Transpora Group

[Dai Corner]

https://twitter.com/TransporaBus/status/1672655937545306113?

We’ll be running the all NEW fast and direct 925 route between #Newport, & #Bristol, from Monday 3rd July. A perfect alternative to your daily commute.

Newport, Queensway Q1
Bristol, Bond Street

Times will be available on our website shortly!

 

[-Colly405-]

Well, I didn't expect that!

 

[markymark2000]

https://twitter.com/TransporaBus/status/1672655937545306113?

In the tweet replies though, it's not quite as 'direct' or 'non stop' as the photo implies. It has a few stops in Newport and will have to have a stop at least once in Bristol to qualify for domestic driving hours. If there is more than 15 miles between stops, it has to run on EU driving hours with a tachograph.

 

[Dai Corner]

In the tweet replies though, it's not quite as 'direct' or 'non stop' as the photo implies. It has a few stops in Newport and will have to have a stop at least once in Bristol to qualify for domestic driving hours. If there is more than 15 miles between stops, it has to run on EU driving hours with a tachograph.

I haven't noticed a notification for a new local service in N&P. Maybe it will run under EU regs?

 

[PhilStockley]

Respectfully, I think you’re confusing driving hours regulations with the regulations for registering local bus services. The 15 mile limit is all about whether a service has to be registered or not. No doubt it will be revealed in due course if there are any other stops, or indeed if it’s registered or not, but on what we’ve seen so far it looks domestic to me. The non-stop point is about semantics surely. If it picks up at four stops in Newport then goes non-stop to Bristol, you’d have to take a very literal view of these things to suggest that they couldn’t describe it as being “non stop to Bristol”

 

[markymark2000]

Respectfully, I think you’re confusing driving hours regulations with the regulations for registering local bus services. The 15 mile limit is all about whether a service has to be registered or not. No doubt it will be revealed in due course if there are any other stops, or indeed if it’s registered or not, but on what we’ve seen so far it looks domestic to me.

I put it in very simple terms, granted. Yes the 15 mile rule is for whether a service has to be registered or not but to use domestic hours, a route has to be a regular service route which almost always means it is registered (or runs under 'special regular service which is for worker or school buses')

British Domestic Hours for Passenger Vehicles: In-depth | Croner-i

The general rule is that drivers of passenger vehicles constructed or permanently adapted for carrying more than nine persons including the driver in the UK will need to comply with the EU rules on drivers’ hours. There are, however, a number of exemptions from this general rule. If such an...

app.croneri.co.uk

Regular services​

The most common application of GB domestic rules under exemption from EU rules for passenger carrying vehicles is the carriage of passengers on regular services where the route covered by the service in question does not exceed 50km.

A regular service is one that carries passengers:

• at specific intervals
• along specified routes
• using predetermined stopping places.

A 50km route length refers to a single journey length on a service, measuring the actual route taken.

To qualify for the exemption, the route must be individually registered with the relevant Traffic Commissioner (unless it is within Greater London and operated under Transport for London) and end at a recognised terminus or interchange.

 

[richard13]

Presumably this Newport service is to use the bus and drivers between the 3 Avonmouth Co-Op staff bus journeys, like the 2 in Bournemouth, between school runs.
There is competition from the coaches of NX, and Megabus, and a train every 30 mins. There is also Newport's buses via Chepstow; free for Welsh and Bristol pass holders.
It will be interesting to see which of their package of routes continues long term.

 

[markymark2000]

There is competition from the coaches of NX, and Megabus, and a train every 30 mins.

NatEx and Megabus I don't think carry many between Newport and Bristol. Cardiff and Bristol on the other hand..... A good amount.

There is also Newport's buses via Chepstow; free for Welsh and Bristol pass holders.

Those buses take forever though. An hour to Chepstow then an hour on the T7. Plus connection time. More than double the journey time of a direct bus.


My earlier points regarding driving hours, the route must be unregistered and using EU hours. The Transpora Facebook page gives much better details of the service and local journeys are prohibited. Interesting way of working.

Transpora Bus South West

workin 925… We’ll be running the all NEW fast and direct 925 route between Newport, & Bristol, from Monday 3rd July. A perfect alternative to your daily commute. Newport, Queensway Q1...

www.facebook.com

workin 925…

We’ll be running the all NEW fast and direct 925 route between Newport, & Bristol, from Monday 3rd July. A perfect alternative to your daily commute.

Newport, Queensway Q1

Maindee Square

Beechwood Park

Celtic Manor/ICC

Bristol, Bond Street
(Can’t be used for local journeys within Newport - all customers must travel to and from Bristol)
Times and fares will be posted on the http://www.transporabus.co.uk website shortly.

 

[Newport Lad]

Presumably this Newport service is to use the bus and drivers between the 3 Avonmouth Co-Op staff bus journeys, like the 2 in Bournemouth, between school runs.
There is competition from the coaches of NX, and Megabus, and a train every 30 mins. There is also Newport's buses via Chepstow; free for Welsh and Bristol pass holders.
It will be interesting to see which of their package of routes continues long term.

That would fit into the 9 to 5 thing. Leaving Newport at 0730 (after it arrives off Coop) to get into Bristol for 9.

Leave Bristol at 1700 to get into Newport at 1830, driver break the out on the last Coop run

 

[Roger1973]

Rather than multi-quote bits of recent messages -

I'm aware that things like works shuttles for employees only (ones which are not registered, even under the 'works services' clause in the rules for registrations, school contracts that similarly aren't registered, and shuttle services running to a timetable for a special event that don't involve passengers paying separate fares, also qualify for 'domestic hours' if they are within the 50 Km limit.

