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Cityfox Bus

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bb21

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This is a public warning that it is not acceptable to be picking on people's sexuality or bringing that into a discussion not relevant to it. That is disgusting behaviour which will not be tolerated.

Forum staff must also emphasise that any allegations made on the forum must be true to one's best knowledge and made in good faith. The member making the claim must be able to back it up with facts when challenged. It is not for challengers to supply evidence to the contrary.


Any further infringement of the above will result in post deletion, warnings/infractions, and bans in cases of repeated behaviour. Anyone finding objectionable content must not quote it, but instead report the post in question to forum staff. Thank you.

Unfortunately I don't have the time to go back up the thread too far so could only tidy up the last couple of pages. Anything I have missed please feel free to report.
 

Swanny200

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18 Sep 2010
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665
Lack of cashflow due to large business customers doing that kills off many a small business. If the Government cared about small business they would legislate on it in some way. The ideal would be to legally mandate payment in advance of service delivery, just like consumers have to.

Exactly this, my old employer has had his back to the wall for nearly 6 months and is about to go bust, he took on 3 big contracts, had all the resources in place and had been told by all 3 contracts (one a council) that support would be there should he need it, 6 months in, he is still waiting to be paid by 2 contracts for over 3 months worth of pay after not putting one foot wrong and the council are dragging their heels due to cuts meaning only one person being available to deal with said contracts, he is around £40,000 in the red and owed nearly £200,000 in contract money, but the HMRC and the likes don't care about that, they don't care about fuel that has to go in the tank etc... or wages. It can and does happen quite regularly and will continue to happen.
 

father_jack

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26 Jan 2010
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1,118
Mentioned in trade/enthusiast press this week. Seems Mr Siddaway's attendance may have saved his repute.

https://www.route-one.net/articles/Snowdonia_Travel_O_Licence_revoked_after_its_PI_no_show
Snowdonia Travel licence revoked after no-show
Complaints revealed that business, branded as FoxStar Bus, had ceased operating services without notice
Licence for three vehicles was revoked after firm’s non-attendance at PI
The three-vehicle international O-Licence held by Newport-based Snowdonia Travel, with vehicles branded as FoxStar Bus, has been revoked with immediate effect and the company has been ordered to pay a financial penalty of £300 for failing to operate its registered local services.

The company, with a registered office in Bristol, had been called before Traffic Commissioner Nick Jones at a Cardiff Public Inquiry (PI), but it failed to attend.

Making the revocation order and imposing the financial penalty of £100 per vehicle, the TC said that Snowdonia Travel was granted an O-Licence in 2016. Originally, the operating centre was in North Wales.

The director sold the business to Rhys Hand, who was currently the sole director. The operating centre was changed to Newport in South Wales. Nicholas Siddaway was the nominated Transport Manager (TM).

Various complaints had been received, which led to checks on timetable compliance by Bus Users Cymru. Initially those checks revealed a good level of timetable observance that varied between 92% and 100% adherence to the registered schedule.

Following later complaints, it emerged that the company had ceased running registered services without providing the necessary formal notice. In addition, the company no longer satisfied the requirement for financial standing. Finally, TC Jones ruled that Mr Siddaway’s repute as TM was tarnished, but not lost.
https://cbwmagazine.com/snowdonia-travel-ltd-licence-revoked/
Snowdonia Travel Ltd licence revoked
16/07/2019
A Public Inquiry was held in regard to Snowdonia Travel Ltd and Transport Manager Nicholas Siddaway on 5 July in Cardiff by the Traffic Commissioner for Wales.

Traffic Commissioner Nick Jones’ decision contained the following details of the hearing: “Snowdonia Travel Ltd PG1143169 was granted a standard international operator’s licence in 2016. Originally the operating centre was in North Wales. The director sold the business to Rhys Hand who at the time of the hearing before me was sole director; the operating centre was changed to Newport, in South Wales. Nicholas Siddaway was the nominated transport manager.

“Various complaints were received which led to checks as to timetable compliance by Bus Users Cymru. Initially this revealed decent levels of timetable compliance that varied between 92% and 100% adherence to registered timetable. Following later complaints it emerged that the operator ceased running registered services without providing the necessary formal notice. This led to the Public Inquiry before me.”

Aside from members of the public, in attendance at a Public Inquiry held in Cardiff on 5 July 2019 were: Nicholas Ronald Siddaway, Transport Manager; and Sian Thomas, Bus Compliance Officer for Bus Users Cymru.
  • Findings made in respect of Snowdonia Travel Ltd were:
  • The operator has failed to operate a local service registered under section 6 of the Transport Act 1985;
  • Since the licence has been issued there has been a material change in the circumstances of the holder, section 17 (3) (e) of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981;
  • The operator no longer satisfies the requirement for financial standing, sections 17(1)(a) and 14ZA of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981;
  • An order is made that the operator pay a financial penalty under section 155 (1A) of the Transport Act 2000. The penalty to be imposed is £100 for each vehicle authorised, which is three. Accordingly the financial penalty to be paid is £300. This is to be paid within 28 days or it could potentially go to the repute of the operator. The monies are payable to the Welsh Government; and
  • The operator’s licence is revoked forthwith.
  • Findings in respect of Transport Manager Nicholas Ronald Siddaway:
  • Traffic Commissioner Nick Jones did not take away the repute of Nicholas Ronald Siddaway, but it is tarnished.
 

richard13

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20 Jan 2019
Messages
121
The closing down activities seem to now be visibly happening.

