Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015

[wirralbus]

RE: Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015
Bus fares though do have to ecomonical viable but also attract custom away from the taxi industry , a hard balancing act.

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015
As I said earlier in this - why isn't the N10 not running through to St Helens - after all we are in Merseyside and people from this end may appreciate not having to shell out for a taxi.

[Barney]

RE: Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015

(18/11/2015 16:43)wirralbus Wrote:  Bus fares though do have to ecomonical viable but also attract custom away from the taxi industry , a hard balancing act.

I agree that operating any commercial bus service has to at least break even. That's the law as it stands. Having said that, it's interesting to note that the fares to be charged will be a mere £2 within Merseyside and £3 beyond Hooton. When Arriva pulled its night bus operation - over five years ago - it charged £3 within Liverpool and £4 to the Wirral. I have no doubt that those fares were considerably cheaper than a taxi fare yet people still chose to use taxis and private hire cars. Why was that?

The fundamental problem for bus operators in most parts of the country is that people regard buses as the option of last resort, especially after dark. I recall attending a lavish wedding reception about ten years ago in Thornton Hough where a large number of the wedding party was from the London area. About 1am a large group of the younger element decided to head to Liverpool to finish off the evening. They were amazed when I told them that there were no night buses and the only option was an expensive taxi ride.

[knutstransport]

RE: Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015

(18/11/2015 18:46)Barney Wrote:  I have no doubt that those fares were considerably cheaper than a taxi fare yet people still chose to use taxis and private hire cars. Why was that?

Reasons I can think of off the top of my head:
1. It's cold so people want to be in a vehicle ASAP, especially true of certain females who underdress when going on a night out.
2. People don't want to walk to the bus stop in the dark/after drinking.
3. People don't know the bus exists or don't know the times.
4. People don't want to travel with drunken idiots, even if they are acting like a drunken idiot themselves.

[knutstransport]

RE: Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015
Just noticed the N1 departures from Liverpool are:
01:35 Chester via Ellesmere Port
03:05 Ellesmere Port only

Do they think Chester people won't stay out beyond 01:30 but as for those ones from Ellesmere Port...

[Barney]

RE: Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015

(18/11/2015 19:16)knutstransport Wrote:  Reasons I can think of off the top of my head:
1. It's cold so people want to be in a vehicle ASAP, especially true of certain females who underdress when going on a night out.
2. People don't want to walk to the bus stop in the dark/after drinking.
3. People don't know the bus exists or don't know the times.
4. People don't want to travel with drunken idiots, even if they are acting like a drunken idiot themselves.

In response:
1. Waiting for or finding a taxi can take a considerable amount of time. My brother has frequently had to get out of his pit and drive into Liverpool to pick his daughter up as there are no taxis to be had. My daughter lives in a continental city where night bus usage is accepted by all.
2. Liverpool city centre, like all cities is well lit and generally safe areas.
3. In the past the promotion of night bus services was woefully inadequate and still is.
4. In my experience, I have had far more threatening bus journeys in broad daylight on a Tuesday afternoon than on night buses. Until we move away from this stereotypical notion that only drunks and deadbeats use night buses, nothing will change.

[E400]

RE: Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015
I think that Stagecoach is on-to something with the dual-direction operation on the N1 - I think that is an important part of the viability of any bus service, day or night, as people will want to travel in both directions.

As for Arriva's cross-river night buses - they were not timetabled at any stops other than Queen Square (not used by usual cross-river passengers) and Birkenhead Bus Station - so passengers like me who rarely alight or board at Birkenhead Bus Station would not know about these services. I only found out about them when I was behind the N23 one night in a taxi after finishing work! I looked at the timetables online and was shocked to see the N23, N37, N450 and the 500 all running cross-river each weekend. They need to really re-think night buses: advertise on the buses (well done to stagecoach for doing this on the 1/2 vehicles) and, if there are ever any permanent night-buses, they should operate as normal stopping with timetables printed for each stop- even though it's unlikely that people will board an N37 in Greasby going towards West Kirby, daytime users of the 437 will notice that it has a night-bus equivalent when they consult the timetable, and will perhaps consider it next time they're looking to get home from a night out in Liverpool.

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015
I think they need to take a look at the way Manchester operate their Night Services and kinda copy that way of working as it clearly works otherwise they would of bitten the dust like ours did!

[Barney]

RE: Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015
Some members have posted reports on other pages regarding the Christmas night bus services that began operation last night. I thought that it might be better if these reports were posted on this dedicated page as I am interested on overall loadings etc.

[YN05 WKE]

RE: Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015

(29/11/2015 10:16)Barney Wrote:  Some members have posted reports on other pages regarding the Christmas night bus services that began operation last night. I thought that it might be better if these reports were posted on this dedicated page as I am interested on overall loadings etc.

Repost this here as well for you

SERVICE N1
• The 0130 from Sir Thomas Street left with a full load (Most got off by Birkenhead and Bromborough leaving just a couple for Chester with no more pickup along route)
• The 0305 from Chester only picked up 2 in Chester for Ellesmere Port (No other passengers on that journey)
Hope this is some help to you