Arriva Skelmersdale Closure One Year Anniversary

[M113 YKC]

RE: Arriva Skelmersdale Closure One Year Anniversary

(16/07/2012 08:55)skemnational Wrote:  This Saturday marks one Year since Skelmersdale Depot closed.I was one of the ones that thought it wouldnt work but all credit to Arriva they have made it work all buses seem to have been upgraided times seem better,Whats everyone think were Arriva right to shut Skelmersdale.

Well, the 345 and the 350 are no problem at Bootle - they're local services, in theory. Running them out of Skelmersdale was always a bit silly, in my opinion! The 311 is a bit different, though. Once a bus breaks down past Ormskirk, it's not usually replaced until the bus is due back in Aintree. Also, when the last bus breaks down in Skelmersdale and it isn't replaced (something which I've encountered myself!), what do you do? The only way to get back into Liverpool would be via Southport or Wigan and St Helens - or to pay on the train from Ormskirk (so every time I'm in Skelmersdale, I need to have spare money...).

The closure has come with advantages and disadvantages. Some advantages are better buses on the services and, the obvious one, ANW are saving money! The disadvantages, such as what's been mentioned above, are quite important to passengers, though, which are the main factor in all of this!

In my opinion, a small outstation in the area should have been opened to save lost mileage on the 311/312/375/385/395 (so the first buses would start there, rather than at their depots - but worked so that they start at the outstation and finish at the depot, so buses would be taking it in turns and wouldn't miss out on important maintenance). Either that, or a spare bus should be sat in Skelmersdale during Monday to Saturday daytimes (to cover Bootle, Southport and St Helens - the bus being for the driver of the broken bus to continue their duty, of course!).