Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

[iMarkeh]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot
Just to inform everyone, Merseytravel has put the X1 out to tender (starting 22nd Feb until 3rd April) on the same timetable as current. Let's wait and see if it gets awarded.
https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert...0c29c9ba21

Quote: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bus operation is all on profit and demand and if these are low or impacted by things like Covid services will be cut/withdrawn.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?

Buses are being subsidised by the government though to keep vehicles running at 100% and to basically support operators until the revenue returns. Surely cutting services goes against the whole point of the funding.

For the X30, surely that can't be on it's way out? It's quite busy and has a decent amount of people paying on the bus (as well as passes topping that up). Fares are extortionate as well so they must get a decent reimbursement off passes. Unless demand has dropped off massively, I don't think the X30 will be going anywhere and if it does (and providing Stagecoach see sense), it will be replaced quickly since it has potential. It's the sort of route which if given the sort of love and attention which Transdev give some of their routes, you could see massive growth.

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

(31/12/2020 11:32)iMarkeh Wrote:  Just to inform everyone, Merseytravel has put the X1 out to tender (starting 22nd Feb until 3rd April) on the same timetable as current. Let's wait and see if it gets awarded.
https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert...0c29c9ba21


Buses are being subsidised by the government though to keep vehicles running at 100% and to basically support operators until the revenue returns. Surely cutting services goes against the whole point of the funding.

For the X30, surely that can't be on it's way out? It's quite busy and has a decent amount of people paying on the bus (as well as passes topping that up). Fares are extortionate as well so they must get a decent reimbursement off passes. Unless demand has dropped off massively, I don't think the X30 will be going anywhere and if it does (and providing Stagecoach see sense), it will be replaced quickly since it has potential. It's the sort of route which if given the sort of love and attention which Transdev give some of their routes, you could see massive growth.

Unless i am looking in the wrong place the end date i see is 22/08/21

[iMarkeh]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

(31/12/2020 11:35)T42 PVM Wrote:  Unless i am looking in the wrong place the end date i see is 22/08/21

On the timetable PDF, it shows the dates that I have put. Not sure which is true. Thanks for highlighting the other dates shown.
http://prntscr.com/wdm1bu

[motormayhem1]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot
The thing with the X30 is that it really isn't an Express or limited stop so that will be safe.

[Raawwwrrr!]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

(31/12/2020 11:35)T42 PVM Wrote:  Unless i am looking in the wrong place the end date i see is 22/08/21

It’s the estimated end date (based on funding being provided and the contract being successfully awarded)

[Raawwwrrr!]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot
It’s interesting that the contract is requiring a MINIMUM capacity of 70 on a single decker vehicle that’s less than 15 years of age and atleast euro 5.

This will limit most of the remaining local independents such as Ashcrofts.
If I’m not mistaken MP Travel have 4x single deckers that meet those requirements? (The 2x Eclipse, Eclipse Commuter and Evora) but don’t presently own a ‘spare’ that would also meet this requirements in the event of a breakdown? The MCV’s fall foul of capacity requirements.

Other potential operators could include Arriva, Warrington and Stagecoach who additionally all own large quantities of high capacity single deckers?

[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”.

[MTL0201]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot
I often caught the X1 before covid, loadings could be heaving towards Liverpool well into the morning/lunchtime off peak, then flips in the afternoon, even then quite a few passengers on the X1 going the reverse of the traffic flow, main issue is reliability, even early afternoon buses could often be 15-20 minutes late & later, didn't help there was so little layover time, about 5 minutes either end.

[Liamkennedy2231]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot

(31/12/2020 17:07)MTL0201 Wrote:  I often caught the X1 before covid, loadings could be heaving towards Liverpool well into the morning/lunchtime off peak, then flips in the afternoon, even then quite a few passengers on the X1 going the reverse of the traffic flow, main issue is reliability, even early afternoon buses could often be 15-20 minutes late & later, didn't help there was so little layover time, about 5 minutes either end.

The odd cancellation did annoy me, as did happen from time to time. Not exactly a short wait either at every 40 mins, sometimes waiting an hour due to the inconsistency of the timetable in the evening.

The issue I have with the new tender is pre-paid ticketing. If the new tender is not Arriva (highly likely it won't be), Daily and Weekly tickets can't be used, unless Merseytravel offer a grace period where they accept Arriva tickets on a temporary basis. After this though, if the successful bidder does not offer their own range of tickets or won't accept them due to it being a contracted service, there is an issue.

At the moment, Merseytravel's tickets do not cover the Halton area, apart from the young person's MyTicket. Therefore, if the above conditions are true, there will be no provision for Daily/Weekly ticketing provision for those travelling to/from Halton.

I'm hoping that some change will be brought in in time, such as an extension into the Halton area for Merseytravel passes, even just for the X1. Though really, if a young person can use a Merseytravel ticket in Halton, why can't everyone else? It has been said a few years back that they're looking into extending Solo tickets and the like into Halton, but as of yet nothing has come to fruition.

[Busway_Bob]

RE: Arriva North West - Runcorn Depot
Scrappers / V.O.R at the Depot (on the 01/01/21)

921 - LJ51 DDF (Dart)(Ex-North Wales)
1023 - RX18 LNH
1026 - RX18 LNJ
2469 - Y469 KNF
2542 - DK55 FYF
2726 - Y726 KNF
4104 - CX55 EAM
4211 - LJ51 DHX

1023 - RX18 LNH & 1026 - RX18 LNJ
https://www.flickr.com/photos/168682173@...ed-public/
4104 - CX55 EAM & 4211 - LJ51 DHX
https://www.flickr.com/photos/168682173@...ed-public/
And more pic's
https://www.flickr.com/photos/168682173@N04/

Pic's are by me