Roger French’s view of bus travel in the UK

[overthewater]

In this weeks Passenger Transport Rogers French shows off a number of pictures highlighting issues with the bus network as a whole. Part of the problem is, its the council job in some of the cases.

http://www.passengertransport.co.uk/2013/11/roger-frenchs-horror-file-of-bus-photographs/

Roger French retired from his role as managing director of bus company Brighton & Hove earlier this year. During his 18 years in charge of that company, he earned wide respect for his focus on customer service. His passion for the industry appears undiminished since his retirement, however. French has spent the past six months sampling bus services across the country – and he believes they could be much better.

Addressing a CILT debate on the future of buses in London earlier this month, French claimed that in his eyes 80% of the industry is “mediocre, average, nothing really to write home about”, 10% is “brilliant” and the other 10% is “absolutely appalling” (a full report can be found in the latest issue of Passenger Transport magazine).

French told the audience of passenger transport professionals: “If you think I am being unfair with my mediocrity tag, I urge you to put your smartphones and tablets down, stop sending emails and texts, forget the budgets, the KPIs, the spreadsheets, the dashboards, the meetings and get out there.

“There are far too many examples around the country of a complete lack of attention to detail, as though no-one with any responsibility or interest is looking at how things actually are at bus stops, bus stations, on-board vehicles, or the service quality.”

To illustrate his point, French then displays a selection of the “horror file” of photographs that he has compiled over the past few months.

Providing a running commentary on the pictures, he said: “The main departure point outside York station, a major tourist attraction…

To view the photos click on the link.

 

[CatfordCat]

I pretty much agree with everything he says.

The 'contravision' argument is one that's relevant to one route in Berkshire - White Bus 1 which has a lot of contravision.

Advertising the scenic ride the bus offers through Windsor Great Park.

:roll:

 

[SWTH]

Very much agree with that article. It really does seem like most operators couldn't care less about the service beyond whether it is profitable or not.

 

[W-on-Sea]

Yep, spot on. Excellence (or anything better than mediocrity) very much the exception rather than the rule.

 

[starrymarkb]

Exmouth Bus Station really does need flattening. It's the first thing you see when you step off the train. Infact it was going to happen as the site was earmarked for a new ASDA store with rebuilt bus and 2 platform rail station. But then the town centre shops got a bee in their bonnet about ASDA killing the town centre and the plans were thrown out. Interestingly there were very little objections to a similar plan from Waitrose (that wouldn't have included any transport improvements) as Waitrose would be 'upmarket' but Waitrose pulled out when the economy tanked. The bus station only sees one service per hour, everything else uses the Parade/Rolle Street. During the day all that's there are a few derelict/broken vehicles.

Of course the town is pretty much all charity/tourist tack shops now with very little of interest (and if the shops did try and attract custom rather then just overcharging the tourists they might be doing better.)

 

[Robertj21a]

As usual, Roger French just uses plain common sense.

Why on earth is it so difficult for other operators to see the problems ?

Robert

 

[SWTH]

As usual, Roger French just uses plain common sense.

Why on earth is it so difficult for other operators to see the problems ?

Robert

I wonder more if it's a case that the operators don't care? To take a very recent example, an independent operator in the South West implemented a full service change, with widespread changes to routes and timetables. The prior warning given to passengers in terms of on-bus publicity, updated timetables, adverts detailing the changes etc? None whatsoever. Worse still, whilst drivers were given sheets a day or two before detailing which routes had changes, they didn't detail timetable changes, and drivers weren't issued with new timetables, resulting in huge amounts of confusion over the first couple of weeks for both drivers and passengers. The company did give some details on its website a few days beforehand, and included a sentence referring to the changes on its daily Facebook page update the day before the changes took place.

The only other warning the public had came eight weeks beforehand when route cuts made in the county made national headlines, but apart from publicising the complete withdrawal of services from one area, alterations to other routes were hardly mentioned.

The company has form for this - the April/May changes had no timetables ready until weeks afterwards, the winter changes last December had no timetables issued at all, and the last few fare increases were implemented without warning.

How can it be acceptable to treat both customers and staff in such a way?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

As usual, Roger French just uses plain common sense.

Why on earth is it so difficult for other operators to see the problems ?

Robert

I don't think it's straightforward as just operators not giving a toss? One of the issues is that anything other than "platform staff" (i.e. drivers), have been cut back over the years so local managers on the ground are hamstrung with a lack of resources.

