Towns without services from the Big 3

cnjb8 · 1 Feb 2020

Sorry if this is already a thread.
Can anyone think of any towns that are not served by any of the big 3 companies:

Stagecoach
First
Arriva

Are there any towns that aren't served by any of the big 6:

Stagecoach
First
Arriva
GoAhead
National Express (not including coaches or subcontractors)
Rotala

In my local area, Ashbourne is definitely one. Arriva used to operate a 113 (?) from Derby until Yourbus took it on, it's now with High Peak. Stagecoach used to operate an X51 (?) from Manchester via Buxton but that was withdrawn around 2002.

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90sWereBetter · 1 Feb 2020

There's a fairly big chunk of North Norfolk which isn't served by any big groups, since Stagecoach wound down the old Norfolk Green network a few years ago. Holt, Sheringham, Cromer and North Walsham are pretty much only served by Sanders Coaches. The furthest north any First service goes is Fakenham (and that's only as a replacement of one of the Norfolk Green services).

Sanders have done a fantastic job in a unpromising market, their main services have been built up to the point where they're using double deckers 7 days a week.

PTR 444 · 1 Feb 2020

cnjb8 said:
Sorry if this is already a thread.
Can anyone think of any towns that are not served by any of the big 3 companies:

Stagecoach

First

Arriva

Poole, Bournemouth

EDIT: Poole is served by a few First wessex X54 journeys per day

cnjb8 · 1 Feb 2020

Wow, I am surprised by the number of places!

Andyh82 · 2 Feb 2020

Is there really still a big 3? Isn’t it more like a big 4 these days?

cnjb8 · 2 Feb 2020

Andyh82 said:
Is there really still a big 3? Isn’t it more like a big 4 these days?

I suppose so. GoAhead are a more southerly operator compared to the other 3

GusB · 2 Feb 2020

I suppose anywhere that is served by West Coast Motors (and subsidiaries) would probably qualify, apart from Glasgow.

37114 · 2 Feb 2020

The town I live in (Corsham) has no service from the big 6 as of last month as First have retreated back to Bath, all our buses are now Faresaver.

JASONTWEBBER · 2 Feb 2020

Another town is Fort William where stagecoach used to operate until a couple of years ago.

Robertj21a · 2 Feb 2020

Do you mean 3, or 4 ?. If just 3 then there's hundreds of places. If you include GoAhead as number 4 then it's much reduced.

cainebj · 2 Feb 2020

Northallerton in North Yorkshire. All bus services are operated by local independent operators (Abbotts, Hodgsons and Proctors) or by North Yorkshire County Council themselves.
Thirsk and Ripon are both contenders too, services operated by Transdev or local independents.

SCH117X · 2 Feb 2020

For clarity Thirsk is not served by Transdev, you can add Easingwold, Malton and Knaresborough

scosutsut · 2 Feb 2020

All the East Lothian towns - North Berwick, Dunbar, Haddington, Tranent, Prestonpans, Musselburgh all now big three free since First packed it's bags a few years ago.

Redmike · 2 Feb 2020

cnjb8 said:
In my local area, Ashbourne is definitely one. Arriva used to operate a 113 (?) from Derby until Yourbus took it on, it's now with High Peak. Stagecoach used to operate an X51 (?) from Manchester via Buxton but that was withdrawn around 2002.

The X1 ran Manchester to Derby via Macclesfield, Leek and Ashbourne.

I think Harrogate, Keighley and Ilkeston could be added to the list.

robertclark125 · 2 Feb 2020

Here in Fife Auchtertool is served solely by Bay Travel, since they took over the contract for route 18 from Stagecoach Fife. Ceres used to be on that list, but an extended express service from Stagecoach Fife serves that small village now.

Also, is Cardiff Bus the sole operator in the town of Barry, or does First serve it as well?

Robertj21a · 2 Feb 2020

Stamford
Oakham

Martin2012 · 2 Feb 2020

Presumably Melksham once the D3 is withdrawn in April?

TheGrandWazoo · 2 Feb 2020

scosutsut said:
All the East Lothian towns - North Berwick, Dunbar, Haddington, Tranent, Prestonpans, Musselburgh all now big three free since First packed it's bags a few years ago.

