The Traffic Commissioner

[Ivo]

I am sick to death of First S&A. Time and again they fail to meet their legal requirements in terms of running their services properly and need to be brought into line in a way that will make them open their eyes and realise that they are failing.

Thus, I would like to ask you guys something (note that this is an independent request and not asscoiated with the SW&W Discussion thread). How does one go about requesting Traffic Commissioner attention? Have any of you ever done so, and if so what happened? I feel that taking such a hard line is the only we will be able to be able to gain a positive outcome here...

TIA

 

[anthony263]

Try writing to your local councils transport department 1st if not pass your complaint to passenger focus (or whatever they are called these days).

 

[bluenoxid]

Log your journeys and complain every time to the bus operator.

 

[transportphoto]

Try http://www.bususers.org/index.html

 

[bb21]

I will definitely keep a log, together with any response/comments from S&A regarding these services.

If you only have one or two instances of the service not running to time, the Traffic Commissioner will unlikely take much notice.

Once you have several examples of breach, I would then get through Bus Users on the way to the area Traffic Commissioner. Bear in mind that it is still likely to be a long and drawn out process.

 

[ji459]

Might be of interest to you:

Bus firm First fined £285k by transport watchdog after one in four services run late

 

[trentside]

Here are details of the Traffic Commissioners, including contact details. I would be inclined to follow advice from bb21 before proceeding, though.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/tpm/traffic-commissioners/profiles/

 

[vicbury]

I'm back in Bath for a few weeks and have been using the buses and have the following observations:

1) They still have no grasp over heating. 3 buses in the last 3 days with the heating running!
2) If you are disabled, tough. I was on a bus today (didn't note the vehicle number but it was the of the B10s) and it had no "bus stopping" sign fitted. Not sure if this is legal as if you are deaf how would you know if the bell had been pressed or not?
3) Punctuality has gotten better. That said, there was a broken down 14 at the top of my road for ~4 hours earlier, so possibly a gap in the service accordingly.
4) The allocation of vehicles to routes is still bizarre. Think step-entrance Darts on the 14 which serves all of the city's hospitals.. That said, last summer on the same day I saw both a double decker and a Mercedes minibus on the 14..
5) They've finally sorted out some of the engines. No longer getting shaken to pieces when an 05 plate Dart is idling is a change

So all in all, I think they've gotten a little better, but still a long way from being perfect.

Also, going back to the original post: you could go down the route of embarrassing the company in the media. The Bath Chronicle seem to like bashing First Buses and First Great Western.

 

[anthony263]

Ideally that bus with the bus stopping sign not working shouldn't have been out until it was fixed although I don't think there is anything saying that it has to be working well not until the DDA legislation comes into effect from 2014 or so.

 

[Schnellzug]

That does seem to be a feature of the First Bus Company (speaking generally); their allocation of vehicles to routes does seem to be rather random. You can get a pleasant surprise and find a double Decker turn up, but then on the next service on the same route it might be a scruffy Dart or even a Solo. I suppose the thinking is that "it's preferable to have a low Floor bus", but if the only low Floor ones they have are scruffy small buses that really aren't suitable for busy routes or journeys of any length, then it's a pretty poor show. What they really could do with are more low Floor deckers, but they need them all in London, which is of course more importnat.

 

[anthony263]

I do agree that First require more low floor deckers on some routes south wales could also do with 1 or 2.

Sadly because of the welsh governemnt cutting funding there are worries about First dropping their planed order for new vehicles for a few routes in Swansea.

I have already seen some of the fares rises which for some fares now it may be cheaper to geta taxi