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Buses and the coronavirus

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175mph

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What's the likelihood of all or the vast majority of bus routes being canceled for a while as either part of a lock down or bus companies or individual op cos of bus companies canceling them as a 'precaution'? This would leave many people stranded, if they catch long distance buses, for example I work in Hull, so get the 350 bus from Scunthorpe to there and back quite regularly and if a sudden lock down is announced by the government or Stagecoach decide to take 'precautions' by canceling services for a while, being stranded would be a very bad reality. And you can guarantee that the hotels would cash in on it by heavily increasing their prices.

If this ever did happen, ie if the government announced a lock down, would the managers of the companies send messages to the ticket machines of the buses, ordering the drivers to order all passengers off the buses mid route, abandon the route, then run the buses dead back to the depot, or would they be allowed to finish routes they are halfway through, but then cancel any other runs of those services afterwards?
 
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TheGrandWazoo

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What's the likelihood of all or the vast majority of bus routes being canceled for a while as either part of a lock down or bus companies or individual op cos of bus companies canceling them as a 'precaution'? This would leave many people stranded, if they catch long distance buses, for example I work in Hull, so get the 350 bus from Scunthorpe to there and back quite regularly and if a sudden lock down is announced by the government or Stagecoach decide to take 'precautions' by canceling services for a while, being stranded would be a very bad reality. And you can guarantee that the hotels would cash in on it by heavily increasing their prices.

If this ever did happen, ie if the government announced a lock down, would the managers of the companies send messages to the ticket machines of the buses, ordering the drivers to order all passengers off the buses mid route, abandon the route, then run the buses dead back to the depot, or would they be allowed to finish routes they are halfway through, but then cancel any other runs of those services afterwards?

Have you really thought this through??

If there’s a lockdown, you won’t be stranded anywhere. If it’s the Lombardy/Italy style lockdown, you won’t be able to travel so you’d be stuck at home.

As for ordering people off buses.....you think that is going to happen? They’re not going to announce that sort of thing with 10 minutes notice :rolleyes::rolleyes:
 

Bletchleyite

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More likely it will be "all bus services will cease as of close of service today" or somesuch. Ordering people off buses won't happen.

That said, I'd maybe more expect it to be that services get pulled due to staff sickness and reduced demand. This train I'm on is nearly empty.
 

Baxenden Bank

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I would imagine that there will be more than a few minutes notice. Having said that, Jet2 planes have been turned in mid-air. So I would HOPE that there will be more than a few minutes notice!
For a day commuter, I would hope that they all get home safely.
For a week commuter (eg away Mon-Fri), I would hope that enough notice is given to allow people to get home.

Having people stranded away from home is not good practice, especially as this is not the bubonic plague. Stranded people will try to get home by other means if no alternatives are available.

According the BBC News, there is an amount of chaos at Schipol Airport as flights to the USA are cancelled and people are being stranded.
 

overthewater

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It depends, however they will NOT cancelled all buses, even in italy where it lockdown the buses and Supermarkets are still open. Well how do you get to the shops if you dont drive? Mostly likely saturday or sunday service depending on the locations,
 

Bletchleyite

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It depends, however they will NOT cancelled all buses, even in italy where it lockdown the buses and Supermarkets are still open. Well how do you get to the shops if you dont drive? Mostly likely saturday or sunday service depending on the locations,

Depends how serious it gets. If you're heading towards worst-case the Army could be used to distribute basic food packages. I doubt it'll get that far though, it hasn't anywhere else, not even China.
 

markymark2000

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A good few people will use taxis or friends to get them home if public transport goes.

I can't see hotels increasing their prices. If their occupancy is a low as 10% which has been suggested in another part of the forum, they will be desperate for people to take rooms as that will keep their employees in jobs. Trying to capitalise on public transport stalling I think would not help keep their staff in jobs or even them in business. At times like this, I think they would just be happy for people taking rooms.
 

CD

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When taking decisions the safety of the drivers must be a priority.
Pity there are no longer half cabs that I used to drive.
 

Bletchleyite

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When taking decisions the safety of the drivers must be a priority.
Pity there are no longer half cabs that I used to drive.

It's a shame the UK doesn't generally do dual door as closing off the front door seems a reasonable measure. If demand drops in London I wonder if companies will move spare buses elsewhere so they can?
 

markymark2000

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It's a shame the UK doesn't generally do dual door as closing off the front door seems a reasonable measure. If demand drops in London I wonder if companies will move spare buses elsewhere so they can?
The risk of that is making sure people pay.

It might be worth trialling though on some of the lesser used, dual door routes to see if it works and if so, there could be potential to expand it to bigger routes.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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I would imagine that there will be more than a few minutes notice. Having said that, Jet2 planes have been turned in mid-air. So I would HOPE that there will be more than a few minutes notice!
For a day commuter, I would hope that they all get home safely.
For a week commuter (eg away Mon-Fri), I would hope that enough notice is given to allow people to get home.

Having people stranded away from home is not good practice, especially as this is not the bubonic plague. Stranded people will try to get home by other means if no alternatives are available.

According the BBC News, there is an amount of chaos at Schipol Airport as flights to the USA are cancelled and people are being stranded.
The Jet2 response is because there’s every chance that Spain will be on lockdown from Monday so pointless taking people over who will be stuck there.

