Trivia: Bus services which are run by more than one company

[DunsBus]

The 272 between Sheffield and Castleton is another example. Run by First South Yorkshire and Hulley's.

 

[James101]

As @markymark2000 says, it will be a long list, made up of....

• Jointly operated services - now a rarity but you have the Activ8 from Andover to Salisbury, and the 685 Carlisle to Newcastle as notable survivors
• Co-ordinated services - now fewer with recent changes in Oxford but still prevalent in places like Merseyside
• Services where tendered journeys are operated by a firm different to the commercial operator, and even some routes have different tendered journeys operated by different firms - a practice prevalent in Wiltshire such as the 33 (Devizes to Chippenham) which is operated by Faresaver except one Stagecoach journey at tea time on a Saturday!

Is there an increasing rare fourth category of the same route being operated in competition? Two operators operating with the same number in an uncoordinated, competitive fashion. The Manchester 42 would have been the typical example a few years ago.

The Wolverhampton to Walsall 529 would fit the bill today with ‘Let’s Go’ introducing their journeys.

Bus Service Improvement Plans are meant to bring this type of competition to an end.

 

[Murray J]

In Sussex, the 17 (Horsham to Brighton) is ran by Stagecoach Monday to Saturday and until around 2016 by Compass on a Sunday. Service 23 (Crawley to Worthing) is operated by Metrobus Monday to Saturday and was operated by Compass on a Sunday before Metrobus took over the Sunday tender.

the Sunday service on the 17 is now theoretically run by Sussex Coaches, although it's been suspended since April 2020 due to COVID-19, they're apparently hoping to resume it sometime in 2022. Another example in the south east is the 32 (Guildford-Redhill). Operated by Compass Bus Mon-Sat but operated by Stagecoach on a sunday, albeit terminating short at Strood Green.

 

[WM Bus]

In Competition with uncoordinated timetables:
16 - Birmingham - Hamstead/West Bromwich via Hockley & Handsworth Wood - National Express WM & Diamond Buses.
50 - Birmingham - Maypole via Kings Heath - National Express WM and Diamond Buses. Johnsons Coaches also run 150 which follows the same route then continues to Redditch so could count as a 3rd possibly.
94 Birmingham - Chelmsley via Ward End - National Express WM and Claribels Coaches.
11A/11C Outer Circle - National Express WM and Discount Travel Solutions.
20/48C Coventry to Nuneaton via Foleshill Road & Bedworth. Both 20 and 48C are the same route. National Express Cov and Stagecoach Midlands.

Others.
71 Sutton to Chelmsley via Walmley, Castle Vale & Castle Bromwich - Diamond run tendered Sunday dayime journeys. National Express WM run all other journeys including Sunday evenings. Diamond also take a different route to the route NXWM take in Castle Vale and Castle Bromwich, Farnborough Road and Hall Road/Chester Road.
96 Kingstanding to Chelmsley via Erdington.
54 Perry Barr to Hamstead.

 

[MotCO]

Just about the only place it doesnt happen (I suspect) is London

Although it only operated between 1998 and 2001, Epsom Buses ran supplementary buses on route 166 where the main operator was Arriva. In fact, Epsom Buses were the only operator on the Epsom to Chipstead Valley section, with all buses running between Chipstead Valley and West Croydon.

 

[Ridercross]

I remember that route and used it often when I was at Heriot-Watt University and lived in Balerno, back in the stone age 1980s.

The 61 actually used to terminate at Riccarton Campus, and was only extended to Balerno in 1984 following a review of services in the area, with the aim of improving services to the university.

In the West Midlands, the 42/43 from West Bromwich to Dudley used to be operated jointly by National Express West Midlands and Diamond Bus.

However this arrangement came to an end, and now both companies operate on the route in direct competition with each other.

The West Midlands partnership routes were reinstated from 5 December 2021.

Therefore NXWM and Diamond now run coordinated timetables on the Walsall 31/32 and Sandwell 40 as well as the aforementioned 42/43.