And the Borders towns of Gala, Hawick, etc

Also mid Wales places like Machynlleth and Dolgellau and down to Llandovery

edwin_m · 2 Feb 2020

Nottingham gets very little service from the main groups, although Stagecoach is encroaching from the north. West Bridgford (a separate borough so could be seen as a separate town) has NCT, TB, Kinch and Centrebus but none of the big groups.

Hophead · 2 Feb 2020

I'm pretty certain that Crawley (pop 100,000+) sees nothing operated by Stagecoach. Arriva left the town long ago and it has never had the opportunity to experience First. I'll add Burgess Hill as well.

Both towns do, though, see top 6 buses in the form of Metrobus.

gnolife · 2 Feb 2020

Redmike said:
The X1 ran Manchester to Derby via Macclesfield, Leek and Ashbourne.

I think Harrogate, Keighley and Ilkeston could be added to the list.

Harrogate has Arriva (Yorkshire Tiger)

ANDREW_D_WEBB · 2 Feb 2020

Christchurch, New Milton, Lymington, Ringwood, Blandford

dgl · 2 Feb 2020

ANDREW_D_WEBB said:
Christchurch, New Milton, Lymington, Ringwood, Blandford

Blandford would appear to no longer count as it has the X10 service, Yeovil to Blandford. Shaftesbury and Gillingham would count though, I believe, as would Swanage.

Non Multi · 2 Feb 2020

Ascot, Eton, Bracknell*

*Stagecoach run 1 school bus route (#412) and a single Reading Football Club service on match days (#954).

Aictos · 2 Feb 2020

scosutsut said:
All the East Lothian towns - North Berwick, Dunbar, Haddington, Tranent, Prestonpans, Musselburgh all now big three free since First packed it's bags a few years ago.

I wondered why I didn’t see any First buses and just Lothian Buses last September.

peterblue · 2 Feb 2020

Bournemouth (pop. 198k) is the largest town not served by the big 3 operators (First, Stagecoach, Arriva), as it is mainly served by morebus which is part of Go Ahead.

Solihull (pop. 127k) is the largest town not served by either of the big 4 operators (First, Stagecoach, Arriva, Go Ahead), as it is mainly served by National Express buses.

Barry (pop. 58k) is the largest town not served by the big 6 (including National Express and Rotala as per the first post). It is mainly served by Cardiff Bus.

Note that if you use a different population source than me (https://www.thegeographist.com/uk-cities-population-1000/) you may get slightly different figures, but the approximate amount should be very similar. Also note I'm not counting Northern Ireland.

ClydeCoaster · 2 Feb 2020

Gourock, Port Glasgow, Johnstone and Barrhead here in the west coast of Scotland are primarily served by McGill's. Barrhead was served by Stagecoach Western's X44 until December but solely McGill's now.

TheGrandWazoo · 2 Feb 2020

dgl said:
Blandford would appear to no longer count as it has the X10 service, Yeovil to Blandford. Shaftesbury and Gillingham would count though, I believe, as would Swanage.

Correct. Blandford was off the big 3 map but South West Coaches lost/surrendered the X10 and it passed to First Buses of Somerset.

Think Pewsey has now fallen off the map as the Sunday Stagecoach X5 journeys were pulled so it's all GSC (Salisbury Reds). Plenty more tiny Welsh towns on the list - Tregaron, Llandysul, Rhyader, Llanidloes, Welshpool. However, Wales also provides St Davids that, together with Ripon, are CITIES without a big 3 presence.

PTR 444 · 2 Feb 2020

TheGrandWazoo said:
Correct. Blandford was off the big 3 map but South West Coaches lost/surrendered the X10 and it passed to First Buses of Somerset.

Think Pewsey has now fallen off the map as the Sunday Stagecoach X5 journeys were pulled so it's all GSC (Salisbury Reds). Plenty more tiny Welsh towns on the list - Tregaron, Llandysul, Rhyader, Llanidloes, Welshpool. However, Wales also provides St Davids that, together with Ripon, are CITIES without a big 3 presence.

Regarding Blandford, wasn’t the X12 tendered to First Weymouth for a while?

dgl · 2 Feb 2020

PTR 444 said:
Regarding Blandford, wasn’t the X12 tendered to First Weymouth for a while?

Yes, but I don't think First H+D ever ran one in service. Something happened and First lost the tender and it went back to GA/Damory. This happening wasn't a surprise as Damory/W+D had been running it for god knows how long and obviously wouldn't go down without a fight.

Towns without services from the Big 3

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