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Christmas Day Bus Services

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Ivo

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Not bad! I didn't know there was any Christmas service, and there was also some discussion on here criticising this quite recently.

Two points though; 1, why does Southport only get two buses all day when other areas have an hourly service, and 2, why is there nothing under the Mersey?

Something tells me Brum won't have this. And I didn't think TfL do either?
 

radamfi

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I'm going to the Netherlands from 24 to 26 December and of course it will be a normal Sunday bus and train service on 25 December, why would it be anything different?
 

pemma

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Two points though; 1, why does Southport only get two buses all day when other areas have an hourly service, and 2, why is there nothing under the Mersey?

The aim is to provide a Christmas Day service to the hospitals. There is a hospital in Southport so the aim of the Southport service is to provide a service from Formby and Crossens to Southport Hospital.
 

Zoe

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I'm going to the Netherlands from 24 to 26 December and of course it will be a normal Sunday bus and train service on 25 December, why would it be anything different?
I don't see why it should be any different here either but as I've said before, when I asked the question the response is usually that there isn't any demand for it in the UK and that the drivers deserve the day off. London is the place where you'd think there would be demand but TfL run absolutely nothing.
 

pemma

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What I don't understand is why travel companies don't offer staff alternatives instead of Christmas and Easter. I imagine Muslim employees would rather have days off for Eid celebrations opposed to Christmas. Do similar for other non-Christian religions then it allows a small compliment of staff to be available over Christmas.
 

starrymarkb

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Southern Vectis will be running, but their high fares cover the overtime.

Our Office shuts Christmas day (the only day of the year that it does) and you can be certain we'll get complaints about it on Boxing Day (reduced opening 9-5 only)
 

Deerfold

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TfL are running no services on Christmas Day. Until a couple of years ago one of the tourist bus companies ran a couple of local services in (very)central london but does not any more.

There will be Oxford tubes running but going Oxford - Heathrow - London with more expensive fares than normal (but a lot cheaper than a taxi).

Megabus are running a few Christmas day coach services but fewer than last year.

There will be (free) buses past my house near Keighley hourly from about 1000 to 1600 - it's mentioned here (http://www.wymetro.com/travelnews/bank) but the timetable is not on line yet. Usually there's 3 routes, 2 which take 30 minutes to return to their starting point and 1 an hour. From there it appears the services run by Huddersfield Green Party in previous years will not be running this year.
 

Zoe

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TfL are running no services on Christmas Day. Until a couple of years ago one of the tourist bus companies ran a couple of local services in (very)central london but does not any more.
So the big question here is why is there no demand for public transport in London on Christmas Day, considering that Edinburgh is a fair bit smaller and does have a bus service on that day.
 

Deerfold

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So the big question here is why is there no demand for public transport in London on Christmas Day, considering that Edinburgh is a fair bit smaller and does have a bus service on that day.

I'm sure there is a demand - after all some people are working, quite apart from any leisure use. I'm sure it would be far lower usage than on other days but going from 6 million journeys on a weekday to none on that day is quite a jump.

The routes which were run by the tourist company were well within Zone 1 so quite easily walkable (and fairly poorly promoted - never saw any publicity from the company running them).
 

starrymarkb

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So the big question here is why is there no demand for public transport in London on Christmas Day, considering that Edinburgh is a fair bit smaller and does have a bus service on that day.

New Years is the bigger event in Scotland...
 

Zoe

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New Years is the bigger event in Scotland...
That may well be the case but buses do run in Edinburgh on New Year's Day and that doesn't give the excuse to run absolutely nothing at all in London. This also doesn't explain why most of mainland Europe does run a service.
 

richw

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I'm off to my parents Christmas day, about 5miles away so not walk-able, no public transport so I've gotta to drive and not drink anything all day.... I imagine Christmas day has more drink drivers than any other day of the year due to no public transport!

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk
 

tbtc

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What I don't understand is why travel companies don't offer staff alternatives instead of Christmas and Easter. I imagine Muslim employees would rather have days off for Eid celebrations opposed to Christmas. Do similar for other non-Christian religions then it allows a small compliment of staff to be available over Christmas.

If we can't even get train companies to get staff to agree (normal) Sunday working then I can't see Christmas day trains any time soon.

