High Peak Bus Company / Trentbarton Split [Merged Thread]

[Chapeltom]

I'm so glad that 0346 from Chapel en le Frith will still run to the Airport. Twice in 12 days I'm catching that for onward connections out of Airport station next month.

 

[johnnychips]

I'm so glad that 0346 from Chapel en le Frith will still run to the Airport. Twice in 12 days I'm catching that for onward connections out of Airport station next month.

You must be mad! Let us know how many pax are on it!

 

[tbtc]

Hope you get a seat...

 

[northwichcat]

The majority of ex Bowers routes only need small capacity buses so a large fleet of "Solos" is the sensible solution

I think they need one or two bigger buses as backup. Solos sometimes fill in for the Dennis Darts on the Macclesfield-Knutsford route, off-peak that's fine but at peak time with the Astra Zeneca workers using the service a Solo is too small.

Some routes, such as the 300 Knutsford Circular have seen a significant drop in day time users as fares have increased. The route once had a Mercedes-Benz 709D every 15 minutes, which changed to a Dart every 30 minutes. The Dart got quite busy at school start/end times and on the first bus the pensioners could use their free passes. Since Bowers took over the route they've used a Solo on 99.9% of services and it's rarely overcrowded as more and more people are walking instead of catching the bus. The daytime services used to be commercial with evening services subsided, now both are subsided with the evening services getting a higher subsidy.

I wonder if cheaper fares could in fact mean more money is taken per service, making the service more profitable.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I think they need one or two bigger buses as backup. Solos sometimes fill in for the Dennis Darts on the Macclesfield-Knutsford route, off-peak that's fine but at peak time with the Astra Zeneca workers using the service a Solo is too small.

Are the 27 and the 130 services the only two services to service the staff at Astra Zeneca, as I remember hearing of a 34 service to and from Handforth running there at one time.

 

[northwichcat]

Are the 27 and the 130 services the only two services to service the staff at Astra Zeneca, as I remember hearing of a 34 service to and from Handforth running there at one time.

The 130 service does run via Handforth so I'm not sure why they would need another service from Handforth running to Astra Zeneca.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The 130 service does run via Handforth so I'm not sure why they would need another service from Handforth running to Astra Zeneca.

I rang the elderly contact who passed the information on to me and his recollection was of a 34 service from Handforth, The Paddock to Astra Zeneca, prior to the 130 service calling into the Astra Zeneca site complex.

 

[northwichcat]

According to their Tiwtter account the new website is officially live. It contains 4 local council/PTE links all broken: http://www.highpeakbuses.com/Pages/ConcessionaryTravel.aspx including a Macclesfield borough council link!

 

[Deerfold]

According to their Tiwtter account the new website is officially live. It contains 4 local council/PTE links all broken: http://www.highpeakbuses.com/Pages/ConcessionaryTravel.aspx including a Macclesfield borough council link!

That's quite horrible.

I notice on http://www.highpeakbuses.com/Pages/default.aspx

There are headings using blue highlight and underlining that are not hyperlinks as well as links using the same style. Very confusing.

 

[trentside]

It's similar to the other Centrebus group websites. They've always been incredibly basic - I'm presuming they're done in house, rather than paying someone to produce something a bit better.

 

[northwichcat]

It's similar to the other Centrebus group websites. They've always been incredibly basic - I'm presuming they're done in house, rather than paying someone to produce something a bit better.

Just done a 'view source' on the website. It contains code for formatting the text that was classed as 'deprecated' in 1999, so it's no wonder it's displaying with visual problems in 2012 considering all browsers have been updated multiple times since then.

If you want to see how many errors an online validator found in the homepage alone click here: http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=h...(detect+automatically)&doctype=Inline&group=0 Although, don't try and understand the errors unless you know about HTML.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It is said that the High Peak operations will be from Dove Holes depot, yet in the timetable published by TfGM for the 394 service (Glossop to Stepping Hill), run by High Peak, in the inside section with the route map, there is a panel stating:-

Buses run by:-

High Peak
Aspincroft Garage
Town End
Chapel-en-le-Frith
High Peak
SK23 ONU

Telephone 01298 812204

Any reason why this address and telephone number should be in a printed timetable ?