Google Maps says that Bristol to Newport is 49 Km by the shortest suggested driving route (I don't know either place well enough to know whether what Google Maps considers to be the city centre is anywhere near the proposed terminus points, or what route is being proposed for this service.)

I'm not a lawyer or employed by any branch of the licensing or enforcement authorities, but it would seem that a regular service that's over 15 miles between stops but under 50 Km end to end would qualify for domestic driving hours rules, but would not need to be registered as a local bus service. Unless someone can think of a good reason why not.

I'm aware of one or two short National Express routes that are, or have been, operated under domestic hours rules, but not sure if they are / were registered as well.

 

[richard13]

Cancelled​

ALTONIAN COACHES LIMITED
Route: Bournemouth Pier to Hengistbury Head via Boscombe Pier
Service number: T1 (Sightseeing Bournemouth)
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 23 Aug 2023

From VOSL
So the T1 now has a registered end date. The 23rd is the Wednesday before the bank holiday weekend. ??

 

[father_jack]

That would fit into the 9 to 5 thing. Leaving Newport at 0730 (after it arrives off Coop) to get into Bristol for 9.

Leave Bristol at 1700 to get into Newport at 1830, driver break the out on the last Coop run

Quite a gamble if there's a breakdown or the M4 is shut.........

 

[Dai Corner]

Quite a gamble if there's a breakdown or the M4 is shut.........

Timetable and fares have now been published

925 Newport to Bristol Express

www.transporabus.co.uk

http://www.transporabus.co.uk/
925 between Newport & Bristol
Commuter express service

Newport to Bristol​

Non stop from Celtic Manor / ICC
Mondays to Fridays

Newport, Queensway Q1	0730
Maindee Square	0733
Beechwood Park	0736
Celtic Manor/ICC	0740
Bristol, Bond Street	0830

Bristol to Newport​

Non stop to Celtic Manor / ICC
Mondays to Fridays

Bristol, Bond Street	1745
Celtic Manor/ICC	1825
Beechwood Park	1828
Maindee Square	1831
Newport, Queensway	1835

Service Disruption

There are currently no disruptions to this service.

Single
7.00
Return
10.00
Weekly
35.00
Ten-trips
40.00

​

 

[EnviroExplorer]

Took a ride on the Bournemouth Coaster today, had Trident W501RBB all to myself on the first journey of the day, which I can’t complain about though not good for revenue of course.

Some general observations having rode the More Beach Breezer offering straight after the Transpora Coaster, none of these meant as criticism.

-At key timing points both More and Transpora have their timetables in clear view, both advertising fares and times which can’t be knocked.
-At intermediate stops it didn’t seem like any had timetables for the Transpora offering, though admittedly there is space in the existing cases.
-No real difference in appearance of the vehicles being used, both clean and tidy inside and out.
-Interior branding and next stop audio featuring on the More offering though I wouldn’t expect these with Transpora considering how new the service is though.
-Both drivers were friendly upon boarding, and had a good chat whilst waiting time (proving there isn’t any serious rivalry at stake here).
-Both buses had physical timetables available in the luggage rack.
-A range of fares offered by both operators which are comparably priced.

My one criticism would be that on this day, the Transpora offering could not be relied on per the timetable, with only one of the two buses scheduled actually operating. After 1515 it seemed no journeys operated. I assume this is down to a lack of drivers, which will undoubtedly be less of an issue in the coming weeks when the school holidays begin.

Overall I wish the Transpora team the best with this new venture, hopefully the reliability issues soon settle down and even a second open topper ?

 

[richard13]

Took a ride on the Bournemouth Coaster today, had Trident W501RBB all to myself on the first journey of the day, which I can’t complain about though not good for revenue of course.

Some general observations having rode the More Beach Breezer offering straight after the Transpora Coaster, none of these meant as criticism.

-At key timing points both More and Transpora have their timetables in clear view, both advertising fares and times which can’t be knocked.
-At intermediate stops it didn’t seem like any had timetables for the Transpora offering, though admittedly there is space in the existing cases.
-No real difference in appearance of the vehicles being used, both clean and tidy inside and out.
-Interior branding and next stop audio featuring on the More offering though I wouldn’t expect these with Transpora considering how new the service is though.
-Both drivers were friendly upon boarding, and had a good chat whilst waiting time (proving there isn’t any serious rivalry at stake here).
-Both buses had physical timetables available in the luggage rack.
-A range of fares offered by both operators which are comparably priced.

My one criticism would be that on this day, the Transpora offering could not be relied on per the timetable, with only one of the two buses scheduled actually operating. After 1515 it seemed no journeys operated. I assume this is down to a lack of drivers, which will undoubtedly be less of an issue in the coming weeks when the school holidays begin.

Overall I wish the Transpora team the best with this new venture, hopefully the reliability issues soon settle down and even a second open topper ?

As noted yesterday they have cancelled the service from 23rd August - I now realise this is the minimum notice period. I presume as per your observation it isn't making any money and/or they don't have the means to run it.

 

[GusB]

This thread is closed. I apologise to those who genuinely wish to discuss the operations of Transpora Group but we've had a couple of posts (since removed) that made certain allegations with no evidence to back them up. It has been an ongoing problem with this thread and it cannot be allowed to continue.

Please do not ask for the thread to be re-opened.