centrebus holdings sold to arriva

[34D]

Centrebus depots in Hinckley and West Yorks are to pass to Arriva.

I've been forwarded a confidential memo, but perhaps someone else can post the detail, so I don't speak totally out of turn.

 

[overthewater]

Centrebus depots in Hinckley and West Yorks are to pass to Arriva.

I've been forwarded a confidential memo, but perhaps someone else can post the detail, so I don't speak totally out of turn.

Is that the one which is held as Centrebus Holdings? It been said it will be 9th September.........coming from me that means nothing!

 

[pemma]

Centrebus Holdings was a new company set up to purchase the former Yorkshire Traction Huddersfield operations off Stagecoach, where Centrebus owned 60% and Arriva owned the other 40%. The operations were under 'The Huddersfield Bus Company' name until they expanded in to other parts of West Yorkshire like Halifax and used the Centrebus name as well.

Apparently, at the time, Arriva were the front runner to purchase those operations but decided against doing it themselves.

 

[trentside]

Didn't Hinckley come from Arriva in the first place?

 

[34D]

Here's the detail. It's now appearing on enthusiast sites etc:

Centrebus Holdings Ltd is a jointly owned company with shareholding split
between Centrebus Ltd (60%) & Arriva plc (40%). Centrebus Holdings owns
the operations at Hinckley, operated under the Centrebus Holdings
O-license, & the operations in Yorkshire (Waterloo, Honley, Elland & Leeds)
operating under the Huddersfield Bus Company, Teamdeck & White Rose Bus Co
O-licenses.

Agreement has been reached for Arriva plc to purchase the shareholding in
Centrebus Holdings owned by Centrebus, thereby taking over 100% control of
all 5 depots & the 4 companies & O-licenses owned by Centrebus Holdings as
going concerns. Hinckley depot is expected to return to the direct control
of Arriva Midlands and all routes, licenses & vehicles based at Hinckley
will transfer as such. The Yorkshire operations are expected to remain as
a separate stand-alone business, managed and operated separately from
Arriva Yorkshire under a different name and probably under a different
livery.

This deal will not affect any other Centrebus business and has no bearing
on the 100% owned Centrebus Ltd operations (Leicester, Grantham, Melton,
Corby, Luton & Stevenage) or the High Peak Buses 50/50 joint venture with
Wellglade.

 

[overthewater]

How much cash will this help the company improve its own business?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

How much cash will this help the company improve its own business?

Julian Peddle is a canny operator. Money might be to invest in current ops or invest in other businesses.

Hinckley was an Arriva op so interesting its come full circle. The Yorkshire ops sound like they might form a type of Wardle style operation. Shows that Arriva are prepared to make the right purchase and the failing First ones clearly didn't appeal!

 

[AndyHudds]

How is this going to effect services? Centrebus in Huddersfield seem to operate a lot of routes no other operator wants, like the 341 Stocksmoor,317 Almondbury to Lindley and the 340/342 Almondbury Circulars (I live in the Almondbury area,hence all the service quoted pass through my patch).Will Arriva be looking to maintain/improve these service or palm them off and keep the most profitable routes?

 

[pemma]

How is this going to effect services? Centrebus in Huddersfield seem to operate a lot of routes no other operator wants, like the 341 Stocksmoor,317 Almondbury to Lindley and the 340/342 Almondbury Circulars (I live in the Almondbury area,hence all the service quoted pass through my patch).Will Arriva be looking to maintain/improve these service or palm them off and keep the most profitable routes?

That's a very good point. The former Yorkshire Traction routes around the Huddersfield area are probably the less profitable ones, which is probably why Stagecoach off-loaded them. Stagecoach may have even asked if they could purchase part of Yorkshire Traction opposed to buying a part they wanted to off-load.

With K-Line also getting purchased by Centrebus Holdings I don't think that really leaves another local operator who'll pick up what First and Arriva don't want.

 

[moogal]

Didn't Hinckley come from Arriva in the first place?

Given when I used to live there all the town services were operated by Arriva, I'd imagine so.

