Stagecoach Bristol

[freetoview33]

With the news Stagecoach is officially moving into Bristol, I thought it would be good to have a new thread.

 

[carlberry]

With the news Stagecoach is officially moving into Bristol, I thought it would be good to have a new thread.

What news? There's some suggestion they're opening a depot in South Gloucestershire, however they've been operating in Bristol for many years now.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

What news? There's some suggestion they're opening a depot in South Gloucestershire, however they've been operating in Bristol for many years now.

Guess there is the establishment of a base locally (rather than running in from elsewhere) plus the first BCC tendered service.

Just hope that this doesn't then feature the flights of fancy of other threads :roll:

 

[swifty]

Guess there is the establishment of a base locally (rather than running in from elsewhere) plus the first BCC tendered service.

Just hope that this doesn't then feature the flights of fancy of other threads :roll:

They were recruiting at the Cabot Circus job fair last week, although I don't think they really need a thread when there is already a Stagecoach South West and West one somewhere...

 

[freetoview33]

Well as the Bristol section on other threads tends to dominate, then I thought a new thread could be a good idea.

So it looks like Stagecoach have formed a very close working relationship with South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach (SGBC).

SGBC are now working as a megabus contractor, and the news is Stagecoach and going to base buses out of the SGBC depot. Is this just a working relationship or a signal SGBC might sell out to Stagecoach some day soon?

The Bristol area routes for Stagecoach at the moment are

Falcon: Bristol - Plymouth
60: Gloucester - Thornbury
62/X62: Bristol - Gloucester
77: Bristol - Thornbury (From September)
84/85: Yate - Wotton (Circulars)
86: Yate - Kingswood (SG)
620: Bath - Yate - Tetbury
627: Cribbs Causeway - Thornbury (Sundays)
628: Cribbs Causeway - Severn Beach (Sundays)

Other targets for Stagecoach in Bristol?

I think the 622 and 625 will be likely ones, considering they already operate the Sunday services.

Any thoughts?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Well as the Bristol section on other threads tends to dominate, then I thought a new thread could be a good idea.

So it looks like Stagecoach have formed a very close working relationship with South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach (SGBC).

SGBC are now working as a megabus contractor, and the news is Stagecoach and going to base buses out of the SGBC depot. Is this just a working relationship or a signal SGBC might sell out to Stagecoach some day soon?

The Bristol area routes for Stagecoach at the moment are

Falcon: Bristol - Plymouth
60: Gloucester - Thornbury
62/X62: Bristol - Gloucester
77: Bristol - Thornbury (From September)
84/85: Yate - Wotton (Circulars)
86: Yate - Kingswood (SG)
620: Bath - Yate - Tetbury
627: Cribbs Causeway - Thornbury (Sundays)
628: Cribbs Causeway - Severn Beach (Sundays)

Other targets for Stagecoach in Bristol?

I think the 622 and 625 will be likely ones, considering they already operate the Sunday services.

Any thoughts?

That was my point - we could get all manner of stuff from Metrobus wins, purchasing Wessex, commercial competition vs. First and all other things besides.

 

[overthewater]

I'm confused over this thread? are stagecoach just getting a brand new depot? or just getting more space in SGBC? It would be strange if that depot picks up any contracts off Wessex since SGBC sold off its bus interests to Wessex nearly 10 years ago.

Its should be warned again. IF the below happens then First could start to swap in.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-40232286

