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

[freetoview33]

The 6 Yeovil to Bridport is now fully Buses of Somerset after First Wessex pulled out

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The 6 Yeovil to Bridport is now fully Buses of Somerset after First Wessex pulled out

Have BoS replaced the Wessex journeys or are they lost?

 

[CD]

Have BoS replaced the Wessex journeys or are they lost?

BoS only running the tendered service, last bus from Bridport 1256.
Believe First Dorset were operating theirs commercially.

https://www.firstgroup.com/somerset...vice=Y6&routeid=4896035&operator=31&source=sp

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

BoS only running the tendered service, last bus from Bridport 1256.
Believe First Dorset were operating theirs commercially.

https://www.firstgroup.com/somerset...vice=Y6&routeid=4896035&operator=31&source=sp

I thought it was a commercial one from First Wessex. Thanks for the confirmation of the position.

Really sad to see how the 40/47 (as were) have declined - sterling work by Dorset CC!!

 

[freetoview33]

The FB post says they are working to restore journeys.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The FB post says they are working to restore journeys.

They will require funding. If that's not from DCC, then I question who will....

 

[freetoview33]

They will require funding. If that's not from DCC, then I question who will....

It's an odd route all told but I think it's better operating as one

 

[Class 33]

During my permitted daily excercise(!!!!) this morning I saw a 75 heading up Gloucester Road with the usual Cribbs Causeway on the destination display. Hardly anyone on the bus. Then just a few minutes later I saw another 75 with Muller Road on the destination display. Hardly anyone on that bus either. Not sure these duplicate workings are really needed at the moment?

Incidentally it's been quite a few years since I've seen a bus with Muller Road as the destination! Some of the old northbound 71's,74's, 75's and 77's used to terminate at Muller Road Depot at certain times of the evenings, and with a L added next to the service number, i.e. 77L. Then I can even remember some short workings from Henbury on the 77 only running as far as Muller Road Depot.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It's an odd route all told but I think it's better operating as one

It has gone one operator now but the service is decimated.

Prior to the Dorset tendering exercise (when Damory won everything), First ran it approximately hourly from Bridport to Beaminster (40) and four journeys overlaid went to Yeovil as the 47. IIRC, the 47 was a relatively recent development, only appearing in the 1990s?

Damory won the 40 tender but I think First kept the 47 as it was jointly supported by DCC and SCC (???) - the one link between Yeovil and the rest of the First Wessex network at the time. However, it eventually migrated to Damory who combined it with the 40 anyway (so back to as it was).

I just can't see DCC coming up with the funds to support it.

 

[carlberry]

During my permitted daily excercise(!!!!) this morning I saw a 75 heading up Gloucester Road with the usual Cribbs Causeway on the destination display. Hardly anyone on the bus. Then just a few minutes later I saw another 75 with Muller Road on the destination display. Hardly anyone on that bus either. Not sure these duplicate workings are really needed at the moment?

Incidentally it's been quite a few years since I've seen a bus with Muller Road as the destination! Some of the old northbound 71's,74's, 75's and 77's used to terminate at Muller Road Depot at certain times of the evenings, and with a L added next to the service number, i.e. 77L. Then I can even remember some short workings from Henbury on the 77 only running as far as Muller Road Depot.

Ideally the short working should have been in front, however you don't know how many it carried on it's way back in.

Lots of the duplicates are going to be pointless, however with an hourly service you don't need too many people to get on a bus to push it past it's 'Covid' limit and then it'll end up with stories/pictures of dangerous buses in the local press, or the driver getting abuse because they wont let anybody else on. At least with the duplicates they can just pull them quickly if they realise that both journeys are not needed at certain times.

Was the 24's destination 'Muller Road' or 'Horfield' before it was extended into the hospital?

 

[freetoview33]

Ideally the short working should have been in front, however you don't know how many it carried on it's way back in.

Lots of the duplicates are going to be pointless, however with an hourly service you don't need too many people to get on a bus to push it past it's 'Covid' limit and then it'll end up with stories/pictures of dangerous buses in the local press, or the driver getting abuse because they wont let anybody else on. At least with the duplicates they can just pull them quickly if they realise that both journeys are not needed at certain times.

Was the 24's destination 'Muller Road' or 'Horfield' before it was extended into the hospital?

Horfield Common

 

[carlberry]

Horfield Common

So both my guesses were wrong! You'd think that Horefield Common would be a better destination to use for the short workings really. I assume they turn via the bottom bit of Filton Avenue so do actually travel along a bit of Muller Road.

 

[father_jack]

Saw a 24 on Stapleton Road yesterday, destination Lockleaze...

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Saw a 24 on Stapleton Road yesterday, destination Lockleaze...

This link to the First Bus Bristol coronavirus page shows timetables for all the duplicate services:

Coronavirus - COVID19: Service information | Bristol, Bath and the West | First Bus

At First Bus your safety and comfort on board are our priority. As the government restrictions ease you will notice that more people are travelling and coming together safely. This means that places and buses are busier than they have been; so once you board, you might find you have to sit next...

www.firstgroup.com

 

[AB93]

So both my guesses were wrong! You'd think that Horefield Common would be a better destination to use for the short workings really. I assume they turn via the bottom bit of Filton Avenue so do actually travel along a bit of Muller Road.

