First West of England (Bristol, Bath & The West)

[D2007wsm]

Steve White reports it and 35149 have been so treated.

Still has 'Along Whiteladies Road' stickers above the destination, was being used out of Marlborough Street.

Also, one of the purple Darts was being used today on the X6/X7/X9s.

I also was told today, Weston have 4 E400s off atm being Excelled. This may be why there is extra Geminis there atm. Being used at present as paint floats, then may stay on for the 20s over the summer.

 

[Class 33]

Seen one of the dual door Enviro 400's on the 2 on Saturday. As well as at least one of them of them operating on the 48A during the past month or so. Are the middle exit doors actually used though on all the services they operate on? Because the middle exit doors on the electric Enviro 400's that used to be on the 72, the middle exit doors were never actually used for normal use, instead being reserved as emergency exit doors. So would be interested to know whether these new dual door'd Enviro 400's actually use the middle exit doors for passengers to exit the bus on any of the services they are used on.

 

[D2007wsm]

Seen one of the dual door Enviro 400's on the 2 on Saturday. As well as at least one of them of them operating on the 48A during the past month or so. Are the middle exit doors actually used though on all the services they operate on? Because the middle exit doors on the electric Enviro 400's that used to be on the 72, the middle exit doors were never actually used for normal use, instead being reserved as emergency exit doors. So would be interested to know whether these new dual door'd Enviro 400's actually use the middle exit doors for passengers to exit the bus on any of the services they are used on.

The Scania E400s like this currently being used on the A1s certainley do. The middle doors are used to unload at Temple Meads and the Airport but not in the Bus Station.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I also was told today, Weston have 4 E400s off atm being Excelled. This may be why there is extra Geminis there atm. Being used at present as paint floats, then may stay on for the 20s over the summer.

I’d suggested as much There’s 10 left to do so won’t be long before they’re all done.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Seen one of the dual door Enviro 400's on the 2 on Saturday. As well as at least one of them of them operating on the 48A during the past month or so. Are the middle exit doors actually used though on all the services they operate on? Because the middle exit doors on the electric Enviro 400's that used to be on the 72, the middle exit doors were never actually used for normal use, instead being reserved as emergency exit doors. So would be interested to know whether these new dual door'd Enviro 400's actually use the middle exit doors for passengers to exit the bus on any of the services they are used on.

They were definitely used on the U1 too

 

[Whiteway215]

There for a Class 5 MOT I believe Mike R so its stay should be short. I've no idea where it is heading next though.

I see 32037/41/42/44 are now listed by First as sold from First Cymru so perhaps others of this batch are now being disposed of. Were the FHD ones still stored at Bridport/Weymouth?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I see 32037/41/42/44 are now listed by First as sold from First Cymru so perhaps others of this batch are now being disposed of. Were the FHD ones still stored at Bridport/Weymouth?

The Welsh ones were given DDA mods, sent to Avonmouth and repainted, and then sold during the summer.

The FHD ones were stored at Bridport until September when the allocation increased (-ish) and were then sent to Weymouth.

 

[henairs]

There for a Class 5 MOT I believe Mike R so its stay should be short. I've no idea where it is heading next though.

Thanks for info Blackpudding, seems a while now since it was running around Weymouth. Mike R

 

[THarris123]

Timetables for the 4th February BoS cuts now available on Traveline.

And a right ruddy mess they are too.
25 looks awful - 25 minute wait and then only a 2 hour wait after that. I know they're trying to cut the number of vehicles by one, but what's the point of making such an awful timetable. But pleased it does cut out the 50 minute wait in Dulverton.
77 is a mess and 54 isn't the best either. If you want to save buses, why not just cut 77 back to Street to Yeovil and 54 back to Somerton to Taunton. They still have the 5.55 bus from Yeovil to Wells - how many people honestly would use that up to Street? Probably as many as the first 29 from Taunton gets.
Also its ashame that 10/11 have gone. Both services did quite well from my observations and the locals have really tried their hardest to pull funding together for the services. First letting down people again.
BoS was supposed to get rid of the First brand which had an awful reputation to it and now BoS seems to have an even worse one. Hopefully they'll just sell off BoS and a proper operator can run it.

