media use too but more needs to be done off of social media too. Not hard to put up signs the second you know about a diversion
Who does it however? Do you have people sitting around all day waiting to see if somebody decides to close a road (that's in addition to the controllers who are already trying to deal with the issue)? Do you take a bus off service and get the driver to do it? Do you suggest that whoever closes the road (possible emergency services) pays for it or does it themselves?
 

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
Who does it however? Do you have people sitting around all day waiting to see if somebody decides to close a road (that's in addition to the controllers who are already trying to deal with the issue)? Do you take a bus off service and get the driver to do it? Do you suggest that whoever closes the road (possible emergency services) pays for it or does it themselves?

As long as someone from the depot does it it would help customers a lot. Confusing diversions and people having no knowledge of them has certainly been something I've seen more lately and it's another thing that will put people off using the bus
 

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
As far as getting messages of diversions across to customers it literally could be done very simply like this once you have knowledge of the closure:

Let drivers know
Let depot nearest to road closure know
Draft up diversion on paper
Print how many copies are needed depending on how many bus stops affected
Get anyone available at the depot to go to the stops to put signs up

Doesn't have to be anything fancy but in a business driven by customers from the public, communication and relationships with them need to be spot on. First do lack good customer relations and social media absolutely shows that
 

smtglasgow

Member
Joined
15 Feb 2011
Messages
472
Location
Glasgow & London
I think reliability will continually make customer numbers go down in Glasgow for First tbh. Unless they actually improve timetables it's hard to see how the numbers won't fall. Can't expect them to stay if it's not value for money and constantly not reliable. Where I stay I'm lucky because of the number of buses but if you rely on anything every 15 mins or less frequent that isn't reliable there's only so long you'll do it before you go elsewhere

You’re right that bunching is pretty bad in Glasgow, but the obvious solution – extra running time and longer layovers – adds a lot of cost for not much gain. First have been cutting madly elsewhere, even in very profitable Leeds, so we’ve done well to escape. I just can’t see them wanting to add a bus or two to routes like the 1, 2 , 3 or 6 – which seem to be the worst offenders – because that would inevitably hit the bottom line. Even if they did, the traffic is so variable that you’d still end up with the service falling apart on the worst days. I’ve been on the UCU strike this week, so I’ve been picking my other half up from work. Yesterday it took 20 minutes, today it was nearly double that. How do you plan a timetable round that sort variability? Really needs the various councils to be brave and introduce meaningful bus priorities.
 

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
You’re right that bunching is pretty bad in Glasgow, but the obvious solution – extra running time and longer layovers – adds a lot of cost for not much gain. First have been cutting madly elsewhere, even in very profitable Leeds, so we’ve done well to escape. I just can’t see them wanting to add a bus or two to routes like the 1, 2 , 3 or 6 – which seem to be the worst offenders – because that would inevitably hit the bottom line. Even if they did, the traffic is so variable that you’d still end up with the service falling apart on the worst days. I’ve been on the UCU strike this week, so I’ve been picking my other half up from work. Yesterday it took 20 minutes, today it was nearly double that. How do you plan a timetable round that sort variability? Really needs the various councils to be brave and introduce meaningful bus priorities.

I agree with the councils tbh because they've been awful at helping bus companies out. A few mins here or there is all I'd add really and it could help in a lot of routes. Nobody can predict big problems but when services in quieter times are constantly late then that's when to draft in a few mins to the timetable. I'd start with the less frequent services too though. 8 and 90 being 2 of the very first I'd look at.

Would also look at the longest routes too and see if they could be trimmed etc or merged with anything else. The 3,6,8,90 especially are horrific for reliability and then even the likes of the 2, 38s, 60/60A are continually very hit and miss
 
Last edited:

Jordan Adam

Established Member
Joined
12 Sep 2017
Messages
5,514
Location
Aberdeen
With First it would help if they published frequent service updates on Twitter. Look at the fantastic job Stagecoach OpCo's do of advertising delays or breakdowns on Twitter throughout the day, even in to the evening/night the controllers often post updates if required. Sadly with First's Twtter accounts for some bizarre reason being centrally operated from Leeds this is unlikely to happen. Still it would be a great help.
 

PaulMc7

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Messages
4,029
With First it would help if they published frequent service updates on Twitter. Look at the fantastic job Stagecoach OpCo's do of advertising delays or breakdowns on Twitter throughout the day, even in to the evening/night the controllers often post updates if required. Sadly with First's Twtter accounts for some bizarre reason being centrally operated from Leeds this is unlikely to happen. Still it would be a great help.

Absolutely agree with this. Stagecoach in terms of social media are miles ahead of First and with much social media usage there is by people these days it would certainly help
 

Top