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Post by ADH45258 on Aug 7, 2021 20:30:29 GMT
I believe they are ex-Bus Eireann DS58 GDZ (former AM10, 09-D-3522) and DS58 GBZ (former AM18, 09-D-3527). Thanks for that. There could be at least one more as I rode on two and saw what appeared to be a third one on the route. They seem ideal; given the notoriously narrow stretches on some South Hams roads you don't want anything too big! Tally Ho did already have 1 slightly newer E200 that was used on the 606 - that might have been the third one.
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Post by wirewiper on Aug 8, 2021 8:36:02 GMT
I see Plymouth City Council are setting up partnerships with Stagecoach and Citybus under bus back better scheme , due to be published October for implementation in April 2022. Any idea/thoughts on how this is likely to impact Stagecoach ops in the city going forward? It will be interesting to see what comes out of the "Bus Back Better" scheme - especially as there are intriguing rumours of a bid to operate hydrogen vehicles in Plymouth.
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Post by wirewiper on Aug 8, 2021 8:45:30 GMT
Stagecoach South West has taken on three ex-Stagecoach East Volvo B11RT/Plaxton Elite C57FLT. They are for the Falcon and replace older coaches that have been used as back-up for the route now that the City of Bristol is introducing a Low Emissions Zone. The coaches were formerly used on the Oxford-Cambridge X5 route.
54306 - YX64 WCK 54307 - YX64 WCL 54308 - YX64 WCM
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Post by baz01 on Aug 8, 2021 16:57:17 GMT
Are the electric buses in Plymouth for both companies or just Citybus do we know? Would be great if from this Stagecoach could have a more extensive network in Plymouth and increase their evening and Sunday service... 1 per hour from Derriford Hospital to Mutley and city centre is pretty poor for example
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Post by wirewiper on Aug 8, 2021 17:03:38 GMT
Are the electric buses in Plymouth for both companies or just Citybus do we know? Would be great if from this Stagecoach could have a more extensive network in Plymouth and increase their evening and Sunday service... 1 per hour from Derriford Hospital to Mutley and city centre is pretty poor for example We will have to wait and see what the Enhanced Partnership comes up with - and whether or not it actually gets funding! Discussions between Plymouth City Council, Go-Ahead and Stagecoach are still very much ongoing and we, the wider public, are unlikely to find out anything much before the end of October. But I don't see Stagecoach's evening 1 increasing when there are a number of CityBus routes along the same corridor. The 1's main purpose is to provide the link to Tavistock, not from Derriford into Plymouth. This is what the Council has revealed so far: www.plymouth.gov.uk/parkingandtravel/publictransport/nationalbusstrategy
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Post by ADH45258 on Aug 8, 2021 17:15:42 GMT
Are the electric buses in Plymouth for both companies or just Citybus do we know? Would be great if from this Stagecoach could have a more extensive network in Plymouth and increase their evening and Sunday service... 1 per hour from Derriford Hospital to Mutley and city centre is pretty poor for example We will have to wait and see what the Enhanced Partnership comes up with - and whether or not it actually gets funding! Discussions between Plymouth City Council, Go-Ahead and Stagecoach are still very much ongoing and we, the wider public, are unlikely to find out anything much before the end of October. But I don't see Stagecoach's evening 1 increasing when there are a number of CityBus routes along the same corridor. The 1's main purpose is to provide the link to Tavistock, not from Derriford into Plymouth. This is what the Council has revealed so far: www.plymouth.gov.uk/parkingandtravel/publictransport/nationalbusstrategyI wonder if there will be a similar scheme in Exeter, where Stagecoach have a more extensive network? Perhaps electrics could be used on the Park & Ride? The vehicles used on the Green route have been debranded (rather than receiving the new specicialist livery), so perhaps there are plans to replace them on the P&R?
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Post by wirewiper on Aug 8, 2021 17:34:02 GMT
We will have to wait and see what the Enhanced Partnership comes up with - and whether or not it actually gets funding! Discussions between Plymouth City Council, Go-Ahead and Stagecoach are still very much ongoing and we, the wider public, are unlikely to find out anything much before the end of October. But I don't see Stagecoach's evening 1 increasing when there are a number of CityBus routes along the same corridor. The 1's main purpose is to provide the link to Tavistock, not from Derriford into Plymouth. This is what the Council has revealed so far: www.plymouth.gov.uk/parkingandtravel/publictransport/nationalbusstrategyI wonder if there will be a similar scheme in Exeter, where Stagecoach have a more extensive network? Perhaps electrics could be used on the Park & Ride? The vehicles used on the Green route have been debranded (rather than receiving the new specicialist livery), so perhaps there are plans to replace them on the P&R? I'm not sure what will happen in Exeter as it is still a two-tier authority and the LTA (Local Transport Authority) would be Devon County Council - who I am sure will be developing their own Enhanced Partnership. Torbay (unitary) has announced that it is setting up an EP with Stagecoach and is proposing to bid for electric buses on Torbay local routes (31, 35A/35C).
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Post by baz01 on Aug 9, 2021 8:33:55 GMT
One thing I thought might be good idea re Plymouth is to reroute Park and Ride 101 from George/ Derriford via Mutley to rail station and Derriford. This would give 8 min frequency on very busy corridor (in conjunction with the 1) I would then alter 200 route to be cross city service Plympton- city - milehouse Park and Ride (replacing 101 at Milehouse). This would I feel boost passenger numbers on 101 picking up along Mannamead Road and Mutley and boost the 200 by incorporating Milehouse.
