Link Network (MD Bus & Coach)

[Valandil]

RE: Link Network (MD Bus & Coach)
Nice to see a decker out on the 110 yesterday, while a Link Network Solo was on the Fairbrothers 16X.

[RedPanda]

RE: Link Network (MD Bus & Coach)

(23/12/2016 14:17)Valandil Wrote:  Nice to see a decker out on the 110 yesterday, while a Link Network Solo was on the Fairbrothers 16X.

What was the registration of the decker? S248 JUA was on the 110 earlier this year

[Valandil]

RE: Link Network (MD Bus & Coach)
Sad to say, I don't know, as I was too busy trying and failing to take a photo (I wasn't quick enough).
I did however see that it was red and had two doors (front and middle) so hopefully that narrows it down enough.

[Bevan Price]

RE: Link Network (MD Bus & Coach)

(23/12/2016 19:35)Valandil Wrote:  Sad to say, I don't know, as I was too busy trying and failing to take a photo (I wasn't quick enough).
I did however see that it was red and had two doors (front and middle) so hopefully that narrows it down enough.

LJ03 MKV was on the 110 yesterday (22 Dec.) and at least one day last week.

[linknetwork]

RE: Link Network (MD Bus & Coach)

(23/10/2016 19:36)Dentonian Wrote:  What a weird and pointless timetable. Apart from the ridiculous gaps you mention, the service is drastically reduced at the very times people want/need to travel, whether its workers, schoolchildren or shoppers. I could slightly understand such a poor timetable layout if it was restricted by slots, but as they also use different stands in the Interchange, even that argument wouldn't stand up. The only saving grace would be the cheap fares for short riders - and the fact that fares are published(!) - but even that is undermined by the absence of return or day tickets.

30 years on - and little has changed...............sigh!

Hi all, I've not been on for a while so thought id catch up on what's hot gossip on our 110 service. To answer your question, you may be aware that Network Warrington recently made huge changes to some of their services and 3 of which were to include Liverpool Road in Warrington. Liverpool road is as we call it "The Money Slot" of the 110 service and probably for any other operator that travels that way into Warrington Town Centre. When NW altered their times it seriously affected our revenue so we had to make changes. What we did was use each of the 3 buses we run to fit between 3 different services and that's why the time table looks untidy. As it happens one of our 3 bus times hasn't worked well at all and we are currently looking at removing this vehicle from the 110 completely if we cannot make it work between all the other services sharing Liverpool Road (This is working Progress).

We have been monitoring closely the bus times that Arriva have been operating over Christmas, maybe ive missed the Variation online somewhere but they have altered their times during the Christmas period to run 1 minute before us. Ill confirm this with the Traffic office in Leeds in the new year. As it happens our revenue has not been affected by their actions but if they are playing with us it may be time to extend and do the Runcorn Leg of the 110 too, We promised to stay off that patch if they left us to it!

[linknetwork]

RE: Link Network (MD Bus & Coach)

(23/10/2016 14:36)Valandil Wrote:  Oh dear, it's a step in the opposite direction to what I'd hoped, with there now being gaps from Warrington of 24 minutes, then 11 minutes, then 25 minutes, then repeat and repeat ...
It's a bit more even from Widnes with the gaps being 17 minutes, then 22 minutes, then 21 minutes and repeat.

But why can't they just make it every 20?!
I wonder, what with different stands being used throughout the day, if they have had difficulty getting stands at Warrington -- this is of course unconfirmed.

The Warrington interchange stands are a nightmare when it comes to creating a time table. Its easy to sit and make the times all pretty and uniformed but the truth is you generally find that the preferred times clash with something at Warrington. The Bus station have told me that when the next review of the stands comes up (Nothing Planned yet) they will see if they can combine us together on 1 stand.

[linknetwork]

RE: Link Network (MD Bus & Coach)

(18/10/2016 20:41)Lynx Wrote:  I highly doubt Halton view would be omitted as it is really the quickest route out of the town centre towards Warrington, any other route would almost certainly be longer. Besides Halton view has reasonable patronage.

Personally in Link Networks shoes if I was going to omit any of the route it would probably be old Liverpool road, again this is somewhere that provides reasonable patronage but is really the only section of the route where a couple of minutes could be shaved off, even then this would be dependent on traffic and hardly a selling point.

There isn't really anywhere that could shave off time from the 22 minute journey, the 2 areas mentioned "Halton View & Liverpool Road" are both Key locations for the 110, you will see me post about the bus traffic Liverpool road now has since network Warrington diverted some of their penketh / Sankey services that way

[motormayhem1]

RE: Link Network (MD Bus & Coach)
If you where to operate over to runcorn would the pvr increase as runcorn isn't an easy place to break into with bus services as howards tried it with there pound rider which was ashame when they withdrawn as i thought they would of done really well.
Then you have runcorn bridge to deal with and when that gets clogged up in peak times or even closed when theres accidents etc would it not bother you about loosing service etc or would they just stay in service no matter what?

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Link Network (MD Bus & Coach)

(30/12/2016 08:20)linknetwork Wrote:  Hi all, I've not been on for a while so thought id catch up on what's hot gossip on our 110 service. To answer your question, you may be aware that Network Warrington recently made huge changes to some of their services and 3 of which were to include Liverpool Road in Warrington. Liverpool road is as we call it "The Money Slot" of the 110 service and probably for any other operator that travels that way into Warrington Town Centre. When NW altered their times it seriously affected our revenue so we had to make changes. What we did was use each of the 3 buses we run to fit between 3 different services and that's why the time table looks untidy. As it happens one of our 3 bus times hasn't worked well at all and we are currently looking at removing this vehicle from the 110 completely if we cannot make it work between all the other services sharing Liverpool Road (This is working Progress).

We have been monitoring closely the bus times that Arriva have been operating over Christmas, maybe ive missed the Variation online somewhere but they have altered their times during the Christmas period to run 1 minute before us. Ill confirm this with the Traffic office in Leeds in the new year. As it happens our revenue has not been affected by their actions but if they are playing with us it may be time to extend and do the Runcorn Leg of the 110 too, We promised to stay off that patch if they left us to it!

I would not bother about extending the Service into Runcorn as there are already a number of Arriva and Halton Services that cover that part, plus you will soon have to pay the bridge toll witch would really eat into any profit you did make.

If Arriva are trying to play with you i would look at running on their 329 Warrington - St Helens or 360 Warrington - Wigan as these two Services interwork so if 1 Service runs late the other is affected so that is something i believe you could take advantage off.

[Valandil]

RE: Link Network (MD Bus & Coach)
Hi Link Network, great to see you on the forum and glad to hear that 2 out of every 3 trips on the 110 are working well.

Just wondering if you have any insights about the decker(s) on the 110 -- is this just a straightforwards temporary swap with Fairbrothers?

Also, there have been rumours going around (as always!) that Warrington want to chop their 32A from the narrow roads in the south of Penketh, as their vehicles are struggling to get around even on the revised route (to be expected, given that they sold off their Optare Solos!) If they ever did stop serving this area, would you in principle consider it and also possibly the estate around Maple Crescent which used to be served by the old 31, which actually was chopped completely by Warrington? There is lots of custom in the area, but I think Warrington have found it difficult as they always want to interwork services to reduce costs, and they have found it impossible to do this as other routes require bigger vehicles.