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Post by Eastlondoner62 on Sept 5, 2021 13:05:06 GMT
Isn't the model being introduced in Manchester? All gone quiet on that front It still seems to be progressing, it was an election pledge so I can see it going ahead soon.
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Post by SILENCED on Sept 5, 2021 13:06:37 GMT
All gone quiet on that front It still seems to be progressing, it was an election pledge so I can see it going ahead soon. Has the result of the judicial review in May been published yet? Struggling to find it .... if not seems a long time not to publish it. Additionally he is yet to state how he is going to raise the £135m setting costs, which many believe is an under estimate.
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 5, 2021 21:57:36 GMT
So do I. The fact that every corner of London gets atleats a 30 mins service (146/375 are probably the exceptions) can only be achieved by all money taken being paid into 1 pot and it then paid out in route miles. Obviously with finite resources then if operators basically say they can run services at a reasonable price by not having to pay for high back seats, WiFi etc then the current standards have to be accepted. London is the biggest city in the UK. Has the biggest population and a high population density. It should be great bus operating territory. Compare to Leeds, about equivalent to one large London borough ... they have many frequent routes, and the majority of them are operated by newish buses fitted out to higher standards than what you get in London. If they can offer these facilities at a profit in Leeds, why can't London be expected to have similar standards. Services mainly provided by First or Arriva, with Transdev and a few independents thrown in. High back seating is the standard for the large bus companies outside London. It is only London that is supplied pauper class vehicles from new these days .... which was the opposite when nationalised when pvc seats were common in the provinces. Deregulation has seen the level of vehicle operated in the provinces change from being sub standard when compared to London, to being superior. Things have improved outside of London, whilst London has stood still. Why? Early deregulation was bad ... but things are improving ... London just plods along in the slow lane. Well we did get half way there when London Transport Buses specified around 1999 that all new buses bought for London tender had to have individual seating instead of bench seats. I think you would find the problem with London is they have been too obsessed with cycling and think it is all about emissions. They may be trying to please XR but they are not the ones riding the buses. After all the only investment we have had is hybrid buses, then now electric buses in London. Creature comforts fall last place as I have said so many times. The personal experience of travelling inside of a bus in London is crap.
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Post by danorak on Sept 22, 2021 21:04:07 GMT
Interesting that, with the RATP/Tower Transit team-up, we're pretty much down to six - if I'm counting correctly - major bidders for TfL work (I assume LI's residual position as Tower Transit's lone garage is a short term thing). I suggest we rename them Selkent, Forest, Leaside, Watling, Cardinal and Wandle. The two smaller ones can be Tower and Abbey. How the wheel turns...
More seriously, you do wonder if TfL may start looking to encourage smaller operators again or are they content with the position given the size of the bus fleet is contracting?
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Post by WH241 on Sept 22, 2021 21:14:12 GMT
Interesting that, with the RATP/Tower Transit team-up, we're pretty much down to six - if I'm counting correctly - major bidders for TfL work (I assume LI's residual position as Tower Transit's lone garage is a short term thing). I suggest we rename them Selkent, Forest, Leaside, Watling, Cardinal and Wandle. The two smaller ones can be Tower and Abbey. How the wheel turns... More seriously, you do wonder if TfL may start looking to encourage smaller operators again or are they content with the position given the size of the bus fleet is contracting? I wonder if First would ever make a return to London? Or maybe other companies like Rotala... Would love Ensign to enter the TfL market but that won't happen.
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Post by Eastlondoner62 on Sept 22, 2021 21:17:21 GMT
Interesting that, with the RATP/Tower Transit team-up, we're pretty much down to six - if I'm counting correctly - major bidders for TfL work (I assume LI's residual position as Tower Transit's lone garage is a short term thing). I suggest we rename them Selkent, Forest, Leaside, Watling, Cardinal and Wandle. The two smaller ones can be Tower and Abbey. How the wheel turns... More seriously, you do wonder if TfL may start looking to encourage smaller operators again or are they content with the position given the size of the bus fleet is contracting? I think as long as there's competition TfL are happy, Even if some areas are a duopoly as long as the remaining two operators are always at each others throats forcing the other to cut costs I can't see Tfl taking a pro-active step to encourage anyone else to join in.
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on Oct 2, 2021 5:35:21 GMT
Interesting that, with the RATP/Tower Transit team-up, we're pretty much down to six - if I'm counting correctly - major bidders for TfL work (I assume LI's residual position as Tower Transit's lone garage is a short term thing). I suggest we rename them Selkent, Forest, Leaside, Watling, Cardinal and Wandle. The two smaller ones can be Tower and Abbey. How the wheel turns... More seriously, you do wonder if TfL may start looking to encourage smaller operators again or are they content with the position given the size of the bus fleet is contracting? Maybe we will see Tower Transit LI form a joint venture with HCT in east London? We could even see a joint venture between Uno and Sullivan. Stagecoach, Arriva, Metroline, Go-Ahead and Abellio would probably remain "independent" in London terms.
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Post by BE37054 (quoll662) on Oct 3, 2021 9:25:54 GMT
Interesting that, with the RATP/Tower Transit team-up, we're pretty much down to six - if I'm counting correctly - major bidders for TfL work (I assume LI's residual position as Tower Transit's lone garage is a short term thing). I suggest we rename them Selkent, Forest, Leaside, Watling, Cardinal and Wandle. The two smaller ones can be Tower and Abbey. How the wheel turns... More seriously, you do wonder if TfL may start looking to encourage smaller operators again or are they content with the position given the size of the bus fleet is contracting? I wonder if First would ever make a return to London? Or maybe other companies like Rotala... Would love Ensign to enter the TfL market but that won't happen. I do see Rotala giving London a stab soon as they have a garage near WK. If the H32 converts to LT, I could see them bidding for it as then new electrics would not be needed.
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Post by dashing0ne on Oct 12, 2021 5:56:47 GMT
I wonder if First would ever make a return to London? Or maybe other companies like Rotala... Would love Ensign to enter the TfL market but that won't happen. I do see Rotala giving London a stab soon as they have a garage near WK. If the H32 converts to LT, I could see them bidding for it as then new electrics would not be needed. Rotala do have a couple of commercial services in Kingston, in DIAMOND livery!
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