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Competition heats up between Transdev and Connexions

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SCH117X

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In comparison Transdev give the 1A 33 mins (38 mins am peak) for the same journey from St James to Harrogate.
 
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goldisgood

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AJW12

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Don't think Transdev are saints in this but it does make me wonder how many bus companies one can fall out with - and then not be able to specify where your own tickets are valid.

The company has its merits but seem too focused at lashing out at everybody else. I don't think they deserved the parking tickets etc but sometimes I wonder how much money it's cost them running campaigns / services / etc just to deliberately challenge Transdev.
 

Stan Drews

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In my experience the vast majority of bus company owners/managers get on very well on a personal and business level, even if they may be competing on street, or for the same contracts/hire work.

However, just like in all walks of life, there are always a few that seem to have that knack of rubbing others up the wrong way.

I think Connexions largely do a reasonable job, but his judgement is definitely clouded by his feud with his former employers.
 

SCH117X

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Main problem with this feud is it is not providing the travelling public with a choice in terms of travel times on the Aspin (am peak) and Pannal Ash routes; the latter area has a very active residents association who are pretty persistent in their complaints over leapfrogging buses but no changes have to date occurred, yet on the Wetherby route their is largely a reasonable separation in the services
 

Tetchytyke

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However, just like in all walks of life, there are always a few that seem to have that knack of rubbing others up the wrong way.

To be fair, the Blazefield boss has that knack in spades too. Some of what he got up to at Trent Barton was disgusting, especially (but not limited to) their conduct in running YourBus off the road.

In fact, the petty behaviour of Transdev- whilst trying to make Connexions look like idiots when they complain about it- is pretty much a carbon copy of how it went in Nottingham.
 

AJW12

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Would appear there are new buses coming to York for the 42... https://twitter.com/yorkbus/status/1031281715367628801.
New for the 42! Two brand new buses are coming to a bus stop near you, exclusive to the York & Country 42 York-Designer Outlet-Naburn-Cawood-Wistow-Selby-Drax. Keep watching!
From the picture they look like Enviro200MMCs, and I'm taking a guess at them being dealer stock buys from the picture and the fact Transdev usually don't go near ADL products.

I think this is to plug the vehicle shortage being seen at the moment and to replace the highly unreliable darts. But no doubt we'll be told a few hundred times that this is all "amazing"....
 
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Stan Drews

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Would appear there are new buses coming to York for the 42... https://twitter.com/yorkbus/status/1031281715367628801.

From the picture they look like Enviro200MMCs, and I'm taking a guess at them being dealer stock buys from the picture and the fact Transdev usually don't go near ADL products.

I think this is to plug the vehicle shortage being seen at the moment and to replace the highly unreliable darts. But no doubt we'll be told a few hundred times that this is all "amazing"....

Wow, a bus company promoting the introduction of new buses as a good thing ....whatever next!
 

Stan Drews

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Well any new bus will be an upgrade to an unreliable, old dart right?

You would think so, but some people always seem to want to find something negative to concentrate on!
Those little Darts are actually in pretty good nick internally, but are feeling their age from a mechanical perspective. You can’t argue that they have served their purpose by getting the 42 re-established, and building passenger numbers back up.
 

SCH117X

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York has had a flood of "new" vehicles in the last few weeks with 4 Versas (2 from Harrogate, 1 from Burnley and 1 from Blackburn) arriving and another Dart from Keighley (albeit that is apparently on loan) while only losing a B10BLE which has gone back to Harrogate so presumably the 22/23 could be Versa worked with more than enough Darts on hand for the 42 in the meanwhile.
 

SCH117X

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Route One is reporting Transdev Blazefield have a new Head of Commercial Development "as it prepares for further expansion across the North of England". Cue speculation.
 

spuddie

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From the picture they look like Enviro200MMCs, and I'm taking a guess at them being dealer stock buys from the picture and the fact Transdev usually don't go near ADL products.

I'm guessing they have gone for the ADL's as they are quick to get if dealer stock and a like for like replacement. Although if they wanted to stick to their usual Volvo or Optare supplies then surely Solo's would have been the right size for the route?

These may actually become the first vehicles in some form of York & Country two tone blue livery....although it looks from the pic they are white with some two tone blue branding applied.
 

darloscott

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I'm guessing they have gone for the ADL's as they are quick to get if dealer stock and a like for like replacement. Although if they wanted to stick to their usual Volvo or Optare supplies then surely Solo's would have been the right size for the route?

These may actually become the first vehicles in some form of York & Country two tone blue livery....although it looks from the pic they are white with some two tone blue branding applied.

