Coach provider Megabus has announced a planned network reduction. The low-cost coach operator is to scale back its operations in England and Wales, from 4 December, due to low passenger demand.
When the changes take effect, Megabus will continue to operate the below services:
- all services within Scotland (under the Scottish Citylink and Megabus brands)
- all cross-border services between Scotland and England and Wales
- all Falcon services in the Southwest of England
All other Megabus services within England and Wales will cease to operate from 4 December.
However, the company’s cross-border services will continue to provide a number of connections in England and Wales, including links between Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield and London; Manchester, Birmingham and London; and Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff.
All customers affected by the service changes will be contacted in the near future, and arrangements are being put in place to ensure customers who have already booked tickets can find alternative transport or will be provided with a refund.
Megabus Managing Director Simone Walsh said: “This has been an extremely difficult decision. However, unfortunately it is not sustainable for us to continue operating our current network as the customer demand is simply too low. So, we are making these changes to ensure that we have a more efficient network going forward.”
“Megabus will continue to operate its long-standing cross-border services, which also provide connections within England and Wales. And our Falcon services between Plymouth and Bristol are continuing to run as normal, as well as all our services across Scotland.”
“We want to thank the many passengers who travel with us every day and will ensure that we continue to operate an affordable and high-quality service on the parts of the network that are unaffected by these changes. And we will work hard to ensure that customers who have booked services that are being discontinued are looked after and offered an alternative option” added Walsh.
Tickets for Megabus and Falcon services can be booked on megabus.com and booking is available until 5 January, with all services during the festive period now available to book.
https://uk.megabus.com/press-releases/megabus-announces-network-reduction
© didbygraham August 2015.
Maybe I’m old school, but without obvious access to basics like a MAP or TIMETABLES to have a look at on their website, it’s very difficult to see what is actually being withdrawn?!
ReplyDeleteIf they make it such a secret what actually is available then it’s no wonder people don’t book is it?!
Completely agree.
DeleteIt's the same with Flixbus. At least with National Express you can see there timetables on there website
ReplyDeleteWhose going to invest in new coaches for The Falcon now megabus have gone? Is this another nail in the Falcon coffin?
ReplyDeleteFalcon not getting any new coaches now unfortunately but Megabus cascades instead
DeleteAny investment will be made by Stagecoach as it is still their service. It was only on the Megabus website for marketing purposes.
DeleteThe SC investment for Falcon is the cascaded Megabus coaches already arriving in batches, so no new vehicles.
DeleteI stopped using the falcon coach as in the summer there are no windows to open and the air conditioning is always broken and been like it for 2 years
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see Stagecoach have sold 72 double decker buses to Greater Manchester authority all under a year old, when Stagecoach companies across Britain are still using 14, 15 year old buses on there services
ReplyDeleteIt’s because Manchester is trying too hard to be like London. First, they try and make a TfL-style transport network and now they’re going for an all low emission fleet.
DeleteHow much choice and what sort of deal they got on these buses may put another view on it. As a major contractor under the franchise Stagecoach may well have wanted to keep TfGM on side by not taking away all the newest buses (only Arriva of the major operators didn't sell any vehicles to TfGM as part of the handover and reportedly Rotala did very well financially out of this) and part of the deal that brought these buses into Manchester in the first place last year after the franchising was already certain may have been that TfGM pay them off if Stagecoach didn't retain (that was certainly the deal on the order for Volvo electrics that TfGM guaranteed to buy at full price if Stagecoach didn't keep the relevant franchise). You may well find these will fund new buses for the rest of the country next year and keep everyone happy.
DeleteStagecoach already have a massive order for BEV E400s starting from 2025. This will see off all the remaining ALX400s and Early E400s due to fleet cascades.
DeleteI don;t know exactly how it works, but in principle Transport for Greater Manchester has agreed a "Residual Value Mechanism", whereby buses that are not required by existing operators are bought up and reallocated to the new franchisees. I expect that once franchising is fully operational TfGM will procure buses directly.
DeleteOf course there are other ways of introducing franchising and other Local Transport Authorities going down this route may do things differently.
Someone on here may know more detail than me and I may be wrong, but this may have been a Bee Network obligation.
ReplyDeleteIrrelevant to megabus, but dartline also appear to have withdrawn a handful of old solos......wonder if any of the solo sr's that are sat on the gravel at pcb will move across
ReplyDeleteYes replacements for Falcon
ReplyDeleteMegabus Coaches already starting to work the FLCN.
ReplyDeleteOnly the 1....63 reg. I heard they are waiting on all 11 due and The ones they have received need mots and significant checks before entering service.
DeleteCan someone please simply tell me if falcon Plymouth- Bristol will operate after 05.01? No tickets available now
ReplyDeleteI am also searching the internet for this information. Fingers crossed it will be
DeleteDoes nobody make phone calls these days? Call Stagecoach and ask!
DeleteAs if any public number to Stagecoach (handled by remote Scottish call centre) would have a clue! Just look at vague answers it gives on X (Twitter).
ReplyDelete