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Post by planesandtrains on May 7, 2017 11:15:17 GMT
NW Surrey's network leaves a lot to be desired, however things are getting better now with operators trying new things. Hallmark for example are introducing contactless payment from the summer which will with no doubt attract customers. The problem with surrey are the huge service differences as soon as you cross the line between London, I have lost count the number of times people try and board the 461 with their oyster cards. Then you have these random routes that cross the boundary like the 411 and 465...
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Post by smiler52 on May 7, 2017 12:06:09 GMT
Southampton must have one of the worst bus networks outside of London
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Post by ibus246 on May 7, 2017 13:27:24 GMT
Southampton must have one of the worst bus networks outside of London Why? Out of interest. I always perceived Bluestar as a good operator
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Post by smiler52 on May 7, 2017 14:45:14 GMT
Southampton must have one of the worst bus networks outside of London Why? Out of interest. I always perceived Bluestar as a good operator For the size of the city imo the local city routes run to frequent most buses run empty at off peak times I.e after school run and once everyone is at work most of the city red routes and local bluestar routes run severely late due to traffic in the city Southampton could do with what Portsmouth got more bus lanes and a park and ride
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Post by vjaska on May 7, 2017 16:02:18 GMT
NW Surrey's network leaves a lot to be desired, however things are getting better now with operators trying new things. Hallmark for example are introducing contactless payment from the summer which will with no doubt attract customers. The problem with surrey are the huge service differences as soon as you cross the line between London, I have lost count the number of times people try and board the 461 with their oyster cards. Then you have these random routes that cross the boundary like the 411 and 465... Abellios network also suffers from a lack of youngish vehicles & heavy traffic particularly around Staines. The lack of youngish vehicles probably puts many people off from using their services whilst Staines makes many services run late.
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Post by snoggle on May 7, 2017 21:36:39 GMT
NW Surrey's network leaves a lot to be desired, however things are getting better now with operators trying new things. Hallmark for example are introducing contactless payment from the summer which will with no doubt attract customers. The problem with surrey are the huge service differences as soon as you cross the line between London, I have lost count the number of times people try and board the 461 with their oyster cards. Then you have these random routes that cross the boundary like the 411 and 465... Abellios network also suffers from a lack of youngish vehicles & heavy traffic particularly around Staines. The lack of youngish vehicles probably puts many people off from using their services whilst Staines makes many services run late. You can turn the argument on its head and say that Abellio's refusal / inability to have sensible run times and PVRs (probably due to cost) is why services run late. You have to deal with circumstances as they are rather than how you might want them to be. I know it's not good to lose clockface headways but far, far better to have services that run to time that have people waiting for 15-20 mins past the scheduled time for a late running bus. Mucking people about and making them late is a sure fire way to lose ridership.
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2017 20:58:06 GMT
I have come across the Kings Hill batch of routes in the Maidstone area. I love the X1/X2 commuter style bus idea. I wonder if it's well used. For once a new development has been designed to receive bus priority/have appropriate roads for buses to run through, unlike in London. Reasonably well used from my occasional observations and of course it is competing with the train. It would be nice to see such services in London. I agree! Especially in light of Crossrail improvements. One can dream...
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Post by N230UD on May 10, 2017 22:12:36 GMT
I found that Stagecoach South provide a good little network of routes along the Kent coast, with their 100/101/102 services Sorry to be pedantic, but the 100/101/102 "Wave" services are operated by Stagecoach South East. Stagecoach South are Hampshire/Surrey/West Sussex. I've yet to experience much of Stagecoach South, but was impressed when using their 700 Coastliner and new 715 route. They seem to be a decent subsidiary. Stagecoach South East have a good network, and I think are a lot better than many other areas. Patronage is quite decent, and has risen a large amount within the last 10-15 years. Their 'Triangle' route and Thanet 'Loop' route often feel like a London service - good frequency, stopping at almost every stop, busy buses. Other main routes have also seen many improvements, for example the Gold 16, the Breeze 8, and the 15 route. About 10 years ago, the 16 (Canterbury-Folkestone) had an hourly frequency - its now every 15 minutes on Mon-Sat daytimes with quite a good evening and Sunday service. I'm quite surprised some of their routes are so successful, and wonder if other operators would have such good frequencies and hours of operation - the "Wave" 100.101.102 routes along the southern Kent coast spring to mind, as it is a very long route and lot of the mileage goes through fairly desolate areas, but still a half-hourly frequency is maintained with new high-spec double-deck buses. Some of the more rural services are not as great as they were in the past, but the same is happening everywhere as we become more car-dependent, but its still better than some areas of the country. With West Sussex and Kent councils cutting back, Stagecoach have managed to save a lot of the at-risk bus services by operating some of the contracted journeys/routes commercially. Of course, some of the negative locals often moan about them, being the "worst bus services in the country", "expensive", "never on time", but those sort of people are never happy. The prices are not what I would call cheap, but I wouldn't say they were expensive. But there are a lot of ex-Londoners living here who are of course used to highly subsidised buses in a highly populated area. Stagecoach South East are not perfect. For example, there are still quite a few drivers with an "old school" style of customer service (i.e. none), but most drivers are pleasant and I am generally impressed with their services. I dont have a huge amount of experience of buses outside of London, Essex and Kent, but have been impressed with Brighton, Oxford, Cambridge (all large university towns). I've not been very impressed with Great Yarmouth (First), Chelmsford (First), or South-West Essex - although it seems those areas have seen some (minor) improvements.