 

[ryson357]

And a right ruddy mess they are too.
25 looks awful - 25 minute wait and then only a 2 hour wait after that. I know they're trying to cut the number of vehicles by one, but what's the point of making such an awful timetable. But pleased it does cut out the 50 minute wait in Dulverton.
77 is a mess and 54 isn't the best either. If you want to save buses, why not just cut 77 back to Street to Yeovil and 54 back to Somerton to Taunton. They still have the 5.55 bus from Yeovil to Wells - how many people honestly would use that up to Street? Probably as many as the first 29 from Taunton gets.
Also its ashame that 10/11 have gone. Both services did quite well from my observations and the locals have really tried their hardest to pull funding together for the services. First letting down people again.
BoS was supposed to get rid of the First brand which had an awful reputation to it and now BoS seems to have an even worse one. Hopefully they'll just sell off BoS and a proper operator can run it.

Let's hope BoS leave, their buses are completely awful, never show up on time and are very expensive. I wish stagecoach could enter the area.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Let's hope BoS leave, their buses are completely awful, never show up on time and are very expensive. I wish stagecoach could enter the area.

Didn’t Stagecoach enter the area, buy Cooks Coaches, then lose the P&R, reduce Wellington depot to an outstation then close it altogether, and eventually withdraw from Somerset?

That said, BoS seems neglected and the impetus of 2014 lost. That’s evident in the raft of Urban liveried fleet not repainted and the lacklustre website management are two illustrations of a business that seems to be in torpor!

The service cuts are really not surprising though they are disappointing.

A bit harsh that the 10/11 being withdrawn is First letting people down again. Remember that these were services lost on tender by First to Webberbus, and taken on commercially when SCC withdrew funding. When WB went pop (because they had a suicidal business model of operating unremunerative services), BoS took them on in the interim to see if they were commercial but they weren’t. The parishes cobbled some funding but that’s run out. They’re not viable and never have been (even in Cawlett days).

 

[baza585]

And a right ruddy mess they are too.
25 looks awful - 25 minute wait and then only a 2 hour wait after that. I know they're trying to cut the number of vehicles by one, but what's the point of making such an awful timetable. But pleased it does cut out the 50 minute wait in Dulverton.
77 is a mess and 54 isn't the best either. If you want to save buses, why not just cut 77 back to Street to Yeovil and 54 back to Somerton to Taunton. They still have the 5.55 bus from Yeovil to Wells - how many people honestly would use that up to Street? Probably as many as the first 29 from Taunton gets.
Also its ashame that 10/11 have gone. Both services did quite well from my observations and the locals have really tried their hardest to pull funding together for the services. First letting down people again.
BoS was supposed to get rid of the First brand which had an awful reputation to it and now BoS seems to have an even worse one. Hopefully they'll just sell off BoS and a proper operator can run it.

Sorry but this rant deserves a response. Somerset is just not good bus territory; never has been, never will be. FSA's truly appalling recent financial results bear this out; they are now comfortably the basket case in the whole of First in terms of operating margin, but I rather suspect BoS is not making any money either.

Other proper operators (eg Stagecoach) have already tried and failed in Somerset. Webberbus was a fantasy operator, not a real one.............

What would you suggest BoS management is supposed to do; they are being employed to provide profits for the shareholders. A reduction in costs (essentially by reducing PVR and cutting out unprofitable journeys (however fully loaded they might appear to the casual observer)) is the best way of improving profitability; there is simply not enough potential extra traffic to justify grandiose developments. If councils want to provide money for social needs to be met, there is a mechanism for them to do so.

