|
Post by mondraker275 on May 15, 2024 16:38:08 GMT
7 min? I once had a 259 being asked to wait for 9 min when the bus is every 7 min (this was back in Jan 2019 before schools reopened so our bus was running very early !!) You are off by 38 minutes. No typo, he was asked to wait 45 minutes because the vehicle behind broke down. The SL7 has really gone from being one of the best services to one of the worst. Completely disintegrated since it went every 15 minutes. I hope Go Ahead retain it but it needs a rethink. You misheard, the driver said "4 to 5 minutes" As others have said this is totally bonkers and makes no sense. Are we suggesting that everyone else was holding on the route like this was the Victoria Line with a stuck train? Madness. I feel like there are about 15 options before you get to the one that says hold for 45 minutes. This is bad on any route but brings a mockery to the express/SuperLoop service. They need to have a different performance measure but in any case as mentioned not sure they were following the correct process this time anyway. Separately, took the SL10 today and for the first time it felt quick and not intentional holding or slow driving on the route. Hopefully, that is the norm now.
|
|
|
Post by southlondon413 on May 15, 2024 16:49:33 GMT
You are off by 38 minutes. No typo, he was asked to wait 45 minutes because the vehicle behind broke down. The SL7 has really gone from being one of the best services to one of the worst. Completely disintegrated since it went every 15 minutes. I hope Go Ahead retain it but it needs a rethink. You misheard, the driver said "4 to 5 minutes" As others have said this is totally bonkers and makes no sense. Are we suggesting that everyone else was holding on the route like this was the Victoria Line with a stuck train? Madness. I feel like there are about 15 options before you get to the one that says hold for 45 minutes. This is bad on any route but brings a mockery to the express/SuperLoop service. They need to have a different performance measure but in any case as mentioned not sure they were following the correct process this time anyway. Separately, took the SL10 today and for the first time it felt quick and not intentional holding or slow driving on the route. Hopefully, that is the norm now. He 100% said 45 minutes, the guy in front of me exclaimed in shock “45 minutes, you must be joking. In that time another 2-3 will go past and you’ll be sitting here. What about people that have to get to Heathrow?” To which the driver responded “There is nothing I can do, I’m being told to wait 45 minutes”.
|
|
|
Post by ilovelondonbuses on May 15, 2024 16:53:20 GMT
I’m currently on route SL7 and the service is clearly suffering as this bus I am on is heaving with passengers. I don’t how this route was coping with a frequency of x30mins under its previous form as route X26. The route is also clearly a victim of its own success, I don’t know how the capacity issues could be eased on it. Maybe the rumoured Sutton truncation is for the best?
|
|
|
Post by DT 11 on May 15, 2024 17:38:04 GMT
In my opinion, if that is the only option they could see to even out the service, whoever authorised it needs to be sacked in my opinion. They were probably just following company policy, TfL should be taking the matter up with GAL. Low Frequency Routes should not be controlled like that. Overall I think the service would be better off curtailed to Kingston with a new service from Heathrow Central to Kingston replacing it such as the proposed SL17 or SL18. I think if it was curtailed to Sutton the people who use it from Croydon to Kingston won’t be happy.
|
|
|
Post by SILENCED on May 15, 2024 17:39:59 GMT
In my opinion, if that is the only option they could see to even out the service, whoever authorised it needs to be sacked in my opinion. They were probably just following company policy, TfL should be taking the matter up with GAL. If you can get GAL to,confirm, giving passengers an abhorrent level of customer service is company policy then I may agree with you, but I doubt it is. Additionally, getting the driver to wait at a bus stop for for than 3 minutes is an endorsable offence for the driver. Is that also GAL policy.? GAL values taken from their website. "To be recognised for providing a safe, reliable service to customers on our routes. To increase positive and proactive engagement with the communities we serve. To constantly develop our people and the tools we provide to the business." Do you think that staff member was adhering to those values? The first statement is a definite no!
