Arriva Green Line 757 to stop serving Luton Airport

[Deerfold]

Everything on the Arriva Greenline 757 side is pure speculation until Arriva release details of at least a route change i.e. will no longer serve Luton Airport from 1st May.

You seem to be missing my point. I didn't see the point in stating something that was in the OP with nothing additional when no-one has suggested the opposite.

Does anyone living in the area/use the 757 know where the bulk of the passenger journeys are from/too?

I used to live in the area. The vast majority of passengers outside of peak times are between the Airport and Central London (Victoria and Baker Street). This is why not all the journeys continue to Luton.

I think they've had some success in getting a bit more patronage to the centre - the frequency in the middle of the day used to be every 20 minutes to the Airport with only one an hour continuing to the Airport. I'd be suprised if there was an off-peak service more frequent than every half hour once the airport leaves the route - perhaps even just once an hour.

With the local train service also running 24 hours i'm not sure it'll support running overnight either.

 

[winston270twm]

The National Express site now sells tickets on the A1 with the list of stops as above with the addition of Golders Green. The fares seem to be £19 day return, £25 economy/standard return and £15 single on all the trips I tested.

Arriva Greenline 757, is £19 day return, £25 period return & single tickets £17 (southbound) £17.50 (northbound)

 

[Deerfold]

Arriva Greenline 757, is £19 day return, £25 period return & single tickets £17 (southbound) £17.50 (northbound)

With easybus offering singles from £2 single (priciest I saw was £13). but you're restricted as to which coach you get.

 

[winston270twm]

I used to live in the area. The vast majority of passengers outside of peak times are between the Airport and Central London (Victoria and Baker Street). This is why not all the journeys continue to Luton.

I think they've had some success in getting a bit more patronage to the centre - the frequency in the middle of the day used to be every 20 minutes to the Airport with only one an hour continuing to the Airport. I'd be suprised if there was an off-peak service more frequent than every half hour once the airport leaves the route - perhaps even just once an hour.

With the local train service also running 24 hours i'm not sure it'll support running overnight either.

It does sound as though holding the Luton Airport concession was key to the success of the Greenline 757, it almost sounds inevitable that Arriva will have to reduce the 757 frequency/operating hours to become in the main a commuter service with a reduced off peak frequency especially if the bulk of the journeys were to the Airport
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With easybus offering singles from £2 single (priciest I saw was £13). but you're restricted as to which coach you get.

Could Easybus still hold a concession to operate in to the airport?

 

[Edvid]

I'm sure easyBus will continue to operate their existing non-stop service to Earl's Court.

 

[Deerfold]

I'm sure easyBus will continue to operate their existing non-stop service to Earl's Court.

But they're offering tickets from Victoria into June.

 

[winston270twm]

But they're offering tickets from Victoria into June.

I guess there is nothing stopping Easybus teaming up with NX as they have with Arriva to retain the Luton Airport option

 

[Edvid]

But they're offering tickets from Victoria into June.

What does that have to do with the Earl's Court service?

 

[Deerfold]

What does that have to do with the Earl's Court service?

Nothing - but it has everything to do with the comment I thought you were replying to, immediately before yours.

Sorry if I was wrong.
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I guess there is nothing stopping Easybus teaming up with NX as they have with Arriva to retain the Luton Airport option

I'd be surprised if they do - I doubt they'd pay NX enough to effectively compete with them.

Easybus offering tickets on the 797 came about as an accident of history.

Easybus had a contract with MK buses to run the service for them.
Arriva then took over MK buses and found they were running the buses competing with themselves - presumably found this a bit silly and came to an arrangement with easybus.

Now, however, NX have exclusive rights to run the service so there's no chance of easybus competing with them directly so little incentive for NX to take easybus tickets.

 

[F Great Eastern]

The 757 is a five way revenue split traditionally though.

It's co-marketed by Terravision, National Express and Wizz Air as well as Arriva and Easybus.

 

[Deerfold]

The 757 is a five way revenue split traditionally though.

It's co-marketed by Terravision, National Express and Wizz Air as well as Arriva and Easybus.

I suspect with no exclusivity this was an attempt to stop any competition starting up - with the National Express connection allowing for through ticketing from around the country.

 

[radamfi]

Acceptance of National Express tickets exists on a few routes run by other operators but it would be very surprising if National Express accept other operators' tickets on this route.

It is still a mystery whether the Earl's Court service will continue. NX may only have exclusivity on the Victoria route. Needless to say, easyBus are still selling tickets on both Victoria and Earl's Court routes until the end of June!

I had a chat with a 757 driver this morning while on stand at Buckingham Palace Road and he didn't tell me anything new, although he confirmed it would continue going to Luton town centre at lower frequency.

 

[westcoaster]

This appeared in the local rag http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/news/bu...us-services-from-airport-to-capital-1-4979381

 

[dzug2]

But they're offering tickets from Victoria into June.

They are not - if you look closely it's from Baker Street (Gloucester Place) and at different times to the new NX service

So going into direct competition

 

[radamfi]

They are not - if you look closely it's from Baker Street (Gloucester Place) and at different times to the new NX service

So going into direct competition

Just looked now and if you ask it for tickets from Buckingham Palace Road to the airport it now has a exclamation mark for journeys from 1 May saying these journeys start from Gloucester Place. The fare seems to jump to £14.99 flat fare for all journeys from 1 May from both Earl's Court and Gloucester Place.

