METRO - Laird Street depot

[MTL0201]

RE: METRO - Laird Street depot
Sounds like the 484 was horrific yesterday [27th], the 14.36 departure from Arrowe Park stopped tracking at West Kirby, & started tracking again on the 15.36, seems no service then operated the full circuit until 22.36 [& this is supposed to be hourly] to which they allocated an Ultroliner.

https://bustimes.org/services/484-arrowe...p/vehicles

The last 483 tracked was 19.00 from Arrowe Park.

https://bustimes.org/services/483-arrowe...p/vehicles

Unless this of course was down to the tracker stopping registering.

[MTL0201]

RE: METRO - Laird Street depot
The timetable for the 413/414/414A routes is insane, Arriva had them down to operate every 15 minutes over the core route which was perfect for that route, but since the changes & because the 414/414A has been rerouted via Prenton Dell & Derby Road, they're now timed within a few minutes of each other over the core route then long gap for the next service, which brings chaos when they're delayed.

[SNL 824]

RE: METRO - Laird Street depot
Please forgive my cynism, but how many of our nice new shiny buses are going to get brick3d tonight?

[gka472l]

RE: METRO - Laird Street depot

(Yesterday 00:56)SNL 824 Wrote:  Please forgive my cynism, but how many of our nice new shiny buses are going to get brick3d tonight?

I did notice that the 413/414 avoided going through Leasowe in the evening, and went from Moreton Cross to Wallasey along Leasowe Road......

[Metroline1511]

RE: METRO - Laird Street depot

(27/10/2026 15:30)DVG526 Wrote:  There were always going to be some teething issues during the changeover but unfortunately LCR/Merseytravel and Mr Rotheram & Co have got a lot to do. More could have been done in the months leading to the ‘take back’ of control, such as..

The depot. Laird Street isn’t big enough for all the vehicles required, this is causing major issues with capacity and staff parking.

The drivers. I have a few friends who are drivers at LS/RF. The transfer/TUPE is a major issue due to the complex wage structure of each of the operators and this has not been addressed. Not as many drivers as expected have made the move meaning a substantial shortage of established drivers.

The routes. The majority if not all routes (those established prior to the changes) have had inferior vehicles now allocated, with the exception of Cross Rivers altihough i believe the Ultroliners have a slightly lower capacity than the Hybrids. Routes that previously utilised 39/40+ seater Enviro 300s, longer Enviro200s and Streetlites etc now have been downgraded to 30 seater Enviro200s. This will affect many routes particularly the former 41/42/410/411/413/414/487 of which certain journeys were also double deck operated. Some of the new routes don’t make any sense. 408 for example does a random one way loop, the evening/Sunday 417 which also does a one way loop and wastes lots of time sitting at Moreton Cross.

The companies. There appears to have been a total lack of communication between Arriva and GNW which hasn’t helped the transfer due to the politics of the franchise process.

This is just a brief summary of the issues facing passengers, some of which probably could have been addressed prior to takeover. It’s going to be a long road to stability unfortunately.

I had for a while earmarked next Saturday for a trip to the area.

I am now going away for the night and postponing Wirral until the new year.