Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Bus News

[Mollman]

That’s nothing to do with electric vs diesel. Government and certain lobby groups are trying to ‘encourage’ operators to have two wheelchair spaces and/or separate buggy spaces. It makes things very difficult for ambulant disabled and elderly passengers, but unfortunately their voices don’t seem to be loud enough. I think this specification may even be a condition of Zebra funding.

Yes, in ZEBRA2 at least (didn't deal with ZEBRA1) you had to be clear that you would specify the 'enhanced accessible' layout.

 

[tram21]

Yutong U11DD YD73 FTP has entered service with Arriva Derby, currently on 22.

https://bustimes.org/vehicles/ader-9001

 

[bringiton]

Yutong U11DD YD73 FTP has entered service with Arriva Derby, currently on 22.

https://bustimes.org/vehicles/ader-9001

It's not on 22, I saw it earlier and it was an omnicity? Don't know if that means the yutong is in service on another service but it's not tracking correctly from what I'm aware

 

[Trainman40083]

It's not on 22, I saw it earlier and it was an omnicity? Don't know if that means the yutong is in service on another service but it's not tracking correctly from what I'm aware

Now showing on 903, which I would not expect an Omnicity to be on

 

[bringiton]

Now showing on 903, which I would not expect an Omnicity to be on

Yeah I saw it was too. Maybe it is there's always a chance an Omnicity can be on it. I know I saw an Arriva Derby Omnicity turning around the corner where a Yutong was supposed to be.

 

[Volvo142]

As far as I'm aware, the only non E400MMC to have seen useage on the Unilink services is 4404, on a day when two of the MMC's were VOR.

However, I believe the contract states all vehicles must have bike racks, which neither the Yutong nor 4404 have.

Given that neither the 1/1A/1C nor the 38 have a full complement of deckers today, you would have thought that if the Yutong was going to be trialled anywhere, it would have been on one of those routes.

I also think there's supposed to be a second demonstrator on the way, if not already at Ascot Drive.

 

[Trainman40083]

As far as I'm aware, the only non E400MMC to have seen useage on the Unilink services is 4404, on a day when two of the MMC's were VOR.

However, I believe the contract states all vehicles must have bike racks, which neither the Yutong nor 4404 have.

Given that neither the 1/1A/1C nor the 38 have a full complement of deckers today, you would have thought that if the Yutong was going to be trialled anywhere, it would have been on one of those routes.

I also think there's supposed to be a second demonstrator on the way, if not already at Ascot Drive.

Would have thought the second demo would be one of the green Streetdeck type buses. Good point about the contract for Nottingham Uni requiring bike racks.. And the spare Uni decker was on Alvastons. You'd expect it to be trialed on a route they plan to use it on

 

[tram21]

It's on the 903, confirmed by photos sent to me but unfortunately I cannot share.

Information is available here: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sustainability/transport/travellingbetweencampuses/hopper-buses.aspx

 

[Volvo142]

The Yutong doesn't appear to have been out today, but 4404 did two trips on the 901 this morning, meaning 3737 has been on the 38 all day.

Bustimes is also showing 3739 as being the 38, but in reality, that's 4405, which has been in stealth mode - or disguise if you prefer - since mid Friday afternoon!

 

[Trainman40083]

The Yutong doesn't appear to have been out today, but 4404 did two trips on the 901 this morning, meaning 3737 has been on the 38 all day.

Bustimes is also showing 3739 as being the 38, but in reality, that's 4405, which has been in stealth mode - or disguise if you prefer - since mid Friday afternoon!

Ah, but was it actually 4404 or another bus in stealth mode? Would have thought if no Yutong it would revert to a proper Uni Hopper or the unbranded one. Must be playing ticket machine bingo again.

 

[43055]

Arriva's 3745 has now been repainted and been out on the X38 today.

 

[Volvo142]

The unbranded bus - 4544 - was also out on Hoppers, so that route appeared to be two buses down today.

Arriva's 3745 has now been repainted and been out on the X38 today.