Restrictions on bus operator First Bristol, put in place more than 25 years ago, could be removed.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) applied them in 1989, after fears two merged firms, taken over by FirstGroup in 1996, could have too strong a bargaining position with the council.
First Bristol said it welcomed the intention to remove the restrictions.
The CMA said stakeholders had until 30 June to comment.
The restrictions were implemented following the 1989 merger of two local bus companies, Badgerline and Midland Red West.
Excess profit
The Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) at the time ruled the merger would remove competition for bus services contracted by the former Avon County Council.
Restrictions imposed by the CMA had included a cap on the amount they could receive from the local authority for running a tendered service, and a requirement to return any excess profit from such services.
The CMA review, which started in January, found FirstGroup's "share of tendered bus services in the region has reduced significantly since the MMC report".
A CMA spokesperson said: "The CMA engaged with local stakeholders and no party that we spoke to argued that the undertakings were having a beneficial effect and should be retained."
A First Bristol spokesman said: "First Bristol welcomes the publication of a provisional decision by the Competition and Markets Authority to release the company from undertakings relating to a merger dating back more than 25 years ago.
"Neither the original undertakings themselves nor the consequences of this decision impact the way we continue to invest in bus services in Bristol and the wider West of England region."

 

[RhysHand]

I think everyone's getting a little too excited. It's simply an agreement to park buses there. Not quite sure what Stagecoach would buy? A load of old coaches doing school routes ? SGBC already sold the revenue making stuff to Rotala - the idea of SGBC operating Megabus was so that stagecocah didn't have too, so buying it just makes the whole process pointless (and more expensive).

Wouldn't surprise me if Stagecoach are awarded the contract to operate a service between Avonmouth & Parkway to replace the 18.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I'm confused over this thread? are stagecoach just getting a brand new depot? or just getting more space in SGBC? It would be strange if that depot picks up any contracts off Wessex since SGBC sold off its bus interests to Wessex nearly 10 years ago.

Its should be warned again. IF the below happens then First could start to swap in.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-40232286

To clarify

• Stagecoach won a number of tendered services in South Gloucestershire, operating them from Stroud and Gloucester depots
• They have now won a further 3 vehicle service from Bristol City Council
• These, in total, now justify having a local base rather than running in from Gloucester/Stroud
• They have the close relationship with SGBC and the enlarged Megabus network
• They are renting space within the SGBC depot
• Remember that for a period, Rotala continued to use the SGBC depot before they opened their Avonmouth depot

 

[overthewater]

To clarify

• Stagecoach won a number of tendered services in South Gloucestershire, operating them from Stroud and Gloucester depots
• They have now won a further 3 vehicle service from Bristol City Council
• These, in total, now justify having a local base rather than running in from Gloucester/Stroud
• They have the close relationship with SGBC and the enlarged Megabus network
• They are renting space within the SGBC depot
• Remember that for a period, Rotala continued to use the SGBC depot before they opened their Avonmouth depot

Thank you very much, very helpful. I doubt there will move in to commercial work.

 

[robertclark125]

Sounds more like an outstation, as opposed to a full depot.

 

[Busaholic]

You can bet that First are looking at these developments VERY closely.

 

[robertclark125]

Someone on the Bristol indepedents thread, some time back, suggested the idea of Rotala maybe selling Wessex to Stagecoach. Long way to go if that is even going to happen, but would be tempting for Stagecoach, if, and I stress IF they get more work, or if they want more work.

 

[overthewater]

Someone on the Bristol indepedents thread, some time back, suggested the idea of Rotala maybe selling Wessex to Stagecoach. Long way to go if that is even going to happen, but would be tempting for Stagecoach, if, and I stress IF they get more work, or if they want more work.

Isnt it all tender work?

 

[winston270twm]

You can bet that First are looking at these developments VERY closely.

It will be interesting watching from the sidelines, should First Bristol end up being on the receiving end from Stagecoach in the future, especially given how aggressive First have been towards Wessex (Rotala)....

 

[carlberry]

Someone on the Bristol indepedents thread, some time back, suggested the idea of Rotala maybe selling Wessex to Stagecoach. Long way to go if that is even going to happen, but would be tempting for Stagecoach, if, and I stress IF they get more work, or if they want more work.

Why would they buy them? They've recently taken over all of Wessex's South Gloucestershire tenders, Wessex have lost half their Bristol tenders and if they wanted to start random competing services in Bristol they're free to anyway!

 

[carlberry]

You can bet that First are looking at these developments VERY closely.

