Upcoming service changes in Merseyside

[CX06 EBK (Administrator)]

RE: Upcoming service changes in Merseyside
Barney, staffing issues in this industry haven't exactly changed over the past few years and will get no better when franchising comes in, especially if it follows a model whereby they put MORE buses on around the Christmas period - the amount of 'sickness' absentees at this time of year should tell you all you need to know. Staff in the bus industry deserve better than knowing a week before weather or not they'll be working a Christmas period or not especially as often at times you can see what you're doing three weeks in advance.

As for the acceptence of tickets on Boxing Day, I think you'll find most staff at Stagecoach will be ignoring that as it goes given the amount of stress they will be under for the lack of Arriva services anyway. Certainly not worth the argument with people who just simply won't understand why that is suddenly the case.

As for the actual Christmas Day services - it really sums Merseytravel up. This year will be the seventh year in a row they have ran two services in St Helens that don't run for the other 364 days in a year. Given they could have ran a 17 in place of these between St Helens and Widnes (so still serving St Helens Hospital) but haven't shows you how little they care and the passenger numbers on those services will reflect that.

[Metroline1511]

RE: Upcoming service changes in Merseyside

(16/12/2023 14:03)CX06 EBK Wrote:  Barney, staffing issues in this industry haven't exactly changed over the past few years and will get no better when franchising comes in, especially if it follows a model whereby they put MORE buses on around the Christmas period - the amount of 'sickness' absentees at this time of year should tell you all you need to know. Staff in the bus industry deserve better than knowing a week before weather or not they'll be working a Christmas period or not especially as often at times you can see what you're doing three weeks in advance.

As for the acceptence of tickets on Boxing Day, I think you'll find most staff at Stagecoach will be ignoring that as it goes given the amount of stress they will be under for the lack of Arriva services anyway. Certainly not worth the argument with people who just simply won't understand why that is suddenly the case.

As for the actual Christmas Day services - it really sums Merseytravel up. This year will be the seventh year in a row they have ran two services in St Helens that don't run for the other 364 days in a year. Given they could have ran a 17 in place of these between St Helens and Widnes (so still serving St Helens Hospital) but haven't shows you how little they care and the passenger numbers on those services will reflect that.

Indeed, having routes run on Christmas Day that hardly anyone will even know, as they don't run on other days, will not inspire any confidence in passengers to even rely on them.

[motormayhem1]

RE: Upcoming service changes in Merseyside
As its been said the metro mayor and co just wants to boost there ego , as anyone been sacked for wasting upto £20 million plus more on infrastructure for the hydrogen buses ?
These have been sat there deteriorating with no sign of hitting the road and the longer they stay parked up the more faults etc they will pick up due to there electric systems.
All the money spent on 20 buses plus infrastructure could of bought a lot more fully electric powered buses that could of covered more than one route and would all be on the road earning revenue.
This hydrogen project just seems to be going the same way as the trams for merseyside project , a big waste of money with nothing to show for it in the end.

[PULSAR]

RE: Upcoming service changes in Merseyside
Here here

[buses7675 (Website Founder)]

RE: Upcoming service changes in Merseyside

(17/12/2023 17:12)motormayhem1 Wrote:  As its been said the metro mayor and co just wants to boost there ego , as anyone been sacked for wasting upto £20 million plus more on infrastructure for the hydrogen buses ?
These have been sat there deteriorating with no sign of hitting the road and the longer they stay parked up the more faults etc they will pick up due to there electric systems.
All the money spent on 20 buses plus infrastructure could of bought a lot more fully electric powered buses that could of covered more than one route and would all be on the road earning revenue.
This hydrogen project just seems to be going the same way as the trams for merseyside project , a big waste of money with nothing to show for it in the end.

I think a problem is that they could have worked, had fuel been available and the project was started back in 2018 when that wasn't expected to be a problem.

Agree 100% though that the longer the buses are sat out of use, the harder it will be to resurrect them at some point in the future as damp will get into them and cause issues over time.

[ashworth600]

RE: Upcoming service changes in Merseyside

(17/12/2023 17:12)motormayhem1 Wrote:  As its been said the metro mayor and co just wants to boost there ego , as anyone been sacked for wasting upto £20 million plus more on infrastructure for the hydrogen buses ?
These have been sat there deteriorating with no sign of hitting the road and the longer they stay parked up the more faults etc they will pick up due to there electric systems.
All the money spent on 20 buses plus infrastructure could of bought a lot more fully electric powered buses that could of covered more than one route and would all be on the road earning revenue.
This hydrogen project just seems to be going the same way as the trams for merseyside project , a big waste of money with nothing to show for it in the end.

would these be the gas buses at runcorn depot by any chance

[buses7675 (Website Founder)]

RE: Upcoming service changes in Merseyside

(17/12/2023 20:31)ashworth600 Wrote:  would these be the gas buses at runcorn depot by any chance

He refers to the hydrogen fuel cell ADL Enviro400FCEVs - there are 10 each at Arriva St Helens and Stagecoach Gillmoss.

They've seen very little use as yet since delivery due to problems of supply of hydrogen for them, caused by an apparent global shortage of hydrogen.

[childwallblues]

RE: Upcoming service changes in Merseyside
The Metro Mayor keeps quiet about his Hydrogen buses. He only does good news.

[dounowhoiam]

RE: Upcoming service changes in Merseyside
I know it seems rather backwards, but rather than currently wasting the resources on buying additional vehicles (due to these hydrogen buses not being fit for purpose) could they not be retrofitted to work with an alternate fuel source that is more readily avaliable?

Whilst I'm not anti-car (having an older one myself that I use when public transport is not feasible), it's definitely more helpful to have more double decker buses on routes that need it than at present - at least from what I've seen on the Greater Manchester side - of lack of capacity on routes where passengers are left behind and stuck in congestion due to the sheer number of cars on the road during rush hour.

[Neoplan N4009]

RE: Upcoming service changes in Merseyside

(18/12/2023 17:15)dounowhoiam Wrote:  I know it seems rather backwards, but rather than currently wasting the resources on buying additional vehicles (due to these hydrogen buses not being fit for purpose) could they not be retrofitted to work with an alternate fuel source that is more readily avaliable?

Whilst I'm not anti-car (having an older one myself that I use when public transport is not feasible), it's definitely more helpful to have more double decker buses on routes that need it than at present - at least from what I've seen on the Greater Manchester side - of lack of capacity on routes where passengers are left behind and stuck in congestion due to the sheer number of cars on the road during rush hour.

I think if they were CNG powered? Then there’d be a possibility, however it would be an expensive one at that. Despite most not turning a wheel I am sure they may be still under some sort of warranty. Probably a question for the Metro man who’s more interested in photo opportunities than actual infrastructure improvements.

I agree from what I’ve seen of the Gtr Manchester side, it’s something Merseytravel should be case studying, certain timetables Ie 166/188 are unrealistic for time as it is. We can only hope this sort of scenario is improved with regards to upcoming service changes but I wouldn’t hold your breath.