Competition heats up between Transdev and Connexions

[96tommy]

Where?

https://www.facebook.com/tadtowncouncil/posts/1316061631787596

Means that the Tadcaster - York route has gone from 6-4-2-3-2 buses an hour over the last 6/7 years. Could be to do with the outrageous prices of journeys on the Coastliner......

 

[Stan Drews]

The Tadfaster service was introduced because, along with the amended Coastliner, it offered a better solution for both East and West Tadcaster than the shuttle bus arrangement that NYCC had initially put in place after the bridge collapsed.
Now that things are about to return to normal, the Coastliner can go back to providing the through York - Tad - Leeds service, which I'm sure will be a welcome improvement for Tad residents, particularly those on the eastern side.

 

[96tommy]

The Tadfaster service was introduced because, along with the amended Coastliner, it offered a better solution for both East and West Tadcaster than the shuttle bus arrangement that NYCC had initially put in place after the bridge collapsed.
Now that things are about to return to normal, the Coastliner can go back to providing the through York - Tad - Leeds service, which I'm sure will be a welcome improvement for Tad residents, particularly those on the eastern side.

I live on the east side so no complaints from me. Just wish the price was right. I made 4 trips on the Megabus to London a few months ago for the same as a return from Tad to Leeds...

 

[Bungle965]

I live on the east side so no complaints from me. Just wish the price was right. I made 4 trips on the Megabus to London a few months ago for the same as a return from Tad to Leeds...

However if you bought a ticket on the day (as you would for Coastliner) on Megabus it would have been more expensive, not the greatest of comparisons.
However you would probably get better luxuires on Coastliner than you would on Megabus!
Sam

 

[96tommy]

However if you bought a ticket on the day (as you would for Coastliner) on Megabus it would have been more expensive, not the greatest of comparisons.
However you would probably get better luxuires on Coastliner than you would on Megabus!
Sam

I know what you're getting at but prices on the Coastliner route are a disgrace.

 

[Andyh82]

https://www.facebook.com/tadtowncouncil/posts/1316061631787596

Means that the Tadcaster - York route has gone from 6-4-2-3-2 buses an hour over the last 6/7 years. Could be to do with the outrageous prices of journeys on the Coastliner......

With spin like that you could work for a tabloid.

You've missed out the previous million years before that when it was 2 buses per hour

 

[96tommy]

Fair enough.....


Back on main topic, is connexions or transdev got any routes new or what they are taking over coming up?

 

[SCH117X]

I know what you're getting at but prices on the Coastliner route are a disgrace.

Theres a pretty similar price complaint in the Nottingham Bus War thread re TrentBartons fares. Its simply a case that away from London and PTE areas their is no subsidy (etc) so fares naturally are higher. Worth noting that even a low cost operator like Connexions charges £6 for a single from Spofforth to York (17 miles)

 

[philthetube]

Theres a pretty similar price complaint in the Nottingham Bus War thread re TrentBartons fares. Its simply a case that away from London and PTE areas their is no subsidy (etc) so fares naturally are higher. Worth noting that even a low cost operator like Connexions charges £6 for a single from Spofforth to York (17 miles)

I think that many single fares have increased out of proportion with weeklies etc. in order to maximize revenue from pensioner passes.

 

[SCH117X]

Transdev have published the new 770 / 771 timetable which sees (in terms of departures from Harrogate) a regular half hour 771 between 0910 and 1740 direct along the A661 to Wetherby at 10 and 40 past the hour. Connexions X70 along the same route is at 25 and 55 past the hour so thats an even split. The extra workings as 770s along the village route are at 20 past the hour from 1020 to 1420 (as well as at 0930) which will mean that bus will be on the stand when Connexions bus forming the 25 past departure arrives (due in at 15 mins past); much horn blowing by annoyed drivers if past experience is anything to go by. Transdev have also increased their earlier am workings with three extra journeys at 0625 (771) 0730 (770) and 0845 (771) as well as retiming others and swopping some from 770s to 771s notably the 0750 770 will now be an 0800 771 which at least means their will no falling out over who can depart from stand 9 at 0750 which the time of the first (Mon-Fri only) X70.

 

[Andyh82]

The rivalry continues, the latest being that they are miffed that Coastliner got involved in the celebrations opening Tadcaster bridge.

Considering local firm Just Travel also got involved as their scheduled school bus just happened to be passing, Connexions could also have got involved if they so wished.

They also seem annoyed that First don't give them any money in return for FirstDay's to be accepted on their route in Leeds.

 

[96tommy]

And they are annoyed at Transdev apparently removing their timetables from bus stop. Which, if true, is very childish from Transdev.

 

[Zxwii]

Could be wrong, but the timetable cases look like they actually are Transdevs, so maybe Conexxions should get their own cases instead of using the property of someone else. As I say I could be wrong and stand to be corrected.

 

[SCH117X]

The rivalry continues, the latest being that they are miffed that Coastliner got involved in the celebrations opening Tadcaster bridge.

Considering local firm Just Travel also got involved as their scheduled school bus just happened to be passing, Connexions could also have got involved if they so wished.

Coastliner were invited as they have long been part of the public transport scene in Tadcaster; Connexions on the other hand until their very recent commercial extension of the X70 to Tadcaster only served the town through tendered services.

Bound to be some crazy comments from Connexions as the one local journey in Harrogate they run that can normally be guaranteed to be a pretty full bus , the first post 9am from the suburbs on the 6/X6/X6a group of services, will be affected by Transdev laying on a new journey just after 9am.

