Padarn bus to close today

[Mr Manager]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-27631877

Allegations of Fraud involved. not good for the employees.

84 jobs to go as Padarn Bus in Gwynedd closes

A Gwynedd bus firm is to close due to 'financial issues' with the loss of 84 jobs.

Padarn Bus, which runs operates routes from Bangor, Caernarfon, Llanberis and to Beaumaris on Anglesey, said services would cease at midnight on Friday.

The announcement comes a day after a man, 44, and a women, 28 were arrested following allegations of fraud at the company.

Alternative transport has been organised on Anglesey.

A spokesman for the family-run firm, which runs several school services in the county, said the closure was as a result of losing contracts following the announcement of the police inquiry....

 

[northwichcat]

I imagine emergency tenders/registrations will be issued for any subsided routes or commercial routes which are needed and no operator shows an interest in taking on.

 

[glennds999]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-27631877

Allegations of Fraud involved. not good for the employees.

Am I correct in saying that the reason that they have lost contracts (the reason as to why they are closing) is due to the police investigation?

Were the people arrested in connection high up in management roles within Padarn, if anyone knows?

 

[Mr Manager]

Company not in a good state finance wise. Directors include a Miss so could be the younger lady mentioned

http://companycheck.co.uk/company/04695535/PADARN-BUS-LIMITED

 

[syorksdeano]

Not sure why but something doesn't seen quite right somehow.

How could they lose contracts so quick?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Not sure why but something doesn't seen quite right somehow.

How could they lose contracts so quick?

Very difficult and wrong to speculate but Padarn grew very quickly. From virtually nowhere, they started competing against Arriva on Bangor locals and the Bethesda run, before then purchasing the bus part of KMP that wasn't bought by Arriva (mainly around Llanberis).

Would guess that the services to Maesgirchen and other Bangor locals, and Bethesda, will just disappear as they operated against Arriva. Who'll step in with the Llanberis services et al, possibly Arriva. Not many firms can just mobilise fleet that quickly.

 

[Deerfold]

That's a shame. I caught their 89 last summer whilst on holiday to Llanberis - the drivers seemed friendly - though when I rang their office to enquire about fares they could not tell me the single fares, they got the price of a rover wrong and they told me the wrong calculation for a child fare as a proportion of the adult fare.

It seems odd there is nothing on their website today about this.

 

[SWTH]

Thoughts with all those whose jobs are affected by this. It's never pleasant to see yet another operator going to the wall, regardless of the circumstances.

A few operators have gone recently, it certainly makes me question whether my job is in any way safe.

 

[mancnq]

The Bugle is reporting that Gwynedd have issued a press release about Padarn. Some routes will be retendered very soon, but others that are already covered by other operators won't.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Thoughts with all those whose jobs are affected by this. It's never pleasant to see yet another operator going to the wall, regardless of the circumstances.

A few operators have gone recently, it certainly makes me question whether my job is in any way safe.

Very true. The drivers (and other staff) will have to look for other jobs (not easy in an area of limited opportunities) and one wonders if they'll also have to join the list of creditors though one assumes that they're working today so perhaps they've been paid up front.

Fingers crossed and at least it's come at this time of the year so there's possibly some hope of getting some seasonal work with some of the area's coach businesses. Not nice though

 

[RELL6L]

Very true. The drivers (and other staff) will have to look for other jobs (not easy in an area of limited opportunities) and one wonders if they'll also have to join the list of creditors though one assumes that they're working today so perhaps they've been paid up front.

Fingers crossed and at least it's come at this time of the year so there's possibly some hope of getting some seasonal work with some of the area's coach businesses. Not nice though

Gwynedd's website already has full timetables for replacement services in their patch as of tomorrow morning. Express Motors have taken on the S4 & 87 (Caernarvon to Beddgelert) much as before, the 88 (Caernarvon to Llanberis) hourly against half-hourly, the 82 & 83 (Caernarvon to Deinolen area) hourly as before, and the 85 (Bangor to Llanberis) mainly 2 hourly as against hourly. GHA have one bus on a much reduced S1 & S2 with just four journeys each way to Betws y Coed, none via Bethesda, plus one more for park-and-ride on weekends and school holidays. Goodness knows where this is being run from!

Anglesey's website appears to make no mention of it but if you look at the individual timetables they include new ones as of tomorrow. The 53/56/57/58 from Bangor to Beaumaris and beyond are with Arriva, this looks like a PVR of 4, while the 42 from Bangor to Llangefni via Newborough has one bus from each of Gwynfor Coaches and O R Jones.

Presumably these are emergency tenders but well done to both councils for organising at such short notice. Possibly they knew it was coming, apparently there were signs....

 

[Qwerty133]

Company not in a good state finance wise. Directors include a Miss so could be the younger lady mentioned

http://companycheck.co.uk/company/04695535/PADARN-BUS-LIMITED

No female director currently showing, but I presume you meant the Secretary, however one of the directors was born in 1970, making them 44 so a good chance of them being the Male.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Anyone with any historical news of the firm of K.M.P (Llanberis) Ltd., from whom in 2009, Padarn Bus were said to have purchased certain company assets ?

 

[anthony263]

According to local reports other operators have been taking on Padarn's drivers so that they can operate the replacement contracts.

Credit has to be givern to the local authorities and other operators for quickly stepping in.

This has come out of nowhere so it has caught many by surprise especially the employee's and the recent news if possible fraud has left a bitter taste

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

According to local reports other operators have been taking on Padarn's drivers so that they can operate the replacement contracts.

That will solve any problems concerning route-learning.

 

[313103]

I stayed in Llanberis at the end of April and the one thing that I liked was the friendliness of all the staff I came across. All were very helpful and I was allowed to go round the depot and take pictures of the vehicles, something that all to often not allowed on the grounds of safety. I travelled on about five of their buses all very well presented and very clean. As mentioned the staff went out of there way to help.

I feel sorry for the staff caught up in such shenanigans, it those as well as the passengers who will suffer the most.

 

[northwichcat]

GHA have one bus on a much reduced S1 & S2 with just four journeys each way to Betws y Coed, none via Bethesda, plus one more for park-and-ride on weekends and school holidays. Goodness knows where this is being run from!

I don't know if this photo gives an clues as to where the buses are based: https://www.facebook.com/2350267662...35026766201/10152501957221202/?type=1&theater

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I notice that when I accessed the Traveline Cymru journey planner earlier today, they still have not updated their database to show which operator is now running the former Padarn Bus routes that are still running.