Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

[BD51 YCT]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

(06/03/2021 01:00)Busway_Bob Wrote:  2541 have been V.O.R now

Oh ok, thanks for info.

[trixmax2000]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot
From the 11th April Timetable & Routes will be amended with buses no longer using the Mersey Gateway Bridge and revert to the SJB and West Bank,
This will also mean that the 61 will no longer serving Halton Road this was always the plan even with Halton Transport,
On average this will also be a saving of around 3 miles for each crossing

[NathanR]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot
2666 has a chunk of paintwork missing near the right passenger door, wonder how long it will be until it goes to St. Helens for a touch-up.

[Busway_Bob]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

(12/03/2021 20:43)NathanR Wrote:  2666 has a chunk of paintwork missing near the right passenger door, wonder how long it will be until it goes to St. Helens for a touch-up.

I know a Pulsar had a Sapphire livery panel next to the doors, over the wheel (about 2 months ago)(did not get the number) but I'll keep an eye out for 2666

[chris-s]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot
2698 in St Helens on back wall with heavy front RTA damage

[cfm146g]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

(10/03/2021 21:08)trixmax2000 Wrote:  From the 11th April Timetable & Routes will be amended with buses no longer using the Mersey Gateway Bridge and revert to the SJB and West Bank,
This will also mean that the 61 will no longer serving Halton Road this was always the plan even with Halton Transport,
On average this will also be a saving of around 3 miles for each crossing

Halton Council made it clear to the operators that when the SJB reopened all buses, whether on local service or not, would be charged on the Gateway bridge but local buses would not be charged on the SJB. This, they explained, was to ensure that the bus companies continued to serve the old town in Runcorn.
What that now means is that there is no option of a faster, more direct service like the 14A as was, between the new town and Widnes. I don't think that either Halton or Arriva intended to abandon the old town but I do think that if you want to encourage people to switch to public transport then forcing all the new town passengers to go on a ten minute detour around the old town to get to Widnes is counterproductive and a faster link could be worked in place of some of the other routes which seem to me to be overcovering some of the roads in the old town.

[jon1]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

(13/03/2021 20:36)cfm146g Wrote:  Halton Council made it clear to the operators that when the SJB reopened all buses, whether on local service or not, would be charged on the Gateway bridge but local buses would not be charged on the SJB. This, they explained, was to ensure that the bus companies continued to serve the old town in Runcorn.
What that now means is that there is no option of a faster, more direct service like the 14A as was, between the new town and Widnes. I don't think that either Halton or Arriva intended to abandon the old town but I do think that if you want to encourage people to switch to public transport then forcing all the new town passengers to go on a ten minute detour around the old town to get to Widnes is counterproductive and a faster link could be worked in place of some of the other routes which seem to me to be overcovering some of the roads in the old town.

Do you have a source on that. The doesn't appear to be any published legislation or bylaws that impose charging for PSV vehicles on the Mersey Gateway bridge.

That said, it does make some sense, lane discipline by bus drivers appears to be non existent.

[cfm146g]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

(16/03/2021 20:05)jon1 Wrote:  Do you have a source on that. The doesn't appear to be any published legislation or bylaws that impose charging for PSV vehicles on the Mersey Gateway bridge.

That said, it does make some sense, lane discipline by bus drivers appears to be non existent.

It was advised by Halton Council's transport officer. Local bus services are treated like local residents where a tag is supplied by Merseyflow for a small fee. In effect, no checks are made on whether the vehicle is in service or not once the tag is in use. But the rules are not made public because they only apply in very particular circumstances and Halton Council did intend to restrict the concession. I don't know whether Warrington buses qualify for tags or not because at the time the debate was had [and the block on the Gateway after the opening of the SJB was disputed] Warrington were not on the scene.

[jon1]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot
Sorry, just found it, it's covered in an ammendment to the transport act and does indeed only cover the SJB bridge. Seems an odd choice, most services naturally better over the SJB so most would operate that way anyway. Such a restriction only serves to dissuade operators from serving areas with routes near the new bridge though. Typical HBC.

Reading the legislation, Warrington, do qualify for free passage as local service is a specific legal term as defined in the transport act 1985 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/198...al-service

[Barney]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

(16/03/2021 23:34)jon1 Wrote:  Sorry, just found it, it's covered in an amendment to the transport act and does indeed only cover the SJB bridge. Seems an odd choice, most services naturally better over the SJB so most would operate that way anyway. Such a restriction only serves to dissuade operators from serving areas with routes near the new bridge though. Typical HBC.

Reading the legislation, Warrington, do qualify for free passage as local service is a specific legal term as defined in the transport act 1985 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/198...al-service

Iirc, at one point all service buses operating through both Mersey tunnels were exempt from all charges in an attempt to encourage commuters out of cars and onto buses but this policy was withdrawn a few years ago and local operators now have to pay the the charge albeit with a Fastag discount.