Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(01/03/2018 11:29)Valandil Wrote:  I also think that the 1 is fine as a 'slow' service via pretty much every possible estate, connecting with the larger centres, from which fast onward connections are then possible.
Why the 1 should be Gold though I don't know - it reduces the number of seats on board and I'd have thought the X8 would be much better as a signature Gold route.

I think that there would be quite a market for a fast Birkenhead to Cheshire Oaks / Ellesmere Port / Chester service, and vice versa.
This could reduce Birkenhead to Chester from around 1 and a half hours (current) by around 20 minutes, with further reductions possible if the X8 were to omit Chester Zoo, Hoole etc.

With the many areas the 1 serves, it is better for it to be GOLD. It encourages travel and obviously compared to the X8, it serves areas with bigger markets into Liverpool. For example Liverpool to Birkenhead, Rock Ferry and New Ferry. Also the local travel around Ellesmere Port and Chester. It encourages bus travel.
The X8 firstly has the same features anyway and secondly, it's markets are more focussed on faster travel. The gold brand (like Arriva Sapphire and Max) is about encouraging more local bus travel and not longer distance express type routes.

With regard to Birkenhead, you may see differently but I am 90% sure there is not a Birkenhead to anywhere south of the Wirral. The 1 and 2 both do well in Birkenhead because of the Birkenhead to Liverpool market (and its connections with the 38/41/42 at Birkenhead) and because of the stops from south wirral into Birkenhead.
Also, you forget, the major markets are Ellesmere Port and Chester to Liverpool. Regardless of the time it decreases for people around Birkenhead, the areas the service was set up to help then have their journey time increased. As daft as it seems by going straight past Birkenhead, it gets a lot more passengers. Everyone from south wales who could use their car would have a much faster trip in the car compared to the bus. Going via Birkenhead has too many disadvantages, increased journey times for many, would have to use stop 7 which is already too heavily used and stop 6 on the way back which is also very busy with many buses.Then add on it almost completely removes the whole 'express' aspect.

It would never work and for the few passengers they would gain, they would lose many many more. The trip time is too long as it is. To encourage people to use the bus over the train and car, it needs to have a very comparable journey time. 1h 20 minutes on the bus does not compare in any way to near 45 minutes on the train or driving. The quicker the bus is, the more people will use it. As I have said, the big markets are where it needs to serve and have the lowest time possible. Adding Birkenhead won't do anyone any favours. Especially not the existing passengers which it would lose many of by simple serving Birkenhead.