Boxing Day Bus Loadings?

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Hi all.

I'll be heading out for a lovely festive hack this Boxing Day in a not-too-far-away town, and will be using the bus to travel there.

Just out of interest - as I've never had to use public transport on Boxing Day in the past - what are bus loadings typically like on Boxing Day, in comparison to say a normal day? Less busy? Busier with avid shoppers, perhaps?

(Not that it would affect me too much - the route I'll be using is usually pretty dead!)

Thanks in advance.

 

[GusB]

Buses on Boxing Day? What sort of weird world is this?

 

[DunsBus]

There will be no buses in the Borders on Boxing Day - or for that matter on Christmas Day, New Year's Day or January 2nd. Borders Buses have announced that there will be no services on any of these four days, to give their staff some well-deserved time off.

 

[markymark2000]

Boxing day buses near me seem to have each journey as full as if it was a normal day. It's worth noting that operators pay a lot of wages for Boxing Day buses and do stop running them if passenger numbers aren't there so the buses will be unlikely to be empty.

 

[43055]

Hi all.

I'll be heading out for a lovely festive hack this Boxing Day in a not-too-far-away town, and will be using the bus to travel there.

Just out of interest - as I've never had to use public transport on Boxing Day in the past - what are bus loadings typically like on Boxing Day, in comparison to say a normal day? Less busy? Busier with avid shoppers, perhaps?

(Not that it would affect me too much - the route I'll be using is usually pretty dead!)

Thanks in advance.

In previous years we have had a Sunday service and it has normally been dead when I have seen it but then again it was in the evening. I suspect the more frequent/popular routes have better loadings. Maybe cirtain journeys could be busy, say the one that gets into town for when the shops open on less busy routes.

This year we are not getting a boxing day service but most of Derby/Derbyshire won't be either as trent barton are just running the skylinks and arriva are not running at all. In previous years both ran a near normal Sunday service. arriva in Leicestershire is running a Saturday service this year which is surprising.

 

[Andy Pacer]

In previous years we have had a Sunday service and it has normally been dead when I have seen it but then again it was in the evening. I suspect the more frequent/popular routes have better loadings. Maybe cirtain journeys could be busy, say the one that gets into town for when the shops open on less busy routes.

This year we are not getting a boxing day service but most of Derby/Derbyshire won't be either as trent barton are just running the skylinks and arriva are not running at all. In previous years both ran a near normal Sunday service. arriva in Leicestershire is running a Saturday service this year which is surprising.

I assume you're referring to the Derby area? Arriva Derby haven't run on Boxing Day for at least a couple of years now.

Arriva in Leicestershire will be running a Sunday service on Boxing Day but with buses finishing in the early evening (ie after the shops have closed).

 

[CN04NRJ]

Hi all.

I'll be heading out for a lovely festive hack this Boxing Day in a not-too-far-away town, and will be using the bus to travel there.

Just out of interest - as I've never had to use public transport on Boxing Day in the past - what are bus loadings typically like on Boxing Day, in comparison to say a normal day? Less busy? Busier with avid shoppers, perhaps?

(Not that it would affect me too much - the route I'll be using is usually pretty dead!)

Thanks in advance.

I've worked it twice with Cardiff Bus and both times I said never again. It was a reduced Sunday service starting around 9am and finishing up around 6 - all of the buses were full and standing all day long.

Had to leave people behind due to buses being full (their own fault as they were showing off shiny new Mercedes both times instead of using double decks) with the abuse from the public that ensued. Both times I took well in excess of £1000 over the shift (card + cash plus people with passes) - they should have run a more frequent and later service but I think union agreements along with a consistent lack of volunteers precluded that.

I'm working boxing day again this year in Edinburgh but I'm not expecting it to be busy for obvious reasons.

Lothian’s Services 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 14, 16, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 37, 41, 44, 48, 49 and 400 will operate on Boxing Day serving Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian. Early morning journeys will operate across the network for key workers.