There is also the fact that local authorities are often responsible for bus stop flags and roadside publicity and the quality of that is often variable. In some villages north of Northampton, there are still Northampton Transport bus stop flags (note: these are pre GRT and First) so whilst NT may well be seen as the problem, they've not run those routes for years after losing the tender so it sits with NCC.

As for Exmouth bus station, it really is a misnomer. It's really isn't a bus station but is just the depot yard. Most passengers want the town centre (e.g. Rolle Street) so it doesn't really justify sending vehicles through there. The reason that the Asda isn't really wanted is the effect that the Tesco had on the town; when that opened (c.1991), Devon General experienced a 20% drop in patronage
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I wonder more if it's a case that the operators don't care? To take a very recent example, an independent operator in the South West implemented a full service change, with widespread changes to routes and timetables. The prior warning given to passengers in terms of on-bus publicity, updated timetables, adverts detailing the changes etc? None whatsoever. Worse still, whilst drivers were given sheets a day or two before detailing which routes had changes, they didn't detail timetable changes, and drivers weren't issued with new timetables, resulting in huge amounts of confusion over the first couple of weeks for both drivers and passengers. The company did give some details on its website a few days beforehand, and included a sentence referring to the changes on its daily Facebook page update the day before the changes took place.

The only other warning the public had came eight weeks beforehand when route cuts made in the county made national headlines, but apart from publicising the complete withdrawal of services from one area, alterations to other routes were hardly mentioned.

The company has form for this - the April/May changes had no timetables ready until weeks afterwards, the winter changes last December had no timetables issued at all, and the last few fare increases were implemented without warning.

How can it be acceptable to treat both customers and staff in such a way?

In short, it isn't. However, I do have sympathy for operators.

They can often sit with councils and say "we're going to do x" or "we're pulling this route as it's losing a boatload" and the council will not react, in some sort of gamesmanship. Then bus company submit the registrations, you get some councillor letting his mouth go and say how dreadful it all is and how faceless this multi national firm is. However, then you get some short notice changes as money is found to maintain some of the links to be lost. That then impacts on everything else (e.g. timetables, rosters, etc) and printing hard copy is at the very end of things.

Also, when Somerset CC withdrew funding for lots of evening and Sunday work about 2.5 years ago, First took many on on a "use it or lose it" basis. Cue 2013 and they decide that some (Taunton to Minehead/Burnham) are just haemorrhaging too much cash on the evenings so they withdraw them.
Not only do First get all the bad press (when in reality, you can blame the council and/or the general public). However, they get people in the first few days after the changes complaining via facebook and twitter that they didn't know about the changes.

This is despite it being all over the local press, notices on buses, printed timetables (in both Bridgwater and Taunton offices), and updates on their website and FB/Twitter. I think some people were expecting a message pulled by a plane, or an individual letter!

 

[PG]

Excellent article, and as Mr French so rightly says - managers need to "get out there" to see and experience life through both the passengers and staffs' eyes.

Any business has one enormous asset - its workers... get the right ones, treat them well and your business will prosper. Sad fact is, in the bus industry, apart from a few notable exceptions the higher management only seem to think of staff when they win an award and the management can 'look good' at an industry event. The rest of the time their focus is on returning a profit to keep shareholders happy... and by extension of that they retain their position.

Managers, in general, don't aspire to use their own services - they are catering for the lowest common denominator, and seem to view their passengers as 'the great unwashed'. If managers actually used their own services regularly I'm sure they'd soon appreciate the shortcomings rather then relying on the results of surveys.

As has already been said its common sense, not rocket science

 

[SWTH]

But even short notice registrations usually give at least some time for an operator to at least get a notice on board the bus, and get a copy of the new timetables to each driver. In such short notice circumstances they can even take an advert out in the local press.

Given that in the last 18 months what has been submitted to the TC on normal 56 day alterations has always been what has been adhered to, then there really is no excuse.

 

[gordonthemoron]

IME:

Nottingham - v.good
London - good, but confusing for non residents
Manchester - wtf?
Leeds - Pretty good from First, new buses which are generally on time. I expect WYPTE are in some way responsible. Negatives, only 1 night bus and last bus times are too early.
Milton Keynes/Liverpool - clapped out Arriva buses and equally clapped out other operator's buses. Not very good timetables either. At least in MK, buses are often late

 

[AndyHudds]

Its this kind of thing that puts people off catching buses, its all just too cack handed. Timetable changes have occurred recently in my area and the timetables at the stop weren't changed immediately, no point of having timetables at stops that don't reflect the service, in fact I was on a bus and the bus departed at the old time and not the new time, unbelievable!!! The bus business needs to up its game dramatically, stops/shelters need improving,info needs to be improved at stops and maintenance of the system needs to be kept up with. These photos really don't surprise me at all.

