Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

[Liamkennedy2231]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

(31/12/2020 07:26)Gillmoss 0324 Wrote:  I thought the same about the X1. The only thing that might save it is if it became a M-F peak service, the thing with that is it's got to be 100% reliable if not you'll kill any passenger loyalty for the route. That won't be easy when it's coming in/out of gridlock especially at those peak times as/when we get over this Covid problem.

Making it peak only will also put costs on an operator like Arriva/MP Travel or anyone else looking to take that on as it will need a fair bit of resources to ensure it remains reliable, I think some of Arriva's Liverpool services have had to have things like extra recovery time and changeover vehicles on standby to ensure the routes keep to time as let's say over the last 15-20 or so years the city has become very gridlocked whether or not the initiatives during these years have tried to have the best intentions not to lead to this.

Could another solution be introducing a 82X which runs like the X1 (Limited Stop) from Runcorn to Speke Boulevard then becomes a stopping service from there to the city.

Just out of interest do many passengers use the 79C/82A's from Runcorn to Liverpool? I can see them being used to Widnes but beyond to Runcorn wouldn't it be quicker to bus it to Runcorn station and use the train from Lime Street. Also has the train had a impact on how successful a express like the X1 can be?

Again as things stand bus operation is all on profit and demand and if these are low or impacted by things like Covid services will be cut/withdrawn. Sadly I think it's all over for the X1 even the X30's can't be that safe either?

From my experience theres staggered loads of passengers that board the bus as it goes along, i.e. some passengers board at Runcorn and alight in Widnes, where another lot of passengers board to Coronation Drive/Arley Drive Estates or Liverpool. I’d say the 79C is the more arterial of the two you mention, though they both get decent loadings.

I think the convenience of the X1 is that it stops pretty much on the doorstep of most Runcorn residents due to housing estates being purposely built close to the busway, therefore compared with the bus, it would be an extra step to get the train, as they might well have to get the bus to the station anyway. Cost is another big one, as train season tickets are simply way too expensive compared to a £16 weekly you can use on any Arriva service in Merseyside, Halton or Warrington.

As for changes to increase sustainability, there’s been talks in the past about diverting it to the Airport to replace, or part thereof, the 500, but Arriva then ruled it out as “passengers appreciate the directness of the service”.