Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

[H101GEV (Administrator)]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot
Going off-topic here, but I know the Palatines at Skelmersdale which came from Birkenhead were loathed by the passengers. Such was the uproar, there were several local newspaper articles lamenting the loss of the town's accessible bus fleet in favour of 'cast offs'. Things certainly quietened down when the DAFs arrived to replace them. It was only when they transferred to Southport that the 375/385 reliability started to suffer.

What the drivers think of buses doesn't really bother me in all honesty as the bus services are ultimately ran for the passengers and not them. The 61 (and indeed 56) attract high loads in peak times which is enough to warrant a decker. Clearly they aren't in the market for brand new buses as relatively low-profile routes, so I think the DLAs are fine for the time being. At least they allow wheelchairs and prams on board (a significant problem when the R-WVRs ran the 61) and have some easily accessed seats.