Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[YN05 WKE]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
19018, 19046 plus 1 other on 1 extra shuttles non stoppers from Liverpool to Cheshire Oaks this morning

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Would these not be better marketed as X1 and be registered just for the day to differentiate from the main service 1.

[CKC 312L]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
I agree Wirralbus maybe the services could be marketed as an X1 or at a push 1X and run Liverpool - Birkenhead Bus Station then via the M53 non-stop to Cheshire Oaks returning via the same route. Althouogh by doing this it could draw any potential and current passengers away from the X8 service which would then impact on that service

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
I Think on Boxing Day there would be more than enough passengers for a X1 and X8 service.

I do think Stagecoach and McArthurGlen will need to scratch there heads with regards traffic issues in the complex

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(27/12/2016 16:56)wirralbus Wrote:  I Think on Boxing Day there would be more than enough passengers for a X1 and X8 service.

I do think Stagecoach and McArthurGlen will need to scratch there heads with regards traffic issues in the complex

I have read recently that McArthur wish to revamp Cheshire Oaks, so hopefully something could be incorporated within these plans.

[CKC 312L]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
It is not up to Stagecoach to get involved in traffic congestion issues that is for Chester & Cheshire West Council and McArthur Glen to sit down and sort out Some work has been carried out to try and rectify the problems but unfortunately they are not working plus if you think the traffic is bad now it was worse years ago before they put in the traffic lights and the dedicated lanes for various destinations.
What Stagecoach can do though is some Market Research into what their passengers want I.E Do they want a direct express style service just to Cheshire Oaks on Boxing Day or would rather the existing pattern of a 20 Min frequency on the 1 and an 60 Min frequency on the X8 be enough for a Boxing Day

[E400]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(27/12/2016 18:14)CKC 312L Wrote:  It is not up to Stagecoach to get involved in traffic congestion issues that is for Chester & Cheshire West Council and McArthur Glen to sit down and sort out Some work has been carried out to try and rectify the problems but unfortunately they are not working plus if you think the traffic is bad now it was worse years ago before they put in the traffic lights and the dedicated lanes for various destinations.
What Stagecoach can do though is some Market Research into what their passengers want I.E Do they want a direct express style service just to Cheshire Oaks on Boxing Day or would rather the existing pattern of a 20 Min frequency on the 1 and an 60 Min frequency on the X8 be enough for a Boxing Day

Stagecoach is to some extent a very important stakeholder in Cheshire Oaks in that it supplies Cheshire Oaks with a regular service to the two local cities and Runcorn. They should absolutely be a part of the planning.

As for market research for 1 day a year - that just isn't economically feasible. Market research costs a lot of money, and even if they filled 4 buses an hour on Boxing Day, it wouldn't come close to covering the cost of the research. It's better to take a punt on it and see how it works out, and I'm sure they'll evaluate it fully in the new year to see if it was worthwhile.

[CKC 312L]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
I wouldn't say that Stagecoach is a very important stakeholder in Cheshire Oaks at all Yes they supply Cheshire Oaks with a regular service but that is all After all the way society is set up the car is king and the car will always come out on top against any form of public transport Cheshire Oaks attracts people from a wide area of Cheshire and Merseyside and to some extent North Wales and while it continues to attract people from those areas the traffic problem will always exist like it has done ever since it was built What bus companies need to do is make the bus a more attractive alternative to the car and only when that and public transport in general starts winning over car users will the traffic problems be sorted
As for market research it doesn't have to be expensive after all Stagecoach could do what they did when they were looking to put the 41/42 through the Croft Retail Park they could use drivers to carry out surveys on the buses and who says it has to be just for Boxing Day they could use the exercise to look at other busy times as well like the run up to Christmas etc
Personally I think that people are getting hung up on Cheshire Oaks traffic congestion when you look at most routes they get caught up in traffic congestion at various times during the day like the 41/42 at Croft Retail Park like the 1 in Liverpool,sometimes Birkenhead Tunnel and Chester especially on Chester Race Days

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Anyway getting back to Cheshire Oaks , every junction at cheshire Oaks this afternoon , had traffic management stopping and starting traffic otherwise it would be bedlam.

Now here is the next question who has the right to stop traffic on a public highway its only PCSO and Police isnt it , whereas within cheshire oaks it can be a private contractor.

These days since the extra exits out of the retail park at Bromborough exit from the retail park is no longer a real problem , the only problem now that needs looking at there is the traffic trying to enter the sight from Spital Road , through the two sets of traffic lights. I have on one occasion seen a Stagecoach vehicle block the junction to all traffic rather than wait the next set of lights .

[CKC 312L]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Correct the only person who can stop traffic on a public highway is a PCSO or a Police Officer usually areas such as Cheshire Oaks,the Trafford Centre etc it is left to their owners to sort out traffic management I don't know whether or not it is specialist staff or just left to the security staff that control the traffic in such cases.
The junction you are referring to in Bromborough is definitely a problem and my understanding is that a vehicle should not enter a junction unless the exit is empty and therefore the vehicle does not cause an obstruction On many occasions buses from both Stagecoach and Arriva (118/418 services) often block the junction off when turning right Unfortunately a lot of the problem is to do with the junction just beyond the lights that leads into the Retail Park as many drivers hog the left hand lane in Croft Avenue East to turn left at the later junction People using ASDA have no choice but to use that junction but those who are heading towards Currys,Smythes, KFC etc could just as easily use the outside lane at Croft Avenue East and go into the Retail Park from the roundabout at the back of ASDA