West Midlands Plus Bus use on Midland Metro trams

[ForTheLoveOf]

Given the price, no one in their right mind would travel standard between Cov and Wolves.

Erm, the loadings in standard vs first would suggest either that you're wrong there, or no-one has a right mind

There isn't a sufficient first class service (except perhaps occassionally, if you're lucky on CrossCountry) to justify the difference IMO.

 

[boxy321]

Erm, the loadings in standard vs first would suggest either that you're wrong there, or no-one has a right mind

There isn't a sufficient first class service (except perhaps occassionally, if you're lucky on CrossCountry) to justify the difference IMO.

Every person I know who has tried 1st on that route says they will never go standard again. Cov-Brum is horrendous in standard throughout the day. Yes, you'll only get a coffee (plus there's the lounges if you aren't in a pub) perhaps but I like to sit down as well. The same goes for people going shopping to spend hundreds but only want to fork out £3 for the train. A VT train manager once charged all the vestibule lurkers for being in 1st and when they realised they could then sit down there for about a quid didn't mind one bit.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Every person I know who has tried 1st on that route says they will never go standard again. Cov-Brum is horrendous in standard throughout the day. Yes, you'll only get a coffee (plus there's the lounges if you aren't in a pub) perhaps but I like to sit down as well. The same goes for people going shopping to spend hundreds but only want to fork out £3 for the train. A VT train manager once charged all the vestibule lurkers for being in 1st and when they realised they could then sit down there for about a quid didn't mind one bit.

True, for day-trippers it's not a massive difference and the mentality of "if I'm already spending £££ on shopping/drinks/etc., what's a couple quid more". But for a commuter I'm not sure it'd be worth it; with the frequency of the service, you'd have to have really bad luck not to get a seat within about 15 minutes of wanting to set off (even if you have to change at New Street). Obviously there are those to whom the difference isn't material, but I would imagine the vast majority of commuters don't want to pay the extra.

 

[boxy321]

True, for day-trippers it's not a massive difference and the mentality of "if I'm already spending £££ on shopping/drinks/etc., what's a couple quid more". But for a commuter I'm not sure it'd be worth it; with the frequency of the service, you'd have to have really bad luck not to get a seat within about 15 minutes of wanting to set off (even if you have to change at New Street). Obviously there are those to whom the difference isn't material, but I would imagine the vast majority of commuters don't want to pay the extra.

I am one of those commuters and it most definitely is worth the extra £40 a month/£2 a day. A Starbucks coffee would cost more than that. Never mind the 1st experience/Times newspaper (£1.60/£2.70), bottled water (not very eco-friendly), lounges during delays and the occasional G&T, "peanuts ot pretzels?" and chocolates. The 7:22 from Cov has about 40 of us doing the same thing every day.

Nothing to do with plusBus though so I'll stop.

 

[Haywain]

The plusBus name is therefore open to interpretation and incorrect.

No, it's not open to interpretation. It is valid as advertised and if the tram operators don't like that they need to liaise with PlusBus and the local transport authority (network West Midlands?) to get the advertising changed.