Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(12/11/2017 15:56)chester285 Wrote:  You make it sound as if stagecoach aren’t capable of
Handling competition

I know they are capable of it but Chester doesn't have the space and when I say it would be a task and a half, I mean in terms of routes. Anywhere they would want to expand (apart from into Wirral), Arriva is already there so without competing (as others have said, is highly unlikely).

(12/11/2017 20:54)Turbostar19 Wrote:  Personally, I very much doubt that Stagecoach will directly compete against Arriva. Neither company would do well in any scrap over routes in & around Chester.

As others have suggested, I expect Stagecoach will expand by going for any contracts that come up, such as the DB's. They tried to bolster the local services around Chester when they first took over there, but some of that has been rolled back.

The only other avenue I can think of for Stagecoach would be if Arriva decided to withdraw from any of their depots in the area, which would allow Stagecoach to take on additional routes. Can't see this happening any time soon though.

To be fair, the Blacons are a prime example of this already happening. You can't tell which company it is but there is a lot of holding back or going slow to grab the extra passengers then with the Arriva punctuality, that is hitting Stagecoach hard as Arriva run upto 20 minutes late taking almost 2 lots of passengers. Both companies seem to do well though with the competition (odd but true). Arriva won't drop routes at all or expand in Chester really so the chance for either to expand is slim. Part of the reason is no one will trial anything. If they both trialled a few routes, they could make a fortune.