National Express seat reservations

[JonathanH]

This is a bad move that seems to be a way of getting a bit more money out of passengers - only in the first five rows of the coach. In a 50/60 seat coach are reservations really a good thing?

http://www.nationalexpress.com/seat-reservation.aspx

 

[jay38a]

Would like to see people book the front seats, then someone in a wheelchair books, how is that going to work?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes, yes and yes.

As a tall person the ability to book extra legroom will make me use coaches more.

 

[Ginga]

Would like to see people book the front seats, then someone in a wheelchair books, how is that going to work?

Wheelchair users need to give 24 hours notice. Most of the lifts break they get so little use.

 

[theblackwatch]

To be honest, I like the idea. I rarely travel by coach, but when I do, I like a window seat (as it's something to lean against, as much as the view), and I'd happily pay a couple of quid to guarantee it.

 

[Lrd]

Wheelchair users need to give 24 hours notice. Most of the lifts break they get so little use.

They should be tested daily as part of the drivers walk round check.

None of us liked doing it in the middle of winter in the rain at 2am but we all did it. If the lift didn't work then the coach doesn't go into service.

 

[pitdiver]

They should be tested daily as part of the drivers walk round check.

None of us liked doing it in the middle of winter in the rain at 2am but we all did it. If the lift didn't work then the coach doesn't go into service.

Does this mean that if you had to pick ups passenger at 0200hrs at some God forsaken place and the lift didn't work you would take the coach out of service.I ask as I used to be a Coach Station manager for NX.

 

[Lrd]

Does this mean that if you had to pick ups passenger at 0200hrs at some God forsaken place and the lift didn't work you would take the coach out of service.I ask as I used to be a Coach Station manager for NX.

No, I would inform NatEx control and they would deal with the passenger in a wheelchair. The coach would get swapped over at a more convenient location later in the day or even make it back to the depot.

 

[pitdiver]

I understand, those wheel chair lifts were a pain in the butt. I worked for NX when they first came into use ruddy nightmare. The time it took to get the damn things to work caused all sorts of delays to the services.
Jaffa regular occurrence like the one you mention. We had a regular passenger who this would happen to so they would be taxied all the way to Bradford from Milton Keynes Coachway.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Clearly low-floor was and is the way to go for buses, but I am intrigued as to why other "passive" provisions haven't been explored for coaches, such as a short low floor section at the front with all the steps inside the coach. I have seen coaches with that layout but they are rare.

 

[PeterC]

Clearly low-floor was and is the way to go for buses, but I am intrigued as to why other "passive" provisions haven't been explored for coaches, such as a short low floor section at the front with all the steps inside the coach. I have seen coaches with that layout but they are rare.

A design like these perhaps? http://ww2talk.com/index.php?media/...mmer-one-and-a-half-deck-airport-coach.29993/
or
http://theoldmotor.com/?p=126945

 

[Bletchleyite]

That sort of thing...there's nothing new under the sun, is there?

You do need the high floor bit for luggage space, but it needn't take up the whole coach length.

Don't Megabus have some half-decker type coaches? I forget what they're called though.

 

[cambsy]

The half deckers on Megabus are Plaxton Elite i Interdeckers, they have 3 seats behind the driver on the lower floor, and a disabled seat next to driver, then rest of the seats are up stairs, whch are accessed behind driver or middle of the coach, they are 62 plate-66 plate and think they seat 72 passengers.

 

[overthewater]

Megabus use them all the time on the London - Scotland Routes, so Megabus is streets ahead again over Nat Exps.

 

[route101]

Megabus use them all the time on the London - Scotland Routes, so Megabus is streets ahead again over Nat Exps.

Mostly the van hools on the Glasgow to London services . The interdecks usually on service via Edinburgh , Newcastle and Leeds , been a while since ive seen one at Glasgow .
Prefer an upstairs on megabus , its quieter

 

[Bungle965]

I understand, those wheel chair lifts were a pain in the butt. I worked for NX when they first came into use ruddy nightmare. The time it took to get the damn things to work caused all sorts of delays to the services.
Jaffa regular occurrence like the one you mention. We had a regular passenger who this would happen to so they would be taxied all the way to Bradford from Milton Keynes Coachway.

I was at Manchester coach station yesterday and I saw a Leeds service with it's ramp in operation, I have to say I have travelling on NX on and off for a couple of years now and this is the first time I have ever seen one used.

Mostly the van hools on the Glasgow to London services . The interdecks usually on service via Edinburgh , Newcastle and Leeds , been a while since ive seen one at Glasgow .
Prefer an upstairs on megabus , its quieter

Interesting!
I have to say on a VanHool I prefer the downstairs if I can get a seat at one of the two tables, I can use my laptop then. However if not I will always go upstairs, as you say it is quieter but also it mitigates having a nasal bombardment whenever someone uses the toilet.
Sam

 

[Dan@megg]

Would like to see people book the front seats, then someone in a wheelchair books, how is that going to work?

I use NX a lot and am a disabled passenger. I have a disabled coach card and can confirm that with the £2 seat reservation scheme the wheelchair/proirty seats aren’t included, I found this out after multiple attempts of contacting the customer service team and eventually was told not to worry about this, as that seat is reserved automatically by the disabled passenger