I think 1 trip an hour could serve rainford station and 1 trip an hour straight through the village and onto ormskirk and would only need 1 extra bus in the 38 pvr and just number the ormskirk one 39 and then get a subsidy off lancashire c.c and merseytravel to help fund it as im sure arriva could make a slight profit.
A better idea would be for Arriva to extend the 395 into St Helens (thus dropping the need for the service to interwork with the 352). As well as a replacement for the 319, it would also open up new travel opportunities as well as a better link for Edge Hill students coming from the Skelm/Wigan direction. A possibility being that the service could also replace the EL1 (admittedly at a reduced frequency) and serve the grounds of Edge Hill.
The problem is that not enough passengers use the 319. I went from St. Helens to Ormskirk today, and there were only 4 passengers on the Rainford - Ormskirk section, and I think that 3 of those had concessionary passes....
(30/03/2015 21:32)Bevan Price Wrote: [ -> ]The problem is that not enough passengers use the 319. I went from St. Helens to Ormskirk today, and there were only 4 passengers on the Rainford - Ormskirk section, and I think that 3 of those had concessionary passes....
Sadly I encountered a similar number of passengers when I used the service on Saturday. It is a possibility if the service went furthet as I'm suggesting that it may generate more traffic. I mean I wonder how much would be generated from having a direct Skelm - St Helens link.
There can't be that much demand for a St Helens to Skelm service as the Strawberry 1 didn't last long.
(30/03/2015 21:52)St Helens Rider Wrote: [ -> ]Sadly I encountered a similar number of passengers when I used the service on Saturday. It is a possibility if the service went furthet as I'm suggesting that it may generate more traffic. I mean I wonder how much would be generated from having a direct Skelm - St Helens link.
Not much - Skem people are more likely to travel to Wigan or Ormskirk / Southport than to St. Helens, and Skem has not much to attract visitors from St. Helens unless they have relatives there.
Apart from Edge Hill University, Ormskirk mainly attracts passengers from St. Helens on Thursdays (Market Day). A few others travel via Ormskirk to catch an Arriva bus onwards to Southport - but as Fairway found out, there were not enough passengers (without passes) to support a St. Helens - Southport through service.
Some trips get busy Mon - Fri as a lot of Students use the Service for Edge Hill uni and other people do use the Service to Ormskirk, The Saturday Service loadings have dropped over the last couple of years however i feel thats down to the in frequent Service provided, I would rather go via Orrell than time myself for it on Sat's
Noted today on the EL1 Edge Hill University shuttle was Optare Versa hybrid OP07 ARE.
(31/03/2015 12:07)DEM777Y Wrote: [ -> ]Noted today on the EL1 Edge Hill University shuttle was Optare Versa hybrid OP07 ARE.
This has been on this route for a few days now. Wonder if it will become the regular allocation? Have the rest of the Ultralows been withdrawn now then? Thanks.
Their Flolines and i still have 2 down in Service, cant be long before their gone tho