At EastCoastbuses, a special service will be provided on Services 104, X7, 113 and 124, with financial support from East Lothian Council.

Lothiancountry will run Services 43, X27, X28, 275, 280 and the new Service 231 (Bathgate – Linlithgow – Livingston) with financial support from West Lothian Council for routes in West Lothian.

AIRLINK will operate its normal timetable but without night journeys. The first departure from South St David Street will be at 04:00. SKYLINK services will not operate with the exception of the Skylink 400 which will operate between Fort Kinnaird and the Gyle Centre only.

Nightbus services will not operate on the morning of 26 December.

 

[overthewater]

Hi all.

I'll be heading out for a lovely festive hack this Boxing Day in a not-too-far-away town, and will be using the bus to travel there.

Just out of interest - as I've never had to use public transport on Boxing Day in the past - what are bus loadings typically like on Boxing Day, in comparison to say a normal day? Less busy? Busier with avid shoppers, perhaps?

(Not that it would affect me too much - the route I'll be using is usually pretty dead!)

Thanks in advance.

This year will be completely different, alas there will be no comparison to previous years. If you do have a service you will be extremely lucky.

 

[Whistler40145]

Extremely limited bus service here in Blackpool on Boxing Day

 

[Statto]

Merseyside has buses

Stagecoach have
Cheshire - Limited timetables will operate on services 1/X1, 1/1A (Blacon), 5, 16 & 53.
Lancashire - Limited timetables will operate on Preston services 1, 3, 111, 125 & X2.
Merseyside - Limited timetables will operate on services 1/X1, 10A,14,17,19,20/21,41,53,82,86,471/472 & X2.

Boxing Day Bus Times & Timetables 2021 | Liverpool, Wirral - Merseyside, Chester and South Lancashire | Stagecoach

Find all our Boxing Day Bus Times for Liverpool, Wirral - Merseyside, Chester and South Lancashire including Bus Timetables | Stagecoach Bus

www.stagecoachbus.com

Arriva have
Special daytime services operating from approximately 8am to 7pm.
Arriva Merseyside Boxing Day timetables

Merseytravel haven't published there Christmas/New Year booklet yet, but unlike the last couple of years, no Merseyrail services are operating on Boxing Day

 

[Porty]

Pretty comprehensive service in Edinburgh, similar to previous years on all days. As an example three buses per hour on Christmas Day from Portobello to city (26 and 124) with buses running till late evening. One major difference, no night buses on 1st Jan as the huge Hogmanay event is cancelled. The two bus routes I used on Christmas Day morning last year were pretty full and standing, but much quieter in the evening.

 

[Hardcastle]

No Preston bus services Boxing day for the 1st time in about 10 years although they have cut back year on year until they have come down to nothing. Although Stagecoach locally are running limited services on certain routes on that day.

 

[Qwerty133]

I assume you're referring to the Derby area? Arriva Derby haven't run on Boxing Day for at least a couple of years now.

Arriva in Leicestershire will be running a Sunday service on Boxing Day but with buses finishing in the early evening (ie after the shops have closed).

To be fair the Arriva website does erroneously state that they'll be operating a Saturday service on boxing day.

 

[739678]

In Angus, Stagecoach traditionally ran a Sunday service across the network, the council subsidising the normal routes.
This year Sunday service continues to run on the majority of routes, but the commercial 73 Tayway corridor which usually runs up to three buses an hour from approximately 8am until 11pm is reduced to hourly between approximately 8am and 6pm westbound, 9.30am to 7.30pm eastbound. Normally the buses carry significant loads during the shopping hours, and usually travelling on them on my way home from Christmas at my parents, there can be 50plus passengers per bus alighting in Dundee.
Hopefully there will be no demand this year, as the service now has a sixth of its previous capacity with social distancing in force.
I won't be travelling this year as Citylink have also cut their service from a Sunday level to 4 journeys from Dundee to Glasgow, despite running a normal Sunday service from Glasgow to Edinburgh....

 

[WM Bus]

Buses on Boxing Day? What sort of weird world is this?