I believe Solo's were too heavy for Cawood Bridge once you applied any sort of typical load hence they had to go with ADL.
 

158756

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Transdev are simplifying their range of tickets in Harrogate, with new 'Go Harrogate' weekly and monthly tickets replacing the current range. They look the same as current Harrogate Plus tickets to me - and are cheaper than those, but more expensive than other tickets being replaced. Singles and returns are going up.
http://www.harrogatebus.co.uk/news.jsp?newsID=2424

Elsewhere on Transdev's network it's a blanket fare hike, for the second time in under 9 months.
 

SCH117X

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Knaresborough 7 up £1, Harrogate Local 7 up 50p, Harrogate Plus Week down by £7, Wetherby 7 down by £2
Harrogate Local Month up £2, Harrogate Plus Month down by £8.
IIRC a number of these did not change at the last fare change. No mention on Go12s which is one I normally buy as I usually only travel one way by bus and that ticket oddly was £3.50 cheaper at the bus station kiosk than the online price the last time(and the few before it) that I bought it.

Looking at the Keighley changes looks like the K day ticket is unaltered
 

johntea

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The Starbeck - Harrogate and Starbeck - Knaresborough weekly tickets will go up slightly, to £10.

I wouldn't call that 'slightly', I'm forced to buy a Starbeck - Harrogate every week and really, really wish they would do a cheaper ticket option that only covered Monday - Friday (or say 10 trips)...but they won't!
 

Stan Drews

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The Starbeck - Harrogate and Starbeck - Knaresborough weekly tickets will go up slightly, to £10.

I wouldn't call that 'slightly', I'm forced to buy a Starbeck - Harrogate every week and really, really wish they would do a cheaper ticket option that only covered Monday - Friday (or say 10 trips)...but they won't!

Weekly tickets are generally priced on the basis of someone travelling on 5 days, but with the extra days effectively ‘free’. Where a ‘calculator’ is used for day > week, it is often around x3.5.
Even at £10 for 5 return trips, I’d say that was pretty decent value.
 

SCH117X

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Any news as to when the electrics are going to be in service?
Sam
Tweeted photo of a 68 plate B5TL for Coastliner by Alex Hornby says that will be one of 29 new vehicles entering service next month so presumably sometime in Sept will see the new Electrics enter service in Harrogate.
 

Bungle965

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Tweeted photo of a 68 plate B5TL for Coastliner by Alex Hornby says that will be one of 29 new vehicles entering service next month so presumably sometime in Sept will see the new Electrics enter service in Harrogate.
Not that long to go then for them to be introduced which is good news.
The 68 plate Volvo's for Coastliner presumably means that the B9TL will be transferred elsewhere in the Transdev empire, anyone up for any guesses?:D
Sam
 

SCH117X

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The 68 plate Volvo's for Coastliner presumably means that the B9TL will be transferred elsewhere in the Transdev empire, anyone up for any guesses?:D
Sam
The lastest WYIS fleeytlist http://wyis.byethost17.com/Blazefield.pdf comments that 422-424, the 11 reg ones, are to be withdrawn during 2018. No comments re 427-429, the 62 reg ones. As 425 and 426 are with Rosso that's a probable destination for any which are being retained and become surplus at Malton.
 

158756

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The lastest WYIS fleeytlist http://wyis.byethost17.com/Blazefield.pdf comments that 422-424, the 11 reg ones, are to be withdrawn during 2018. No comments re 427-429, the 62 reg ones. As 425 and 426 are with Rosso that's a probable destination for any which are being retained and become surplus at Malton.

I think they're making a mistake withdrawing or returning buses after 6-7 years given the age and reliability of much of the fleet.
 

SCH117X

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I think they're making a mistake withdrawing or returning buses after 6-7 years given the age and reliability of much of the fleet.
Never take WYIS comments as gospel. They are not listing them as returning off lease which presumably means the present indication they are to go into storage at Intack, Blackburn.
 

Deerfold

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Elsewhere on Transdev's network it's a blanket fare hike, for the second time in under 9 months.

In Keighley the day ticket prices for the KZone Day and KDay (peak and off-peak) seem to be unchanged. 9 months ago the KZone Day tickets got cheaper (so they're now cheaper than some returns) and the KDay (peak) was unchanged.

For the KZone week, it's only cheaper than buying on mobile if you travel 6 or 7 days a week as 6 day tickets are only 90p more than the weekly ticket.
 

96tommy

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Not been on the forum lately but just got on a Coastliner to discover yet another fare increase notice. What is the reason this time? Disgraceful how much prices have risen on the service lately.
 
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