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Post by twobellstogo on Dec 14, 2018 15:14:52 GMT
Stagecoach’s 715 is a regular route for me, and it attracts way more passengers than Abellio’s 515 ever did. The 515 wasn't exactly running around empty though? No - but especially in latter days patronage wasn’t great in my experience.
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on Dec 15, 2018 18:36:30 GMT
I haven't even clicked on the link but when I read the title that was my immediate thought. Putting pressure on a key part of the cost base is a pretty classic sign that all is not well in terms of the operation's profitability. To be honest I'm astonished that Arriva have held on to a relatively small operation for as long as they have. Surrey long ago ceased to be the home for a large corporate operator - far too much uncommercial work and therefore a lot of lower cost operators fighting for work. Abellio held on for far longer than I ever thought they would but they were forced to admit defeat. I'm even surprised Stagecoach have kept any sort of foothold, ignoring what works in from neighbouring Hampshire. Yes Arriva Guildford have lost lots of routes Stagecoach have managed to win couple of high profile contracts that provide a good baseload, specifically the University routes and the Park and Ride (which gets new electric buses soon). I would assume if they didn't have these then maintaining a Guildford base would be much more marginal. Safeguard (the other main competitor) have the routes to the Hospital and have recently simplified their fares to encourage people out of cars with offers on tickets www.guildfordbus.co.uk/lets-start-november-bang/As for locations, the Arriva garage is central and riverside (maybe too close to the river as it has flooded on occasions) so is probably a valuable site. Stagecoach are at an Industial estate in Peasmarsh, south of the city centre. Safeguard are also out of town but in Jacobs Well, north of Guildford, at a site that used to be used by recycling trucks. Have Stagecoach indicated an approximate timescale/date for these electric buses to arrive and enter service?
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Post by snowman on Dec 15, 2018 23:18:10 GMT
Yes Arriva Guildford have lost lots of routes Stagecoach have managed to win couple of high profile contracts that provide a good baseload, specifically the University routes and the Park and Ride (which gets new electric buses soon). I would assume if they didn't have these then maintaining a Guildford base would be much more marginal. Safeguard (the other main competitor) have the routes to the Hospital and have recently simplified their fares to encourage people out of cars with offers on tickets www.guildfordbus.co.uk/lets-start-november-bang/As for locations, the Arriva garage is central and riverside (maybe too close to the river as it has flooded on occasions) so is probably a valuable site. Stagecoach are at an Industial estate in Peasmarsh, south of the city centre. Safeguard are also out of town but in Jacobs Well, north of Guildford, at a site that used to be used by recycling trucks. Have Stagecoach indicated an approximate timescale/date for these electric buses to arrive and enter service? No, not aware of anything from Stagecoach but LOTs TLB page 31 suggests Monday 7th January I think there is 4 routes, 2 buses each (and a spare)
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Post by snowman on Dec 19, 2018 19:18:20 GMT
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Post by snoggle on Dec 19, 2018 20:07:11 GMT
Is it just me or is that bus missing a windscreen wiper? Not like Stagecoach to do PR with a bus with bits missing.
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Post by snowman on Dec 19, 2018 20:39:02 GMT
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Post by snowman on Dec 30, 2018 9:07:43 GMT
Apparently the 9 Guildford electric buses have had registrations changed by Stagecoach
Delivered with YX68UUx plates fitted (but delivered on trade plates), but has been changed to LJ68CZx series
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Post by snowman on Jan 7, 2019 20:33:26 GMT
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Post by galwhv69 on Jan 7, 2019 21:36:04 GMT
At least it has its wipers!
