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Staffordshire Bus News
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Do you have a source for this?
Edit: just seen the new timetables on the D&G website and think you've over-stated the impact
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Luckily the one really narrow road is one way and scraggs have been running the 50 with a long optare. Probably not suitable as a bus route though. Obviously some subsidy to do with rowan village though as very few people catch it there most who are able will walk to meir square where there are lots more buses.
Sad news about the upcoming D&G cuts. I really thought they were on to something with the 2, certainly the ones I’ve seen seem to be carrying fair loads. Wonder if the issues are more to do with timekeeping as Waterloo Rd, Festival Park, Etruria and Basford can be a nightmare at peak. Never see any 9s full so odd to double the frequency on the Hanley - Station - Stoke - Newcastle corridor. Maybe they’re abandoning the innovative new service approach for the good old fashioned overbussing a corridor method.
I was just thinking this morning, right before the revisions were announced, that there could be legs in coupling the 10 & 40 together to make a City & Longton circular via the station and Bentilee. Could have even worked Dresden & Newstead into it somehow, factoring in the replacement 50. Seeing as the weekday daytime 23A is about to be withdrawn, Mount Pleasant is a sitting duck. Alas, D&G have the buses, data and money so they clearly know best.
Separately, does anybody know if the other Scraggs services under threat (44, 80) are cancelled from next week or has an operation taken up the City Council’s kind offer of a 14 year old liability?
I was just thinking this morning, right before the revisions were announced, that there could be legs in coupling the 10 & 40 together to make a City & Longton circular via the station and Bentilee. Could have even worked Dresden & Newstead into it somehow, factoring in the replacement 50. Seeing as the weekday daytime 23A is about to be withdrawn, Mount Pleasant is a sitting duck. Alas, D&G have the buses, data and money so they clearly know best.
Separately, does anybody know if the other Scraggs services under threat (44, 80) are cancelled from next week or has an operation taken up the City Council’s kind offer of a 14 year old liability?
I'm not 100% sure on which Staffordshire routes are commercial but there's quite a few affected, while in Cheshire I don't think there's one commercial route unaffected.
No changes to commercial journeys on the 8, the 12 and the 85 in Crewe, including retention of the Sunday and evening buses on the 8
They are withdrawing the 12E (meaning they'll be no Sunday service on the 12 route at all - currently only part of it gets a Sunday service), the 85 is having some journeys truncated at the Staffordshire end on Sundays even if there are the same number of arrivals and departures from Crewe. I missed the 8.
The 12E isn't the same as the 12 - even on the truncated section, it follows a different route (same as the Arriva 6), and the 85 journeys being removed are not commercially operated
Who supports the 85 then? I thought the Sunday service was going to be withdrawn after Staffordshire council withdrew funding and was only saved after Keele University agreed to part fund it. Were Keele University really funding the Newcastle to Hanley section?
There was a vosa registration today from stantons of stoke for the 90 from ball green to tunstall so they are taking that one over from monday.
TheICTardis
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NXWM to extend their route 10 to Lichfield from July
https://brownhillsbob.com/2018/06/10/a-great-new-bus-service-to-lichfield-starts-this-summer/
https://brownhillsbob.com/2018/06/10/a-great-new-bus-service-to-lichfield-starts-this-summer/
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Sentinel giving some publicity to the D&G cuts.
https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/your-bus-service-being-cut-1731795
https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/your-bus-service-being-cut-1731795
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Changes to the D&G Bus fleet:
Withdrawn, formerly at Adderley Green:
1 YX12 AOF Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 10.2m
2 YX12 AON Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 10.2m
163 PL05 PLO Dennis Dart (East Lancs Myllenium)
181 CNZ 2250 Transbus Dart (Pointer MPD)
Withdrawn, formerly at Crewe:
147 YG52 EVY DAF SB200 (Wright Commander)
148 YJ53 VDT DAF SB200 (Wright Commander)
149 YJ07 JWD VDL SB200 (Plaxton Centro)
Moved from Crewe to Adderley Green
121 YN03 NDL Optare Solo M920
132 YJ60 GDK VDL SB180 (MCV Evolution)
133 YJ60 GGV VDL SB180 (MCV Evolution)
Moved from Adderley Green to Crewe
32 SL64 JGU Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 10.8m
33 SL64 JGV Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 10.8m
118 YX59 BXY Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 10.8m
137 YJ55 BHN Optare Solo M990
138 YJ55 BHO Optare Solo M990
139 YJ55 BHP Optare Solo M990
140 YJ55 BHU Optare Solo M990
141 YJ55 BHV Optare Solo M990
Route 318 Alsager to Congleton is also now run by Crewe depot.
