Stansted coach changes - a bit of a mess

[the101]

Of course it has relevance - the reason they came into being is because of excessive speeding on motorways. Just so you know I am a coach driver myself ....

That wasn't what you said originally. But hey, them goalposts shift easy.

 

[notadriver]

That wasn't what you said originally. But hey, them goalposts shift easy.

I still hold by what I originally said. Drivers can't be trusted to keep to speed limits. They are already experimenting with GPS which adjusts the limiter to the limit on the actual road on London buses.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I still hold by what I originally said. Drivers can't be trusted to keep to speed limits. They are already experimenting with GPS which adjusts the limiter to the limit on the actual road on London buses.

I'd have little trust in that because of the potential for inaccuracy - many times my sat-nav has given me the "3 buzzes" overspeed warning as I've passed over or alongside a 30mph road while legally doing 60mph. Given the way some drive too close behind you, the brakes going on (or even just losing power) with no warning in that kind of scenario would be scary in the extreme, not to mention if it occurred while executing an overtake.

I do, on the other hand, like the speed limit being shown on my sat-nav - if I can check it at any time and it's there in front of me I'm much less likely to inadvertently break it.

 

[Mikey C]

As I said, if you choose not to observe the law yourself you don't have any room to pass judgement on what others are doing.

Of course I can pass judgement. If you were doing 80 on the Motorway and got passed by someone doing 130, you would be entitled to think the other driver was driving dangerously.
As it happened, I was only 5 mph above the limit, the coach was probably 10 mph about the 50 limit.

And yes, there are different safety standards attached to pcv drivers, as passengers are in their care. Coaches are far less stable than cars at speed, and have far greater stopping distances. One of the reasons why rail travel is so safe is because drivers stick to speed limits and signals

 

[radamfi]

Stansted Citylink cut their fare to £8 in November, and now it is currently £6 if you book online. Are they still running empty?

 

[notadriver]

What are loadings on the Stansted airport trains like ?

 

[Martin nx]

Stansted Citylink cut their fare to £8 in November, and now it is currently £6 if you book online. Are they still running empty?

They are starting to carry more people now, it takes a little time to bed down a new route. I regularly pass them with a good few on. By the same token, A6, A8 and A9's are getting battered quite regularly and taking 57 pax on most runs out of Stansted is not unusual.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Just an update on this thread, Terravision are finished at the Mid-stay car park as of 5pm today! Who knows where they will go if anywhere this time! 2 new services start today from Stansted Coach Station A30, A31, run by NX direct to VCS and Liv St. These will be run by London United and Excalibur with NX vehicles, London United have had 65 plate Levantes delivered and Excalibur already have 14 plate tri-axles in NX livery.

 

[radamfi]

Just an update on this thread, Terravision are finished at the Mid-stay car park as of 5pm today! Who knows where they will go if anywhere this time! 2 new services start today from Stansted Coach Station A30, A31, run by NX direct to VCS and Liv St. These will be run by London United and Excalibur with NX vehicles, London United have had 65 plate Levantes delivered and Excalibur already have 14 plate tri-axles in NX livery.

I was on Stansted Citylink last night and the driver was talking to the customer service agent who was riding with him about the demise of Terravision. It didn't sound like they were just "moving house" as they were speculating whether Citylink would pick up some of the lost passengers. They were also discussing whether they needed another London destination other than Kings Cross. It did sound like they were running mostly empty still. There were only three people on my service, including myself.

It was my first time on a Mercedes Tourismo and that is partly why I picked them. I was surprised that the seats didn't recline. I actually don't like reclining seats but I was surprised none the less. However, I was disappointed at the lack of side adjustable seats. I still haven't been on a UK domestic service with such a facility.

They've also dropped the £6 online only offer.

 

[Martin nx]

It did sound to me that this was finally the "end" for them this time. I pulled up at Liverpool St yesterday with an A8 and the Terravision Irizar Century in front of me was in a right state! It made our 57 plate tri-axles look really good! Their Irizar I6's are falling to bits as well with loads of accident damage and are still in traffic! On the reclining seat point, all our Levantes have reclining backs apart from the front N/S pair as these are removable in conjunction with the wheelchair lift built under the entrance floors.

 

[dk1]

 

[Bungle965]

Interesting, I wonder if the Liverpool to Manchester ones will change?
I see them in Manchester allot of the time and just seem to be carrying around air!
Sam

 

[deltic]

Stansted airport invited coach companies to tender for the award of concession contracts for use of commercial spaces within the airport. The tender was awarded to National Express, Autostradale and Metroline, while Terravision was informed that its tender was unsuccessful and has been required by Stansted to leave by Wednesday 13th January.

Terravision was required to cease operating from the bus station from October 2015 and has since operated services out of the mid-stay parking area two miles away from the main airport bus station and reachable only by a further shuttle operated by its competitor, National Express.

Terravision is taking legal action against Stansted.

http://www.britalypost.com/stansted-airport-less-competition-against-passengers-interest/

 

[robertclark125]

This will be an interesting case, as the CMA investigation into the bus market in 2012 ruled that bus operators who own bus stations, or manage bus stations, must open them up to other operators. Thing is, Stansted Airport isn't a bus operator, so this will be an interesting case.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They are still selling tickets...

