Bristol Metrobus

[diffywood]

The MD of first west of England ? Or a different JF ? If so how has this order been kept secret ?

yes that man

 

[Marc]

The MD of first west of England ? Or a different JF ? If so how has this order been kept secret ?

becaose its a transaction between two busineses that are under no oblagation to make the order public??

 

[KendalKing]

according to jf on radio bristol today - buses was ordered sometime ago

Could these be the 45 Gas buses, which were on last years orders, but not yet been delivered?

 

[swifty]

Could these be the 45 Gas buses, which were on last years orders, but not yet been delivered?

Weren't they delivered as the standard E400MMCs in the end?

 

[swifty]

The Post reports that Slide have announced they are in the running for Metrobus. Slide are of course owned by Bath Bus Company owners Ratp Dev.

 

[diffywood]

The Post reports that Slide have announced they are in the running for Metrobus. Slide are of course owned by Bath Bus Company owners Ratp Dev.

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/business/second-company-metrobus-operation-talks-16630

 

[KendalKing]

Weren't they delivered as the standard E400MMCs in the end?

I am sure that I read somewhere, that the Gas-buses have not been cancelled, just delayed.

 

[swifty]

A poor 48 driver got caught out on the centre this afternoon, missing the turn into Christmas Street he ended up on Anchor Road with a long detour to finally end up in a position to be able to get onto Nelson Street!

 

[diffywood]

another delay in naming operator(s)

http://www.bradleystokejournal.co.uk/2017/05/13/metrobus-operator-announcement-delayed-again/

 

[g4mby]

So another six months then.

Bristol's Metrobus opening delayed until spring 2018 - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-42171846

 

[Colly405]

Question for those in the know...

We've just moved from Filton to Stoke Gifford, and there are the bones of a Metrobus stop on Hunts Ground Rd, outside the old Pearce's works by the 'overflow' car park for Parkway.

But there is nothing obviously to do with Metrobus beyond there - where will it be stopping at Parkway itself?

 

[g4mby]

But there is nothing obviously to do with Metrobus beyond there - where will it be stopping at Parkway itself?

I think Radio Bristol referred to that very point - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05m9b2f at about 1h33m into the broadcast.

 

[Colly405]

I think Radio Bristol referred to that very point - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05m9b2f at about 1h33m into the broadcast.

Interesting...

 

[carlberry]

So another six months then.

Bristol's Metrobus opening delayed until spring 2018 - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-42171846

If only somebody could invent some way that fares could be taken on the buses themselves!

 

[radamfi]

If only somebody could invent some way that fares could be taken on the buses themselves!

And how does that speed up journey times?

 

[swifty]

And how does that speed up journey times?

Hmm by about 6 months I'd imagine?

 

[radamfi]

Off bus ticketing for single tickets is not rocket science. It is hardly unusual outside the UK.

 

[carlberry]

The MD of first west of England ? Or a different JF ? If so how has this order been kept secret ?

I think First said a while ago that the rest of the recent batch of Scanias will become Metrobus vehicles (like the first few) if they win the extra contracts.

 

[83G/84D]

If you are not aware there is a detailed feature in the current edition of coach and bus week covering First West of England.
There is a section “Delivering Bristol’s MetroBus” where Shalando Williams, MetroBus project manager for First WoE is interviewed at length.

Just a heads up for anyone who may be interested.

Bought my copy in W H Smiths at Temple Meads station to read on the journey back to Cornwall this afternoon.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Off bus ticketing for single tickets is not rocket science. It is hardly unusual outside the UK.

Interesting you mention that. I was with my friends who used to live in Sittard (Netherlands but are now domiciled back in Buckinghamshire). They lived there for 3 years but the challenge/difficulty of buying off bus on an ad-hoc sporadic basis there meant that they simply gave up trying.

I've experienced the same in Italy. To get a ticket in advance would mean walking a mile to a tobacconist that may or may not be open! Hopefully, these ticket machines in Bristol will a) work and b) not be susceptible to vandalism. After all, the bus shelters at Highridge managed to have their windows but through before the road had opened!!

