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New arrivals here via Ensign are former Golden Tours and Stagecoach North East (Loan) Volvo B9TL MCV DD103s BF62UYN, BF62UYP, BV13ZCZ and BF63HEJ.

More new arrivals here are Volvo B9TL Wright Gemini 2s BN61MXA, BN61MXB, BN61MXD, BN61MXE, BN61MXH and KE12EOY (WB12POT).

Seems Atlantic are in front of the Traffic Commissioner

Public Inquiry (86288) to be held at The Public Inquiry Room (Warrington), WA3 2SH, Suite 4, Stone
Cross Place, Stone Cross Lane North, Golborne, Warrington, on 1 November 2022 commencing at
10:00
PC1078893 SI
ATLANTIC TRAVEL (GB) LIMITED
Director(s): YASSER AHMED DEAN
MIKAR BUSINESS PARK, NORTHOLT DRIVE, BOLTON, BL3 6RE
S17 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act
1981)
S28 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 28 (The Transport Act 1985)

And their Transport Manager:

TM Public Inquiry (Case ID: 447163, Public Inquiry ID: 97519) for Mr YASSER AHMED DEAN to
be held at The Public Inquiry Room (Warrington), WA3 2SH, Suite 4, Stone Cross Place, Stone Cross
Lane North, Golborne, Warrington,
on 1 November 2022 commencing at 10:00
to consider the repute and professional competence of this TM - Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No
1071/2009

(07/09/2022 20:19)T42 PVM Wrote: [ -> ]Seems Atlantic are in front of the Traffic Commissioner

Public Inquiry (86288) to be held at The Public Inquiry Room (Warrington), WA3 2SH, Suite 4, Stone
Cross Place, Stone Cross Lane North, Golborne, Warrington, on 1 November 2022 commencing at
10:00
PC1078893 SI
ATLANTIC TRAVEL (GB) LIMITED
Director(s): YASSER AHMED DEAN
MIKAR BUSINESS PARK, NORTHOLT DRIVE, BOLTON, BL3 6RE
S17 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act
1981)
S28 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 28 (The Transport Act 1985)

And their Transport Manager:

TM Public Inquiry (Case ID: 447163, Public Inquiry ID: 97519) for Mr YASSER AHMED DEAN to
be held at The Public Inquiry Room (Warrington), WA3 2SH, Suite 4, Stone Cross Place, Stone Cross
Lane North, Golborne, Warrington,
on 1 November 2022 commencing at 10:00
to consider the repute and professional competence of this TM - Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No
1071/2009

Both Transport Managers. The TM Public Inquiry for David Horrocks that is listed in the N&P is also an Atlantic one (I've not got the N&P with me at the moment but I think both inquiries may actually be the same hearing). Mr Horrocks is also the named TM for their new "Atlantic Limousines Ltd" venture that was granted a licence in the N&P just a few weeks ago.

Northern have been depending on Atlantic heavily recently to supply RRBs when they cancel services. Some of the reports I've heard aren't positive though. One was a bus arriving 50 minutes behind schedule at Altrincham, stopping in the wrong place and then the driver attempted to drive off without picking anyone up, only for a staff member of staff to flag down the bus as it was leaving.

(08/09/2022 14:55)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]Northern have been depending on Atlantic heavily recently to supply RRBs when they cancel services. Some of the reports I've heard aren't positive though. One was a bus arriving 50 minutes behind schedule at Altrincham, stopping in the wrong place and then the driver attempted to drive off without picking anyone up, only for a staff member of staff to flag down the bus as it was leaving.

Atlantic are shocking as an operator but what can they provide that Arriva Road Transport like.... Price and quick to action. When the call comes, they are there and they are of a reasonable price. That's the issue. Everyone can get rid of them off their systems but then, when it hits the fan, it will come back on the rail replacement provider for not being able to provide the amount of transport needed. There aren't many people in the local area on the rail replacement portals, if they are on them, they certainly don't turn up as quickly as Atlantic do.

(08/09/2022 20:25)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]Atlantic are shocking as an operator but what can they provide that Arriva Road Transport like.... Price and quick to action. When the call comes, they are there and they are of a reasonable price. That's the issue. Everyone can get rid of them off their systems but then, when it hits the fan, it will come back on the rail replacement provider for not being able to provide the amount of transport needed. There aren't many people in the local area on the rail replacement portals, if they are on them, they certainly don't turn up as quickly as Atlantic do.

I never had any issues with them on RR as a controller. Others did they are good on the routes they tend to do all the time as they know it and the drivers know the stops. Manchester to Altrincham is not as simple as other RR routes the mid cheshire line is one not many drivers know or like.

They seem to go very much out their way to do Rail Reps as I'm sure earlier this year they were doing Rail Replacements down in West Midlands.

(08/09/2022 21:29)Mrboo Wrote: [ -> ]I never had any issues with them on RR as a controller. Others did they are good on the routes they tend to do all the time as they know it and the drivers know the stops. Manchester to Altrincham is not as simple as other RR routes the mid cheshire line is one not many drivers know or like.

It's rare to see RRBs departing Knutsford to schedule. The operators I have seen running reasonable punctual RRBs include MP Travel, Howards, D&G Bus and APH. I think there was a Welsh coach hire company once as well. In the past I've seen Bullocks and Selwyns running punctual RRBs but it's been a while since I've seen either of them running one.

Now that APH have their airport work back, that perhaps loses an option. D&G aren't likely to have large vehicles spare except in the evenings or on Sundays.

Northern control seem to have the idea one Mid Cheshire RRB starting at Chester/Stockport/Manchester, running all stops towards the Knutsford area and then doing set-down only, with a further bus starting short in the Knutsford area. This doesn't reflect rail usage levels - at busy times you need at least 3 vehicles to replace one train on the Altrincham to Greenbank section, Knutsford passengers alone may fill a single RRB. And Northern only request RRBs if at least 2 consecutive services are cancelled.

The sensible approach would be (in order):
1. Arrange ticket acceptance with Metrolink for Altrincham to Manchester
2. Attempt to source at least 3 RRBs (more if only minibuses can be sourced)
3. If only one can be sourced initially get it running between the main stops on the Greenbank to Altrincham section (i.e. including Northwich, Knutsford and Hale). Obviously if the bus is coming from Chester, don't run it out-of-service to Greenbank, or if it's coming from Stockport don't run it out-of-service to Altrincham!
4. Then look at Chester to Greenbank (a less busy section)
5. Then look at Altrincham to Stockport (a busy section but if there's ticket acceptance with Metrolink, then there's an alternative)
6. Then look at ensuring the villages aren't left out.

Obviously, revise the approach depending on the time of day e.g. if schools will be finishing, or there's been special events on e.g. Chester Races, Old Trafford cricket etc.

Also vary depending on the reason. If only one bus is available and it's an infrastructure problem that'll take hours to resolve, keep a shuttle running between Greenbank and Altrincham.

(09/09/2022 05:45)M60lad Wrote: [ -> ]They seem to go very much out their way to do Rail Reps as I'm sure earlier this year they were doing Rail Replacements down in West Midlands.

Unless there's another operator with a similar name, Elite (based in Sale) were running RRBs well east of the Pennines the other day.