 

[Busaholic]

Stansted airport invited coach companies to tender for the award of concession contracts for use of commercial spaces within the airport. The tender was awarded to National Express, Autostradale and Metroline, while Terravision was informed that its tender was unsuccessful and has been required by Stansted to leave by Wednesday 13th January.

Terravision was required to cease operating from the bus station from October 2015 and has since operated services out of the mid-stay parking area two miles away from the main airport bus station and reachable only by a further shuttle operated by its competitor, National Express.

Terravision is taking legal action against Stansted.

http://www.britalypost.com/stansted-airport-less-competition-against-passengers-interest/

Shades of Luton Airport and chucking out Arriva t/a Green Line a couple of years ago.

 

[F Great Eastern]

They have found a new stop
https://www.facebook.com/terravision.eu/posts/977695538978303

Special Offer, tickets £4

 

[radamfi]

They have found a new stop
https://www.facebook.com/terravision.eu/posts/977695538978303

Special Offer, tickets £4

That's only a short walk, not requiring a shuttle bus. Is that a concession by the airport, meaning that the legal action will be dropped?

 

[deltic]

That's only a short walk, not requiring a shuttle bus. Is that a concession by the airport, meaning that the legal action will be dropped?

Its not clear where the Terravision coach actually stops now - presumably not on Stansted Airport property. The map shows where you have to pick up a shuttle bus that takes you to the coach.

 

[F Great Eastern]

http://www.terravision.eu/airport_t...don/where-to-find-us-stansted-airport-london/

Exit the airport terminal and go to the ORANGE (short-stay) car park. The courtesy service will be right there available to whisk you to the Terravision coach heading to London city centre.

Who is providing this courtsey service, elsewhere I read National Expres,s but surely they can't be helping their competition or are Terravision passengers piggy backing on the car park shuttle?

 

[Y961 XBU]

Interesting, I wonder if the Liverpool to Manchester ones will change?
I see them in Manchester allot of the time and just seem to be carrying around air!
Sam

I Have also wondered myself why they continue to operate this service, i sometimes use it for the very reason its hardly used

 

[embers25]

http://www.terravision.eu/airport_t...don/where-to-find-us-stansted-airport-london/

Who is providing this courtsey service, elsewhere I read National Expres,s but surely they can't be helping their competition or are Terravision passengers piggy backing on the car park shuttle?

Nat Exp are providing the shuttle bus. At £4 they can't be making any profit so they must be assuming they'll win the legal challenge and get losses back. Also I note that Nat Exp doubled all their services from today to fill the gaps left by Terravision cancelling their services (even though they are still running!)

 

[Martin nx]

http://www.terravision.eu/airport_t...don/where-to-find-us-stansted-airport-london/



Who is providing this courtsey service, elsewhere I read National Expres,s but surely they can't be helping their competition or are Terravision passengers piggy backing on the car park shuttle?

That is the car pick up/drop off point! cannot see the police putting up with this for very long! God knows where the coaches work from as they were slung out of Mid-stay on Weds eve at 5pm! Absolute cowboys, good riddance.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That is the car pick up/drop off point! cannot see the police putting up with this for very long!

As the airport is private land, I'm not clear what the Police have to do with it - but the airport may well indeed not tolerate it.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Absolute cowboys, good riddance.

I've heard RATP Dev get called many things, but cowboys isn't one of them...

There's another thread on this here: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=121957

Discussions there include legal action that EasyBus may or may not be taking.

And yes, there are definite shades of Luton, although Stansted have been careful not to offer exclusive access on a profit-sharing basis (which is what sunk Luton).

 

[Tetchytyke]

Their Irizar I6's are falling to bits as well with loads of accident damage and are still in traffic!

YOu're not implying RATP Dev are running buses that are unroadworthy are you?

 

[Martin nx]

As the airport is private land, I'm not clear what the Police have to do with it - but the airport may well indeed not tolerate it.

Apparently police already involved with this!

 

[Tetchytyke]

As the airport is private land, I'm not clear what the Police have to do with it - but the airport may well indeed not tolerate it.

I'd also be concerned if Essex Police are preventing roadworthy vehicles from lawfully entering a car park.

If Stansted Airport don't want them there, that's for Stansted to deal with.

 

[Mojo]

l've just merged the two Stansted threads in the bus section.

 

[F Great Eastern]

YOu're not implying RATP Dev are running buses that are unroadworthy are you?

I'd doubt a NX staff member would be impartial on such matter, so I'd take it with a pinch of salt.

 

[Robertj21a]

I've heard RATP Dev get called many things, but cowboys isn't one of them...

There's another thread on this here: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=121957

Discussions there include legal action that EasyBus may or may not be taking.

And yes, there are definite shades of Luton, although Stansted have been careful not to offer exclusive access on a profit-sharing basis (which is what sunk Luton).

I'm puzzled, how did RATP become involved - it's Terravision being (rightly or wrongly) referred to as 'cowboys'.