Operator Competition in the North West

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(25/05/2014 17:40)126th street Wrote:  But is it surprising that Stagecoach Manchester responded robustly to an incursion on to the 192? It's clearly a good paying route and it's natural that they would strike back. UK North provided nothing whatsoever that Stagecoach didn't already, and their stupidly low fares have contributed to the instability seen in the South Manchester bus market until recently. And that came from Peter Shipp, someone who knows about these things.

UK North instigated the battle on the 192s and they got what anyone with a modicum of knowledge about running buses could see was coming. As has been said by Dentionian. the end fo UKN came when one of their drivers who could speak either no or very little English killed a bloke who happened to be working in a cherry picker.

Two of its directors then spending time in one of the government's hotels tells its own story. As with one or two others who have gone over the past few years, the bus industry is well rid of UK North.

I agree with your point regarding Cumfybus, however.

The streets of Manchester are a safer place now UK North is no longer around but in my opinion Stagecoach did take a very strange interest in seeing them taken off the road for good.

What I find more worrying is that operators like UK North and more recently JPT are allowed to operate in such terrible conditions. Vehicle standards were appalling and customer service wasn't much better, and what's more worrying is that there are still operators around who operate a 'turn up when they want' timetable and thier vehicles are in a very visable poor condition.