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Post by N230UD on May 10, 2017 22:22:54 GMT
I have come across the Kings Hill batch of routes in the Maidstone area. I love the X1/X2 commuter style bus idea. I wonder if it's well used. For once a new development has been designed to receive bus priority/have appropriate roads for buses to run through, unlike in London. Whenever i've been to King's Hill, buses have carried mostly fresh air, although i've only ever been at off-peak times. I have no idea what its like at busier times. The new X1/X2 service seems quite good. Seeing as its main aim is giving a good connection between King's Hill and the nearest railway station (West Malling), i'm quite surprised to see the terrible train connections during off-peak times -for example, the trains are roughly every half an hour, but some buses arrive just as a train is leaving. Both services give a combined 30-min frequency to West Malling Station, but the X1 continues hourly to Maidstone, direct down the M20, which is great - Hopefully it becomes popular, and gets a more attractive frequency.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2017 6:16:37 GMT
NW Surrey's network leaves a lot to be desired, however things are getting better now with operators trying new things. Hallmark for example are introducing contactless payment from the summer which will with no doubt attract customers. The problem with surrey are the huge service differences as soon as you cross the line between London, I have lost count the number of times people try and board the 461 with their oyster cards. Then you have these random routes that cross the boundary like the 411 and 465... Abellios network also suffers from a lack of youngish vehicles & heavy traffic particularly around Staines. The lack of youngish vehicles probably puts many people off from using their services whilst Staines makes many services run late. Surrey is a nightmare to run bus services , and there is a long history now of bus firms trying and failing to stick it out. Full credit to Hallmarks, I haven't been on the 458 yet but hope to soon. Skirting London we are mostly in the hands of Arriva ( with the exception of the excellent Metrobus and Ensign services ) I would like to see Arriva or Stagecoach try out a Sapphire style service on a Stanies and Egham to Guildford limited stop route via Thorpe Park, Chertsey & Cobham. Living in Dartford area, the obvious missing link is a route heading South. Everything here is east / west. Dartford - Bluewater - Gravesend via many different route, with only a scattering of short routes linking villages south , like the 414 , 423 & 433. Also, the train lines are all east - west. So if I wanted to travel to Sevenoaks for example , you could opt for a unreasonably long trip on an uncomfortable 308 , or head into Lewisham on a train and come back down. Arriva tried this link with the 403 , but mucked it up by sending it via Joydens Wood area. An hourly Dartford or Bluewater - Sevenoaks service, direct via Sutton At Hone & Eynsford , would not only be useful for school traffic but also appealing for shoppers and commuters alike.
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Post by lonmark on May 15, 2017 13:08:57 GMT
Arriva tried this link with the 403 , but mucked it up by sending it via Joydens Wood area. An hourly Dartford or Bluewater - Sevenoaks service, direct via Sutton At Hone & Eynsford , would not only be useful for school traffic but also appealing for shoppers and commuters alike. The Problem is that Two garages is running share a route 403 and however it finish early and some cut long wait for gap service Which is why noone want it or give a go. Shame that Arrive don't give a think of any passenger trying to get back after work or shopping trips later in the afternoon!
However now Arriva is cut off from Dunton Green to Bromley North (sevenoaks) on route 402 from Sunday 23rd July.
Really shame that Arriva is trying to cut service across the West Kent area as possible as not making profit.
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