I'm very intrigued as to what FSA will do next. They seem to have done some tinkering around the edges but I just can't see how they will stem the massive losses; I suspect JF's success in turning round Bristol may have bought him some time to address FSA's problems.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Sorry but this rant deserves a response. Somerset is just not good bus territory; never has been, never will be. FSA's truly appalling recent financial results bear this out; they are now comfortably the basket case in the whole of First in terms of operating margin, but I rather suspect BoS is not making any money either.

Other proper operators (eg Stagecoach) have already tried and failed in Somerset. Webberbus was a fantasy operator, not a real one.............

What would you suggest BoS management is supposed to do; they are being employed to provide profits for the shareholders. A reduction in costs (essentially by reducing PVR and cutting out unprofitable journeys (however fully loaded they might appear to the casual observer)) is the best way of improving profitability; there is simply not enough potential extra traffic to justify grandiose developments. If councils want to provide money for social needs to be met, there is a mechanism for them to do so.

I'm very intrigued as to what FSA will do next. They seem to have done some tinkering around the edges but I just can't see how they will stem the massive losses; I suspect JF's success in turning round Bristol may have bought him some time to address FSA's problems.

I tend to agree with you. Somerset has always been poor territory - if you remember Cawlett/Badgerline days, these were the rough frequencies:

• 25 Taunton to Wiveliscombe (not Dulverton) - hourly
• 376 Wells to Yeovil - two hourly
• 29 Taunton to Glastonbury - three hourly
• 54 Taunton to Yeovil - two hourly

These were generally operated by minibuses (though the 376 to Yeovil got decent machines but only by virtue of the Bristol to Wells section). When the money came from the Rural Bus Challenge and extra council spending, that helped create new links and uplift frequencies and patronage, as did ENCTS. We all know the issues that both cuts to council funding from the Tories have had both directly and on ENCTS (and BSOG for that matter). Add that to declining retail footfall (have you been to Yeovil recently - it is not what it was) and you can understand why the position is so troubling. Also, some service levels and fares were clearly unsustainable, brought about by Webberbus's ever more ridiculous competition. There was always going to be some readjustment.

However, that is not to give BoS a free pass (as it were). It does have the air of an operation in some sort of torpor (as I said) and it has lost the momentum it seemed to have. It just feels like an operation that is missing TLC and the lack of repainting even the newest e200s seems to indicate a lack of something!

As for First S&A - I find the results a bit puzzling. Now, we can't all see every bus on every journey. However, there used to be some services (principally the 231 and 234) where it was apparent that they were bleeders! You can say the same about Frome locals and 184, and a few others. However, having seen off Wessex in Bath (largely) and having some strong services across the patch, you wonder how they lose so much.

 

[carlberry]

BoS was supposed to get rid of the First brand which had an awful reputation to it and now BoS seems to have an even worse one. Hopefully they'll just sell off BoS and a proper operator can run it.

Which 'proper operator' is going to run it, if a proper operator wanted to theres nothing stopping them! And who is going to offer money for it?? You may hate First and there's no doubt that other companies may have done things differently however they've stayed the course as Stagecoach have given up and Webberbus went pop. Even with all the EDF money there isn't a pot of gold in the area and the only successful new operation in the area recently has been Enthusiasts inc on 1st Jan with a very popular Wells-Bristol service, only popular as nobody had to pay!

 

[baza585]

I tend to agree with you. Somerset has always been poor territory - if you remember Cawlett/Badgerline days, these were the rough frequencies:

• 25 Taunton to Wiveliscombe (not Dulverton) - hourly
• 376 Wells to Yeovil - two hourly
• 29 Taunton to Glastonbury - three hourly
• 54 Taunton to Yeovil - two hourly

These were generally operated by minibuses (though the 376 to Yeovil got decent machines but only by virtue of the Bristol to Wells section). When the money came from the Rural Bus Challenge and extra council spending, that helped create new links and uplift frequencies and patronage, as did ENCTS. We all know the issues that both cuts to council funding from the Tories have had both directly and on ENCTS (and BSOG for that matter). Add that to declining retail footfall (have you been to Yeovil recently - it is not what it was) and you can understand why the position is so troubling. Also, some service levels and fares were clearly unsustainable, brought about by Webberbus's ever more ridiculous competition. There was always going to be some readjustment.