3747 has replaced it in the paint shop

 

[Skymonster]

The Yutong doesn't appear to have been out today

It was inside the garage on Ascot Drive around 14:00 - easy to tell in the gloom because its distinctive front lights were on.

 

[Ginga]

Kinchbus 906 made a appearance yesterday on Kinch 9. It did one return trip and was taken off again. The whole Kinchbus Citaro fleet has been off the road. They must be having major issues getting parts.

 

[joieman]

Kinchbus 906 made a appearance yesterday on Kinch 9. It did one return trip and was taken off again. The whole Kinchbus Citaro fleet has been off the road. They must be having major issues getting parts.

They do have their merits - I like the seats a lot - but since Citaros are effectively a non-standard type in the fleet with only four left, it would probably cause less faff to sell them on and replace them with a type more common to Wellglade's fleet.

 

[tram21]

Ah, but was it actually 4404 or another bus in stealth mode? Would have thought if no Yutong it would revert to a proper Uni Hopper or the unbranded one. Must be playing ticket machine bingo again.

I saw 4402 this morning on 901, so I presume it was 4404 yesterday- a decker is on the 903 reducing the avaliable fleet

 

[Trainman40083]

Kinchbus 906 made a appearance yesterday on Kinch 9. It did one return trip and was taken off again. The whole Kinchbus Citaro fleet has been off the road. They must be having major issues getting parts.

Explains why Kinchbus has not provided a full weekday service for quite a long time.

 

[Robertj21a]

I saw 4402 this morning on 901, so I presume it was 4404 yesterday- a decker is on the 903 reducing the avaliable fleet

906 is out on the 2 today.

 

[Skymonster]

Bustimes suggests the Yutong is out on Arriva 903 again today

 

[duncombec]

Bustimes suggests the Yutong is out on Arriva 903 again today

There is now a story on the Arriva website suggesting this is intentional:

Arriva Bus

www.arrivabus.co.uk

In the coming weeks an electric bus will be trialled on the 903 Hopper Service.

Arriva who operates our Hopper bus network, will be trialling a fully electric double-decker bus on some 903 services between Monday 11 March and Thursday 28 March 2024. It’s a great opportunity for the UoN community to experience a ride on an electric bus, and this is the first step in a longer-term aspiration for our Hopper bus network to move away from diesel vehicles, as part of the university’s strategic objective to decarbonise our operations.

As this is only a trial, the bus will not be branded as a Hopper bus – but the screen on the front of the bus will give the service number and destination, and you can always ask our friendly hopper bus drivers if you want to check you are on the right bus! The below photo shows what the bus will look like.

The 903 journeys that could be operated by the electric bus during the trial period are shown in the timetable link below. Arriva will confirm exactly what days the electric bus will be on campus.

The electric bus doesn’t have a bike rack. If you normally travel with your bike on the 903 Hopper bus, there are alternative 903 buses you can use.

View 903 electric bus trail timetable [sic]

 

[Volvo142]

There is now a story on the Arriva website suggesting this is intentional:

Arriva Bus

www.arrivabus.co.uk

That's lifted directly from the UON website.

It's supposedly also going to be trialled on the 38 and the Alvaston routes.

 

[tram21]

That's lifted directly from the UON website.

It's supposedly also going to be trialled on the 38 and the Alvaston routes.

I'd imagine it'll be the 1/38 at weekends and 903 on weekdays. I would think that this trial is happening as the tender for the Hopper routes come up doom, and a promise of electric buses would aid their chance of winning it!

 

[Volvo142]

I'd imagine it'll be the 1/38 at weekends and 903 on weekdays. I would think that this trial is happening as the tender for the Hopper routes come up doom, and a promise of electric buses would aid their chance of winning it!

Arriva has also submitted a bid for Zebra 2 funding to replace the existing E400s and Volvos from the Sinfin/ Stenson and Alvaston with electric deckers too.