The bus stops in question are called "Muller Road"/"Muller Road Top" so it's swings and roundabouts really.

 

[DaveHarries]

Saw a '73' branded bus, 39466 / YN20 CDO, on Parry's Lane (Stoke Bishop) with a Service 3 to Broadmead on the 6th.

Dave

 

[BBC]

As a bus driver myself I don’t get these duplicated services. The one that leave 1 min in front of the other will just get busy while the other one won’t. Silly all round.

 

[Tommy Walters]

As a bus driver myself I don’t get these duplicated services. The one that leave 1 min in front of the other will just get busy while the other one won’t. Silly all round.

I guess it can get to the point where the front vehicle can skip stops if the driver thinks Social Distancing may be compromised, leaving the rear vehicle to take the remainder of the loads? Trouble is, that rarely happens!

 

[BBC]

I guess it can get to the point where the front vehicle can skip stops if the driver thinks Social Distancing may be compromised, leaving the rear vehicle to take the remainder of the loads? Trouble is, that rarely happens!

But the issue is you get some driver who will do anything for an easy life so the one behind will wait round so they pick no one up ! I’m not saying all drivers are like this but I know many who are and this situation will only make them more selfish.

 

[devonexpress]

But the issue is you get some driver who will do anything for an easy life so the one behind will wait round so they pick no one up ! I’m not saying all drivers are like this but I know many who are and this situation will only make them more selfish.

Quite often the busy buses end up being overtaken by the empty bus, os it balances itself out anyway

 

[georgeloxton02]

When do you think these social distancing things from buses will be removed because when restrictions are eased the routes are gonna get busy and with these the capacity of buses is greatly reduced

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

When do you think these social distancing things from buses will be removed because when restrictions are eased the routes are gonna get busy and with these the capacity of buses is greatly reduced

To be honest, you're better off asking for the lottery numbers. There are a great many dependencies and the science will be key (in terms of testing, the understanding of immunity, creation of a vaccine) and that will dictate how social distancing evolves over the next few months.

 

[carlberry]

When do you think these social distancing things from buses will be removed because when restrictions are eased the routes are gonna get busy and with these the capacity of buses is greatly reduced

Until a vaccine is available (next year at least and no guarantee) or a drug is found that massively reduces it's impact (nothing on the horizon, still awaiting volunteers for the injecting disinfectant idea! **) they'll be required until there is a belief that the infection isn't circulating in the population which requires a massive testing capability that we don't have, other than seeing the results of the circulation after 4-5 weeks.

Plus you also need people to feel safe in those circumstances; given that the government has been doing it's best to make every other human beings less popular than living next to a nuclear waste dump for the last two months that isn't going to be quick either.

With what we know now, and the virus as it is now, the government might try to risk it from July/August, the safer option would be to wait until winter when any seasonal variation has kicked in as well so not this year.

My lottery predictions are usually crap as well.

** Please don't try this at home.

 

[father_jack]

But the issue is you get some driver who will do anything for an easy life so the one behind will wait round so they pick no one up ! I’m not saying all drivers are like this but I know many who are and this situation will only make them more selfish.

The other side of "the easy life" is to keep loading so you don't get aggro from the punters which defeats the purpose entirely.

 

[father_jack]

This link to the First Bus Bristol coronavirus page shows timetables for all the duplicate services:

Coronavirus - COVID19: Service information | Bristol, Bath and the West | First Bus

At First Bus your safety and comfort on board are our priority. As the government restrictions ease you will notice that more people are travelling and coming together safely. This means that places and buses are busier than they have been; so once you board, you might find you have to sit next...

www.firstgroup.com

But isn't the hospital the reasoning behind the services being run ? If you get the duplicate and it's behind the service and the next service is late or off you have a long wait in Gainsborough Square or wherever turn around betty is.

 

[carlberry]

But isn't the hospital the reasoning behind the services being run ? If you get the duplicate and it's behind the service and the next service is late or off you have a long wait in Gainsborough Square or wherever turn around betty is.

Depends which hospital, and this is the reason the short terning bus should always be in front.

 

[Tommy Walters]

Quite often the busy buses end up being overtaken by the empty bus, os it balances itself out anyway

Unfortunately on some routes that can't always happen. Take the 5 in Bath, which runs round loads of narrow estate style roads in Whiteway. The first real point where the two vehicles can overtake each other is by Twerton School or even Twerton Bridge!

 

[Tommy Walters]

Are LH also running the 24 dupes now, in addition to the 75/76 ones? I've noticed the odd gas bus as well as 33795/6 have been showing up on the tracker over the last week.

36824 is yet another Urban Scania in Bath.

 

[Whiteway215]

Interested to see an item on Points West news this evening showing a decker with its seating marked out for social distancing. Reduced capacity was quoted as 20. So a single door gas bus would be H12/8F !!??

BBC One - Points West, Evening News, 07/05/2020

The latest news, sport, weather and features from the West of England.

www.bbc.co.uk

The item concerned is at around 16 minutes in.

 

[freetoview33]

Interested to see an item on Points West news this evening showing a decker with its seating marked out for social distancing. Reduced capacity was quoted as 20. So a single door gas bus would be H12/8F !!??

It's a hard one