 

[CatfordCat]

In some villages north of Northampton, there are still Northampton Transport bus stop flags

There are a few bus stops on the A 327 south of Reading bearing the name and a (faded) timetable for Tillingbourne Buses, who ceased trading rather abruptly in 2001.

For a variety of reasons (including the route crossing county boundaries, and from what I have heard the authorities involved were not able to agree a way forward) that chunk of route did not get replaced.

The relevant local authority thinks bus stops are the operator's responsibility. The operator ceased trading so isn't going to remove them...

The concrete posts were probably installed by Thames Valley at some point well before deregulation had even been thought of.

I'm not quite sure who might be liable when the posts fall down if they do so in a way that causes any damage...

 

[Robertj21a]

I agree with some of what has been said about councils, bus stops etc but I'd have a lot more sympathy with operators if I ever saw their managers out and about in the towns/cities. As for actually riding their own buses, it's always been down to Roger French and just a handful of other bosses (spread very thinly across the country) who have that necessary level of commitment.

If you think about it, most of our best bus company bosses are also genuine enthusiasts.

Robert

 

[alwaystouchout]

IME:

Manchester - wtf?

Could you explain further?

 

[Deerfold]

London - good, but confusing for non residents

Not sure how buses in London are more confusing for non-residents that the average town or city - there's certainly a lot more information at bus stops then in most places along with on-line bus maps (also available from tube stations - though that's not very well advertised)

Leeds - Pretty good from First, new buses which are generally on time. I expect WYPTE are in some way responsible. Negatives, only 1 night bus and last bus times are too early.

Ah, I wondered where they were keeping the new buses.

First inherited 6 night bus routes in Leeds, 3 in Halifax, 3 in Huddersfield and 1 in Bradford. And now have 1 altogether.

You'd have thought in a city with as much night life as Leeds they could make a success of a few more - certainly if you look at trentbarton's success in Nottingham and Derby, First in Leeds (and so many other places) is dismal at innovation.

They did try 1 new night bus route about 15 years ago Leeds - Bradford - Halifax and a couple in Leeds but none ran for long enough to start to pick up custom.

 

[GodAtum]

Guildford is pretty poor. Buses always run late and not very often to major areas. EG from town - research park I sometimes have to wait 20 mins for a bus!

 

[gordonthemoron]

Could you explain further?

very confusing, loads of different bus companies, no idea where the buses are going, infact the only place I ever use the buses in Manchester is Oxford Road to University/Hospital. The tram has much better information

 

[radamfi]

very confusing, loads of different bus companies, no idea where the buses are going, infact the only place I ever use the buses in Manchester is Oxford Road to University/Hospital. The tram has much better information

Most of the small companies have been bought out now so it is now almost all First and Stagecoach with a bit of Arriva.

 

[Deerfold]

very confusing, loads of different bus companies, no idea where the buses are going, infact the only place I ever use the buses in Manchester is Oxford Road to University/Hospital. The tram has much better information

The tram also has the advantage that the system is far smaller so it's practical to show everywhere you can go.

Last time I got the tram in Manchester I actually thought the information for the tram at Piccadilly was quite sparse (at Piccadilly)

 

[Drsatan]

Southampton's bus services aren't great either. Most bus services are operated by Bluestar (formerly known as Solent Blue Line) and First Group within the city, with a few services operated by Wilts and Dorset and a couple of independent operators. There are no day tickets valid on all operators (with the exception of the Solent Travelcard, which is valid in this area), and each operator offers their own day tickets. The only ticket valid on all services in Southampton is the PlusBus add on, which is good value at £2.30.

 

[jopsuk]

Cambridge is generally good- except try finding fare information in any form other than asking the driver.

 

[Polo Mint]

This doesn't happen in the retail industry due to high competition, but many bus routes and areas are monopolies. Any new competition is often met with 'bus wars'.

But saying that First and Arriva operate in competitive areas and still have a poor service, although for the former that is changing at least.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The tram also has the advantage that the system is far smaller so it's practical to show everywhere you can go.

Last time I got the tram in Manchester I actually thought the information for the tram at Piccadilly was quite sparse (at Piccadilly)

Tram doesn't change route particularly often! Does help in providing stuff like maps!!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

This doesn't happen in the retail industry due to high competition, but many bus routes and areas are monopolies. Any new competition is often met with 'bus wars'.

