So far we have seen a three main announcements regarding forthcoming route changes. New routes from Stagecoach and Plymouth Citybus in competition against First Devon & Cornwall. We still await full details of the new services which will start to come out over the coming weeks. Yesterday saw the first of the new services to appear on VOSA:
PH0000135/149 - PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD, MILEHOUSE, MILEHOUSE ROAD, PLYMOUTH, PL3 4AA
Registration Accepted Starting Point: Plymouth Royal Parade Finish Point: Tavistock Bus Station Via:
Service Number: F1 Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 05-OCT-2013
Other Details: Sunday to Saturday, Sunday service on bank hols. Mon-Sat, every 30 mins Sunday, 4 trips per day
This is of course the first new service under the new “premium brand” to be launched shortly. Citybus are of course keeping full details close to their chest but from the service number it looks like the premium brand might also begin with an F? Or am I missing some obvious reason for the F1 route number? Anyone care to guess? Suggestions / comments welcome (but please keep them, clean!)
I will be keeping a close eye on VOSA over the coming days as I expect this to be just one of many interesting entries. We know we will be seeing new registrations for the Torpoint service and also Stagecoach Gold, but these are just the headlines. Will Stagecoach be looking at other routes? The Dartmouth 93 for example? There will be other changes to the Plymouth City network coming up shortly, with hints of changes to Southway / Whitleigh routes already given on Facebook:
CHATTERBUS IS COMING! Come and talk to the staff of Citybus on board our Chatterbus. We want to hear your thoughts on proposed new timetables! We will be at Whitleigh Green between 12:00 and 13:30 on Thursday 8th August (to discuss service 44/44A) and at Southway Shops between 14:00 and 15:30 on Thursday 8th August (to discuss service 40/41). We look forward to seeing you!
I am sure these wont be the only changes. The question is – how much will be normal route development and how much will be increased competition against First?
PT RECOMMENDS
- The route has been developed in cooperation with Devon and Dorset County Councils over the last decade, but now First stand alone. They've just re-launched the route as the Jurassic Coaster, and this blog entry documents the changes to the route over the last 10 years Southern England 3 August
- So, after 92 years of use, suddenly it becomes unsafe? Really? What exactly is "a bit dubious"? Politicians protecting their posterior perhaps? It's only cost an extra £300,000 for the bus service. Public Transport Experience 4 August
- LFJ 844W, unfortunately stayed static for the whole duration of Sunday, but I was pleased with this very atmospheric shot, quite archetypal of the weekend PTOTPA 4 August
- Today's post gives some of the highlights of the 2013 Stokes Bay rally, organised by the Provincial Society Southern England 5 August
- As the “Boris Buses” spread across London slowly taking over fresh bus routes, one was found on Saturday in a very unusual location on a very rare bus route. Ian Visits 5 August
- There’s a 23-year-old Derby mother of three who wants vengeance. She took a photograph of a somewhat unconventional driving position and then ran to the local newspaper Omnibuses 5 August
- It is probably the only point of interest in or near Thorpe Hesley and is no longer safe enough to permit public access to its internal spiral staircase. Shame! Public Transport Experience 5 August
The new Stagecoach services were registered last week:
ReplyDeletePH1020951/197 - STAGECOACH DEVON LTD, BELGRAVE ROAD, EXETER, EX1 2LB
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Torquay Strand
Finish Point: Totnes Royal Seven Stars
Via:
Service Number: GOLD
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 30-SEP-2013
Other Details: Daily service, Half hourly Mon-Sat and 2 hourly Sundays & Bank Holidays
PH1020951/198 - STAGECOACH DEVON LTD, BELGRAVE ROAD, EXETER, EX1 2LB
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Totnes Royal Seven Stars
Finish Point: Plymouth
Via:
Service Number: GOLD
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 30-SEP-2013
Other Details: Daily service - hourly Mon to Sats & 2 hourly Sundays & Bank Holidays
PH1020951/199 - STAGECOACH DEVON LTD, BELGRAVE ROAD, EXETER, EX1 2LB
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Totnes Royal Seven Stars
Finish Point: Dartmouth
Via:
Service Number: GOLD
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 30-SEP-2013
Other Details: Mondays to Saturdays except Bank Holidays - hourly service
I believe the proposed new timetables for the 40/41/44s are just a re-timing exercise. No idea about the route number F1, maybe it's to stand out? I too would be interested in knowing the reasons behind this if anyone can help us out!
ReplyDeleteI m sure First could think of a few names beginning with F for it!!! Or maybe be thats what it stands for First 1!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Stagecoach registration has already gone through VOSA. It's in three bits: Torquay-Totnes, Totnes-Dartmouth and Totnes-Plymouth under route number 'GOLD'.
ReplyDeleteIm guessing the "F" has something to do with the name as take Bournemouth for example they have the M1 & M2 the bus premium brand is called "More" my guess would be "Fast" routes or something express wise.
ReplyDeleteYes, that is almost certainly it! As you say Wilts & Dorset have a premium brand called 'More'; they even have a whole website dedicated to it!
Deletehttp://morebus.co.uk/
My guess would be something about "Fast",Frequent" etc I hope the branding will be a cross between the "More" branding and Go-North East "Red Arrows" service.
DeleteAs it is a fast service between Plymouth and Tavistock - may it be for Formula 1?
ReplyDeletePH0000135/150 - PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD, MILEHOUSE, MILEHOUSE ROAD, PLYMOUTH, PL3 4AA
ReplyDeleteRegistration Accepted
Starting Point: Royal Parade
Finish Point: Torpoint HMS Raleigh
Via:
Service Number: 32
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 06-OCT-2013
Other Details: Mon-Sat except bank hols
Formula 1 ?
