©Watpix (Creative commons) I can now confirm that Plymouth Citybus will finally be getting a Mercedes Citaro bendy bus for one a week trial to see if they could possibly be useful in Plymouth. At the moment it is planned to arrive in Plymouth on Sunday 22nd August and following a day of testing around Plymouth it is hoped to put it into service from Tuesday and then will stay for the rest of the week. I believe the bus might be used on service 21 and other routes during the week but we will have to wait and see. I guess a lot depends on the days testing before they put it into service. I am actually off work that week so should be able to have a go - my son is certainly looking forward to it as he loves the bendy buses - the highlight of his last trip to London!
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Really can't see this working in Plymouth, if only because of the layout of Royal Parade. The stops for Citybus' main services are already very crowded (21 close to 12, 19, 20, 22, PR2; 43 close to 1/A, 29, 43A/B), so anything longer than a standard Citaro could make problems worse.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with Doddy. Royal parade already pretty busy and bendys are really long. Not sure what Citybus want to achieve from this other than some cheap PR. Just another waste of time when, in my opinion, they have much more pressing issues to be concerned with.
ReplyDeletewell as a first driver and frequently blocked in by citybus, i am looking forward too not budging if they are stuck manuevering on royal parade.
ReplyDeletewether or not plymouth need them doesnt really matter go-ahead have a load they need to get rid of so they will end up with some either way
not good for plymouth roads and citybus is just a joke. Plympton is very bad in some places and can you see this lasting.
ReplyDeleteNot on this subject but First now confirm UGO 13 and 17 axed from end of August. Also UGO BUS 15 will no longer have a Sunday service, Mon - Sat continue at 20 minute intervals.
ReplyDeleteI've driven a Citaro bendy around some quite narrow and twisting roads in SE London. They are a lot more manoeuvrable than you'd think. I can't see why they wouldn't work in Plymouth provided the stops are sorted out.
ReplyDeleteMost of GA's bendys in London are leased, but a sizeable quantity are owned, so it makes sense to try to transfer them elsewhere as they have a good few years service left in them yet (unlike Darts of the same age, which are falling apart by now). The ones transferred to Brighton (which has narrower roads than Plymouth) have been completely refurbished and look and feel like a new bus.
The whole point is that this is a trial. Whilst the usual negative comments may well be right, at least Citybus are trying something different. There may be issues with stops and the space on Royal Parade but by actually trying a Bendy out the issues can then be investigated.
ReplyDeleteIt may be that the bus cannot be used here but it may be that it can. With First and Target dropping routes like there is no tomorrow someone needs to do something positive to move passengers around.
didnt they trial a bendybus last year or year before? i seem to remember it on the 43?
ReplyDeleteNot a Bendy it was a tri-axle Scania which proved popular with drivers and passengers but was very thirsty on fuel
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