North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

[knutstransport]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

(20/03/2020 16:18)wirralbus Wrote:  Please this is a case of life and death , can we stop bickering about what Arriva have and havent done , the information will be made available as soon as possible.

Do be advised that these timetables may become obsolete as the situation goes on and further alterations may be needed .

We could even on public health grounds end up with no bus service at all and this is not scaremongering .

The transport industry needs to be careful in their approach to this.

Cutting routes where there's no viable alternative may mean essential workers, like care home workers and the receptionist at a doctor's surgery cannot get to work.

Reducing services may mean a higher average passenger number on the services which do run which could increase the chance of the virus spreading if one person carrying the virus travels on a bus.

Promising to run as many services as possible and then cancelling some at short notice due to drivers taking ill or having to self-isolate may mean people find themselves out of their homes for longer than they plan - increasing their risk of catching the virus.

One thing I've seen in shops (which I haven't yet heard any bus operators say) is asking customers to pay using contactless, unless they are unable to do so e.g. transaction amount too high or they don't have a contactless card.

Another thing operators need to consider is in the current circumstances it doesn't matter how many footprints you can see on the floor or how much mud has sprayed on to the exterior of the bus, in comparison to how much it matters than the things both drivers and passengers touch (like the poles and stop buttons) are regularly cleaned properly - in an ideal world this would be done when vehicles are sat around out-of-use between services.

[Bevan Price]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak
I fear that the reduction in passenger numbers, and fall in revenue will lead to a lot of operators following Halton Transport into financial oblivion.

And Boris & co. are very optimistic if they really think that the situation may ease in only 12 weeks -- think 12 to 18 months at least is the most likely situation, unless the scientists can produce a reliable vaccine at record speed....

[wirralbus]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak
they have said that in 2.5 years everybody will have had a form of this virus , so if you didnt get it this time around , youll get it on the return trip.

[iMarkeh]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

(21/03/2020 11:52)knutstransport Wrote:  The transport industry needs to be careful in their approach to this.

Cutting routes where there's no viable alternative may mean essential workers, like care home workers and the receptionist at a doctor's surgery cannot get to work.

Reducing services may mean a higher average passenger number on the services which do run which could increase the chance of the virus spreading if one person carrying the virus travels on a bus.

Promising to run as many services as possible and then cancelling some at short notice due to drivers taking ill or having to self-isolate may mean people find themselves out of their homes for longer than they plan - increasing their risk of catching the virus.

One thing I've seen in shops (which I haven't yet heard any bus operators say) is asking customers to pay using contactless, unless they are unable to do so e.g. transaction amount too high or they don't have a contactless card.

Another thing operators need to consider is in the current circumstances it doesn't matter how many footprints you can see on the floor or how much mud has sprayed on to the exterior of the bus, in comparison to how much it matters than the things both drivers and passengers touch (like the poles and stop buttons) are regularly cleaned properly - in an ideal world this would be done when vehicles are sat around out-of-use between services.

I half agree with this. While yes the industry needs to be careful not to overload the buses, If the passenger numbers have reduced as much as they say (20% fare payers, 75% concessionary), it might not be as bad. I do think that some of the reductions are too far. Saturday timetables seem to be the best course of action as that is a slight reduction normally at peak times and can lead to slight PVR reductions.
It's worth noting as well that these figures were from the past week. Since then, pubs and restaurants are being told to close and cafes becoming takeaway only. The schools have also been told to close meaning some journeys will be even quieter.
IF you have 6 deckers per hour carrying a max of 20 passengers at a time, taking it down to 5 buses per hour would only add 4 passengers onto each other bus. It's not a huge amount. Some of the more extreme examples though (Blacons have gone from every 10 to every 30 for example) could lead to a good few people crowding on the available buses.

On the point about contactless, bus operators are pushing for it on their socials and dedicated Covid-19 website pages but not really as much on the bus. That said, I paid for my ticket yesterday on an Arriva Chester bus and I paid with card and 3 ticket bits came out. Ticket, Receipt and a 3rd bit promoting using contactless to reduce contact. I and the driver were very confused that 3 bits came out but it made sense later on.

[SF07]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak
Stagecoach Manchester are going to withdraw their Magic Bus 143 and 147 services from Monday 23 March until further notice. They're also changing timetables for the 216, 219, 314, 325, 330, 347 and 383/384 from Wednesday 25 March, running reduced frequencies.