As for First S&A - I find the results a bit puzzling. Now, we can't all see every bus on every journey. However, there used to be some services (principally the 231 and 234) where it was apparent that they were bleeders! You can say the same about Frome locals and 184, and a few others. However, having seen off Wessex in Bath (largely) and having some strong services across the patch, you wonder how they lose so much.

I wonder if the competition from Crosville (which has now largely evaporated) may have been hurting FSA very badly. They have only just taken actions that other First opcos would have implemented some time ago (the 175 for example.............). Like you I struggle to see how they can have lost so much. Maybe there are some one-offs in there (though nothing obvious springs to mind).

Re BoS, personally I would have cut the 77 and 54 to two hourly, (with some peak extras possibly) providing hourly Somerton to Yeovil. And cut one of the 375 or 29 (or possibly both) back to Glastonbury. Wells to Street is still over bussed.

Yeovil is dying on its feet; once upon a time the First site in Yeovil might have been valuable but not sure any property company would touch Yeovil town centre now.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I wonder if the competition from Crosville (which has now largely evaporated) may have been hurting FSA very badly. They have only just taken actions that other First opcos would have implemented some time ago (the 175 for example.............). Like you I struggle to see how they can have lost so much. Maybe there are some one-offs in there (though nothing obvious springs to mind).

Re BoS, personally I would have cut the 77 and 54 to two hourly, (with some peak extras possibly) providing hourly Somerton to Yeovil. And cut one of the 375 or 29 (or possibly both) back to Glastonbury. Wells to Street is still over bussed.

Yeovil is dying on its feet; once upon a time the First site in Yeovil might have been valuable but not sure any property company would touch Yeovil town centre now.

Not certain how much impact Crosville had on the Weston services. First had pulled off the 5, and the 7/107 fight didn’t last long before Crosville imploded.

A bigger impact would’ve been Wessex in Bath but First looked to be winning that comfortably and so it proved.

 

[baza585]

Not certain how much impact Crosville had on the Weston services. First had pulled off the 5, and the 7/107 fight didn’t last long before Crosville imploded.

A bigger impact would’ve been Wessex in Bath but First looked to be winning that comfortably and so it proved.

Neither of which explain why FSA results were so poor. Mind you it has only turned an operating profit once in the last 5 years, and then only just! Whilst some of the First basket cases have been turned around in recent years (Scotland East, South West), FSA's losses have spiralled. They don't have a huge amount of competition either, and Bath (with its two unis) really ought to be a good bus area. Mystifying.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Neither of which explain why FSA results were so poor. Mind you it has only turned an operating profit once in the last 5 years, and then only just! Whilst some of the First basket cases have been turned around in recent years (Scotland East, South West), FSA's losses have spiralled. They don't have a huge amount of competition either, and Bath (with its two unis) really ought to be a good bus area. Mystifying.

Yep, does seem odd. Bath should be good territory - 2 universities and the P&R. Some strong routes like the 3, 4 and X39 too. There are obviously some weaker routes like the mini stuff but they’ve culled more of the really duff stuff. Perhaps explains the deals with RATP and Abus?

As our resident FHD contributor, any substance to these Brock rumours (saw on Soton bus blog so health warning there) or any news on the Green Line deckers (other than 3 are supposedly heading to Essex) or the vehicles that will be freed up with the Soton changes?

 

[baza585]

Yep, does seem odd. Bath should be good territory - 2 universities and the P&R. Some strong routes like the 3, 4 and X39 too. There are obviously some weaker routes like the mini stuff but they’ve culled more of the really duff stuff. Perhaps explains the deals with RATP and Abus?