Birmingham usually sees Sunday service on boxing day.
NX site says minor routes finishing early at 7PM and key routes continuing till last buses. So same as previous years I think.
55/94 Birmingham City Centre - Ward End were normally fairly busy in previous years. Which will likely be every 10 minutes on there as per Sunday service I expect.
Christmas and New Year bus services | Information | Service Changes | National Express West Midlands (nxbus.co.uk)

 

[Andy Pacer]

To be fair the Arriva website does erroneously state that they'll be operating a Saturday service on boxing day.

Oh dear, I will make them aware.

 

[CD]

Buses of Somerset. No services on 25/26/27 or 28th December !!

Christmas Service Levels | Somerset | First Bus

We are pleased to announce our service levels for the Christmas and New Year period. We would like to take this opertunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2021. Thank you for supporting us during this very unusual year! *Christmas Week* Sunday 20th December – Normal Sunday...

www.firstgroup.com

 

[Hophead]

Is that really how First Group think you should spell "opportunity"?

 

[duncombec]

Isn't the OP's question about how many people he can expect to see on the bus, not the levels of service being provided? And didn't we have a thread about this more generally (service levels) last year?

I think it would help if the OP could give us some pointer as to where he is, as it may be heavily area dependent. We have a Boxing Day service here, primarily because it is operationally linked to another that serves a large shopping centre (it's basically a Sunday timetable with extras), and I'd say loadings at this end are fairly minimal during the middle part of the day. However, I never go into town to see what the "other end" is like, or get up at the likely shift-start times, - and given the handful of services that run on Boxing Day here it must be worth their while.

 

[Deerfold]

In Keighley we have hourly services on a handful of services, half-hourly to Bradford. But the hours of operation are so short it's not really worth travelling if you're making a connection. West Yorkshire service levels are similar to last year except for Leeds to Leeds Bradford Airport which doubles its frequency but will not run on New Year's Day this year (it's usually the only non-volunteer service running). There's usually volunteer services on Christmas and New Year's Days which probably won't run this year.

 

[Darandio]

Isn't the OP's question about how many people he can expect to see on the bus, not the levels of service being provided? And didn't we have a thread about this more generally (service levels) last year?

In fairness, the two questions go hand in hand.

 

[Andy Pacer]

To be fair the Arriva website does erroneously state that they'll be operating a Saturday service on boxing day.

This has now been rectified, thanks for the heads up.

 

[Whisky Papa]

I spent two Christmases driving for UK North in Manchester, 2003/4. On the first of the two I got talked into working on Boxing Day, and spent the day slogging up Wilmslow Road on the 42 to East Didsbury, I think a ten minute headway was in operation. I was allocated one of their awful step-entrance DAF single-deckers, and spent the whole afternoon completely rammed, occasionally having to leave potential customers behind. Unfortunately, the double-deck fleet had been earmarked for football specials from Old Trafford, which largely proved to be a waste of time - nobody had been able to get there by bus, so they weren't looking to get back into the city centre by bus after the match in large numbers.

Finally getting back to garage around 1800, I cashed in just short of £700, which with a maximum fare of £1.00 was not bad going I thought - certainly a change from previous Boxing Days in the late 80's driving for Yorkshire Rider, where I don't think my takings got into double figures.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

certainly a change from previous Boxing Days in the late 80's driving for Yorkshire Rider

For those of us of a certain age, Boxing Day is much different from the past. Even before the advent of internet shopping, larger standard bricks and mortar retailers had moved to make Boxing Day a major trading day. Yet I recall in the 80s and early 90s, even major cities had relatively few bus services and those tended to be supported by LAs/PTEs.

I have a sneaking suspicion that services, where they do exist, may be rather busier than anticipated; there's a suppressed demand from people who have had their leisure activities curtailed in recent weeks. Despite this, many operators have decided not to operate probably because it could be carnage!