 

[SCH117X]

Could be wrong, but the timetable cases look like they actually are Transdevs, so maybe Conexxions should get their own cases instead of using the property of someone else. As I say I could be wrong and stand to be corrected.

I think you are right that the red timetable cases are Transdevs. Connexions spend nothing if they can get away without doing it - the lack of providing bus stop flags for example. They made a lot of how the X1C was going serve roads in Knaresborough that no one else does but then registered it as "normal stopping" without any mention of "hail and ride". Always wondered re their eastbound (unmarked) stop on Knaresborough High Street opposite the bus station - the X1 is registered as both "normal stopping" and "hail and ride" but as the X1C is not should that not stop their?

 

[Zxwii]

the X1 is registered as both "normal stopping" and "hail and ride" but as the X1C is not should that not stop their?

Never knew that!

 

[Andyh82]

Not sure how the timetable cases work in Harrogate, it seems Transdev provide the timetables, presumably on behalf of NYCC, but also include timetables for other operators on the same sheets.

Doing it this way avoids what used to happen in York where all operators displayed their own, all in different designs stuck overlapping each other which looked like a newsagents window.

The new "1" timetables that have been installed have omitted a section for the Connexions timetables.

 

[the101]

From reading the Connexions and craig_bus Twitter feeds it seems like he's going to be busy come Monday morning.

If Transdev don't restore the phantom timetables then thety will be reported to the TC at Hillcrest House, while one other Tweet suggests that the CMA is to be contacted concerning Connexions' lack of involvement in the Tadcaster bridge event...

 

[Tempest3K]

the CMA is to be contacted concerning Connexions' lack of involvement in the Tadcaster bridge event...

Maybe they should look at their lack of involvement in keeping a reasonable level of service to/from Tadcaster during the closure then?

 

[96tommy]

Maybe they should look at their lack of involvement in keeping a reasonable level of service to/from Tadcaster during the closure then?

??? They run the X70/923 to the other side of the bridge just like TransDev did whilst the bridge was shut.

 

[theblackwatch]

There certainly appears to be a good amount of public throwing the toys out of the pram! Professional as always.

 

[SCH117X]

And the few tweets that are service related promos are nothing more than a straight reworded copy of Transdevs - no originality what so ever, but then that all obviously goes on the other tweets. Will we get a Connexions version of this video I wonder
youtu.be/2dTMCXPwfwg "We have a Dream"

 

[96tommy]

Noticed Transdev are increasing prices once again. It already costs about a months wage to get from Tad to York/Leeds and back (feels like it anyway!)

 

[Deerfold]

Noticed Transdev are increasing prices once again. It already costs about a months wage to get from Tad to York/Leeds and back (feels like it anyway!)

Although they're decreasing the cost of the Keighley Zone day ticket (covers 1.5-2 mile circle round town) from £3.20 to £3. This compares with a maximum return fare within the zone of £2.80 to Keighley. This is an odd little fare. It was 10p above that return fare when I moved into the Zone 9 years ago. It's spent most of that time 10p or 20p above it, though it spent a year being 10p cheaper and then last year it jumped 20p when the return fare was unchanged.

 

[theblackwatch]

The've also extended the Harrogate Zone area to include Ripley, Harewood Bridge and Wetherby Racecourse. I'm sure for the latter 2, going that bit further to Harewood itself or Walton/Thorp Arch Trading Estate would benefit a lot more people!

 

[gnolife]

Noticed Transdev are increasing prices once again. It already costs about a months wage to get from Tad to York/Leeds and back (feels like it anyway!)

May I suggest doing more than 1 and a quarter hours work per month (based on minimum wage, and using a daytripper to do the trip, which I am aware probably isn't the cheapest way)

 

[SCH117X]

The've also extended the Harrogate Zone area to include Ripley, Harewood Bridge and Wetherby Racecourse. I'm sure for the latter 2, going that bit further to Harewood itself or Walton/Thorp Arch Trading Estate would benefit a lot more people!

Harrogate Plus Zone that is (as different to the Harrogate local Zone) and its Wetherby not the Racecourse as that is served only by Connexions 412.

 

[SCH117X]

No doubt Mr Temple will make hay over this change to a contracted service in York

http://www.itravelyork.info/buses/bus-routes-and-journey-times/upcoming-service-changes/

1/4/17 44 Transdev Cancelled.
1/4/17 16 Connexions New service from Acomb to Piccadilly, every 45 mins (Mon-Sat daytimes). Replaces route 44.

The 44 incidentally runs every 30 mins.

 

[96tommy]

No doubt Mr Temple will make hay over this change to a contracted service in York

http://www.itravelyork.info/buses/bus-routes-and-journey-times/upcoming-service-changes/

1/4/17 44 Transdev Cancelled.
1/4/17 16 Connexions New service from Acomb to Piccadilly, every 45 mins (Mon-Sat daytimes). Replaces route 44.

The 44 incidentally runs every 30 mins.

Haven't they got a new bus on order for this, think I saw a Solo being mentioned somewhere

 

[Stan Drews]

No doubt Mr Temple will make hay over this change to a contracted service in York

http://www.itravelyork.info/buses/bus-routes-and-journey-times/upcoming-service-changes/

1/4/17 44 Transdev Cancelled.
1/4/17 16 Connexions New service from Acomb to Piccadilly, every 45 mins (Mon-Sat daytimes). Replaces route 44.

The 44 incidentally runs every 30 mins.

A Mon-Sat daytime contract is certainly one that will fit well with the Connexions ethos. I assume he will have submitted a loss making tender in order to secure the work from the incumbent!