The N&P for Wales (2209 - 18 July 2019) in section 5 gives the loss of license and that Mr Siddaway tarnished his repute. This is a simple drawing of a line under the operation and "charging" £300.

Companies House now shows a number of activities for various parts of the Cityfox group companies dated 22 July onwards. Rhys is shown as ceasing to be a director and a person with significant control from Wed April 3rd.

Perhaps note worthy is that KernowFox Ltd had a new director from April 3rd. It is Martin Thompson-Taylor who was recorded as CityFox Group Regional Manager South West. This is presumably the company that was used for the parts which continued trading and he took control of that.

Rhys (and extended family?) must be in a hard place. The money has all gone and what skills has he learnt that can go into a new life. He has had lots of experiences, and has enthusiasm, but it is skills that earn money. I note that he has replaced the Wheeler's pictures on Facebook / Twitter with old Cityfox ones. There is a background setting to this whole story, which gives me the impression of being quite sad.
 

richw

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Rhys (and extended family?) must be in a hard place. The money has all gone and what skills has he learnt that can go into a new life. He has had lots of experiences, and has enthusiasm, but it is skills that earn money. I note that he has replaced the Wheeler's pictures on Facebook / Twitter with old Cityfox ones. There is a background setting to this whole story, which gives me the impression of being quite sad.

His enthusiasm is high, I think he had potential to do well, particularly with Phil supporting and teaching him the industry. Certainly an opportunity many would have taken and grasped with both hands. Personal opinion is that Newport service work wasn’t the right direction, and that route had proven unviable by larger operators, a newish small operator with new expensive leased buses was the only poor choice I’ve seen him make in my opinion over the last 12-18 months.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Rhys (and extended family?) must be in a hard place. The money has all gone and what skills has he learnt that can go into a new life. He has had lots of experiences, and has enthusiasm, but it is skills that earn money. I note that he has replaced the Wheeler's pictures on Facebook / Twitter with old Cityfox ones. There is a background setting to this whole story, which gives me the impression of being quite sad.

I think ordinarily, people would generally be sympathetic to an entrepreneur who has tried to carve out their niche, though you will always have the doubters and people harbouring personal jealousies etc. However, there are some very good reasons why people are less than well disposed towards Mr Hand, not least because of the high handed manner in which he treated some. Moreover, the numerous instances of possible new ventures announced with fanfare, dubious claims about the size and scale of the empire, and plagiarism from other businesses indicate something deep seated about his probity.

Any sympathy you may have should be tempered by the losses that other businesses and individuals may well have incurred and that, when the end came, he went off to Majorca rather than fronting up.
 

RustySpoons

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Joined
5 Apr 2019
Messages
752
Rhys (and extended family?) must be in a hard place. The money has all gone and what skills has he learnt that can go into a new life. He has had lots of experiences, and has enthusiasm, but it is skills that earn money. I note that he has replaced the Wheeler's pictures on Facebook / Twitter with old Cityfox ones. There is a background setting to this whole story, which gives me the impression of being quite sad.

I hate to be 'that' person, but I don't think this is anyones business other than Rhys and his family and isn't up to anyone other than them to discuss, especially in the public domain.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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I hate to be 'that' person, but I don't think this is anyones business other than Rhys and his family and isn't up to anyone other than them to discuss, especially in the public domain.
I don't think that comment was intended to be anything other than be empathetic.

The mods rightly intervened above (#725) and have stated what is acceptable and what isn't.
 

RustySpoons

Member
Joined
5 Apr 2019
Messages
752
Peculiar use of the 24 hour clock in that article unless people are working 20 hour shifts.

I've had to re-read it a few times and I'm not quite sure I understand it still.

Incidentally, the Streetdeck that CityFox had on loan in the final days that featured in one of the Twitter PR posts about this contract is now with Diamond North West.
 

Dai Corner

Established Member
Joined
20 Jul 2015
Messages
6,316
It's the twisted use of 24 hour clock!!

0615-1000 BPW to Babcock
1530 -1930 Babcock to BPW (but 1230 - 1930 on Fridays)

Free transport on Stagecoach buses in Bristol isn't the biggest deal in the world (though it is getting bigger)

If they extended it to Cribbs Causeway it'd connect with the X5 and 7XP for Portishead, Clevedon, Weston, Chepstow and Newport!
 
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