But saying that First and Arriva operate in competitive areas and still have a poor service, although for the former that is changing at least.

You've fallen for the marketing!! Supermarkets don't compete on price, I assure you. Often, they're as much of a local monopoly as any bus service

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16002303

 

[overthewater]

Even when people have a choice, many people will not move supermarket.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

But even short notice registrations usually give at least some time for an operator to at least get a notice on board the bus, and get a copy of the new timetables to each driver. In such short notice circumstances they can even take an advert out in the local press.

Given that in the last 18 months what has been submitted to the TC on normal 56 day alterations has always been what has been adhered to, then there really is no excuse.

Don't know which operator you refer to (but can guess) and how they operate, I can't comment on though I know instances when there's been some very late minute changes and hence the "no printed timetable" is cited.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Excellent article, and as Mr French so rightly says - managers need to "get out there" to see and experience life through both the passengers and staffs' eyes.

Any business has one enormous asset - its workers... get the right ones, treat them well and your business will prosper. Sad fact is, in the bus industry, apart from a few notable exceptions the higher management only seem to think of staff when they win an award and the management can 'look good' at an industry event. The rest of the time their focus is on returning a profit to keep shareholders happy... and by extension of that they retain their position.

Managers, in general, don't aspire to use their own services - they are catering for the lowest common denominator, and seem to view their passengers as 'the great unwashed'. If managers actually used their own services regularly I'm sure they'd soon appreciate the shortcomings rather then relying on the results of surveys.

As has already been said its common sense, not rocket science

It just isn't that easy; perhaps Roger's words have been slimmed down and simplified for copy, though I don't dispute the essence of a lot of what he says.

I have two very good friends who have worked for two particularly woeful firms. They're middle managers, but were consistently hamstrung by the highest level decrees. Now, they travelled on their vehicles and knew what was going wrong but couldn't do anything about it. Also, they were very frustrated by local authorities and the glacial pace of their workings.

So when you say "managers in general don't aspire to use their own services", I really don't think that's true. They and their colleagues used and still use their own services.

 

[PG]

It just isn't that easy; perhaps Roger's words have been slimmed down and simplified for copy, though I don't dispute the essence of a lot of what he says.

I have two very good friends who have worked for two particularly woeful firms. They're middle managers, but were consistently hamstrung by the highest level decrees. Now, they travelled on their vehicles and knew what was going wrong but couldn't do anything about it. Also, they were very frustrated by local authorities and the glacial pace of their workings.

So when you say "managers in general don't aspire to use their own services", I really don't think that's true. They and their colleagues used and still use their own services.

Ah but maybe that's the crux of the matter - your two very good friends were, in effect, operating (no pun intended!) in effect with one (or both) hand(s) tied behind their backs as the folk higher up then them couldn't see the sense in making changes as they had little idea of the 'on the ground' reality! Why bother employing talented people if you're not going to allow them to demonstrate those talents :roll:

Some local authorities have people who have their 'heads screwed on' and a can do attitude while others, I'm sure, would happily shut down their public transport department if they could as they perceive it as an unnecessary drain on resources. I guess the "get out there" quote applies just as much to local authorities as well.

 

[SWTH]

Don't know which operator you refer to (but can guess) and how they operate, I can't comment on though I know instances when there's been some very late minute changes and hence the "no printed timetable" is cited.

Certainly if there is a late change, then yes it does cause issues with regard to printing timetables. However, this should not stop the information being published a week or two beforehand detailing exactly what will change. By that I do mean hard copy displayed at bus stations, main bus stops, on bus etc. Perfectly possible to even include a note at the bottom saying that timetable booklets would follow in the next couple of weeks. Just sticking the new timetables on the company website a few days before is ridiculous.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Certainly if there is a late change, then yes it does cause issues with regard to printing timetables. However, this should not stop the information being published a week or two beforehand detailing exactly what will change. By that I do mean hard copy displayed at bus stations, main bus stops, on bus etc. Perfectly possible to even include a note at the bottom saying that timetable booklets would follow in the next couple of weeks. Just sticking the new timetables on the company website a few days before is ridiculous.

Sounds like you're quoting a specific example? Can't comment on that. Safe to say that whilst companies do need to do better, so do PTEs and LAs. In many areas, such as Co Durham, roadside publicity and bus stations are a council responsibility.

 

[starrymarkb]

Something I'd like is for more companies to answer the phone at the weekend rather then just directing customers to Traveline when they have a complaint against the bus company.