Stagecoach Gold for MCSL

[PO59 MXJ]

RE: Stagecoach Gold for MCSL

(03/04/2015 13:48)wirralbus Wrote:  Maybe the X22 route would just need to be a bit more frequent , its one of those things if I was a car passenger waiting an hour would drive me back to the car , a service every 30 minutes would have me thinking. I know the route goes through a lot of countryside between Neston and Saughall but one has to speculate to accumulate.

It doesnt bring in the revenue to justify having it more frequent. Thats the reason Avon pulled off. It would be working at a loss. The route needs new vehicles because 34741 and 34742 are absolutely awful buses. I really couldnt see this route being considered for gold or a more frequent service.

[Turbostar]

RE: Stagecoach Gold for MCSL
Gold is a good concept & I was impressed with my journeys on the 300 (Carlisle to Whitehaven) route recently.

Realistically, the only routes I could see being converted would be the 125, X2 or X8. To convert the 125 route would be expensive given a PVR of 23 vehicles so more likely contenders would be X2 and/or X8.


One thing to add-gold branding doesn't necessarily mean big buses; there is a route in Leamington Spa that uses gold branded optare solos!

[mbonwick]

RE: Stagecoach Gold for MCSL
It's already been said elsewhere that the X8 won't be having the Enviro300s replaced any time soon, so that's out.

X22 isn't it, and from the sounds of it doesn't have the loadings.

The original premise of Gold wasn't just for areas with high car usage. Originally it was for routes who's growth had plateaued even with (almost) brand new vehicles, and the only way to keep increasing ridership was to go luxurious.
Take the X46 in Northampton for example - passenger growth justified the upgrade from Tridents to Scania Enviro400s. Numbers continued to grow, but then started to level off. Introduce Gold and they're started rising again.

Also - QBPs only set minimum standards, and revenue sharing only covers passes...so there is the incentive to possibly upgrade and generate more revenue from single/return fares.

[Barney]

RE: Stagecoach Gold for MCSL

(03/04/2015 19:28)Dentonian Wrote:  "Growth"! What's that?
Seriously though. If the concept was to "kickstart" (pardon the ironic pun) services that had already been growing in patronage at some point, and presumably is for routes with average speeds at least in double figures (mph), the scope in GM would certainly be restricted. The only one that springs to mind would be the X50.

If two of the criteria for Gold services are high average speed and a frequency of less the four buses per hour then surely the only routes worth considering are semi-express ones and as none exist apart from the X8 they would need to be introduced. I've suggested this before but the only possibility is to extend the X3 to Wigan via Skelmersdale and make it limited stop. Yes, I know, that ain't going to happen.

[SNL 824]

RE: Stagecoach Gold for MCSL
If I was SC, I'd take a look at the Heswall- Liverpool traffic from a different angle. Anyone remember the Crosville 419 via the M53. Resurrect that in some form as an X72 - that might get some passengers, particularly as a Gold service.

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Gold for MCSL

(03/04/2015 21:15)SNL 824 Wrote:  If I was SC, I'd take a look at the Heswall- Liverpool traffic from a different angle. Anyone remember the Crosville 419 via the M53. Resurrect that in some form as an X72 - that might get some passengers, particularly as a Gold service.

Do that on the Heswall routes and Arriva wouldnt take it laying down , Arriva let them do the X8 as they do not see the Liverpool - Chester corridor really as a prime route for them .

[SNL 824]

RE: Stagecoach Gold for MCSL

(03/04/2015 21:50)wirralbus Wrote:  Do that on the Heswall routes and Arriva wouldnt take it laying down , Arriva let them do the X8 as they do not see the Liverpool - Chester corridor really as a prime route for them .

Absolutely correct. My next thought would be not just a response on Heswalls but also Woodchurch which strangely doesn't currently have a Liverpool service and is ideally situated for an express service via the M53, or even West Kirby-Upton-Woodchurch-M53-Liverpool.

[Wright Eclipse]

RE: Stagecoach Gold for MCSL

(03/04/2015 20:26)Barney Wrote:  If two of the criteria for Gold services are high average speed and a frequency of less the four buses per hour then surely the only routes worth considering are semi-express ones and as none exist apart from the X8 they would need to be introduced. I've suggested this before but the only possibility is to extend the X3 to Wigan via Skelmersdale and make it limited stop. Yes, I know, that ain't going to happen.

there are many gold Services that run frequent enough up & down the country,most are normal stopping services as well:

Service 1 Aldershot > Camberley > Old Dean Every 10 Mins
Service 7 Scone > Perth > Hillend Every 10 Mins
Service 10 Lower Tuffley > Gloucester > Cheltenham Every 10 Mins
Service 51 Selsey > Chichester Every 10-15 Mins
Service 94 Cheltenham > Gloucester Every 10 Mins
Service G1 Warwick > Leamington Spa > South Farm Every 8-10 Mins
Service S1 Oxford > Witney > Carterton Every 10 Mins

how about Blacon`s? or seen as there are gold Midi`s on order,Service 16? one service i`ve always thought would be good as gold in Manchester is X57,Every Half Hour Limited Stop & one of the more long-distance routes Manchester operate.Its a shame that Stagecoach didnt get all of X34 with wigan,as that would of been a good route to go Gold

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Gold for MCSL
If a frequency of every 10 mins is a bench mark for GOLD service then the Wirral 41/42 look a good bet , even the Liverpool 20/21 could fall into the agenda .

[M113 YKC]

RE: Stagecoach Gold for MCSL

(03/04/2015 22:15)SNL 824 Wrote:  My next thought would be not just a response on Heswalls but also Woodchurch which strangely doesn't currently have a Liverpool service and is ideally situated for an express service via the M53, or even West Kirby-Upton-Woodchurch-M53-Liverpool.

A route from Woodchurch to Liverpool via the M53 would consist of at least three extra miles in each direction in comparison to via Birkenhead with pretty-much no difference in journey time, so that would probably be pointless.