Note - this is likely to be Monday, not ten past four today!!!
 

markymark2000

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The vast majority of people don't pay, they're on passes. This being the case, foresaking the income may actually make sense to protect the staff, if the Government will step in and fund continuation of service if necessary.
I don't mean just paying cash, I mean tapping Oyster as well. Look at the issues on the NB4L, they restricted it to front door boarding because of the far evasion.

The government could step in and fund some revenue forgone but, despite what the Labour party think, there isn't a magic money tree. Do we fund revenue lost on buses or do we put that money into the NHS or research of the virus. I know which one I would rather.
 

Megafuss

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To begin with, you will see individual trips being cancelled at short notice with drivers self isolating and duties therefore not being covered. I understand the CPT has already been talking to the senior TCs about short notice registration changes. I think bus operators will try and run what they can depending on the circumstances....
 

mmh

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I can't see hotels increasing their prices. If their occupancy is a low as 10% which has been suggested in another part of the forum, they will be desperate for people to take rooms as that will keep their employees in jobs.

I don't think that's universal. I can currently see three hotels. Two have No Vacancies signs, one has Vacancies. It's no doubt early days though, and future bookings (and cancellations) from now will be the teller.
 

mmh

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The vast majority of people don't pay, they're on passes. This being the case, foresaking the income may actually make sense to protect the staff, if the Government will step in and fund continuation of service if necessary.

Depends on the area. Here most people buy weekly passes, so there's some but not much cash handling. I'd say that's followed by bus passes, then M-tickets (which seem to be quickly gaining popularity with the young), then probably cash singles and contactless, but those in small numbers as they're poor value.

But then you get people like me who mess up the pattern by having a weekly ticket for the main operator, but will often buy a cash single on the secondary operator if I'm out for the evening as they run later.
 

Bletchleyite

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The government could step in and fund some revenue forgone but, despite what the Labour party think, there isn't a magic money tree.

There actually can be - quantitative easing, which shares the load among everyone. I'm strongly in favour of doing that in the way we did to bail out the banks. The figures involved are much smaller than that.
 

Robertj21a

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One of the drivers on the NXWM 14 service Birmingham City Centre to Chelmsley Wood via Alum Rock is wearing a mask today. 4622 is the fleet number.

Not sure why you're mentioning it. Rather a non-event surely ?
 
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Unless it is in their financial interest or they are ordered by the govt. bus companies will continue to send out buses.
They don't care if their drivers get ill, only about the financial impact it will have on the company.

I was informed on the thread about Italy only using rear doors on its buses due to Corona that fare evasion wouldn't matter in the UK, how naive can you be?
 

PG

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They don't care if their drivers get ill, only about the financial impact it will have on the company.
Ah but most of their drivers getting ill will have a financial impact as there won't be any one to cover the duties. No buses running = no income, barring any intervention by the government as others have suggested.
 
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Ah but most of their drivers getting ill will have a financial impact as there won't be any one to cover the duties. No buses running = no income, barring any intervention by the government as others have suggested.
Which is why I said " unless it is in there financial interests"?
Clearly if a driver doesn't come in the service will not operate, I was referring to them choosing not to run services. If there are zero passengers there is zero income so they would then come off the road " in the public interest", in reality to cut costs.
 

overthewater

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The chances any depot would need all ( let along 50%) drivers during a lock down would be questionable. Spain getting a lock down but supermarkets are still open..
 

DunsBus

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I can see a large number of rallies this year being cancelled. The health risk is simply too great to warrant them going ahead.
 

scotrail158713

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I can see a large number of rallies this year being cancelled. The health risk is simply too great to warrant them going ahead.
I think that’s far more likely than any cancellations on day-to-day services - for just now anyway, as that may well change in the coming days.
 

Tetchytyke

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despite what the Labour party think, there isn't a magic money tree.

I could have sworn Rishi Sunak was pulling leaves off the magic money tree left, right, and centre last Thursday.

Biggest budget giveaway for 30 years, wasn't it, including huge wedges of dosh for buses and businesses affected by Covid-19!

It's a shame the UK doesn't generally do dual door as closing off the front door seems a reasonable measure.

It's been a long time since I've been on a bus in the UK without attack screens on the cab. If a driver's going to get Covid-19 it's most likely to be off the hard surfaces in the cab they touch all the time, such as the ticket machine or the steering wheel, rather than the punters (though handling lots of cash is undoubtedly risky).

That will be the real issue with buses- I could see Covid-19 going through a depot like a dose of salts. All those lovely hard surfaces for the virus to live on, and spread to colleagues, and not many chances to wash your hands.

I can see a large number of rallies this year being cancelled. The health risk is simply too great to warrant them going ahead.

The health risks are small, but good luck getting public liability insurance!
 
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markymark2000

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including huge wedges of dosh for buses and businesses affected by Covid-19!
Yes for buses and yes for businesses affected by Covid-19 but they are unconnected. The money for buses is completely unrelated to Covid-19 and the Covid-19 money is primarily for paying for staff sick pay and not for keeping businesses afloat during a time when there is vastly reduced travel spending.
 

Tetchytyke

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the Covid-19 money is primarily for paying for staff sick pay and not for keeping businesses afloat during a time when there is vastly reduced travel spending

That's not what Rishi Suvak said, including when he was freezing business rates to help smaller businesses during this time

But funny how the Tories doling money out left, right and centre is just Good Economic Sense :lol:
 
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