 

[318266]

In Strathclyde, the 316 Coulport - Helensburgh service is ran by both Garelochhead Coaches and Wilson's of Rhu.

However, looking at some old timetables (1997) found that the same route (numbered 16 at the time) was ran by them. I wonder if this is the longest continuous route sharing still running today?

 

[richw]

In Cornwall, any commercial journey that has subsidised early mornings, evenings or weekends are operated by Go Ahead, whereas the commercial journey during the day is operated by someone else (most commercial services are run by First)

 

[Connerbates96]

X38 Burton to Derby operated by trentbarton and Arriva.

 

[carlberry]

In Strathclyde, the 316 Coulport - Helensburgh service is ran by both Garelochhead Coaches and Wilson's of Rhu.

However, looking at some old timetables (1997) found that the same route (numbered 16 at the time) was ran by them. I wonder if this is the longest continuous route sharing still running today?

Not even close. Newport and Cardiff have a joint route from 1945 for example.

 

[317 forever]

In Liverpool Stagecoach and Arriva run combined timetable services 82 86 routes both examples

Similarly routes 10a & 53. Both operators also run routes 471 & 472 but not in both directions, although they share termini at both ends.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Another example in the south east is the 32 (Guildford-Redhill). Operated by Compass Bus Mon-Sat but operated by Stagecoach on a sunday, albeit terminating short at Strood Green.

That same Sunday tender also includes route 479 (Guildford to Epsom), which is now Falcon Mon-Sat and Stagecoach on Sundays.

Other Surrey examples include:

22 (Dorking to Holmbury St Mary) - Metrobus tendered Mon-Fri, Buses4U tendered Sat.

28 (Guildford to Woking) - Stagecoach one tendered weekday morning journey, remainder of Mon-Sat service Falcon. Although there is no evening/Sunday service, Stagecoach tendered 91 journeys extend to cover the southern half of the 28 to Pirbright/Guildford via Brookwood at these times.

81 (Woking to Barnsbury) - White Bus tendered two weekday morning journeys as part of 462/463 contract, remainder of Mon-Sat services tendered Stagecoach.

456 (Woking to Staines) - Falcon tendered Mon-Sat, White Bus tendered Sundays as part of Sunday 446/456 contract.

461 (Kingston to St Peter’s Hospital) - Falcon commercial Mon-Sat daytime, Diamond tendered evenings and Sundays.

 

[AB93]

That same Sunday tender also includes route 479 (Guildford to Epsom), which is now Falcon Mon-Sat and Stagecoach on Sundays.

Other Surrey examples include:

22 (Dorking to Holmbury St Mary) - Metrobus tendered Mon-Fri, Buses4U tendered Sat.

28 (Guildford to Woking) - Stagecoach one tendered weekday morning journey, remainder of Mon-Sat service Falcon. Although there is no evening/Sunday service, Stagecoach tendered 91 journeys extend to cover the southern half of the 28 to Pirbright/Guildford via Brookwood at these times.

81 (Woking to Barnsbury) - White Bus tendered two weekday morning journeys as part of 462/463 contract, remainder of Mon-Sat services tendered Stagecoach.

456 (Woking to Staines) - Falcon tendered Mon-Sat, White Bus tendered Sundays as part of Sunday 446/456 contract.

461 (Kingston to St Peter’s Hospital) - Falcon commercial Mon-Sat daytime, Diamond tendered evenings and Sundays.

There was of course the spell where the 81 was run by Abellio, Arriva and Countryliner.

I seem to recall over the border, Eastleigh route A for a spell managed a trio for a while also - Velvet, First and Stagecoach?

 

[317 forever]

We also have Arriva and Stagecoach on Blacon routes 1 & 15 in Chester.

 

[Flange Squeal]

There was of course the spell where the 81 was run by Abellio, Arriva and Countryliner.

If we are looking at past ones, the 28 (Woking to Guildford) was another route that offered three operators. Until September 1999, Arriva ran the main hourly Monday to Saturday service until around 1900, with Tillingbourne running an hourly tendered evening service from then until around 2300. White Rose ran the tendered two-hourly Sunday service. From September 1999, it was Arriva Mon-Sat daytime, Tillingbourne Mon-Sat evening, and Surrey Buses all day Sunday.