 

[northwichcat]

It is said that the High Peak operations will be from Dove Holes depot, yet in the timetable published by TfGM for the 394 service (Glossop to Stepping Hill), run by High Peak, in the inside section with the route map, there is a panel stating:-

Buses run by:-

High Peak
Aspincroft Garage
Town End
Chapel-en-le-Frith
High Peak
SK23 ONU

Telephone 01298 812204

Any reason why this address and telephone number should be in a printed timetable ?

The High Peak routes are currently registered under the Bowers operating licence.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The High Peak routes are currently registered under the Bowers operating license.

Yes, this did seem strange to me, as Bowers are by no means the largest part of the High Peak grouping. Would it be that the Trent Barton operating licence would not be allowed to be split into the new High Peak section and the remaining existing part of that licence for their retained Midlands routes.

 

[northwichcat]

Yes, this did seem strange to me, as Bowers are by no means the largest part of the High Peak grouping. Would it be that the Trent Barton operating licence would not be allowed to be split into the new High Peak section and the remaining existing part of that licence for their retained Midlands routes.

Two possible reasons:

1. Trent Barton still need the their licence for routes that remain under the Trent Barton name and won't want their admin staff dealing with a load of enquiries that are nothing to do with Trent Barton.
2. Centrebus is running the operations side of High Peak and the Bowers licence is a licence held by Centrebus.

 

[tbone]

A Scania Olympus is here on a trial basis for transpeak:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattburley0/7269382336/

 

[northwichcat]

A Scania Olympus is here on a trial basis for transpeak:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattburley0/7269382336/

They should refit some similar to how the Witch Way buses are with Burnley & Pendle - high back leather seats and generous leg room.

 

[WillPS]

TrentBarton are now running Red Arrow through to Bakewell - seems an odd move, encroaching on an operation they've just passed away operational control of!

 

[tbtc]

TrentBarton are now running Red Arrow through to Bakewell - seems an odd move, encroaching on an operation they've just passed away operational control of!

It does (although its only an hourly service on Summer Sundays)

 

[Deerfold]

It does (although its only an hourly service on Summer Sundays)

And it does go a completely different route to the Transpeak.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

And it does go a completely different route to the Transpeak.

For those of us "not in the know", what route will be taken ?

 

[trentside]

For those of us "not in the know", what route will be taken ?

Here's the timetable;
http://www.derbysbus.info/times/timetables/RABT_120624.pdf

 

[Deerfold]

Here's the timetable;
http://www.derbysbus.info/times/timetables/RABT_120624.pdf

Unfortunately it seems that betwen Bakewell and Matlock they will run between 2 and 10 minutes apart each hour.

http://www.derbysbus.info/times/timetables/TPKP_120401.pdf

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Here's the timetable;
http://www.derbysbus.info/times/timetables/RABT_120624.pdf

So a limited stop only service using the timetabled points outside Nottingham, from what the timetable notes say. Still, Sundays and Bank Holidays see many people free to make leisure journeys and I suppose they have seen a "window of opportunity" to tap into this.

 

[johnnychips]

Apart from direct journeys between Alfreton and Matlock (apart from...!) it doesn't compete too directly with the Sunday TM Travel DCC subsidised 140. Just wonder why the RA doesn't stop all stops Alfreton-Matlock: there wouldn't be that many pickups to slow it down.

http://www.derbysbus.info/times/timetables/140Y_111030.pdf

 

[tbone]

Transpeak apparently gets very overcrowded on Summer Sundays

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Transpeak apparently gets very overcrowded on Summer Sundays

Refer to my posting #114 with regard to leisure travel on Sundays and on Bank Holidays.

 

[omnibologist]

"High Peak" management think that Red Arrow will probably take away a good number of OAP "freebies" to leave extra capacity for the more lucrative full fare paying passengers
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

A Scania Olympus is here on a trial basis for transpeak:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattburley0/7269382336/

The Olympus seems to have been well accepted by the public with many favourable comments including such as "are we getting some more?"

 

[northwichcat]

High Peak have not publicised what they are doing about the Macclesfield/Knutsford routes on Thursday when it's the Olympic torch relay (and neither have G&A.) Bakerbus and D&G have published revised timetables.

 

[317 forever]

A Scania Olympus is here on a trial basis for transpeak:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattburley0/7269382336/

I saw it in Stockport on Saturday afternoon. So at least it won't be Mon-Fri only.

TrentBarton are now running Red Arrow through to Bakewell - seems an odd move, encroaching on an operation they've just passed away operational control of!

I think route 6 runs to Bakewell anyway.