freetoview33
Established Member
I still don't really agree they are going about it the right way in all honesty.
Certainly a long trip on 174 at weekends.Route timetables starting to appear on first website for 5th April and after
https://www.firstgroup.com/bristol-...dates/coronavirus-covid19-service-information
First WoE said:SERVICE UPDATE*
Due to operational issues, the following services will not operate.
X9 Bristol-Nailsea & return (14:45-16:08)
X7 Bristol-Clevedon & return (17:15-19:38)
X7 Britol-Clevedon & return (20:15-22:31)
That does have a slight feel of finality about it??
Who operates the evening taxi service these days? It was part of the famed CityFox empire.....
I'm sure that, with the benefit of plenty of time for planning, first would have come up with a better plan. However I suspect it's the best they could do! Having feeder services look great on paper but people don't like it and, in the current situation, increasing the number of times people walk past the driver and stand around in bus shelters is an awful idea.Number 1 I fully understand and agree the need to further cut buses.
Number 2 I understand why they are cutting current services so people know the 1 is running but only hourly, it's easier for people.
Number 3 I disagree because it is still set up for people travelling to/from town. Example City Centre - Downs will still be 4bph (Currently 6) lets be honest that really only needs to be 2bph. Then you have the Downs - Westbury/Southmead and Cribbs each bus hourly, when it would be more useful for that to be more frequent.
So basically a hub and spoke system.
Centre - Downs
Centre - Fishponds
Centre - Kingswood
Centre - Keynsham
All these only need to be every 30 mins. With then services connecting onwards to the likes of Midsomer Norton, Bitton, Cadbury Heath, Cribbs Causeway, U.W.E, Lyde Green ect. Means much more people still have access to a service using a similar number of buses.
Downside is telling people they need to change buses if they want to go into town and publicising such, but it would be better for people, as you could still provide a service to the likes of Marshfield ect.
Much the same as the 39/349 set up where the 349 is acting as a feeder into the 39 for onward travel into Bristol or Bath.
I recall that was the fleet name carried on buses (in NBC days I think?)I like how the 172 is listed under Weston and Wells!
It may because Weston and Wells are ran together operationally, with Wells engineering the responsibility of BathI recall that was the fleet name carried on buses (in NBC days I think?)
I think it might have been, though long before my time.I recall that was the fleet name carried on buses (in NBC days I think?)
Oh yes, sorry I knew that, my point was more that the 172 operates nowhere near those two places. The average bus user probably isn't aware of the logistics of how it is run.It may because Weston and Wells are ran together operationally, with Wells engineering the responsibility of Bath
And also, imho, it needs to be as simple as possible - people at this time surely need to have it as much like usual as possible so keeping the routes unchanged archives this?I'm sure that, with the benefit of plenty of time for planning, first would have come up with a better plan. However I suspect it's the best they could do! Having feeder services look great on paper but people don't like it and, in the current situation, increasing the number of times people walk past the driver and stand around in bus shelters is an awful idea.
https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/node_images/U2 (Bath) weekday.pdfAm I correct in saying the U2 is going to run in Bath next week again
Very confused why that is running. Surely no students are going into Uni? Perhaps they will drag out a 320xx to run on it!! I don't think we will ever see those again.
See some baffling decisions going on!Very confused why that is running. Surely no students are going into Uni? Perhaps they will drag out a 320xx to run on it!! I don't think we will ever see those again.
I recall that was the fleet name carried on buses (in NBC days I think?)
Certainly a long trip on 174 at weekends.
https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/node_images/174 (Wells) weekend.pdf
I'm sure that, with the benefit of plenty of time for planning, first would have come up with a better plan. However I suspect it's the best they could do! Having feeder services look great on paper but people don't like it and, in the current situation, increasing the number of times people walk past the driver and stand around in bus shelters is an awful idea.
Very confused why that is running. Surely no students are going into Uni? Perhaps they will drag out a 320xx to run on it!! I don't think we will ever see those again.
The Bath U2 timetable leaflet from 21 Sept 2019 states the Bath Uni Easter holiday is from the 5th to 18th April. The new U2 timetable from Monday is pretty much exactly the same as the Saturday all year round U2 service which is council funded. BANES also fund the weekday out of term hourly service so is that why the U2 has to run from 5th April? GW-it also serves Sainsburys Odd Down.
So i notice all 172's from next week start and finish in wells really on a sunday this should be happening all the time anyway as most trips after a few round 172s run empty to wells 172 and 174 don't interwork.
as for the 174 on the Sunday personally i think it would be quicker for it to run via Chilcompton after Stratton then serve farrington and paulton.
Or run straight from Shepton to Farrington
I reckon the connection from Uni/Twerton-Sainsburys is the key, bare in mind that there are still several international students still in residence on the uni campus unable to travel home. There's only one shop up there which probably does run out of stock from time to time. Having multiple connections from Uni-Supermarkets will certainly help everyone out!
The timetable is basically the same, but with the omission of the 1230 round trip, presumably to give the one bus and driver a break! Normally two vehicles are used on the Saturday/Holiday timetable, swapping over with one another to go and do driver changes in the bus station. They won't drag a 32*** out. A B9 is far more likely. The 32***s were being used far less frequently at the weekends before the uni shut up shop anyway! Same story with the U5 batch - reckon they're probably withdrawn now too!
I doubt it is - that the Coop might be short of the odd thing for the few students left is not major but serving the two hospitals (esp if they need to use the BMI for NHS patients) will be as well as serving the Sainsbury's. It probably doesn't even need to serve the Uni but it may as well and it is the best place to turn around.
Agree with you that the B7s are probably history now. I'd be thinking it might be an e200 or failing that, a B9.
You're probably right. It could also be to compensate the 20 being cut back to two-hourly & the 42 to hourly. You can run the U2 each hour with just a single vehicle, whereas the 20 of course needs two!
The other one that surprises me as to why it's still so frequent is the D2. Is there still sufficient demand on there to warrant an hourly frequency? I'm not that familiar with the route, so will happily be corrected is someone knows anything more!
Is this going to be permanent after the Coronavirus Pandemic is over?Certainly a long trip on 174 at weekends.
https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/node_images/174 (Wells) weekend.pdf
No it wontIs this going to be permanent after the Coronavirus Pandemic is over?
It’s replacing the X67 and First are accepting Faresaver tickets until 25th April