Withdrawn, formerly at Adderley Green:
1 YX12 AOF Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 10.2m
2 YX12 AON Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 10.2m
163 PL05 PLO Dennis Dart (East Lancs Myllenium)
181 CNZ 2250 Transbus Dart (Pointer MPD)
Withdrawn, formerly at Crewe:
147 YG52 EVY DAF SB200 (Wright Commander)
148 YJ53 VDT DAF SB200 (Wright Commander)
149 YJ07 JWD VDL SB200 (Plaxton Centro)
Moved from Crewe to Adderley Green
121 YN03 NDL Optare Solo M920
132 YJ60 GDK VDL SB180 (MCV Evolution)
133 YJ60 GGV VDL SB180 (MCV Evolution)
Moved from Adderley Green to Crewe
32 SL64 JGU Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 10.8m
33 SL64 JGV Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 10.8m
118 YX59 BXY Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 10.8m
137 YJ55 BHN Optare Solo M990
138 YJ55 BHO Optare Solo M990
139 YJ55 BHP Optare Solo M990
140 YJ55 BHU Optare Solo M990
141 YJ55 BHV Optare Solo M990
Route 318 Alsager to Congleton is also now run by Crewe depot.
DenmarkRail
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Does anyone think we could see D&G accepting contactless anytime soon? Its super annoying with change, and most drivers don't accept any notes above £5, and no cash point gives out a single fiver! A oyster card equivalent for Staffordshire would be good 
Does anyone think we could see D&G accepting contactless anytime soon? Its super annoying with change, and most drivers don't accept any notes above £5, and no cash point gives out a single fiver! A oyster card equivalent for Staffordshire would be good
Already accepted on buses operating out of their Crewe depot (since April) - no idea why didn't buy more Ticketer machines for Stoke
Steddenm
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Most cash points (at banks) now give £5 notes
I wouldn't say it's most, I'd actually say most don't and you have to 'shop around' to try and find one that does. In the town I live there's no cash point which dispenses £5 notes - we have Lloyds, RSB, Natwest, Santander, HSBC, Barclays cash points at banks and many cash points not owned by one of the main banks. In one town around 10 miles away the Natwest cashpoint dispenses £5 notes but the minimum withdrawal is £10 so while a £10 withdrawal normally gets you 2 x £5 notes and a £20 withdrawal normally gets you 1 x £10 and 2 x £5 you aren't guaranteed to get any £5 notes. In another town slightly closer Natwest cash points don't dispense £5 notes but a Halifax one does (again minimum £10 withdrawal and no guarantee you'll get one.) That particular Halifax has 1 external cash point and a few internal cash points and only the external cash point has £5 notes.
What were D&G thinking with the timings for the revised 2? Opportunity to have an even 15 minute frequency with the 9 and even beat First’s summertime offering on this core route.
Yet they have the 2 just a few minutes behind the 9, chasing it all but through Penkhull
Yet they have the 2 just a few minutes behind the 9, chasing it all but through Penkhull
D&G are to start running a new Biddulph service under contract from Staffordshire CC next week: http://dgbus.co.uk/assets/93_2018-08-06.pdf For some reason they'll be operating it from the Crewe depot, judging by the times it looks like a service which will be operated using the same vehicle as a school/college service.
Wonder if D&G are having some Blue E200 issues, not a single one out on the 2 today. Rode the 2 from Newcastle to Hanley and return today, not great loadings each way, particularly as the inbound journey was bumper to bumper with the 9 most of the way.
Midland classic are changing times on most routes on 2nd September. More significant changes include Route 1 will have a Saturday service once again but the 812 will reduce to just 3 journeys on a Saturday with the 811 filling in the gaps. The Litchfield local routes will also half in frequency on Saturday's as well to every 60 minutes.
3piece-wheel
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Staffordshire County Council ENCTS pass holders from April 1st 2019 will NOT be allowed free travel before 09:30 or after 23:00 but I think First Potteries & D&G still have a reduced fare in place for passengers showing a ENCTS pass?.
First time I've heard of a post-11pm restriction but then very few towns have buses after 11pm.
Not sure what you mean about special fare for First and D&G, if Staffordshire County Council fund discounted ENCTS travel pre-09:30 then all operators will have to offer it. D&G offer discounted ENCTS travel pre-09:30 in Stoke and Cheshire East (Cheshire card holders only) but those are part of agreements with the relevant local authorities.