As our resident FHD contributor, any substance to these Brock rumours (saw on Soton bus blog so health warning there) or any news on the Green Line deckers (other than 3 are supposedly heading to Essex) or the vehicles that will be freed up with the Soton changes?

I never believe anything I read on SotonBusBlog unless I have posted it. Half the posters on there appear to work in GSC's marketing dept. Some rumours that Yellows may want out of their Brock contribution to focus on Bournemouth, but just that, rumours, and I doubt owt will happen till the summer.

One of the Green Line deckers is going to Cymru to be trialled on the X10. More will no doubt follow if the trial is successful, which I expect it to be; these are fine buses. Other than that, not sure where they will end up, although I do not believe Essex are getting any unless plans change (and they are not going to stay in Solent nor go to Southampton) but I suspect Weymouth may still be an option if the Cymru trial is not successful.

Some Streetlites have already transferred Slough to Hilsea and more are expected to follow after the cuts in Slough (though possibly to Hoeford rather than Hilsea). Some indications that most of the older Solos plus some of the E200s from Hilsea will be heading west (including some of the (un)loved 449** batch which Bath dumped on us), and the Citaros and the BMCs in Southampton will no doubt be withdrawn when Southampton's cuts kick in, but there will be more buses released there. No idea what but there are some seriously tired ex London and Bristol Tridents in FHD which need to be put out of their misery!

The three remaining Eclipse Volvo B7RLEs are destined for Manchester, though no idea which depot, once the new E200MMCs are in service (awaiting vinylling last time I looked).

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I never believe anything I read on SotonBusBlog unless I have posted it. Half the posters on there appear to work in GSC's marketing dept. Some rumours that Yellows may want out of their Brock contribution to focus on Bournemouth, but just that, rumours, and I doubt owt will happen till the summer.

One of the Green Line deckers is going to Cymru to be trialled on the X10. More will no doubt follow if the trial is successful, which I expect it to be; these are fine buses. Other than that, not sure where they will end up, although I do not believe Essex are getting any unless plans change (and they are not going to stay in Solent nor go to Southampton) but I suspect Weymouth may still be an option if the Cymru trial is not successful.

Some Streetlites have already transferred Slough to Hilsea and more are expected to follow after the cuts in Slough (though possibly to Hoeford rather than Hilsea). Some indications that most of the older Solos plus some of the E200s from Hilsea will be heading west (including some of the (un)loved 449** batch which Bath dumped on us), and the Citaros and the BMCs in Southampton will no doubt be withdrawn when Southampton's cuts kick in, but there will be more buses released there. No idea what but there are some seriously tired ex London and Bristol Tridents in FHD which need to be put out of their misery!

The three remaining Eclipse Volvo B7RLEs are destined for Manchester, though no idea which depot, once the new E200MMCs are in service (awaiting vinylling last time I looked).

I did put on the caveat about the Soton bus blog - First are welcome to some criticism but it does seem a GSC love in on there! I was wondering about the Brock rumours for that reason!!

Saw the X10 last week (though I keep calling it the 100 - old habits etc) and the fleet is now quite elderly. Decent fleet on there would certainly be welcomed. I know Marc Reddy doesn't like deckers but the Tridents on the contract work are now quite elderly. However, I don't know if he feels that the Jurassic Coast routes should have something newer than the tired Scanias that are still plying their trade. The mention of e200s heading west - to a town beginning with W? The oldest Citaros are also getting on and parts are always expensive so wonder if the worst ones will go to keep the others running?

