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Post by N230UD on Oct 22, 2021 11:58:59 GMT
Arriva have now confirmed that the 306/308 will continue to operate to the same timetable with another operator, no mention of who the operator is. Well that’s a positive! Hopefully there will be some changes to the timetable eventually though. It’s in a bizarre situation where it’s every 90mins during the day, but increases to hourly and extends to Bluewater in the late evenings.
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Post by N230UD on Oct 21, 2021 19:06:25 GMT
It will be interesting to see what the outcome of this will be.
It isn’t long until the end of October, so would be awkward for an operator to start at short notice. In our current environment as well, many operators might not want to take it on when in the past they might have. Perhaps Go-Coach may take it on in some form, or maybe even Redroute or perhaps Nu-Venture (even if it is as long way from their base). It may even be the case that Kent County Council may contract the route (it is only partly subsidised in the evenings currently), and Arriva may even win it. They may prefer to operate it as a contract rather than taking commercial risk. Of course, this is all speculation!
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Post by N230UD on Oct 20, 2021 19:54:49 GMT
Northfleet-based routes 306/308 have been cancelled from 31st October 2021. A historic former Maidstone & District route between Gravesend and Sevenoaks.
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Post by N230UD on Oct 5, 2021 16:17:40 GMT
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Post by N230UD on Oct 3, 2021 15:59:41 GMT
I do reiterate that racism is wrong including Churchill's views however he still is a hero for he led the whole political West in WW2 to victory. In fact, it is a shame people were racist on such a mass scale. Everybody has their good sides and bad sides. It is possible to consider Churchill a great hero, as well as recognising some of his awful views and actions. Some people seem to take extreme views either way on Churchill (either thinking he was absolutely evil, or someone who can do absolutely no wrong), and with other topics, which is not helpful.
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Post by N230UD on Oct 1, 2021 8:59:39 GMT
The impact on local bus services here in Kent seems to be increasing. Huge delays, and some routes on large diversions just to avoid petrol station queues. This is on top of the severe driver shortages.
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Post by N230UD on Sept 26, 2021 13:32:03 GMT
And a lot of European hauliers have dropped UK stops from their International runs as the time wasted by the bureaucracy and red tape isn't worth the hassle. This is what I have read as well. There were haulage operators who would with one lorry make multiple stops through Europe including in the UK. Now they just don’t bother with the UK run as it’s not worth the hassle when there’s loads of other countries they can deliver to which are much less hassle. The impact of how lorry drivers were treated in the UK last Christmas at Dover has also made a lasting impression.
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Post by N230UD on Sept 26, 2021 10:33:54 GMT
I would say getting rid of the CPC would work wonders, it has been a massive pain in the ass and really solves sweet FA. Many look at the CPC as a sleeping session. This situation we are in has been caused by the CPC and driving test not conducted last year and this year down to covid 19. It is happening in other EU countries as well. Brexit is a small part of this. Around 20,000 of the 100,000 were down to Brexit, so the rest is general shortage and lack of exams and red tape. I don't know why the CPC cannot be scrapped with immediate effect? There must be so many drivers who have left the road haulage industry who still have a valid licence but not the CPC. It was a ridiculous idea from the outset and the chickens really are coming home to roost now. It seems temporary visas are going to be issued to allow drivers to come from abroad but I don't see that making much difference when other countries are in a similar situation. On a lighter note, the BBC reporter at filling stations....... Phil McCann🤣 I’m not sure many drivers will want to come here when they are more welcomed in other countries with less bureaucracy and red tape. We have to face up to the fact that Brexit has made it a lot more difficult to get workers from the EU.
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Post by N230UD on Sept 21, 2021 21:32:42 GMT
Down in Canterbury, the Saturday 18th was very busy with students returning. The Uni1 was suspended, meaning the Triangle route was taking the strain. It’s the first time in a while I’ve seen an empty bus arrive in the bus station, to then become fully loaded leaving people behind!
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Post by N230UD on Sept 16, 2021 21:31:23 GMT
Agreed it's a fantastic achievement considering her age! It's sad that there's still critics like Piers Morgan but in the end she defeated him because she persevered and won the US Open What’s sad is the fact that some, like the mayor, can’t celebrate her win without focusing on her back story and using it to promote positive immigration. Positive immigration should be promoted. It makes a change from the many people who constantly go on about immigrants being scrounging criminals which is hysterical and over-dramatic.
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Post by N230UD on Sept 14, 2021 18:55:19 GMT
Really interesting post, I'm not sure about Herne Bay being boring though but anyway😎🤣🤣....... sounds like a lovely little job. I know what you mean about the Singleton estate in Ashford and it always looks odd seeing Stagecoach double deckers going round there on the A service. I gather Bayliss Travel are doing an afternoon working on the 922 with an ex Metroline Scania? Bayliss have indeed been covering the 922 with one of their ex-Metroline Scanias. It goes from Whitstable to Herne Bay, then back on itself a bit down to Canterbury via the 5 route. Rather than serving the city centre, it goes east to Spires Academy past Sturry.
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Post by N230UD on Sept 13, 2021 21:26:31 GMT
First time I’ve seen Birmingham mentioned in the same sentence as Ghent!
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Post by N230UD on Sept 12, 2021 9:14:07 GMT
It’s going to be interesting how bus operators are going to cope with the universities back - many universities starting their term on Monday. In Canterbury, Kent for example, the Uni1 goes from half-hourly to every 10 mins, and the term-only Uni2 starts operating half-hourly, including a night service. Stagecoach are already short staffed, with the Uni1 suspended on many days. This is on top of the increased pressures with schools back the previous week. It doesn’t seem good for bus operators at the moment - decreased passenger numbers due to Covid, increased congestion, and then the driver shortages leading to more unreliability, itself leading to people giving up using buses in the long term. The driver shortages was always there. It has been made worse of recent by covid and drivers isolating. The pingdemic we had a few months ago made it worse. Also summer time generally has shortages as many drivers tries to get July/August of which is always in high demand, some that cannot get it, then call in sick or otherwise. Indeed you’re right. In addition to the issues you mention here, there have also been big delays recently to the authorities processing documents - Stagecoach South East have lots of new drivers just waiting to start but can’t due to these delays. They have also stated that many drivers have left for new opportunities. This has been mentioned on their Twitter over the last few weeks.
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Post by N230UD on Sept 11, 2021 22:05:40 GMT
It’s going to be interesting how bus operators are going to cope with the universities back - many universities starting their term on Monday.
In Canterbury, Kent for example, the Uni1 goes from half-hourly to every 10 mins, and the term-only Uni2 starts operating half-hourly, including a night service. Stagecoach are already short staffed, with the Uni1 suspended on many days. This is on top of the increased pressures with schools back the previous week.
It doesn’t seem good for bus operators at the moment - decreased passenger numbers due to Covid, increased congestion, and then the driver shortages leading to more unreliability, itself leading to people giving up using buses in the long term.
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Ensign
Sept 3, 2021 9:46:31 GMT
via mobile
T.R. likes this
Post by N230UD on Sept 3, 2021 9:46:31 GMT
I don’t know exactly all the routes Ensign are operating, but are at least operating the 962 and 963, which are school routes from Ashford to Homewood School in Tenterden.
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