Going back to the C56 change. Could it be actually that stagecoach are making the change to upgrade the service and make it gold? As we know it's becoming a 5a which will do a normal 5 to huntington but extend to wrexham. Arriva have the sapphire to wrexham. If stagecoach have the Gold it might persuade passengers to use the stagecoach service. I know its not quite as quick but sometimes on the 1 you can get caught up in all sorts of jams on the a483. Just a thought that was debated in the canteen yesterday.
(15/08/2018 21:22)clarkethomas94 Wrote: [ -> ]Going back to the C56 change. Could it be actually that stagecoach are making the change to upgrade the service and make it gold? As we know it's becoming a 5a which will do a normal 5 to huntington but extend to wrexham. Arriva have the sapphire to wrexham. If stagecoach have the Gold it might persuade passengers to use the stagecoach service. I know its not quite as quick but sometimes on the 1 you can get caught up in all sorts of jams on the a483. Just a thought that was debated in the canteen yesterday.
Looking at the registrations, it is no longer becoming a 5a. It will just show up as a 5 to Wrexham with Huntington essentially becoming 'short hops'. It is certainly Stagecoach who put forward the idea of the link. Not the councils (Hence the 41C). Currently it gets busy running every 2 hours so increasing the frequency might help get a few more passengers. The major point as well is the lack of time. They keep running 20 minutes late currently due to the lack of time in the mornings and the fact the bus runs dead M-F from Chester to Wrexham. Linking with the 5 eliminates that dead running therefore meaning the majority of trips should run without delay. Also extra 'commuter' trips between Holt and Chester may help quite a few people.
Further to all the above, it is extended to Wrexham General train station and every other bus conveniently goes at 26 mins past. If the train is delayed or cancelled (always a 20 past departure from Wrexham into Chester), you can catch the bus literally outside a few minutes later (also means you don't have to hope for parking at Wrexham Bus Station).
Finally, I don't think the 5 makes much. The only reason it is so often is because the Crown Fields development fund the 5. Linking with the C56 enables Stagecoach to cross subsidise to make that little bit more money using the same amount of buses.
The fact it is gold is just a bonus I think. Even without the gold, this is a great move which could make them a lot more not only with the existing passengers but the onward links to the train station for commuters but only the day tickets which can then be used to get to the zoo (which could grab a few more passengers from the Saph 1 as now the bus to Wrexham is more often, you are a bit more open to getting to/from chester at a time that suits the passengers not the bus company.
34793 broke down at Halton Lea.
(15/08/2018 21:22)clarkethomas94 Wrote: [ -> ]Going back to the C56 change. Could it be actually that stagecoach are making the change to upgrade the service and make it gold? As we know it's becoming a 5a which will do a normal 5 to huntington but extend to wrexham. Arriva have the sapphire to wrexham. If stagecoach have the Gold it might persuade passengers to use the stagecoach service. I know its not quite as quick but sometimes on the 1 you can get caught up in all sorts of jams on the a483. Just a thought that was debated in the canteen yesterday.
The logic against that thought, could be passengers are more likely to still catch the Arriva & use Arriva's own day tickets ecc, especially if the passenger is coming from the Wrexham area & need to use local Wrexham services operated by Arriva, also the Arriva 1 can be followed on the Arriva live map app, the Stagecoach app is useless, no live map, & still has the 38 going to Heswall from my local 38 stop, & the 38 West Kirby-Heswall section was withdrawn a couple of years ago.
Consdiering Chester are getting the B9TL Geminis from Gillmoss shortly can someone clear something up for me, will they be ok on X2 Runcorn-Chester route? Only I've been told by someone that they won't fit under the railway bridge on the main road just after Frodsham yet someone else has told me that they will fit no problem.
looking at google maps that bridge is sign posted at 14ft 6". no idea how high the B9TL Geminis are though. We used to have an inch to spare with the double deckers going under the bridge in Marshlands Road, Neston on the 22/A to West Kirby
(19/08/2018 08:25)M60lad Wrote: [ -> ]Consdiering Chester are getting the B9TL Geminis from Gillmoss shortly can someone clear something up for me, will they be ok on X2 Runcorn-Chester route? Only I've been told by someone that they won't fit under the railway bridge on the main road just after Frodsham yet someone else has told me that they will fit no problem.
I think the Gemini's are more for the X8 rather than the X2 my guess is a couple of 400s will be retained for the X2
(19/08/2018 08:43)60008 Wrote: [ -> ]looking at google maps that bridge is sign posted at 14ft 6". no idea how high the B9TL Geminis are though. We used to have an inch to spare with the double deckers going under the bridge in Marshlands Road, Neston on the 22/A to West Kirby
I think the height is around 13'11 so not much room to spare
(19/08/2018 09:31)chester285 Wrote: [ -> ]I think the height is around 13'11 so not much room to spare
The bridge at frodsham is 14'6 so they should be ok.