Arriva Strike

[iMarkeh]

RE: Arriva Strike

(26/11/2017 00:01)CX06 EBK Wrote:  As someone who works at a smaller firm, I would resent being sent out on an Arriva route while we are being paid well below what they are even before what they are striking for, I think that would be the case for many fellow drivers. Arrivas strike make St Helens a ghost town, having driven around there on many of the strike days and will probably have a very negative effect on many of the tenders up there with prolonged strikes.

It may be annoying but Stagecoach run on a lot of Arriva routes. Link Network run along the 329. HTL run the 156 which is the same route as Arriva until Blackbrook. There is no reason why things like that can't happen. Yes it is annoying but the public think better then of your company and it opens up competition possibilities and traders will think much better of you.

St Helens is strange on a strike day. Partly due to the lack of buses but also those who can use other services are unaware of their options. Independants maybe run hourly on Arrivas 20 minute sections. When you head out and wait for a bus, the likelihood that you see the smaller bus, know minor details about it etc is very low. People know Arriva and stick to it rather than walk an extra few hundred metres and get another bus or even check online to see what else is available. Look at how busy the 31 gets. I can tell you for certain that all those people do not get the Link 329 or Hattons 140. Whether that is due to people not knowing of the services or due to the running times, obviously only the 31 passengers will know however the point stands that all those passengers do not walk the extra minute or two to the local service or simply don't know the other companies exist or think the route goes no where. That is the problem with every area right now in Merseyside and Runcorn. If people knew of the alternatives, very few would end up inconvenienced. I think independants may start expanding their services soon knowing of the commuter times and the money made on those trips.