 

[Blackpudding]

Some Streetlites have already transferred Slough to Hilsea and more are expected to follow after the cuts in Slough (though possibly to Hoeford rather than Hilsea). Some indications that most of the older Solos plus some of the E200s from Hilsea will be heading west (including some of the (un)loved 449** batch which Bath dumped on us), and the Citaros and the BMCs in Southampton will no doubt be withdrawn when Southampton's cuts kick in, but there will be more buses released there. No idea what but there are some seriously tired ex London and Bristol Tridents in FHD which need to be put out of their misery!

Thanks for the comprehensive and interesting post. One part that caught my eye was the withdrawal of the BMC buses. We know about commercial service reductions but from the mention of the BMC it would appear downsizing is much greater than first thought (to me anyway).
Any chance you can expand on that comment. Would I be right to assume this means the end of the Olympian and what about the two Autosan Eagles?

 

[Blackpudding]

A bit harsh that the 10/11 being withdrawn is First letting people down again. Remember that these were services lost on tender by First to Webberbus, and taken on commercially when SCC withdrew funding. When WB went pop (because they had a suicidal business model of operating unremunerative services), BoS took them on in the interim to see if they were commercial but they weren’t. The parishes cobbled some funding but that’s run out. They’re not viable and never have been (even in Cawlett days).

I thought First had agreed to keep the 10/11 running until a solution could be found? There was a registration to that effect a week or so ago here https://www.vehicle-operator-licens...registered-local-bus-services/details/514328/

 

[diffywood]

From this article in West Somerset free press it looks like they was looking for alternative firms to run the service

http://www.wsfp.co.uk/article.cfm?i... at risk again&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2017

 

[baza585]

I did put on the caveat about the Soton bus blog - First are welcome to some criticism but it does seem a GSC love in on there! I was wondering about the Brock rumours for that reason!!

Saw the X10 last week (though I keep calling it the 100 - old habits etc) and the fleet is now quite elderly. Decent fleet on there would certainly be welcomed. I know Marc Reddy doesn't like deckers but the Tridents on the contract work are now quite elderly. However, I don't know if he feels that the Jurassic Coast routes should have something newer than the tired Scanias that are still plying their trade. The mention of e200s heading west - to a town beginning with W? The oldest Citaros are also getting on and parts are always expensive so wonder if the worst ones will go to keep the others running?

The X10 only has a PVR of 3, so maybe some will go there and some to Weymouth.

Re the E200s, further west than that I believe......

Agree re the Scanias; personally I would have relegated the Dorset Scanias to schools/contract (probably at Hoeford) and put the B9s down in Weymouth, but maybe the finances in Dorset are so bad they can't be afforded. The worst Tridents could then be junked which is all they are fit for (particularly the East Lancs bodied non-DDA ones which are frankly an embarrasment).

Thanks for the comprehensive and interesting post. One part that caught my eye was the withdrawal of the BMC buses. We know about commercial service reductions but from the mention of the BMC it would appear downsizing is much greater that first thought (to me anyway).
Any chance you can expand on that comment. Would I be right to assume this means the end of the Olympian and what about the two Autosan Eagles?

AIUI, the schools unit at Southampton is being closed down (not sure about the actual date - maybe half term which is 10 February). As the Oympian, the BMCs and the Auotsans basically only do this work, the future looks bleak for them, and unless any other opco wants them, they are likely to be sold. Management are allegedly "thinking about" what to do with the Olympian, but there is nothing special about it TBH.

 

[freetoview33]

Looking again at what changes I think will/should happen with Metrobus (From the info that is currently available) - This is only an early version.

