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Also worth mentioning that this doesn’t reflect badly on the companies policies and procedures. All alcohol and drugs tests are done on a random basis unless any complaints/concerns are brought to the companies attention (as has what’s happened here). I hope the individual concerned is now left...

Indeed it carried fresh air most of the time. Bus/boat tour is a very niche market and it’s a trek out to Queensferry. Not to mention the price and the weather - also most people don’t mind sitting on a bus; the same cannot be said for boats!

The key is to make buses fashionable and desirable so people want to use them. So yes interior design and attractive liveries/brands do play their part in this. They can still be functional and do their job (like bin lorries for instance) but it’s important for buses to not just become another...

Basically you could argue the UK is becoming like the US in terms of public perception and usage of buses. Although that’s something that’s always been there it just seems to be accelerating at the moment.

What I don’t understand is why any government would want to burden themselves with having the responsibility and cost of bus services. Haven’t they got enough on their plate already that they cannot afford? Like other posters have said buses would not be immune from cuts like all other council...

You also cannot blame the big bad boy bus operators for the accelerated decline of our high streets and town/city centres. Or the increase in online shopping/deliveries and working from home. The days of the traditional bus to town services are numbered… That’s a problem for whoever runs buses...

Precisely this. There has to be some emphasis if taken into local government control that (atleast a high % proportion) of services make a profit. However I do agree the more lucrative routes should subsidise a degree of borderline of services. After all what a bus company should be selling is a...

Also worth bearing in mind the more control you give governments/councils over local bus networks the more of a political issue they’ll become every election time. I know of a local municipal in England (won’t name it) who are basically bound to not alter routes or make cuts to their network...

That’s quite unusual to hand a contract back mid-term as it loses them guaranteed income. As mentioned these complimented their network well and added value to period passes etc. Maybe their bid was too low in the first place? Seems a shame when comments on here say it’s quite a busy service -...

That makes some sense however it does seem lazy. This town service during the afternoon is more frequent than the main 88 - incorporating the extra bus into the core service could have maintained a better headway during the school times and potentially an express return service in the peaks...

Will be First’s new town service 87/87A announced today. Not sure why it’s a stand-alone service rather than being incorporated into the core Ipswich - Stowmarket timetable. It doesn’t enable through connections so hardly encouraging. A re-introduction of 88 variants and an express would have...

I’m aware of the government ZEBRA scheme but that means nothing to Warrington locals (where as the wolf does) - and it’s not like zebras are yellow/black! Their publicity uses #ridethezebra tagline and a zebra emoji.

Have to say I’m rather confused with this whole rebranding - the use of the neon yellow/black and calling it zebra? But still utilising the wolf from Warrington’s current brand. Compared to other operators it doesn’t seem that exciting… you could mistake it for a bin lorry from a distance! Is...

I guess that’s fair! I mean it would surely be cheeky of Norfolk to submit a bid when they’ve already received a significant amount for what they’ve done with the First Norwich Electrics. Also with swathes of investment like this seeing entire fleets being replaced in Blackpool, Warrington etc...

Thanks for compiling that comprehensive list! Some exciting and ambitious proposals… do we know what criteria is used in the governments decision making? I presume value for money is top of the list but also surely the most beneficial? - For example Suffolks’ modest bid for 38 buses replaces...

What’s interesting about this is it does prove that charging stations aren’t necessarily the best solution and only really work in hubs like the Airport, Royal Infirmary and Gyle Centre etc. Otherwise it makes altering services slightly more complicated. Assuming the route originally chosen was...

Probably running late and losing patience! But undoubtedly there’ll still always be atleast one person standing at the shelter even after everyone else walked up and loaded. So it’s risky for the driver to do that. They’ll always let people off whilst waiting in the queue. It’s just being able...

I’d hope except for Regency/Coaster all standard city routes (like the 6) will simply be in the new livery with some additional route specific branding relating to the coloured lines (as per all previous B&H schemes). If they start introducing route specific liveries across the board then there...

Let’s hope so! I’ve seen the ‘advert’ and it looks like something you’d get out of a tube of toothpaste! There’s far too much going on and too much text on the sides. How anyone is supposed to read and take it all in I’ve no idea. Certainly not one of Lothians finest moments here.

Was hoping these would arrive in Ipswich to oust the last B7TL/ALX400’s - aren’t the interiors standard First spec? They’ll of course be repainted in due course. So with these additional Streetdecks plus the Streetlites coming to remove the Enviro 200’s surely First in Ipswich will have the...