Stoke area upcoming service changes
Scraggs
Service 4: Withdrawn. Largely replaced by new D&G 26, though Bottleslow Street is left unserved, which I doubt will be noticed by anyone. As an aside I've only just noticed some journeys on the 4 are registered to operate via Reginald Mitchel Court in Hanley and indeed there is a bus top in the complex car park marked on Google maps, though I'm unsure if the bus actually diverts. Reduces Scraggs' stagecarriage work to just randomly timed (non-clockface) dupes on the 5 and a duo of return journeys on the 44 (Stanley) & 80 (Bucknall mystery tour). Their network has taken a hit since the latest funding cuts and significantly so since the days of their cross-city 31.
D&G
NEW Service 26: Largely replaces service 4. Clock face hourly timetable replaces Scraggs' 45 minute-ish headway. Route extended form Eaton Park to Bentilee in a circular fashion, returning to Eaton Park again before Hanley. Returns regular service to the southern end of Dividy Road, albeit in a fashion whereby Hanley bound passengers will have to board in the 'wrong' direction.
First Potteries
100: This Wednesday & Friday only Bradeley Shopper is extended from Festival Park into Hanley, though notably not the bus station, Stafford Street only. No changes to PVR as the extension is covered in time usually used for layover. The circular nature of the route means, although the Hanley - Festival Park link being once again re-instated is interesting, its only really of use to the Bradeley Bunch. Though perhaps the driver will be relived ashen he's inevitably asked on every trip 'Going up Hanley, duck?' by the crowds thinking he's a '3', he can now reply with 'Yes, kind of!'.
8A/B: Journeys recently renumbered as 8B, extending further into Brown Edge village, are reverted to 'regular' 8A journeys.
7(A)/11/99: Peak and school time tweaking.
Scraggs
Service 4: Withdrawn. Largely replaced by new D&G 26, though Bottleslow Street is left unserved, which I doubt will be noticed by anyone. As an aside I've only just noticed some journeys on the 4 are registered to operate via Reginald Mitchel Court in Hanley and indeed there is a bus top in the complex car park marked on Google maps, though I'm unsure if the bus actually diverts. Reduces Scraggs' stagecarriage work to just randomly timed (non-clockface) dupes on the 5 and a duo of return journeys on the 44 (Stanley) & 80 (Bucknall mystery tour). Their network has taken a hit since the latest funding cuts and significantly so since the days of their cross-city 31.
D&G
NEW Service 26: Largely replaces service 4. Clock face hourly timetable replaces Scraggs' 45 minute-ish headway. Route extended form Eaton Park to Bentilee in a circular fashion, returning to Eaton Park again before Hanley. Returns regular service to the southern end of Dividy Road, albeit in a fashion whereby Hanley bound passengers will have to board in the 'wrong' direction.
First Potteries
100: This Wednesday & Friday only Bradeley Shopper is extended from Festival Park into Hanley, though notably not the bus station, Stafford Street only. No changes to PVR as the extension is covered in time usually used for layover. The circular nature of the route means, although the Hanley - Festival Park link being once again re-instated is interesting, its only really of use to the Bradeley Bunch. Though perhaps the driver will be relived ashen he's inevitably asked on every trip 'Going up Hanley, duck?' by the crowds thinking he's a '3', he can now reply with 'Yes, kind of!'.
8A/B: Journeys recently renumbered as 8B, extending further into Brown Edge village, are reverted to 'regular' 8A journeys.
7(A)/11/99: Peak and school time tweaking.
Are D&G planning to get any new buses? I notice the Darts have disappeared from their fleet list (other than the one in the Heritage livery) and as well as the new 26 mentioned above they'll need 3 vehicles for the new 82 and at least one of those will need to be a large bus - they won't be able to get away with using a Solo or Streetlite like they try to on the other Wincham depot routes.
New 26 timetable is online. It looks like it's a service which is run using the same vehicle as used on a school/college service: http://dgbus.co.uk/assets/26_2018-11-19.pdf
For the 26 I would assume Scraggs now have a Solo for sale which could be an easy fix if they need an extra bus. Though given the time it took to get the Versa recently acquired from Scraggs back on the road they may steer clear.
I can only speculate on the 82, hopefully they allocate appropriately. The ideal buses would be the Evolutions and the Centro but they’re generally tied up on the Alton Towers contract. I really don’t think their longer E200s would cut it power wise. They have the compliment of Versas at Adderley Green which could be an option but most days at least one is off the road, perhaps signalling reliability issues?
Whatever happens we’ve not got long
left the wait and see.
The Versas are branded for Staffordshire routes and unlike DG64 BUS in the past (which was branded for the 32) they don't need debranding regardless. The Evolutions were recently Cheshire based but it looks like Crewe got 55 reg Solo M990s in lieu, which although shorter only have one seat less.
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