 

[InOban]

50 years ago when my inlaws lived in Chaddesden, the MIL used the Ilkeston bus to Derby. It ran every 30 minutes, alternately a Trent bus and Felix one.

 

[James101]

Reminds me of a situation in Hartlepool in around 2010 where a specific journey on service 7 was commercial by Stagecoach for the northern half and run by Arriva for the southern half. The two buses would meet at the same time at York Road and through passengers would need to transfer - tickets non interchangeable!

 

[Roger1973]

Reading Buses 4 / X4 (Reading - Bracknell) is operated jointly by Reading Buses and subsidiary Thames Valley (although I'm not sure if each has a registration for their own journeys, or if the TV buses are operating 'on hire' or whatever the modern equivalent is.)

I seem to remember one route in early 90s North Staffordshire that was a Potteries commercial route Mon - Sat daytimes, with 3 separate Staffordshire CC contracts for tendered bits (one for weekday evenings, one for Sundays and one for a couple of early Saturday morning journeys) all of which were different operators - although I can't now remember the detail of which route and which operators (think Bakers of Biddulph and Midland Red North were two of the three.)

 

[Whisky Papa]

In Greater Manchester, the 22 between Bolton and Stockport was run "jointly" by First and Stagecoach until relatively recently, with PTE/TfGM timetables showing all journeys. In essence the registrations of each operator just left a gap for the other's journeys.

A similar situation applied from dereg until 1998 in Calderdale, where one out of the five vehicles on the Yorkshire Rider 590 Rochdale - Halifax and interworked 591 Halifax - Heptonstall was provided from the Rochdale garage of GM Buses North. Both operators eventually became First subsidiaries of course.

 

[Murray J]

That same Sunday tender also includes route 479 (Guildford to Epsom), which is now Falcon Mon-Sat and Stagecoach on Sundays.

Other Surrey examples include:

22 (Dorking to Holmbury St Mary) - Metrobus tendered Mon-Fri, Buses4U tendered Sat.

28 (Guildford to Woking) - Stagecoach one tendered weekday morning journey, remainder of Mon-Sat service Falcon. Although there is no evening/Sunday service, Stagecoach tendered 91 journeys extend to cover the southern half of the 28 to Pirbright/Guildford via Brookwood at these times.

81 (Woking to Barnsbury) - White Bus tendered two weekday morning journeys as part of 462/463 contract, remainder of Mon-Sat services tendered Stagecoach.

456 (Woking to Staines) - Falcon tendered Mon-Sat, White Bus tendered Sundays as part of Sunday 446/456 contract.

461 (Kingston to St Peter’s Hospital) - Falcon commercial Mon-Sat daytime, Diamond tendered evenings and Sundays.

thanks! forgot about the 479 but wasn't properly aware of the rest of them.

 

[AY1975]

The 272 between Sheffield and Castleton is another example. Run by First South Yorkshire and Hulley's.

In Greater Manchester, the 22 between Bolton and Stockport was run "jointly" by First and Stagecoach until relatively recently, with PTE/TfGM timetables showing all journeys. In essence the registrations of each operator just left a gap for the other's journeys.

Yes, and at least two services in Sheffield, the 52/52a and the 120, are also run jointly by First and Stagecoach with South Yorkshire PTE timetables showing all journeys.

The 52 is run by Stagecoach and the 52a is run by First. Both routes run from Woodhouse to Walkley via Crookes, with the 52a being extended to Hillsborough and continuing alternately to Loxley and to Wisewood. The 52 and 52a also follow slightly different routes at the Woodhouse end.

The 120 is Fulwood to Halfway, but during the day it runs as two overlapping routes with First running Fulwood to Crystal Peaks shopping centre and Stagecoach running Ranmoor to Halfway. In the evenings from about 18.30 onwards both operators cover the entire route, though.

