Ladies Only Travel (LOT) gone into administration

[SCH117X]

As there are none running in Calderdale that seems unlikely. The current free services are funded by Wakefield and Kirklees councils and Metro.

Raising council tax is not the only option for the councils - some other service may not have been funded.

Or staff redunduncies. My local council, a district in a two tier arrangement with a County Council still existing, is attemping to avoid redundancies by charging for previously free, non statutory, services, increase charges on non-statutory services previously charged for and competing in the open market for contracts. Raising council tax is of limited benefit due to restrictions imposed on local councils by central government with any increase considered excessive capped or central government funding cut; albeit the latter is contining to be cut to the point that many local councils will have to be self sufficient in a couple of years.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

To be honest, I don't remember one either, but assumed perhaps incorrectly that if Dewsbury got one then surely they must have tried one in Halifax! If there was one (and I vaguely remember talk of one being withdrawn) it didn't last long. It seems odd that it was Leeds and Bradford that began charging considering that they're the bigger places, but both routes were painfully slow and long-winded in one direction for certain trips- the obvious example being station transfer in Bradford- very handy from Interchange to Forster Square, but in the opposite direction one could walk it 3 times before the bus you'd have been on got there!

The one in Halifax only ever ran on the run up to Christmas, once and that was in '08?
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As there are none running in Calderdale that seems unlikely. The current free services are funded by Wakefield and Kirklees councils and Metro.

Raising council tax is not the only option for the councils - some other service may not have been funded.

Calderdale Council are unenthusiatic about public transport, similar to NYCC to an extent however anything to do with public transport in Calderdale your fobbed off to go and ask Metro.

I wonder what would happen had the West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council still exisited rather than the remains that is WYJS and WYCA- what would it be? ask the public transport unit at County Hall Wakefield for advice?

Speaking of which I once asked Wakefield Council about something public transport-wise as I felt it was more to do with the council rather than Metro and they actually went the extra mile.

 

[Andyh82]

There was never a Halifax FreeTownBus in the current last 10 years sense of the word. TJ Walsh provided a paid link to the train station that was presumably seen as adequate.

Dewsbury's was developed out of the old Sainsburys free bus which provided part of the same route, and they partially support the service.

The whole point of Metro/WYCA is to handle public transport affairs that would otherwise have to be duplicated 5 times by the individual councils. They aren't 'fobbing you off to Metro', it's the whole point.

 

[Deerfold]

There was never a Halifax FreeTownBus in the current last 10 years sense of the word. TJ Walsh provided a paid link to the train station that was presumably seen as adequate.

And still do - though it only serves the station 0915 to 1655.

http://www.wymetro.com/site/handlers/buses/timetables/pdf.ashx?route=600&code=

 

[Robertj21a]

Or staff redunduncies. My local council, a district in a two tier arrangement with a County Council still existing, is attemping to avoid redundancies by charging for previously free, non statutory, services, increase charges on non-statutory services previously charged for and competing in the open market for contracts. Raising council tax is of limited benefit due to restrictions imposed on local councils by central government with any increase considered excessive capped or central government funding cut; albeit the latter is contining to be cut to the point that many local councils will have to be self sufficient in a couple of years.

Going rather off-topic but if my experience of local councils is anything to go by they could do with making a good proportion of their own staff redundant - or explaining to those still employed that people are employed to actually work.

 

[AnonymousUser1]

Going rather off-topic but if my experience of local councils is anything to go by they could do with making a good proportion of their own staff redundant - or explaining to those still employed that people are employed to actually work.

In the minds of various Trades Unions, organisations exist to employ their members and provision of services is a side effect ...

 

[SCH117X]

Going rather off-topic but if my experience of local councils is anything to go by they could do with making a good proportion of their own staff redundant - or explaining to those still employed that people are employed to actually work.

Surprised that any Council today has staff doing nothing as you imply, having said my local council is trying not to make staff redundant that is largely through cutting staff over the last few years through "natural wastage" (retirement) and freezing / cutting vacant posts. As I understand it the situation has now reached the point that many functions have a solitary person doing the task and obviously if they are on leave or off ill nothing gets done, or gets done very slowly by others if they can fit it round their existent tasks, which could give the impression no one working when completely the opposite is the truth.

 

[Tetchytyke]

There was never a Halifax FreeTownBus in the current last 10 years sense of the word. TJ Walsh provided a paid link to the train station that was presumably seen as adequate.

Didn't there used to be the free Sainsbury's bus too? I'm not sure if that's still running, Halifax Joint Committee ran it and then I think TJ Walsh took it over when they stopped trading.

 

[Deerfold]

The C68 still runs in Halifax for 4 hours a day.
http://wymetro.com/site/templates/pages/mobile/timetable.aspx?route=C68&code=

The C70 still runs in Brighouse Mondays and Wednesday to Saturday.

http://wymetro.com/site/templates/pages/mobile/timetable.aspx?route=C70&code=

Neither service seems to have any publicity at all (including in the Halifax store or on bus stops).

 

[Andyh82]

Didn't there used to be the free Sainsbury's bus too? I'm not sure if that's still running, Halifax Joint Committee ran it and then I think TJ Walsh took it over when they stopped trading.

Geldards ran them between HJC and TJ Walsh, using tridents which looked considerably over resourced for a service that gets a few pensioners per trip.

 

[BestWestern]

The poor business name probably didn't help much in their favour, at one point the Bradford Travel Centre had to put up a sign at the desk saying 'You can travel on LOT services even if you're not female'

Suppose it worked for their taxi business but a bit confusing when you see it plastered on a bus!

Indeed :roll: Did they allow men to travel in their minicabs? To me the name suggests not...

 

[Robertj21a]

Surprised that any Council today has staff doing nothing as you imply, having said my local council is trying not to make staff redundant that is largely through cutting staff over the last few years through "natural wastage" (retirement) and freezing / cutting vacant posts. As I understand it the situation has now reached the point that many functions have a solitary person doing the task and obviously if they are on leave or off ill nothing gets done, or gets done very slowly by others if they can fit it round their existent tasks, which could give the impression no one working when completely the opposite is the truth.

Yes, I'm very surprised too !!

Inefficient staff still just moved to other roles, when they should be dismissed. Poor managers don't monitor poor performers. Flexitime arrangements are abused etc etc - and they always believe they are terribly busy when they really haven't a clue what constitutes hard work. ........Anyway, that's off topic