Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
If it was a straight fight between train and bus on each corridor the train would win on time and probably Stagecoach or equivalent would win on price , so you have to balance one out against the other.

Anything from the Ellesmere port area to Chester will be a winner as there is no equivalent train service , but there is a fine line between profitability and saturation , which since the bus wars of the late 80's early 90's that area hasn't really seen.

[E400]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
The only way you'd get a bus service between Chester & Manchester to work would be to send it straight down the motorway - maybe stopping off at Runcorn, though that would add quite a substantial block to the journey time. It would, however severely impact Arriva's 21 and X30 because that would then become -the- Chester-Runcorn express.

I doubt you'd be able to stop at many other places besides Manchester Airport without it just becoming another 2 hour journey like the St Helens to Manchester service mentioned earlier. I can't see this happening.

[moreton407]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
I'd like to see Stagecoach come into Wallasey somehow. My partner works in Ellesmere Port and an Arriva Day/monthly Ticket was perfect to get to/from work.

Now with Arriva coming off the 2 and the Quality Partnership out the window, he's now paying for 2 tickets.

I don't know how or where Stagecoach could go without stepping on Arriva's toes.

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Would getting a Trio not be better? Get a Bus from Wallasey to the nearest Station on the Port Line then use the Train there

[Raawwwrrr!]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(01/08/2016 07:39)wirralbus Wrote:  If it was a straight fight between train and bus on each corridor the train would win on time and probably Stagecoach or equivalent would win on price , so you have to balance one out against the other.

A single advance fare between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly is £3 each way (£2 with railcard) This includes valid boarding at either St Helens or Newton Le Willows. Much cheaper than anybus service or coach could compete with.

[E400]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Stagecoach won't venture into Arriva's territory in Wallasey. I was speaking to some Stagecoach high level management (national, not local) earlier this year and they said that their long term plan for Merseyside was to hit their major competition hard. That competition is of course car drivers. We're seeing marketing well placed to attract car drivers - in car parks in Liverpool, on petrol pumps, backs of buses etc.

They explicitly stated that Arriva is not so much competition on Merseyside, as they are 'partners'. Merseyside is Arriva's heartland - they have spent unbelievable amounts of money on a modern fleet and while Stagecoach has also spent a fortune, their fleet is much smaller and their geographic distribution and capacity throughout Merseyside is limited at best. Stagecoach would be stupid to upset Arriva, because they would likely come off worse in Merseyside. They are better targeting the likes of Halton and Avon, or capitalising on the collapse of operators, such as GHA, which they are playing a leading role in.

Stagecoach has no need to venture into Wallasey, and as was established yesterday, they have virtually no space in Rock Ferry to store the additional vehicles that these routes would undoubtedly require.

[R879 HRF]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(01/08/2016 08:49)T42 PVM Wrote:  Would getting a Trio not be better? Get a Bus from Wallasey to the nearest Station on the Port Line then use the Train there

But would cost a fortune, more than buying separate arriva and stagecoach weekly. Don't forget an all zone trio is needed to venture from hooton to e Ellesmere port and Chester.

Weekly All Zone trio is £36.70, an arriva and stagecoach weekly together come out at 28.50 I think.

[R879 HRF]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
3 more enviro 200 mmc have arrived at Rock Ferry, bringing the total to 5.

[Barney]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(01/08/2016 19:36)Dentonian Wrote:  Virgin/X-Country: Better value but long connection in Crewe and Chester leg full, not least due to Students etc thinking seats are for their suitcases not fare-paying passengers.

Why single out students? Why not just say people? In my experience, it's middle-aged people with several shopping bags who hog two seats.

[childwallblues]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(01/08/2016 19:36)Dentonian Wrote:  Not sure how this works. Just looked at Manchester to St. Helens (any station) Single (Off-peak) and the cheapest tomorrow or in 19 days time is £7.90! Notwithstanding, I was going to say that apart from access to remote Rail Stations being a major issue for those without a car, a bus ticket for an individual journey or Day's travel is bought on the day. No worrying about if the weather is going to ruin your day; whether you may be ill; whether something else crops up etc. etc. Obviously, regular travellers is a completely different market.

As regards Manchester to Chester, what seems to be a lot of choice on paper, doesn't work out in practice:

NatEx: Reasonably cheap and quick, but effectively only one round trip a day and always fully booked in advance in Summer

Northern Rail: Slow, labouriuos and not very comfortable.

Arriva TW: Very expensive

Virgin/X-Country: Better value but long connection in Crewe and Chester leg full, not least due to Students etc thinking seats are for their suitcases not fare-paying passengers.

As for Runcorn: Since the X3(?) was withdrawn some years ago, I wouldn't know where to start to get there.

A little bit of ingenuity can get you a long way.

Assuming that you are over 60 you can do Runcorn with a train to Warrington and the bus. Similarly for St Helens you can buy a concession Wayfarer (£6) from your local station to Newton-le -Willows and a bus.