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Post by snowman on Jan 18, 2019 5:12:28 GMT
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Post by twobellstogo on Jan 19, 2019 15:34:19 GMT
I personally think Arriva are now acting desperately in Guildford, and the attempt to bring Safeguard down and cut wages/worsen conditions are their final throw of the dice.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2019 16:58:49 GMT
I personally think Arriva are now acting desperately in Guildford, and the attempt to bring Safeguard down and cut wages/worsen conditions are their final throw of the dice. I don’t know Guildford very well, but even I can come up with some new links Arriva could try out commercially, Heathrow is a blazing example. Getting there by public transport from this part of Surrey is not easy. Woking has the rail air link , but this is very much a premium service and doesn’t particularly assist workers. The old 436 used to run Guildford to Heathrow, perhaps an alternative limited stop Sapphire branded service along similar line would bring some money in. Such a shame to see the once sprawling legacy of London Country & London Country South West diminished to just Guildford, used to love exploring WY routes on roaring SNB’s and using the 718 between Hampton and Victoria.
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Post by busaholic on Jan 21, 2019 18:47:57 GMT
I personally think Arriva are now acting desperately in Guildford, and the attempt to bring Safeguard down and cut wages/worsen conditions are their final throw of the dice. I don’t know Guildford very well, but even I can come up with some new links Arriva could try out commercially, Heathrow is a blazing example. Getting there by public transport from this part of Surrey is not easy. Woking has the rail air link , but this is very much a premium service and doesn’t particularly assist workers. The old 436 used to run Guildford to Heathrow, perhaps an alternative limited stop Sapphire branded service along similar line would bring some money in. Such a shame to see the once sprawling legacy of London Country & London Country South West diminished to just Guildford, used to love exploring WY routes on roaring SNB’s and using the 718 between Hampton and Victoria. I probably know Guildford even less well than you, but wasn't the demise of the Heathrow service a result of chronic unreliability owing to the staggering traffic levels? Sapphire would face all the problems of the old Green Line network, even with a minimum number of stops and (theoretically) multiple alternativel routeings.
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Post by Lewis J.N. on Jan 21, 2019 22:21:36 GMT
Heathrow isn't the bee-all and end-all it seems. The 8 is rarely very busy from Staines to Heathrow T5 and the 442 doesn't exactly carry many either. Also, don't forget about the new rail link coming in a few years' time. 441 was cut back from T5 by Abellio following Heathrow Airport's decision to withdraw funding and instead concentrate on the 7 which now provides a 6bph service Heathrow Cent - Bath Rd - Longford - T5.
The old 436 ran along what is now our 462/463 and 446 services (roughly). The 446 is commercial and runs hourly Staines - Woking. The 462/463 is council-contracted, so it wouldn't be viable on its own, and also runs hourly but splits between Burpham (462) and Clandon (463). A more direct route between Woking and Guildford is already provided by Arriva on their 34/35 every 20 mins. This and their other Woking services, the 436 and 91, are generally popular.
Looking at 'cross-border' (ie beyond Staines) services also brings up the age-old problem of people generally opting for the TFL service, making your route effectively a set-down only service which isn't good enough. Arriva especially aren't in the game to try anything radical which is probably why they just marched straight in on Park Barn.
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Post by vjaska on Jan 21, 2019 23:15:21 GMT
Heathrow isn't the bee-all and end-all it seems. The 8 is rarely very busy from Staines to Heathrow T5 and the 442 doesn't exactly carry many either. Also, don't forget about the new rail link coming in a few years' time. 441 was cut back from T5 by Abellio following Heathrow Airport's decision to withdraw funding and instead concentrate on the 7 which now provides a 6bph service Heathrow Cent - Bath Rd - Longford - T5. The old 436 ran along what is now our 462/463 and 446 services (roughly). The 446 is commercial and runs hourly Staines - Woking. The 462/463 is council-contracted, so it wouldn't be viable on its own, and also runs hourly but splits between Burpham (462) and Clandon (463). A more direct route between Woking and Guildford is already provided by Arriva on their 34/35 every 20 mins. This and their other Woking services, the 436 and 91, are generally popular. Looking at 'cross-border' (ie beyond Staines) services also brings up the age-old problem of people generally opting for the TFL service, making your route effectively a set-down only service which isn't good enough. Arriva especially aren't in the game to try anything radical which is probably why they just marched straight in on Park Barn. Not to mention that bus usage is bad in Surrey, even worse than areas like Kent & Sussex were significant investment has helped stem some of the lost patronage.
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