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Post by wirewiper on Aug 9, 2021 8:46:03 GMT
One thing I thought might be good idea re Plymouth is to reroute Park and Ride 101 from George/ Derriford via Mutley to rail station and Derriford. This would give 8 min frequency on very busy corridor (in conjunction with the 1) I would then alter 200 route to be cross city service Plympton- city - milehouse Park and Ride (replacing 101 at Milehouse). This would I feel boost passenger numbers on 101 picking up along Mannamead Road and Mutley and boost the 200 by incorporating Milehouse. You seem to be ignoring though that there are plentiful CityBus services along this same corridor, especially as you get closer into the City Centre. The 101 and 200 work well as they are so no need to change them. What would be more helpful is to co-ordinate the ticketing, so that passengers are free to hop on the first bus that comes along regardless of what ticket they hold or who is operating the service. I would expect the Enhanced Partnership to deliver coordinated fares within the City and common ticketing across the two operators (like Skipper but cheaper). None of this is new; it's how services were operated in "the bad old days" before 1980s deregulation.
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markc
Conductor
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Post by markc on Aug 9, 2021 14:05:59 GMT
Only thing I would add re above is if 101 is fine as it is , why was it in Stagecoach consultation plan just before covid in 2020 to route it via Mutley?
Re joint ticket, would be good to see that happen but in Plymouth, Stagecoach are in the main a fair but cheaper than Citybus so can see this backfiring on us Stagecoach passengers, ending up paying more than we do now for a ticker also valid on Citybus that we do not necessarily want!
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Post by wirewiper on Aug 9, 2021 17:29:44 GMT
Only thing I would add re above is if 101 is fine as it is , why was it in Stagecoach consultation plan just before covid in 2020 to route it via Mutley? Re joint ticket, would be good to see that happen but in Plymouth, Stagecoach are in the main a fair but cheaper than Citybus so can see this backfiring on us Stagecoach passengers, ending up paying more than we do now for a ticker also valid on Citybus that we do not necessarily want! Because in a competitive environment, having more of your buses operating via Muttley gives you a bigger potential share of the passenger market. In a co-operative environment, having too many buses on one corridor is counter-productive when some of those buses could be put to good use elsewhere.
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markc
Conductor
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Post by markc on Aug 9, 2021 18:13:44 GMT
Totally see your point there Wirewiper but 101 hardly picks up anyone along Outland Road and even with many more buses along Mannamead Road and Mutley I still think it would pick up more passengers and encourage more people onto your services, and would improve links along this corridor to the railway station which Citybus don't bother with. It would also allow for better evening service along this corridor with miminal investment
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Post by wirewiper on Aug 10, 2021 16:45:03 GMT
Thanks for that. There could be at least one more as I rode on two and saw what appeared to be a third one on the route. They seem ideal; given the notoriously narrow stretches on some South Hams roads you don't want anything too big! Tally Ho did already have 1 slightly newer E200 that was used on the 606 - that might have been the third one. I've seen a photo of DS58 GKP in Kingsbridge Bus Station, it appears to be an identical vehicle. Photo (not mine): flic.kr/p/2mgfrq9
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Post by baz01 on Aug 10, 2021 18:06:01 GMT
Stagecoach services in Plymouth are absolutely atrocious at the moment. I know they have issues with self isolation of drivers but sure something else is going on! 1 hour 30 mins wait on Royal Parade today for a 15 minute supposed frequency on service 1. One driver said to us drivers are just leaving and going to Citybus because way depot is run. Tbf they don't seem able to keep drivers very long. Park and Ride 101 wasn't much better either. To make matters worse no service updates on twitter, nothing on website and they don't respond to emails. It's like they really don't give a stuff about their Plymouth ops. Pity some of their managers couldn't see this and actually do something about it... they won't have any customers in a minute. Appreciate covid but actually informing customers of issues and responding to customers is basics. Come on sort it out! First ops in Plymouth were lot bigger than this and they managed to keep drivers so what are Stagecoach doing wrong!
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Post by wirewiper on Aug 10, 2021 18:16:06 GMT
Stagecoach services in Plymouth are absolutely atrocious at the moment. I know they have issues with self isolation of drivers but sure something else is going on! 1 hour 30 mins wait on Royal Parade today for a 15 minute supposed frequency on service 1. One driver said to us drivers are just leaving and going to Citybus because way depot is run. Tbf they don't seem able to keep drivers very long. Park and Ride 101 wasn't much better either. To make matters worse no service updates on twitter, nothing on website and they don't respond to emails. It's like they really don't give a stuff about their Plymouth ops. Pity some of their managers couldn't see this and actually do something about it... they won't have any customers in a minute. Appreciate covid but actually informing customers of issues and responding to customers is basics. Come on sort it out! First ops in Plymouth were lot bigger than this and they managed to keep drivers so what are Stagecoach doing wrong! How do you know that the gap in service was not cause by another issue, such as an RTC blocking the usual route? Even with staff shortages I find it hard to believe that five successive journeys would be cancelled.
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