Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(30/07/2016 11:59)wirralbus Wrote:  If this alteration does take place to the service 2 are we looking at the beginning of the end for the 38 as a through route and it just becoming a Birkenhead - West Kirby service .

Maybe SC are thinking the areas the 38 serves needs more buses and as they have the 1/2 to themselves, why not just amend those. Also it gives a through route to Eport and misses out all the little areas like Croft so it may be faster.

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
To be honest the 38 between Bromborough Croft Retail park and Birkenhead doesn't need any more buses on it , so are we seeing the carving up of the 38 route right before our very eyes .

This service 2 registration makes very interesting reading , somebody in Stagecoach clearly likes Port Sunlight and im surprised its not used in marketing more for them.

[YK53 GXO]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
It seems TrustyBus have taken delivery of former RF Volvo YK53 GXJ. Not too keen on the livery though....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21611052@N02/28573129066/

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(30/07/2016 13:13)wirralbus Wrote:  To be honest the 38 between Bromborough Croft Retail park and Birkenhead doesn't need any more buses on it , so are we seeing the carving up of the 38 route right before our very eyes .

This service 2 registration makes very interesting reading , somebody in Stagecoach clearly likes Port Sunlight and im surprised its not used in marketing more for them.

Where can I find the registration thing filled in? I know VOSA has a list of the registrations but I can never find like an amended route or times ect. The council got a few while I was on Work Ex there but are they available to the public?

I want SC to take on more routes and maybe take on the 7 and some more general routes in Birkenhead/Chester. Rock Ferry depot is massive and they have about 5 routes (41/42, 1/2, 471/472, 38) and maybe one or two schools but inbetween schools, they could do so much with their buses. It seems like they have too few routes. Maybe they need to rob some from Arriva in North Birkenhead.

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(30/07/2016 15:39)Dentonian Wrote:  I don't think Registration documents themselves are available to the public, but in theory (lol), once changes are inside the 56 day notice period, the relevant local authorities (note, I said plural) should have the documentation, to make sure changes can be accomodated in Bus Stations etc, and the new/revised/withdrawn timetables/routes can be publicised to the general public.

I'm not sure phrases like "take on" and more especially "rob" are particularly helpful, but in an industry in almost permanent decline, I don't think unnecessary bus wars should be encouraged, anyway. Stagecoach more than anyone are very efficient in using their resources, and their fleet will closely match what is required to run the routes you mention. There is no use running buses for the sake of it between, say, 0900 & 1400 if there are insufficient passengers to generate a profit over and above driver's wages, fuel, bus station departure charges etc.

That is a shame. CWACC never give timetables until the day and even then that is only on bus stops and nothing is ever online. Merseytravel are likely to have it soon I hope. They are normally quite good. I dont know the correct lingo really but people know what I mean. I dont understand how the industry is in decline when lots of people use buses. Stagecoach are goot at using their buses but there is always buses sat at the back of the depot and they could be doing things. Even if it is just increasing the SP1/2 or 36 for a few hours. It is better to try and get a bit of profit than keep the buses sat in the depot. SP1/2 are funded so they should make the money on that. 36 is commercial so I am unsure but I think it must have been popular as GHA had it on a 30 min frequency.

[WhiteVanMan]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(30/07/2016 16:03)iMarkeh Wrote:  Stagecoach are goot at using their buses but there is always buses sat at the back of the depot and they could be doing things. Even if it is just increasing the SP1/2 or 36 for a few hours. It is better to try and get a bit of profit than keep the buses sat in the depot.

If every bus was used every day. Then what would happen when a bus is off the road due to accident damage?

[chester285]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(30/07/2016 13:42)iMarkeh Wrote:  Where can I find the registration thing filled in? I know VOSA has a list of the registrations but I can never find like an amended route or times ect. The council got a few while I was on Work Ex there but are they available to the public?

I want SC to take on more routes and maybe take on the 7 and some more general routes in Birkenhead/Chester. Rock Ferry depot is massive and they have about 5 routes (41/42, 1/2, 471/472, 38) and maybe one or two schools but inbetween schools, they could do so much with their buses. It seems like they have too few routes. Maybe they need to rob some from Arriva in North Birkenhead.