Metrobus
M1: Hengrove Park - Inns Court - Bedminster - City Centre - U.W.E - Bradley Stoke - Aztec West - Cribbs Causeway (Every 10 mins)
M2: Long Ashton Park & Ride - Spike Island - Temple Meads (Every 20 mins)
M3: Emersons Green Lyde Green - City Centre (Every 20 mins)
M4: Hengrove Park - Imperial Park - Highridge - Long Ashton Park & Ride - Spike Island - Temple Meads (Every 20 mins)
M5: Emersons Green - Lyde Green - U.W.E - Bristol Parkway (Every 30 mins)

Withdrawn Services
506 Shuttle: Withdrawn - Replaced by M2 and M4
903: Withdrawn - Replaced by M2 and M4
X48: Withdrawn - Replaced by M3 and X47
X73: Withdrawn - Replaced by M1

Other Changes
36: Rerouted between Inns Green and Hengrove Depot to the route of the 90.
90: Reduced in frequency from every 15 mins to every 20 mins and rerouted between Inns Green and Hengrove Depot to the route of the 36.
X47: Slightly rerouted to serve Bromley Heath (To make up for loss of X48)

Questions

• Not sure what will happen to the 10 as it serves a similar route to the M5 but provides a vital link to Southmead Hospital from Downend ect. Obviously isn't enough for 3+ buses an hour Lyde Green to Parkway, so will be a tough one.
• We know that the U.W.E service won't use the U.W.E bus junction but will U.W.E student passes be valid on service M1?

 

[Colly405]

Looking again at what changes I think will/should happen with Metrobus (From the info that is currently available) - This is only an early version.

Metrobus
M1: Hengrove Park - Inns Court - Bedminster - City Centre - U.W.E - Bradley Stoke - Aztec West - Cribbs Causeway (Every 10 mins)
M2: Long Ashton Park & Ride - Spike Island - Temple Meads (Every 20 mins)
M3: Emersons Green Lyde Green - City Centre (Every 20 mins)
M4: Hengrove Park - Imperial Park - Highridge - Long Ashton Park & Ride - Spike Island - Temple Meads (Every 20 mins)
M5: Emersons Green - Lyde Green - U.W.E - Bristol Parkway (Every 30 mins)

Withdrawn Services
506 Shuttle: Withdrawn - Replaced by M2 and M4
903: Withdrawn - Replaced by M2 and M4
X48: Withdrawn - Replaced by M3 and X47
X73: Withdrawn - Replaced by M1

Other Changes
36: Rerouted between Inns Green and Hengrove Depot to the route of the 90.
90: Reduced in frequency from every 15 mins to every 20 mins and rerouted between Inns Green and Hengrove Depot to the route of the 36.
X47: Slightly rerouted to serve Bromley Heath (To make up for loss of X48)

Questions

• Not sure what will happen to the 10 as it serves a similar route to the M5 but provides a vital link to Southmead Hospital from Downend ect. Obviously isn't enough for 3+ buses an hour Lyde Green to Parkway, so will be a tough one.
• We know that the U.W.E service won't use the U.W.E bus junction but will U.W.E student passes be valid on service M1?

Focussing just on the X73 for a moment, my view is that there will need to be a more imaginative solution than just cancelling it.

Some of its current stops in Stoke Gifford, Orpheus Ave and Brook Way are a good 10-15 minute walk from the nearest Metrobus stop. Or, even further if you discount Metrobus serving Parkway for the time being as they still haven't (as I understand it) sorted out how Metrobus will get to the station (the approach road past the Network Rail training centre currently has 'no buses' signs on it) and how it will call (it cannot manoeuvre to the existing stops).

Also, at the northern end of the route, Metrobus won't be serving Bowsland Way or Woodlands Lane, thus missing out a whole chunk of Bradley Stoke North.

 

[Blackpudding]

The X10 only has a PVR of 3, so maybe some will go there and some to Weymouth.

Re the E200s, further west than that I believe......

Agree re the Scanias; personally I would have relegated the Dorset Scanias to schools/contract (probably at Hoeford) and put the B9s down in Weymouth, but maybe the finances in Dorset are so bad they can't be afforded. The worst Tridents could then be junked which is all they are fit for (particularly the East Lancs bodied non-DDA ones which are frankly an embarrasment).