When joint operation of these routes first started in about 2011, they were given the brand name Optio and there were all-day and weekly tickets that were valid on both operators but only on those routes. That was dropped after a few years, though, meaning that if you regularly use either of those routes and want to be able to use both operators' buses you have to get a more expensive CityBus ticket (or CityWide if you also want to be able to use the tram).

 

[higthomas]

Roger French has done a blog on jointly operated routes at https://busandtrainuser.com/2022/03/20/jointly-operated-bus-routes/

There was a time when jointly operated inter-urban bus routes were quite common not least between adjacent subsidiaries of the National Bus Company. It made for an efficient way to operate a route which linked towns many miles apart which were located in different bus companies’ territories’.

One of the most extensive operations I was involved in during my career was in the early 1980s when South Wales Transport, National Welsh and Bristol Omnibus collaborated to jointly run the ExpressWest branded route from Bristol to Cardiff, Swansea, Llanelli and even some journeys extended to Haverfordwest.

In Sussex there was a three-way operation at one time on the route between Brighton and Tunbridge Wells with Brighton & Hove, Southdown and Maidstone & District while along the coast, route 799 was at one time operated by Brighton & Hove, Brighton Buses and Hastings & District between Rye and Worthing. There were many other examples all over the country.

Deregulation put an end to many of these arrangements with competition law preventing bus companies from agreeing fares and ticket prices meaning each having to act independently often to the puzzlement of passengers when prices differed. As the years have passed bus companies have circumnavigated some of these restrictions, particularly the acceptance of each other’s return tickets, even if technically they may not always be the same price.

Thanks to Twitter the following list of eight jointly operated inter-urban routes was compiled from contributions submitted a couple of years ago and during my recent Covid break I finally had the time to document them – I’ll add this to the menu of pages on my website so it’s easily accessible for future reference and any changes that might occur will be incorporated, but for now, here it is as a blogpost.

In general I'd highly recommend his blog, but it sounds like there might be a few items from this thread he's missed!

 

[156421]

Mod note: This and the following posts have been moved from a separate thread, so there may be some duplication.

It seems that the "X38" bus (Derby to Burton-on-Trent) is run partially by Arriva and partially by Trent Barton (https://www.trentbarton.co.uk/services/x38). This has seriously confused bustimes.org which splits it into 2 different timetable pages (https://bustimes.org/services/x38-burton-derby and https://bustimes.org/services/x38-derby-burton-direct-3). Are there any other examples of an identical route being worked in its entirety by more than 1 operator?

 

[Dai Corner]

Theres the 30 Newport -Cardiff jointly run by the two municipal operators. Bustimes deals with this well, with one table showing the operator for each journey.

30 - Cardiff - Newport

Cardiff Bus, Newport Bus

bustimes.org

 

[mm333]

Roger French has an article on his website about such routes: https://busandtrainuser.com/a-compendium-of-jointly-operated-bus-routes/

 

[DunsBus]

685, Carlisle-Hexham-Newcastle. Currently run by Arriva and Stagecoach though from later this month it becomes a fully Stagecoach service, albeit run by two different divisions - Cumbria & North Lancashire, and North East.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Up until Yorkshire Tiger became Transdev Team Pennine a couple of years ago, the 231/232 Huddersfield to Wakefield services had three different operators. Monday to Saturday daytimes were Tiger, with evenings being First Huddersfield. Arriva operated the Sunday service all day. Now it's 100% Arriva.

 

[DunsBus]

For a few years following deregulation, Eastern Scottish ran evening and Sunday journeys on several Lothian services as a council tender. The exact reverse happened in the early noughties with the 44 to Pencaitland - First during the day, Lothian at nights and on Sundays.

 

[quarella]

An unusual historical one that appears to have run in the early 1970s. According to Andrew Wiltshire's "Independent Buses of South & West Wales" R I Davies and Merthyr Tydfil Corporation transport operated a shared service between Merthyr and Cefn Coed for alternating 3 month periods.

 

[Tramfan]

The number 54 from Whitley Bay to Newcastle is operated by Arriva on a Monday-Saturday and Stagecoach on a Sunday