Hence the appearance of the. Yutong and rumours of either an Electrodeck or an electric E400 joining it for a competitive evaluation....

 

[tram21]

Further updates to upcoming changes:

Vectare: 833 will be passed to Centrebus on 31st March. 94 will be withdrawn (just positioning services) (https://localbus.vectare.co.uk/east-midlands-changes-to-bingham-network-april-2024)

Nottingham City Transport: Service Changes announced, but nothing major and just minor timetable adjustments.
https://www.nctx.co.uk/service-change-31st-march-24

And from Derbyshire County Council https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/transport-roads/public-transport/news-notices/bus-service-changes/forthcoming-changes-to-bus-services.aspx

From Sunday 31 March 2024​

Trent Barton and Kinch:

• service 90: minor timetable changes to improve reliability
• my15: minor changes between DHL and East Midlands Airport on Monday to Saturday. Reduced number of journeys via Castle Donington Bus Station during peak times
• red arrow: frequency increased to every 30 minutes Monday to Thursday evenings and some minor changes between Derby and QMC
• skylink derby: frequency increased to every 15 minutes plus extra early morning and evening journeys
• swift: evening timetable changes to help improve reliability

TM Travel:

• service 218: the summer timetable will be introduced, with more journeys on Sundays

Hulleys:

• service 171: will be withdrawn

 

[Llandudno]

Further updates to upcoming changes:

Vectare: 833 will be passed to Centrebus on 31st March. 94 will be withdrawn (just positioning services) (https://localbus.vectare.co.uk/east-midlands-changes-to-bingham-network-april-2024)

Nottingham City Transport: Service Changes announced, but nothing major and just minor timetable adjustments.
https://www.nctx.co.uk/service-change-31st-march-24

And from Derbyshire County Council https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/transport-roads/public-transport/news-notices/bus-service-changes/forthcoming-changes-to-bus-services.aspx

Presumably TrentBarton and TM Travel have sufficient drivers to operate the uplift in services…?

 

[Robertj21a]

Presumably TrentBarton and TM Travel have sufficient drivers to operate the uplift in services…?

It will be Kinchbus with the need for even more vehicles and drivers. They cancel many services around Loughborough already.

 

[tram21]

Presumably TrentBarton and TM Travel have sufficient drivers to operate the uplift in services…?

Drivers, yes. Buses, absolutely not!

 

[RELL6L]

Further updates to upcoming changes:

Vectare: 833 will be passed to Centrebus on 31st March. 94 will be withdrawn (just positioning services) (https://localbus.vectare.co.uk/east-midlands-changes-to-bingham-network-april-2024)

Nottingham City Transport: Service Changes announced, but nothing major and just minor timetable adjustments.
https://www.nctx.co.uk/service-change-31st-march-24

And from Derbyshire County Council https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/transport-roads/public-transport/news-notices/bus-service-changes/forthcoming-changes-to-bus-services.aspx

The Hulley 171 is basically a school bus from Youlgreave and Middleton into Bakewell, all other journeys here being 172s or replaced by 172s. I took the morning journey just over a year ago and it was very busy, pretty much all seats taken. So I assume it will be replaced by a closed door school contract.

 

[Deerfold]

The Hulley 171 is basically a school bus from Youlgreave and Middleton into Bakewell, all other journeys here being 172s or replaced by 172s. I took the morning journey just over a year ago and it was very busy, pretty much all seats taken. So I assume it will be replaced by a closed door school contract.

It seems to be being replaced by the 172 that currently misses Youlgreave being diverted into Youlgreave (including on Saturdays). Hopefully, that will be a double decker on Schooldays, at least.

 

[RELL6L]

It seems to be being replaced by the 172 that currently misses Youlgreave being diverted into Youlgreave (including on Saturdays). Hopefully, that will be a double decker on Schooldays, at least.

No it doesn’t. The school runs into Bakewell are the only journeys on the 172 that will not be diverted to Youlgreave, presumably they are sufficiently full already. Double deckers unlikely I would think but they have been on the 171.