Realistically, most travel on Christmas day is going to be "family visits" (esp Old People's Homes), which isn't too suited to buses/ trams/ trains. Plus, with most shops closed, what is the other demand going to be?
 

ivanhoe

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I can go back to the 1960's in Liverpool when buses where running on Christmas Day. They started about 9am and ran to about 2pm. Buses also used to run to midnight on Christmas Eve as far ago as the 1980's. Merseytravel now run free services for social reasons only. To allow people to visit their loved ones in Hospital.

As a nation, we have been duped into not having trains on Boxing Day(for the masses) and pretty poor bus services as well. It is usually a day when there is a full sporting calendar and also the start of sales. We are told that there is no demand, however !
 

deltic

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London's bus operators did run some routes on Christmas Day as a commercial operation (ie not as part of TfL's services) - travelcards etc were not accepted.

There are certainly a number of parts of London which open as normal on Christmas Day and are very busy with shoppers etc. Boxing Day buses and tubes in London are generally very busy, increasingly so with most shops now open.
 

Zoe

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At 4 times rate, its going to cost me £40 each way, I don't think that's realistic!
The taxi drivers must make a fortune out of people that have no other option on Christmas Day then.
 

Deerfold

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At 4 times rate, its going to cost me £40 each way, I don't think that's realistic!

At that price, I'd consider 5 miles walkable!

Although if you are drinking, maybe not.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
London General are running a Christmas Day service between Gatwick and Heathrow (no 847).

I note in London that the 84 will *not* be running on Boxing Day as it has done for many years.
 

rmt-driver

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So the big question here is why is there no demand for public transport in London on Christmas Day, considering that Edinburgh is a fair bit smaller and does have a bus service on that day.

People can get on a Boris bike... and there is lots of car club vehicles available all over London, which other cities do not offer.
 

Zoe

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People can get on a Boris bike... and there is lots of car club vehicles available all over London, which other cities do not offer.
London is a large city, not everyone drives and I doubt many would cycle 20 miles. I don't think the provision of Boris bikes is the reason that London doesn't run anything but Edinburgh does as this has been the case for many years, long before Boris bikes have been available.
 
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rmt-driver

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"going to the sales" is hardly a credible reason to start services running on Boxing day... The sales will still be there on the 27th, and the 28th and so on!! Boxing day is for chilling out, being hungover, relaxing after too much over-indulging ... if some sad act wants to go to the sales at 9am on the 26th.. they can get there using there own transport! If they don't have any... it will hardly kill them to wait until the 27th!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
London is a large city, not everyone drives and I doubt many would cycle 20 miles.

Then they can stay at home :D
 

Zoe

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Then they can stay at home
You are ignoring the fact that some people do need to travel on that day. Is it really they case that no-one at all in London would be prepared to drive a bus on Christmas Day?
 
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rmt-driver

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You are ignoring the fact that some people do need to travel on that day. Is it really they case that no-one at all in London would be prepared to drive a bus on Christmas Day?

Pretty much :) It is only ONE day a year!!! Hardly a lot to ask
 

Zoe

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Pretty much It is only ONE day a year!!! Hardly a lot to ask
I would be very surprised if it was the case that absolutely no drivers at all would work on Christmas Day, how are they able to find drivers in Edinburgh? It may only be one day a year but you can't just ask everyone not to travel. If Christmas really was a day when nothing at all should run then why does most of Europe run a service?
 
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pemma

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If we can't even get train companies to get staff to agree (normal) Sunday working then I can't see Christmas day trains any time soon.

Realistically, most travel on Christmas day is going to be "family visits" (esp Old People's Homes), which isn't too suited to buses/ trams/ trains. Plus, with most shops closed, what is the other demand going to be?

Yes Boxing Day is more of a priority over Christmas Day with all the sales and sport events.

The problem with transport companies is most employees have union representation. The unions will try and get double pay for Muslims, Jews, Sikhs etc. who agree to work Christmas Day and Boxing Day even if they get guaranteed alternative days off for their own religious festivals.

I wonder how long it'll be before we hear of unions claiming there are 3 bank holidays at Christmas again as they count the weekend date as well as the weekday lieu date to make 1 plus 1 equal 3.
 

radamfi

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I think the lack of services on Christmas Day is basically a statement saying that public transport is not an important public service. It is part of the British disease. Forget Britain as a civilised country. Much better in NL or CH where public transport and cycling are definitely important.
 

Zoe

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Also don't forget the engineering work on the railways on Christmas Day. Don't the track workers have the same right to a day off that the drivers do?
 
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