Impera Bus & Coach

[M113 YKC]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach

(08/05/2013 00:02)First Class Wrote:  Don't know about the Wirral side, but every Impera bus I've seen heading TOWARDS Birkenhead has been COMPLETELY empty. (Although I obviously don't know the full picture).

On bank-holiday Monday, the 15:23 98 (2510) from Liverpool left about half full and then collected a few more passengers from Birkenhead Bus Station, consequently leaving there nearly full! I was on the same journey on Sunday and it didn't pick-up as many passengers, but it did have people on it.

Also, I was on the 1A from Liverpool to New Brighton on the evening of the first day and it left Liverpool about half full. I must be seeing a different side to the 1A than other people as it's nearly-always popular when I see it!

(08/05/2013 00:02)First Class Wrote:  The only time passengers tend to use it is if the Impera bus is the first one to show up at Birkenhead Bus Station for Liverpool, and, only then, if they have ENCTS passes.

From Birkenhead Bus Station, yes. As far as I know, the main idea of the 1A is to provide a quick service from New Brighton and Seacombe to Birkenhead and Liverpool. The main idea of the 98 is to link Noctorum with Liverpool and Moreton.

Today marks the tenth day that Impera's new services have started and they certainly seem popular to me, especially for services which haven't been around for more than two weeks.

(08/05/2013 00:02)First Class Wrote:  You've got Arriva with brand new hybrid buses, wifi, leather seating, fairly large range of tickets & passes, running 20+ buses / hour through the tunnels. Stagecoach are catching up, fairly new double deckers, their cross river buses on the 1/2 deep cleaned/refurbished. I think Stagecoach may be a sleeping giant at the moment, with major changes planned.

Passengers will not be loyal to Arriva because their buses are brand-new, hybrid and feature wi-fi. They're most-likely going to board the cheapest, which is Impera (£3.50 day ticket and £12.00 weekly ticket). No, Impera don't operate 20 buses per hour from Birkenhead to Liverpool, but that isn't the aim of their services - the aim is to create new and better links from areas.

[R879 HRF]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach
From what I've observed my thoughts are very similar to that of First Class, every time I see an impera bus through the tunnel its been empty. Also noticed 2 of the routes seem to go from Birkenhead at the same time (not sure if its timetabled to or not, ive not checked) but running the buses through the tunnel so close together probably isn't helping too much.

Don't get me wrong, the routes seem to be picking up very well, just not through the tunnel, or not when I've seen them anyway! I'm sure once management have monitored the first few weeks of the route, they will make any changes they feel are needed and over time passengers will learn their options and choose whichever is their preference. Although most of the time, passengers don't pay attention to who runs the route unless theyre using a company specific pass, they'll just get on whichever goes their way first!

[busdude]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach
I was on 2568 on saturday afternoon going to liverpool, and all the seats were taken

also i think the reason why the 98 seems to be so empty is because it comes 3 minutes after the 407 in Liverpool, and on sunday it comes 6 minutes after a 423. These 2 are the main buses which go to Moreton from Liverpool.

I have noticed as well, people who live on the noctorum and beechwood still havent clicked on that there is a liverpool bus that goes through both estates and they are still resorting to get the 437 from Upton Station, especially in the mornings i see people who live on the Beechwood get the 495 to Laird Street and get a 407/437 over to Liverpool

Hopefully it will pick up soon, along with the 1A

[First Class]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach

Quote:Passengers will not be loyal to Arriva because their buses are brand-new, hybrid and feature wi-fi. They're most-likely going to board the cheapest, which is Impera (£3.50 day ticket and £12.00 weekly ticket). No, Impera don't operate 20 buses per hour from Birkenhead to Liverpool, but that isn't the aim of their services - the aim is to create new and better links from areas.

Whilst deviating away slightly, I think brand loyalty and identity is actually quite strong with Arriva. I don't subscribe to the idea that passengers simply get the first bus that turns up.

Quality over quantity. Whilst Impera's day/week tickets may be cheaper, this is reflective of the MASSIVE reduction in services, most of the people commuting need flexibility. You also have the advantage of the Arriva/Stagecoach ticket partnerships, as well as the not insignificant numbers of students who are given the free Arriva Student tickets whilst in full time education at Liverpool Community College.

That said, Impera missed a big trick with Catch the Bus Week. They could have sent staff to the busier bus stops with free day tickets along with some publicity and got the commuters giving it a trial!
Still not too late!

[wirralbus]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach

(08/05/2013 12:27)busdude Wrote:  I was on 2568 on saturday afternoon going to liverpool, and all the seats were taken

also i think the reason why the 98 seems to be so empty is because it comes 3 minutes after the 407 in Liverpool, and on sunday it comes 6 minutes after a 423. These 2 are the main buses which go to Moreton from Liverpool.

I have noticed as well, people who live on the noctorum and beechwood still havent clicked on that there is a liverpool bus that goes through both estates and they are still resorting to get the 437 from Upton Station, especially in the mornings i see people who live on the Beechwood get the 495 to Laird Street and get a 407/437 over to Liverpool

Hopefully it will pick up soon, along with the 1A

I think you may find particulary in the Beechwood Estate the passengers would expect a liverpool service to be going towards Bidston and not away from Bidston a bit of psychology.

[busdude]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach

(08/05/2013 13:38)wirralbus Wrote:  I think you may find particulary in the Beechwood Estate the passengers would expect a liverpool service to be going towards Bidston and not away from Bidston a bit of psychology.

I wonder if it would be a good idea to make the 98 into a circular service, like the 498/499. Instead of going left towards moreton, make it go right to go along laird street and back into Birkenhead then into Liverpool

And to maintain the moreton link in Beechwood extend the 47 back into Moreton but re-route to go along Upton road, ford hill, then into Beechwood, Moreton then into Saughall Massie.

[wirralbus]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach

(08/05/2013 13:49)busdude Wrote:  

(08/05/2013 13:38)wirralbus Wrote:  I think you may find particulary in the Beechwood Estate the passengers would expect a liverpool service to be going towards Bidston and not away from Bidston a bit of psychology.

I wonder if it would be a good idea to make the 98 into a circular service, like the 498/499. Instead of going left towards moreton, make it go right to go along laird street and back into Birkenhead then into Liverpool

Operationally it would be better for the vehicle to go to Moreton for driver changes and vehicle exchanges , remote driver changes cost money.

[R557 ABA]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach
I managed to catch up with the Pulsar 2 this afternoon, sadly my camera didn't pick up the LED's though.

[CX54 DKD (Moderator)]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach
Out of interest, are the bonded windows a more expensive option (hence not appearing on the Arriva examples)? Apologies for moving somewhat off-topic.

[motormayhem]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach
Its a bit more expensive but i think the main problem is changing them as once you replace one it as to stay off the road for upto 24 hrs,so time off the road equals bus not making a profit if you get what i mean.