 

[Andyh82]

For those of us of a certain age, Boxing Day is much different from the past. Even before the advent of internet shopping, larger standard bricks and mortar retailers had moved to make Boxing Day a major trading day. Yet I recall in the 80s and early 90s, even major cities had relatively few bus services and those tended to be supported by LAs/PTEs.

I have a sneaking suspicion that services, where they do exist, may be rather busier than anticipated; there's a suppressed demand from people who have had their leisure activities curtailed in recent weeks. Despite this, many operators have decided not to operate probably because it could be carnage!

There is an element of that creeping in already. Buses have run on Boxing Day in West Yorks for about 13 years now so don’t know any different and can’t get their head around why the buses are only running every 30 mins when they’d usually be every 10 mins and why it’s a special timetable. So you get them mouthing off on twitter that they’ve been waiting 25 mins. This is before you factor in limited capacity due to social distancing this year.

You also see the same people having seen the buses running, turning up at the railway station and being completely baffled at why it’s all locked up.

 

[markymark2000]

There is an element of that creeping in already. Buses have run on Boxing Day in West Yorks for about 13 years now so don’t know any different and can’t get their head around why the buses are only running every 30 mins when they’d usually be every 10 mins and why it’s a special timetable. So you get them mouthing off on twitter that they’ve been waiting 25 mins. This is before you factor in limited capacity due to social distancing this year.

You also see the same people having seen the buses running, turning up at the railway station and being completely baffled at why it’s all locked up.

Cost mainly. I know where I am, it's all volunteer based and so you are limited by that for drivers. Wages are doubled as well so the cost increases. Then you consider that actually not everyone wants to go out. Some people want to spend time with their families and the elderly tend not to go out shopping (it's a 30-65 thing to shop on boxing Day). When you take out some of the passengers and you have a hugely increased cost, it's hard to justify running a full service.

 

[Statto]

For those of us of a certain age, Boxing Day is much different from the past. Even before the advent of internet shopping, larger standard bricks and mortar retailers had moved to make Boxing Day a major trading day. Yet I recall in the 80s and early 90s, even major cities had relatively few bus services and those tended to be supported by LAs/PTEs.

I have a sneaking suspicion that services, where they do exist, may be rather busier than anticipated; there's a suppressed demand from people who have had their leisure activities curtailed in recent weeks. Despite this, many operators have decided not to operate probably because it could be carnage!

According to reports on one forum, The 10A/10B Liverpool-Huyton/St Helens seems very busy even though these services are allocated deckers, on previous Boxing Days people were being left behind as buses were that full, this coming Boxing Day the 10A is every 10 minutes combined[Arriva & Stagecoach] with Arriva 10B every 20 minutes.

I tend not to venture out on Boxing Days that much, [well apart from my local boozer anyway, hic], so not sure what loadings are like, but my local route which does operate does look quiet when i've seen buses go past

 

[NorthernSpirit]

In Keighley we have hourly services on a handful of services, half-hourly to Bradford. But the hours of operation are so short it's not really worth travelling if you're making a connection. West Yorkshire service levels are similar to last year except for Leeds to Leeds Bradford Airport which doubles its frequency but will not run on New Year's Day this year (it's usually the only non-volunteer service running). There's usually volunteer services on Christmas and New Year's Days which probably won't run this year.

I doubt that the X51 (Morley to St. Jimmy's), the Keighley Christmas Day services and the 87 (Morley to White Rose Shopping Centre) will be running this year. I'm even thinking that the H11 (Scholes > Holmfirth > Holme Valley > Huddersfield) may not run either unless South Pennine CT run it on behalf of Stotts (similar to what they did with the Holme Valley Minibus services in March.

For the first time in many years Bristol gets nothing this year, hopefully they'll return in 2021.

 

[philthetube]

Is that really how First Group think you should spell "opportunity"?

good of you to point this out, giving the the opertunity to change it

 

[mlambeuk]

Transdev are running the Cityzap service Between York and Leeds. First York haven't released info about their plans yet, although they normally run some Park and Ride
as well as some "city" routes.