Arriva North West - Southport Depot

[Vbg111v]

RE: Arriva North West - Southport Depot

(27/06/2012 15:01)CX54 DKD Wrote:  

(27/06/2012 14:53)V671 DVU Wrote:  Shame, many years ago it was Get a buggy, or leave it at home and carry the kid!

"Many years ago" being the cause of the problem. Low floor vehicles have been in production for nearly 20 years and we're at the point now whereby they vastly outnumber step vehicles therefore, it's not unfair of disabled users and people with prams to expect an accessible vehicle. Especially on a late duty. If this had just been out during the day then that's a different matter but during the evening and into the night when low floor vehicles sit in depot, I don't personally think it's fair. That said, I'm not familiar with the bus swap process at Southport.

In addition to the above though, I think it's very poor that Southport have these step entrance vehicles in service at all having been previously all low floor. If they were brought in to operate a schools unit, that's where they should stay in my opinion and if they're out to cover B7s which can't cope with what they've been brought in to operate, then something needs to be done about that too.

Good points made. Southport as you say had been all low floor, but recently have used the school deckers on ordinary routes. It'll be interesting to see what happens in the school holidays. I've also noticed that where as evening & Sunday services would be allocated Pulsars, they are now allocating older Darts. For example tonight sees a Marshall operating the 44 & a Renown on the 49. Meanwhile the nice new spacious buses return to the depot. Despite the darts being low floor & wheelchair friendly, there is little room to manoeuvre inside.