AIUI, the schools unit at Southampton is being closed down (not sure about the actual date - maybe half term which is 10 February). As the Oympian, the BMCs and the Auotsans basically only do this work, the future looks bleak for them, and unless any other opco wants them, they are likely to be sold. Management are allegedly "thinking about" what to do with the Olympian, but there is nothing special about it TBH.

I wonder if First quoted for the University contract operated or whether it was a shoe in for GSC? Either way it seems that they have decided to clear the decks and go back to the core business of just running commercial services in the near future. It seems a sensible policy but that probably means that the 'worst Tridents could then be junked' is exactly what will happen but without replacement.
I am surprised that they can close a school bus business down during the school year. I would have expected the contracts to preclude that option. It seems all very rushed.
Although Weymouth has some withdrawals this weekend they aren't unsurprising. What would be surprising if no more cuts were made based on the numerous rumours about it's financial position. I think you are right saying that Weymouth probably couldn't afford the B9s but the question is will they need them?

 

[g4mby]

X47: Slightly rerouted to serve Bromley Heath (To make up for loss of X48)

What? The X48 runs half hourly throughout the day. There are only five X47 journeys each day with times suiting commuters getting to and from work in Bristol. As the X47 should be much quicker than the 47, which is routed through Downend and Fishponds rather than the M32, every X47 that i've ever travelled on has been packed. Inbound there would be little room for Bromley Heath passengers and outbound many disappointed Yate and Chipping Sodbury passengers - and perhaps many empty seats towards the end of the journey after the Bromley Heath passengers had got off.

What would your proposal be for the rest of the day? I hope you didn't mean re-route the 47 and make that journey even longer.

 

[Private Baxter]

Sorry but this rant deserves a response. Somerset is just not good bus territory; never has been, never will be. FSA's truly appalling recent financial results bear this out; they are now comfortably the basket case in the whole of First in terms of operating margin, but I rather suspect BoS is not making any money either.

Other proper operators (eg Stagecoach) have already tried and failed in Somerset. Webberbus was a fantasy operator, not a real one.............

What would you suggest BoS management is supposed to do; they are being employed to provide profits for the shareholders. A reduction in costs (essentially by reducing PVR and cutting out unprofitable journeys (however fully loaded they might appear to the casual observer)) is the best way of improving profitability; there is simply not enough potential extra traffic to justify grandiose developments. If councils want to provide money for social needs to be met, there is a mechanism for them to do so.

I'm very intrigued as to what FSA will do next. They seem to have done some tinkering around the edges but I just can't see how they will stem the massive losses; I suspect JF's success in turning round Bristol may have bought him some time to address FSA's problems.

You've hit the nail on the head there and I couldn't agree more. I've always been very impressed with BoS and their efforts to turn things around in Somerset, but as you, and others rightly say it just isn't good bus territory. Of course it is a shame to see cuts on this scale but I simply see it as the operator being realistic with their resources. Another operator is welcome to try, but few I doubt would want to. Others have tried and failed. I don't know what patronage for Minehead 10/11 is but ai do know it's had a lot of chances. Any reasonable loadings I would imagine are pass holders, and fair play to BoS for giving it a go.
TH suggests a proper operator take over but was equally scathing of Webberbus, whom you rightly desctibe as a fantasy bus operator. Where is the balance? Sure progress with BoS has been a bit slow lately and some cuts are a shame such as the 77 (though I personally believe that will eventually return to Wells depot) but First are, in my opinion, the best ones for the job, and in their absence I can't see anyone else taking over.

 

[DaveHarries]

I could be wrong but I got diverted on my drive home this evening so ended up going through Bristol City Centre. During the course of doing so I saw a Streetlite on Service 24 (Southmead Hospital - Ashton Vale) in a non-corporate livery which looked like that worn by Weston-super-Mare depot's Streetlites that used to work the A3. Couldn't get the number to confirm as I wasn't close enough to the junction where I saw the bus.

I see from Steve White's website that 47558 and 47563 has gone from Weston to Hengrove.

Dave