 

[radamfi]

Interesting you mention that. I was with my friends who used to live in Sittard (Netherlands but are now domiciled back in Buckinghamshire). They lived there for 3 years but the challenge/difficulty of buying off bus on an ad-hoc sporadic basis there meant that they simply gave up trying.

Eh? All you need is to get an OV-Chipkaart once every 5 years. You can even set up auto-topup from a Dutch bank account so you don't even need to go to a machine to top up. They still allow on bus purchase but it usually costs a lot more. Some areas of the Netherlands have already stopped accepting cash on the bus and there are plans in most of the country to remove cash from buses in the New Year although the more rural areas may continue to allow cash for a while longer. However, you will still be able to get buy a ticket on the bus using contactless.

I've experienced the same in Italy. To get a ticket in advance would mean walking a mile to a tobacconist that may or may not be open!

But the alternative is longer journey times for regular travellers.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Eh? All you need is to get an OV-Chipkaart once every 5 years. You can even set up auto-topup from a Dutch bank account so you don't even need to go to a machine to top up. They still allow on bus purchase but it usually costs a lot more. Some areas of the Netherlands have already stopped accepting cash on the bus and there are plans in most of the country to remove cash from buses in the New Year although the more rural areas may continue to allow cash for a while longer. However, you will still be able to get buy a ticket on the bus using contactless.

Yeah, you're probably right. After all, they only lived there....

 

[Busaholic]

Yeah, you're probably right. After all, they only lived there....

Appropriate response

 

[Busaholic]

If you are not aware there is a detailed feature in the current edition of coach and bus week covering First West of England.
There is a section “Delivering Bristol’s MetroBus” where Shalando Williams, MetroBus project manager for First WoE is interviewed at length.

Just a heads up for anyone who may be interested.

Bought my copy in W H Smiths at Temple Meads station to read on the journey back to Cornwall this afternoon.

An interesting read, even for someone who's not been on a bus in Bristol for 32 years!

 

[radamfi]

Yeah, you're probably right. After all, they only lived there....

I don't see any room for sarcasm here. The OV-Chipkaart is well known to be valid on all public transport in the Netherlands. But even if you don't get one of those, you can get a ticket on the bus. It just costs more. The website shows the wide range of tickets available on the bus in that area:

https://www.arriva.nl/limburg/abonnementen-kaartjes-1/etickets-kaartjes.htm?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I don't see any room for sarcasm here. The OV-Chipkaart is well known to be valid on all public transport in the Netherlands. But even if you don't get one of those, you can get a ticket on the bus. It just costs more. The website shows the wide range of tickets available on the bus in that area:

https://www.arriva.nl/limburg/abonnementen-kaartjes-1/etickets-kaartjes.htm?

Sorry but you came across as something else. I was reporting their experience and their perception!

 

[radamfi]

Sorry but you came across as something else. I was reporting their experience and their perception!

I just don't get how they could have gone away with the perception that you can't buy a ticket either in advance or on the bus. For advance purchase, there is a universal ticket valid in the whole country. A lot less complicated than Britain where every company has its own tickets. But if you get on the bus and ask for a ticket to somewhere, the driver will sell you a ticket, just like in Britain. Where's the difficultly?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I just don't get how they could have gone away with the perception that you can't buy a ticket either in advance or on the bus. For advance purchase, there is a universal ticket valid in the whole country. A lot less complicated than Britain where every company has its own tickets. But if you get on the bus and ask for a ticket to somewhere, the driver will sell you a ticket, just like in Britain. Where's the difficultly?

They must be foolish individuals. I shall disown them immediately.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Things getting closer for Metrobus https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/metrobus-ticket-payment-machines-wont-1301138

April now vaunted for the start date. Love the journalism though....

• What the buses may look like.... Why not go to Bath and take a snap of the orange and grey deckers?
• London style Oyster cards - not mentioning that you can't use cash on London buses?

 

[g4mby]

http://bristolcommunitytransport.or...ty Transport unveiled as Metrobus m1 operator is probably the most informative of the current press releases.