ReplyDeleteAs in First aren't going to be first anymore!
Or maybe ferry 1 - maybe more cross ferry routes to follow?
Naval tradition - Fireship 1 - burn/destroy the enemy? or Flagship1.
You don't need to use the ferry to go from Royal Parade to Tavistock!
DeleteThe Torpoint service will be 32 (see above).
Maybe it resembles a fast service? I.e. F1 could stand for "Formula 1!"
ReplyDeleteI assume the 32 will operate in conjunction with the 33/33a to provide a 15 minute headway to Stoke. In terms of the route in Torpoint i presume it will operate direct up Antony Road and via Trevol Road to HMS Raleigh and not go around the estate.
ReplyDeleteT1 is an interesting number for PCB my money was on them using the old Jackets number 85
ReplyDeleteYorkshire Rider had a short-lived 'premium' operation called 'Flagship'. Other suggestions, 'First Class' (cheeky), 'ftr' (cheekier)
ReplyDeleteOnly 4 trips on the F1 on a Sunday? That seems incredibly low.
ReplyDeleteAlso think F might be either First, or Flagship.
I expect PCB may look to revert to a one-way loop in Whitleigh as the 44 and lose 1-2 buses an hour and run every 12 or 15 minutes. For the 40 and 41 will they go for the route similar to First's old 17 just running on Dunnet Road and doing a one way loop around Clittaford Drive and Southway Drive again reducing frequency down to every 12 or 15 minutes. As part of their consultation process previously that was the Southway route they were looking to bring in. Reductions in 2-4 departures an hour on these routes will free up driver capacity for their new routes to Torpoint and Tavistock
ReplyDeleteWhere's my F1'n bus?
ReplyDeletethe route to torpoint will be: ROYAL PARADE-WESTERN APPROACH-MILLBRIDGE-MOLESWORTH ROAD-STOKE VILLAGE-ALBERT ROAD-FERRY HILL-TORPOINT FERRY- past the firstbus torpoint depot, around great park estate to HMS Raleigh.
ReplyDeleteThere will be a short run to Plymouth side of torpoint ferry terminal, so will be 1 trip to torpoint ferry then the following bus goes to hms Raleigh and so on and so on
this info was given to me by a union rep at work.
Interesting parallels with More in Poole and Bournemouth here. Interesting that GA is choosing to be very aggressive toward its neighbours nationally as well. My direct experiences in Dorset find the marketing to be masking a lot of deficiencies. Go South Coast loses money hand over fist in a two way bus war in three different locations - they overbus the 'more' routes in order to carry the customers yet the frequencies are unsustainable long term. The Isle of Wight operations prop up the rest of the GSC operation with sky high fares - the Damory operation continues to lose millions on the countywide Dorset tendered contract that has seen the fleet treble with the impact still being felt two years on as GSC tries to make this contract pay financially - remember there is no competition for the contracts come retendering as the terms are distinctly unfavourable to contractors.
ReplyDeleteNo one has seen that PCB are vastly increasing their operating costs on two new competitive services against First D&C. Purchase of brand new buses means that there will need to be a lot of bottoms on the seats to pay for the buses. Get this wrong and the staff will soon be upset at no payrise come pay talks (I can see the 'due to the poor performance and the losses the business is sustaining we cannot offer a payrise this year') and First will do one of two things in response.
I predict a fares promotion and a divert of brand new buses for the affected services being competed upon. In so doing, PCB is starved of the revenue they will desperately need to pay for the expensive kit. And First might take a closer look at some of PCBs weaker points - and there will perhaps be further services introduced.
What amazes me is that PCB staff are publicly crowing about First DC on various social media wishing them an early demise. Strikes me that PCB has 'more' to lose here as it is more heavily exposed. Methinks PCB might not want to be throwing these stones, especially with Western Greyhound rumoured to be joining the fold and the on-going problems compounded by the fire in May to make for a management time consuming diversion from the issues PCB will be facing as it attacks its neighbours.
A resurgent First will ensure PCB loses money and Richard Stevens' corporate masters will be looking for a head or two to roll.....
If I were First I would stick around and Citybus staff making these comments could be eating their own words...I agree with above...Citybus will need a huge chunk of customers on this route to switch to them to pay for the outgoings...that with the fact they seem to be looking to cut frequency on routes in southway/whitleigh to accomodate this (their bread and butter) may well leave them very exposed. Go Ahead are great at getting into bus wars but always seem to lose lots of money in the course of it!!! unhappy shareholders and staff on the horizon. With First seemingly seeing off WG in Cornwall, omne way or another and I predict winning the war on Citybus for Tavistock, Torpoint and Saltash, Keyham etc they could be rejuvenated with new MD...watch out Citybus they could be coming for you and your routes soon! YOU will REGRET this move!!!
DeleteBeing fair, I don't work for CityBus, I have always been a fan of the company,however how many companies these days go smart like PCB did before Go-Ahead introduced the new livery and uniforms. I have been told the the Wright B7RLE's will be running the Torpoint service, with the new E400's though if the Tavistock service doesn't get as many people as it need then surely a E200 or Citaro will just be put onto the route, and the E400 displaced to other ones? Why do people see to think if the services doesn't get the number it will automatically be crushed? Fact is First Bus D&C is doing terrible in Plymouth, They have already tried fighting back wit hthe old "Blue" lines etc and UGObus it failed!
DeleteF is for FAST as its going to be a limited stop service and therefore faster!!!!
ReplyDelete