Rail Staff Travel on Stena Bus

[reb0118]

Some info for rail staff thinking of using the new Cairnryan - Belfast route. I've just found out today that although we are allowed to travel on the connecting bus from Ayr to Cairnryan we may be denied boarding if the bus is full as full fare passengers will be given priority.

I don't know how many buses they put on but the advice I was given was to stay on the train to Stranraer and get a taxi from there.

Not great. I've never had an objection to giving up my seat for a fare paying passenger but I assume there will be no standing on the bus.

 

[156402]

Some info for rail staff thinking of using the new Cairnryan - Belfast route. I've just found out today that although we are allowed to travel on the connecting bus from Ayr to Cairnryan we may be denied boarding if the bus is full as full fare passengers will be given priority.

I don't know how many buses they put on but the advice I was given was to stay on the train to Stranraer and get a taxi from there.

Not great. I've never had an objection to giving up my seat for a fare paying passenger but I assume there will be no standing on the bus.

If its a coach then standing is not permitted.

 

[pkkelly]

Some info for rail staff thinking of using the new Cairnryan - Belfast route. I've just found out today that although we are allowed to travel on the connecting bus from Ayr to Cairnryan we may be denied boarding if the bus is full as full fare passengers will be given priority.

I don't know how many buses they put on but the advice I was given was to stay on the train to Stranraer and get a taxi from there.

Not great. I've never had an objection to giving up my seat for a fare paying passenger but I assume there will be no standing on the bus.

There were 11 people on the coach when I used it last week, and 7 when I used it in December. I suspect that it will be unusual for it to get full or for a second one to be required. (However, there are two spaces for rail link coaches marked out at Cairnryan.)

I think it very unlikely that you would have a problem. If the coach is full there are any regular passengers left standing they would surely need to put on a 2nd coach or taxis anyhow?

If travelling from Belfast an easy way to work out roughly how many people will be on the coach is to wait until most people have gone through checkin and count the ticks on the sheet(s) that they use to record rail passengers' destinations.

Re staying on the train to Stranraer, this is not an option if travelling on the 19:30 sailing as the connection is too tight.

 

[Lad Brookes]

I was one of 6 passengers on the coach from Cairnryan on the first Wednesday after the port move (off the 0730 departure from Belfast).
I was travelling on staff facilities, so had paid the £5 port tax for the crossing. I had to pay a fare for the bus (£10 I think).

 

[102 fan]

How long does it take for the bus to get to from Cairnryan to Ayr?

 

[AlterEgo]

How long does it take for the bus to get to from Cairnryan to Ayr?

1 hour and 10 minutes, apparently. (according to a Journey Planner)

 

[34D]

If its a coach then standing is not permitted.

That is incorrect. A number of coaches are certified for zero standing, but it is certainly not a hard and fast rule.

 

[pemma]

That is incorrect. A number of coaches are certified for zero standing, but it is certainly not a hard and fast rule.

Some Stagecoach Ribble coaches have been modified to allow around 10 standing by having handles installed.

Minibuses and Minicoaches can't exactly have people standing though, the standing passengers have very sore heads if they did and that's assuming the road doesn't have speed bumps!

When I say minibus I mean something like this http://www.oconnorcoaches.com/wp-co.../OConnor-Coaches-small-mini-bus-at-Howth1.jpg not an Optare Solo.

 

[Deerfold]

Some Stagecoach Ribble coaches have been modified to allow around 10 standing by having handles installed.

Minibuses and Minicoaches can't exactly have people standing though, the standing passengers have very sore heads if they did and that's assuming the road doesn't have speed bumps!

When I say minibus I mean something like this http://www.oconnorcoaches.com/wp-co.../OConnor-Coaches-small-mini-bus-at-Howth1.jpg not an Optare Solo.

You get smaller buses which do though - these ones one are almost all standing (and I've travelled on both though they're not my pics)...

http://www.buspictures.net/pictures/minibus-in-rome.jpg

http://busglobe.com/images/190.jpg

 

[102 fan]

I'm hoping to travel Ayr-Salisbury in August. The NR planner only goes up to April. Does anybody have an idea what sort of times there was last year?

 

[kylemore]

That is incorrect. A number of coaches are certified for zero standing, but it is certainly not a hard and fast rule.

As I understand it the only time when standing is prohibited by law is when the vehicle is on a Motorway and that applies to any PCV, coach or bus seated. It'll be a long time before that affects an Ayr to Cairnryan service!

 

[bkhtele]

I was on this coach about 2 weeks ago and would not have felt safe standing. It is a narrow road in places, & lots of bends with large lorries passing at speed. Nothing to hold on to!

 

[4SRKT]

I'm hoping to travel Ayr-Salisbury in August. The NR planner only goes up to April. Does anybody have an idea what sort of times there was last year?

It's more likely that the times in August will be similar to those in the current book than in last year's 'summer' book. Not that anything changes much from book to book these days anyway. I'd base my journey on what's in NRE at the moment IIWY.