Can't imagine it makes much money commercially - all I remember is seeing a lot of Mercedes minibuses running around mostly empty.

 

[34D]

How is this going to effect services? Centrebus in Huddersfield seem to operate a lot of routes no other operator wants, like the 341 Stocksmoor,317 Almondbury to Lindley and the 340/342 Almondbury Circulars (I live in the Almondbury area,hence all the service quoted pass through my patch).Will Arriva be looking to maintain/improve these service or palm them off and keep the most profitable routes?

Aren't they mostly tenders? (I'm not sure either way).

I'm confused as to why Arriva _dont_ want to integrate this fully into AY.

At least we now know why Centrebus WY are practically the only operator in WY to not have invested in Smart ETMs.

 

[YorkshireRider]

Intresting to see what they will do with the Kirkstall Rd depot, the only money makers out of there will be the airport services.

 

[martinsh]

With K-Line also getting purchased by Centrebus Holdings I don't think that really leaves another local operator who'll pick up what First and Arriva don't want.

Stotts ?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Are Centrebus the group with the atrocious orange and blue group livery ?

 

[martinsh]

Are Centrebus the group with the atrocious orange and blue group livery ?

No, they're the group with the very nice blue and orange livery - much better than First, Arriva, Stagecoach anyway.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

No, they're the group with the very nice blue and orange livery - much better than First, Arriva, Stagecoach anyway.

Thanks for this confirmation. If certain liveries reflected sponsorship deals, the silver, green and yellow of "Cheshire Connect" would be reflective of sponsorship by Fortnum and Mason....Centrebus (as described) would give the impression of being sponsored by "the local Poundshop"...:roll:

 

[Deerfold]

Thanks for this confirmation. If certain liveries reflected sponsorship deals, the silver, green and yellow of "Cheshire Connect" would be reflective of sponsorship by Fortnum and Mason....Centrebus (as described) would give the impression of being sponsored by "the local Poundshop"...:roll:

It's certainly a striking livery.

Presumably we'll be getting something new in West Yorkshire - perhaps K-line(Teamdeck)'s blue and white will stray a little further?

 

[jon0844]

I presume the level of service varies a lot region by region, as around here (Hatfield, so I guess this is from Stevenage) my experiences of Centrebus have been rather less than impressive.

Horrid old buses, not all level access (how is that even possible these days - although this was a few years back) and when I wanted to enquire about whether the bus stopped at a particular place, I discovered that the driver spoke virtually no English at all. As such, we were both trying to communicate with each other for a while until I just thought I'd chance it and see where I ended up!

The driver was also quite, erm, interesting when it came to the driving part.

By contrast, in St Albans there's a company called Redline (or edline if you look at their rather odd logo) that run buses that are exceptional. Even with free Wi-Fi! http://www.redlinebuses.com/

 

[Deerfold]

I presume the level of service varies a lot region by region, as around here (Hatfield, so I guess this is from Stevenage) my experiences of Centrebus have been rather less than impressive.

Horrid old buses, not all level access (how is that even possible these days - although this was a few years back) and when I wanted to enquire about whether the bus stopped at a particular place, I discovered that the driver spoke virtually no English at all. As such, we were both trying to communicate with each other for a while until I just thought I'd chance it and see where I ended up!

The driver was also quite, erm, interesting when it came to the driving part.

By contrast, in St Albans there's a company called Redline (or edline if you look at their rather odd logo) that run buses that are exceptional. Even with free Wi-Fi! http://www.redlinebuses.com/

Having experienced both Hertfordshire and Yorkshire Centreline buses the Yorkshire experiences have generally been superior - they've bought lots of new buses in the last 2 or 3 years for a start. Not seen any wi-fi yet though.

 

[34D]

Intresting to see what they will do with the Kirkstall Rd depot, the only money makers out of there will be the airport services.

They're all tendered. The funding has been slashed. Expect to see the Harrogate and Otley routes disappear, to leave only an hourly service to Leeds and an hourly service to Bradford.

WYPTE to do a public consultation early next year.

 

[Deerfold]

They're all tendered. The funding has been slashed. Expect to see the Harrogate and Otley routes disappear, to leave only an hourly service to Leeds and an hourly service to Bradford.