What developments? The South Glos tenders have been running for months and the Bristol tender has been known about for a few weeks and, clearly, couldn't have been reliably operated from Gloucester or Stroud.

 

[freetoview33]

Why if what Rhys says it true Stagecoach won the 77 (Bristol to Thornbury) for a stupidly low amount. That surely signals they are not just wanting tendered routes.

 

[freetoview33]

Also we don't know what happened with SGBC, did they

1) Loose the National Express contract, then got in contact with Stagecoach suggesting Megabus services?

2) Loose the National Express contract, then Stagecoach got in contact with them suggesting Megabus services?

3) Got offered Megabus work from Stagecoach and as a result dropped the National Express Work.

4) Suggested Megabus work to Stagecoach and as a result dropped the National Express work.

 

[father_jack]

Why if what Rhys says it true Stagecoach won the 77 (Bristol to Thornbury) for a stupidly low amount. That surely signals they are not just wanting tendered routes.

If the man in the moon told you it was raining would you trust him and take an umbrella...........

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Also we don't know what happened with SGBC,

Indeed, we don't.

 

[freetoview33]

By the wording of the Stagecoach job advert it sounds like the
77/84/85 and 86 will be moving down to Patchway.

 

[mbonwick]

While we don't know what happened with SGBC/NX, the wider picture indicates that it was NX who terminated the relationship - though it could simply have been down to the contract coming to an end.

 

[swifty]

While we don't know what happened with SGBC/NX, the wider picture indicates that it was NX who terminated the relationship - though it could simply have been down to the contract coming to an end.

It was originally said that Roger was retiring and handing the business down so they were giving up NX work to concentrate on schools and hires. However when it was the said no one wanted to take the business on and Roger wasn't retiring and the Megabus work came about. Make of that what you will.

 

[mbonwick]

Yes, the news from SGBC has been contradictory on that front.
However, the press releases from NX and Edwards (who won the work from SGBC) show they've both made big investments, and the general tone was that NX were pleased to be trying someone new...

(Also worth mentioning that there were a fair few people who would know suggesting that NX had been keeping an eye on SGBC for using vehicles which breached contract spec)

 

[THarris123]

I think we are digging into this a little too much. Stagecoach will probably operate 77, the Yate services and a couple of 62s from Sgbc, plus maybe 18. First won't be overly worried - they've given up 18 to let someone else take it on knowing full well Stagecoach could get it. They have bigger fish to fry with Metrobus and the ongoing staff shortages to sort out. Any work that can't be easily operated from depots will likely go, which luckily won't leave much more to go.

 

[carlberry]

I think we are digging into this a little too much. Stagecoach will probably operate 77, the Yate services and a couple of 62s from Sgbc, plus maybe 18. First won't be overly worried - they've given up 18 to let someone else take it on knowing full well Stagecoach could get it. They have bigger fish to fry with Metrobus and the ongoing staff shortages to sort out. Any work that can't be easily operated from depots will likely go, which luckily won't leave much more to go.

The have no real choice with the 77, however operating any of the 62s from Bristol means extra dead mileage, how does that make sense? If they wanted to outbase any of it Stroud would be more usefull (assuming that there isnt an outstaion in Dursley anymore).

 

[THarris123]

The have no real choice with the 77, however operating any of the 62s from Bristol means extra dead mileage, how does that make sense? If they wanted to outbase any of it Stroud would be more usefull (assuming that there isnt an outstaion in Dursley anymore).

True. Ok so 62 might not be worked from Bristol

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The have no real choice with the 77, however operating any of the 62s from Bristol means extra dead mileage, how does that make sense? If they wanted to outbase any of it Stroud would be more usefull (assuming that there isnt an outstaion in Dursley anymore).

Don't believe there's been an outbase in Dursley for some time. The nature of the 62 (uneven headway interwoven with Glos to Dursley shorts plus direction of main flows) means it's unlikely to be operated by the Patchway outbase.

 

[matt_splat]

i'd guess the 620 will also go over?