It'll mean reduced frequencies on services 9 and 10 in Wigan and services 142, 192, 201, 203, 216, 219, 250, 314, 325, 330, 347 and 383/384.

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and...s-services

Meanwhile, Go North West are asking key workers to get in touch with them if the timetable changes doesn't suit their work patterns and they'll see if they can make changes.

https://twitter.com/gnwbus/status/1241381793619640320

[knutstransport]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

(21/03/2020 16:30)iMarkeh Wrote:  The schools have also been told to close meaning some journeys will be even quieter.

I actually realised after my previous post mentioning the 188 that it is technically wrong to say Knutsford Academy will be closed. In fact, like all schools, they will remain open with very limited staff (except during the Easter holidays) so that the children of 'essential workers' can go there so their parents don't have to worry about taking time off for childcare arrangements.

[knutstransport]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

(21/03/2020 14:51)Bevan Price Wrote:  I fear that the reduction in passenger numbers, and fall in revenue will lead to a lot of operators following Halton Transport into financial oblivion.

And Boris & co. are very optimistic if they really think that the situation may ease in only 12 weeks -- think 12 to 18 months at least is the most likely situation, unless the scientists can produce a reliable vaccine at record speed....

While exact details are yet to be finalised yesterday the Chancellor announced that companies who have staff who are not currently needed due to reasons relating to COVID-19 should be able to go on a period of leave and get 80% of their usual pay funded by the government. In theory that should prevent loads of people moving to jobs in other sectors and leaving an industry with a staffing crisis after all this. Of course the drivers aren't the only cost in a bus operation but they are a significant cost.

Regarding the timescale certain people seem to think COVID-19 will be like the common flu with a seasonal element to it and delaying the peak to the summer will mean fewer people get it and the NHS are better equipped to cope. Of course if that is true and it doesn't go to plan the peak might come in November or December

[iMarkeh]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

(21/03/2020 16:48)SF07 Wrote:  It'll mean reduced frequencies on services 9 and 10 in Wigan and services 142, 192, 201, 203, 216, 219, 250, 314, 325, 330, 347 and 383/384.

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and...s-services

I do wonder how people on the 192 will cope. Down from every 3.3 minutes to every 5. Life changing for those people haha. I would have expected at least every 6 or 7.5 if the numbers are so down.

(21/03/2020 17:31)knutstransport Wrote:  I actually realised after my previous post mentioning the 188 that it is technically wrong to say Knutsford Academy will be closed. In fact, like all schools, they will remain open with very limited staff (except during the Easter holidays) so that the children of 'essential workers' can go there so their parents don't have to worry about taking time off for childcare arrangements.

Well, yes. I didn't think about that but the numbers using the school buses will be so few that the school buses may cease from next week. KEep them on for 1 week and see the loadings and go from there. Perhaps move to the school minibuses if there is a certified driver. Cheaper to pay for the school minibus for a few kids than a normal bus and driver.

[knutstransport]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

(21/03/2020 17:50)iMarkeh Wrote:  I do wonder how people on the 192 will cope. Down from every 3.3 minutes to every 5. Life changing for those people haha. I would have expected at least every 6 or 7.5 if the numbers are so down.

TfGM seem to think every 6 minutes is the right frequency on high demand services given that's the usual daytime frequency on the Metrolink core route. While every 5 minutes would provide a nice clockface timetable it would probably cost quite a bit more for no other real gain than having the nice timetable.

[iMarkeh]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

(21/03/2020 18:41)knutstransport Wrote:  TfGM seem to think every 6 minutes is the right frequency on high demand services given that's the usual daytime frequency on the Metrolink core route. While every 5 minutes would provide a nice clockface timetable it would probably cost quite a bit more for no other real gain than having the nice timetable.

Stagecoach don't literally run every 3.3 minutes, that is just how the 18 buses per hour works out on average. I don't think that though down to every 5 is much of a reduction if the passengers are down as much as has been reported. I suppose it is 6bph less but still doesn't seem a lot.

I am surprised the Metrolink hasn't reduced down to every 15 on each route or just drop some of the routes completely (Media City - Ashton and run the Eccles - Ashton via MediaCity. Also the Shaw - East Dids route and just run the Rochdale route).