WYPTE to do a public consultation early next year.

I thought the airport to Harrogate section was commercial, following the withdrawal of the NYCC funded service (and the largely commercial 653 Bradford - Harrogate).

 

[34D]

I thought the airport to Harrogate section was commercial, following the withdrawal of the NYCC funded service (and the largely commercial 653 Bradford - Harrogate).

No. Metro provided a tendered service partly to replace the NY contract. To be fair though, it is probably a service that is close to justifying itself commercially (during shopping hours at least).

When the 653 was withdrawn in July 2009 ConneXions Buses stepped in with Guiseley-Otley-Harrogate and TLC Travel with Bradford-Shipley-Guiseley-Otley.

I'd suggest that if a commercial Bradford-Harrogate service was to exist again that via Otley would probably make more sense than via Airport. Thoughts?

 

[pemma]

I presume the level of service varies a lot region by region, as around here (Hatfield, so I guess this is from Stevenage) my experiences of Centrebus have been rather less than impressive.

High Peak (who Centrebus own 50% of) have not been impressive on their Cheshire routes since the middle of last year. On one occasion they didn't run a service for two consecutive days merely citing 'operational difficulties' as the reason for not running it.

 

[YorkshireRider]

I'd suggest that if a commercial Bradford-Harrogate service was to exist again that via Otley would probably make more sense than via Airport. Thoughts?

Probably, but obviously First didnt think it was making enough money

 

[Smethwickian]

Operations at Hinckley are presently listed seperately 'trading as Hinckley Bus' on Arriva Midlands' website, here: http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/hinckleybus/

Whether the company intends to keep them separate, Wardle-style, in the long term, I don't know, or whether this is just until it has had chance to work out potential service revisions, repaints, vehicle transfers etc to "sort out" what they've acquired.

 

[pemma]

According to the Huddersfield Examiner Martijn Gilbert (Director of Arriva Yorkshire) has been placed in charge of the former Centrebus Holdings operations in West Yorkshire: http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/arriva-plc-buys-huddersfield-bus-5872345

 

[dvboy]

Had my first ever experience with Centrebus today on the 24 that runs from Grantham to Newark. The bus stop at Fernwood near Newark is on one side of the road serving both directions. The bus that was a good half hour late already nearly missed me had I not waved at it, apparently I should have been on the other side of the road, despite there being no indication anywhere that I should have been. I had to apologise to the driver as I wasn't familiar with the area - where I come from we have bus stops on both sides of the road!

 

[Deerfold]

Had my first ever experience with Centrebus today on the 24 that runs from Grantham to Newark. The bus stop at Fernwood near Newark is on one side of the road serving both directions. The bus that was a good half hour late already nearly missed me had I not waved at it, apparently I should have been on the other side of the road, despite there being no indication anywhere that I should have been. I had to apologise to the driver as I wasn't familiar with the area - where I come from we have bus stops on both sides of the road!

Usually if a bus stop says "both sides" it just means that stop is the marker for both sides, not that you have to wait on the wrong side of the road. I've used stops like that occasionally. There's one stop I know where you might be expected to do that - I've got off there many times but never on as it stopped further from my dad's house than most services - but was a downward walk through fields. That didn't have a pavement on one side of the road - just a sheer wall.

 

[dvboy]

Usually if a bus stop says "both sides" it just means that stop is the marker for both sides, not that you have to wait on the wrong side of the road. I've used stops like that occasionally. There's one stop I know where you might be expected to do that - I've got off there many times but never on as it stopped further from my dad's house than most services - but was a downward walk through fields. That didn't have a pavement on one side of the road - just a sheer wall.

It wasn't obvious as directly opposite it was a grass verge - footpath was further along. Also if you're unfamiliar with the area, how do you know which side you want anyway? The only way I knew was by the big roundabout sign just down the road pointing out the route to Grantham and the A1. What if it's raining? Surely you wait in the shelter.

 

[34D]

In west yorkshire, for "both sides of the road" stops, the timetable case says "this side" and below it "opposite side".