In which case, there needs to be much better communication between GTR and bus companies such as Stagecoach. The Southern social media team were claiming that Stagecoach were accepting tickets, whilst there were many reports (including my first-hand experience) of the drivers not being aware of this ticket acceptance and, as such, charging full fare. I'm aware that this is a Stagecoach issue, but it simply isn't good enough. If GTR are to claim that ticket acceptance is in place, they must make sure that this is 100% accurate.
GTR currently have no regular contact with Stagecoach, as this is managed on their behalf. This may well change soon, but probably isn't likely to help get ticket acceptance in place more quickly, regardless of who communicates with Stagecoach. Unfortunately this is a repeat issue found by passengers, but cannot be verified until someone (be it station staff or passengers) reports it and railway controllers can escalate it. In other words, you can't say what bus drivers are doing from the confines of a railway control room unless a) you have a a controller on the ground or b) eyewitness accounts.
but public transport will only be successful if it works, and if one party doesn't bother to deliver then they both fail.
Isn't it up to the bus company to choose their communications and motivate their staff so that it all works in their part of the country? That's what small locally-focussed business units are supposed to excel at, after all....
GTR generally use Brighton & Hove Buses and Stagecoach for ticket acceptance around the South Coast area. Neither company is
at all small or particularly locally-focused, although specific individuals may be.
But there is a difference between GTR telling people it has been agreed, and currently in process of notifying the individual bus drivers
More a failure of communicating correct message, until confirmed notification received.
Can't really assume a text or whatsapp message will be read whilst driving, that is just stupidity by GTR
GTR do not have the time or resources to talk to individual bus drivers on existing service buses, nor do they or (to the best of my knowledge) any other TOC attempt it. To confirm receipt of messages in the area concerned could easily involve hundreds of bus drivers, plus dozens of railway controllers being trained in each bus company's communications equipment and procedures. This isn't going to happen. Controlling bespoke emergency rail replacement is hard enough.
It wasn't a good day again yesterday with a freight train heading to Tonbridge going bang between Ham Street and Ashford. The line was out of commission for a substantial period of time. Again, southern had major issues getting replacement buses.
Buses were resourced practically as soon as the suppliers were asked, sent out within a few minutes of ordering them, and arrived almost to the minute of when they were expected. Replacement buses are rarely an instant solution. There were, however, no difficulties
getting replacement buses.
It does also have to be remembered that buses are rather slower than trains on the Marshlink, so smaller stations (Winchelsea, for example) usually have to wait for them to start journeys from Hastings, Rye or Ashford.
Now the schools are back, how many replacement buses are there to call upon (along with ready and willing drivers) when this sort of thing happens at short notice?
I wonder how feasible it would be for the DfT to consider having a fleet of buses at strategic locations, although that still doesn't address the issue of staffing them!
The school run does hinder things overall (massively), though not really on the Marshlink route.