The problem is with Chester the depot is too small really for the purpose, I think if Chester are to introduce new routes other than the ones picked up from the collapse of GHA they would have to look at either relocation or an out station , it would be nice to see both depots take on new routes but I can't see them taking on Arriva, particularly from Chester into north wales

[chester285]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(30/07/2016 16:03)iMarkeh Wrote:  That is a shame. CWACC never give timetables until the day and even then that is only on bus stops and nothing is ever online. Merseytravel are likely to have it soon I hope. They are normally quite good. I dont know the correct lingo really but people know what I mean. I dont understand how the industry is in decline when lots of people use buses. Stagecoach are goot at using their buses but there is always buses sat at the back of the depot and they could be doing things. Even if it is just increasing the SP1/2 or 36 for a few hours. It is better to try and get a bit of profit than keep the buses sat in the depot. SP1/2 are funded so they should make the money on that. 36 is commercial so I am unsure but I think it must have been popular as GHA had it on a 30 min frequency.

Chester hardly has any spare buses in the depot compared to Rockferry, I doubt at the moment that they will increase frequency on the SP1/2 as they are currently on emergency contract with the support of Flintshire council, regarding the 36 until they have settled its on the route an reduced timetable makesnmore sense

[mbonwick]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(30/07/2016 17:39)chester285 Wrote:  Chester hardly has any spare buses in the depot compared to Rockferry,

At peak times, Chester nominally has 6 spare vehicles, while Rock Ferry has 7. Not a massive difference, however a good slice (about 14 vehicles) of RF's PVR is used on schools, which clearly means they'll be sat idle during the off-peak.

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(30/07/2016 16:37)WhiteVanMan Wrote:  If every bus was used every day. Then what would happen when a bus is off the road due to accident damage?

Buses are on the pits in Chester and those were not included when I said about left over buses. Left overs are normally sat at the back of the depot or under the cover. There is normally about 4 buses on pits from what I have seem. Unless I just see it on a busy day.

(30/07/2016 16:52)Dentonian Wrote:  I can't speak for Cheshire West or East, or indeed Merseytravel, but TFGM are forever receiving Registrations well after the 56 days notice period, so combined with the number of changes made (about 130 in GM from 4th September), you can see how it can often be close to introduction date for timetables to be available.

If an operator increases the level of a "funded" service, then there will be serious questions asked by the Tendering Authority (on behalf of the tax payer) as to why the service is subsidised in the first place.

I know places have a lot of different registrations but timetables are made via scripts from what I have seen. You click a button and bus stop timetables and standard timetables are made. Most of chesters changes are small but CWACC are too lazy to make individual timetables like TFGM and Merseytravel. I know they arent a transport organisation thing but still. They make the timetables for stuff like Dee Bee but dont for SC and just wait for SC to bring their timetables out. Secondly, the timetables were made to send of the the authorities so the times are there. Just format it into the timetable. It surely cant take that long if you have the template. Just copy the times over.

Stuff like SP1/2 I mean increase with the funding still there and the 36 is fully commercial so that should be increased. SP1/SP2 always was half hourly so increasing it back to that will be the same as GHA operated it with funding therefore nothing really changes other than it puts it back to normal.

(30/07/2016 17:32)chester285 Wrote:  The problem is with Chester the depot is too small really for the purpose, I think if Chester are to introduce new routes other than the ones picked up from the collapse of GHA they would have to look at either relocation or an out station , it would be nice to see both depots take on new routes but I can't see them taking on Arriva, particularly from Chester into north wales

Chester is tiny. They need to move to Bumpers Lane and get a purpose built depot down there. The current location should be student accommodation. Depot is tiny and buses are already left outside blocking Victoria Road at night so a bigger depot is a must. Chester could really do with taking on the X2 half hourly and maybe looking at something like the DB2. Arriva are tough competitors but look at Blacons and Liverpools, Arriva are loosing the battle by dropping 2 and blacons they arent doing well as everyone has Stagecoach cards and day tickets because they are cheaper and can be used further afield. Arriva I dont think make that much around Blacon as SC have the additional bus and now Sundays SC have a bus running so Arriva isnt doing great to be fair.

(30/07/2016 17:39)chester285 Wrote:  Chester hardly has any spare buses in the depot compared to Rockferry, I doubt at the moment that they will increase frequency on the SP1/2 as they are currently on emergency contract with the support of Flintshire council, regarding the 36 until they have settled its on the route an reduced timetable makesnmore sense

Increading frequency on SP1/2 only needs 2 buses. It isnt that much in the grand scheme of things. Especially if they come off S1 and head straight to Mold for later evening services. GHA had a few sunday services in Wrexham and as SC are trying to get a foot in down there, they could do those with spare sunday buses.