Stagecoach MCSL - Gillmoss Depot

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach MCSL - Gillmoss Depot

(17/02/2019 07:30)childwallblues Wrote:  Perhaps the Enviro300 should work the X5 and use the deckers on the 17 and 19.

I fully agree. At least in the short term until the X5 proves it's got enough passengers for deckers.

(17/02/2019 07:35)EDB325 Wrote:  Like it or not, the trains are definitely quicker and more direct. I tried going from Liverpool to Warrington on service 7 a couple of years ago. I never knew there were so many estates in Huyton ! It took 75 minutes, three times longer than the train.

Oh,I fully agree. People quite often look down on buses though and won't even consider it an option. I would be willing to put money on the fact people use the train for trips where the bus is quicker and possibly more frequent. The 7 is possibly a bad example given the length of it. The X5 is around 20 mins longer than the train (30 mins longer than the East Midlands Trains when they run) but it is more frequent. The bus is less than half the price though. Much cheaper, guaranteed seat (on the coaches anyway). For the sake of 20 minutes, the price difference is massive.

(17/02/2019 10:25)buses7675 Wrote:  I believe it does do well on weekdays and is improving all the time. I've personally only been on Saturday trips which are always going to be quiet but even they've all had a good few on them.

I suppose the thing is, would you go all out and launch any new service with double deckers? Even the X8 started with Enviro 300s until that got busier and then it turned to a mix and now it is full deckers. When there are routes which suffer from peak overcrowding, wasting deckers on the X5 really isn't wise in the long run. Gold spec Enviro300s would be better I think as that is somewhat coach spec. You need to put buses on which suit the route. Fast kickdown Enviro300s should do it for on the expressway haha.