 

[Deerfold]

They are not - if you look closely it's from Baker Street (Gloucester Place) and at different times to the new NX service

So going into direct competition

It has now been updated - this was not what was on the site before.

If Luton Airport has awarded rights to NX to link Luton Airport with Central London I'm surprised if this will be allowed - I'd call Baker Street Central London.

 

[Blindtraveler]

What vehicles is the Earls Court non stop run using these days? Not used it in a few years.

 

[Edvid]

According to their website, they use 13-seater Renault Masters on the Earls Court services (to both Gatwick and Luton).

 

[dzug2]

It has now been updated - this was not what was on the site before.

Before it was updated, was it selling tickets for 757 timings or Easybus' own?

Terravision seem to still be merrily selling 757 timings trips from Victoria.

 

[Deerfold]

Before it was updated, was it selling tickets for 757 timings or Easybus' own?

Terravision seem to still be merrily selling 757 timings trips from Victoria.

757 timings so far as I know.

 

[radamfi]

When I checked the easyBus website before I'm sure I don't remember seeing a £14.99 flat fare. I'm sure I would have noticed that. If indeed it is going to be £14.99 from 1 May onwards then I wonder if the service will survive. It also implies that the airport have mandated that they cannot undercut NX.

It also appears that the Brent Cross and Finchley Road stops will no longer be served by easyBus.

 

[Deerfold]

Before it was updated, was it selling tickets for 757 timings or Easybus' own?

Terravision seem to still be merrily selling 757 timings trips from Victoria.

The Easybus timings shown seem to be identical to the 757. Rather oddly the times change if you change your departure point - even though they then warn you the bus will only go from Baker Streeet!

 

[Mutant Lemming]

The 757 also often covered as the main service between the airport and Luton town centre. Are any other services between airport and town increasing to take up the shortfall ?

 

[Deerfold]

When I checked the easyBus website before I'm sure I don't remember seeing a £14.99 flat fare. I'm sure I would have noticed that. If indeed it is going to be £14.99 from 1 May onwards then I wonder if the service will survive. It also implies that the airport have mandated that they cannot undercut NX.

I think it's a mess. There are all sorts of fares until the end of April. I suspect the system needs telling how many seats it can sell on each coach below the maximum and without that info it's defaulting to the maximum fare. I think there's going to be a bunch of complaints from people travelling after the end of this month.
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The 757 also often covered as the main service between the airport and Luton town centre. Are any other services between airport and town increasing to take up the shortfall ?

I don't think anything's been announced.

The 757 generally provided 1 or 2 services an hour between Luton and the Airport.

There's a few other bus services and quite a few NX coaches:

The local buses are 61, 99, 100 - each mostly hourly, none run late evening. The 321 runs every half hour, but again no late service.

The 61, 100 and 321 are all operated by Arriva so people have 4bph during the day with common ticketing.

NX run infrequent services on 230, 422, 707, 767, 777, 787.

Not much overnight though apart from a handful of NX services.

 

[radamfi]

There are all sorts of fares until the end of April. I suspect the system needs telling how many seats it can sell on each coach below the maximum and without that info it's defaulting to the maximum fare.

I was thinking that but the Earl's Court service has a similar £14.99 flat fare even though the service doesn't seem to be changing. I can't see much reason to use easyBus from May if indeed the fares are going up. You might as well get National Express and get a proper coach and not have to book in advance and not be tied to one hour before or after a particular time.

 

[Deerfold]

Hmm, looking at the NX site, if I try and book in May, although at peaks the buses run every 10 minutes, for much of the day they're only half hourly - that fits with their claim of 74 departures a day.

That doesn't sound like an improvement for passengers from the current service every 15 minutes through the middle of the day.

 

[radamfi]

easyBus have now stopped selling tickets to Luton on both routes from 1 May. The website will not let you choose a date beyond 30 April for those routes.

 

[Deerfold]

easyBus have now stopped selling tickets to Luton on both routes from 1 May. The website will not let you choose a date beyond 30 April for those routes.

I hope they haven't sold too many and get in touch with those who have bought them.

 

[Wolfie]

When I checked the easyBus website before I'm sure I don't remember seeing a £14.99 flat fare. I'm sure I would have noticed that. If indeed it is going to be £14.99 from 1 May onwards then I wonder if the service will survive. It also implies that the airport have mandated that they cannot undercut NX.

It also appears that the Brent Cross and Finchley Road stops will no longer be served by easyBus.

my bold

That is effectively operating a cartel, which is contrary to both UK and EU law, and will bring rather swift attention from the Competition Commission. Similarly there is good reason (clue monopolies are frowned upon in law!) why most if not all other airports allow more than one coach operator to serve them, which is almost certainly why easybus can continue in operation......
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Stelios is never backwards in using litigation either.....

I hope Luton Airport and National Express have good lawyers....

 

[Deerfold]

Arriva seem to be slow in producing a new 757 Luton - London timetable. I realise it seems to have been a bit sprung on them but I'm guessing what will now be the core commuter market will want to know when they can get to work.