|
|
|
Post by DT 11 on May 15, 2024 17:41:51 GMT
They were probably just following company policy, TfL should be taking the matter up with GAL. If you can get GAL to,confirm, giving passengers an abhorrent level of customer service is company policy then I may agree with you, but I doubt it is. Additionally, getting the driver to wait at a bus stop for for than 3 minutes is an endorsable offence for the driver. Is that also GAL policy.? All firms will ask drivers to wait for more than 2 minutes however should be over a course of two stops.
|
|
|
Post by DE20106 on May 15, 2024 17:46:07 GMT
I’m currently on route SL7 and the service is clearly suffering as this bus I am on is heaving with passengers. I don’t how this route was coping with a frequency of x30mins under its previous form as route X26. The route is also clearly a victim of its own success, I don’t know how the capacity issues could be eased on it. Maybe the rumoured Sutton truncation is for the best? Although it was very busy at 30 minutes, everyone who seemed to want to use it could, it didn’t leave people behind (at least I’ve never fallen victim to it). Probably going up to 15 has understandably attracted a lot more passengers, but you’re right I’ve also been using it at every x15 and most buses are still extremely busy. It could certainly never go back to 30 that’s for sure. Even if it went to every 10 minutes now near enough every bus would still be full I think. What can’t help is the amount of long distance journeys that are made, it takes much less people to fill up a bus for much longer that way
|
|
|
Post by SILENCED on May 15, 2024 17:54:38 GMT
If you can get GAL to,confirm, giving passengers an abhorrent level of customer service is company policy then I may agree with you, but I doubt it is. Additionally, getting the driver to wait at a bus stop for for than 3 minutes is an endorsable offence for the driver. Is that also GAL policy.? All firms will ask drivers to wait for more than 2 minutes however should be over a course of two stops. But this is reported as 45 minutes ... if captured on CCTV, there would be no defence
|
|
|
Post by greenboy on May 15, 2024 17:55:20 GMT
They were probably just following company policy, TfL should be taking the matter up with GAL. If you can get GAL to,confirm, giving passengers an abhorrent level of customer service is company policy then I may agree with you, but I doubt it is. Additionally, getting the driver to wait at a bus stop for for than 3 minutes is an endorsable offence for the driver. Is that also GAL policy.? GAL values taken from their website. "To be recognised for providing a safe, reliable service to customers on our routes. To increase positive and proactive engagement with the communities we serve. To constantly develop our people and the tools we provide to the business." Do you think that staff member was adhering to those values? The first statement is a definite no! Customer service isn't their problem, that's down to TfL. I'm not defending it and I'd be pretty miffed if I was on board.
|
|
|
Post by SILENCED on May 15, 2024 17:59:19 GMT
If you can get GAL to,confirm, giving passengers an abhorrent level of customer service is company policy then I may agree with you, but I doubt it is. Additionally, getting the driver to wait at a bus stop for for than 3 minutes is an endorsable offence for the driver. Is that also GAL policy.? GAL values taken from their website. "To be recognised for providing a safe, reliable service to customers on our routes. To increase positive and proactive engagement with the communities we serve. To constantly develop our people and the tools we provide to the business." Do you think that staff member was adhering to those values? The first statement is a definite no! Customer service isn't their problem, that's down to TfL. I'm not defending it and I'd be pretty miffed if I was on board. Hang on that what was taken from their website ... Or are we trying to say their website is complete BS? They are the interface to the public, they provide the customer service, so how can it not be their problem. They are 100% responsible for the face to face customer service. They are the service provider. Another great quote "Our stakeholders expect from us good practices that contribute to the long term sustainability of the organisation and deliver the best possible service to our customers."
|
|
|
Post by greenboy on May 15, 2024 18:05:53 GMT
Customer service isn't their problem, that's down to TfL. I'm not defending it and I'd be pretty miffed if I was on board. Hang on that what was taken from their website ... Or are we trying to say their website is complete BS? They are the interface to the public, they provide the customer service, so how can it not be their problem. They are 100% responsible for the face to face customer service. They are the service provider. You might want to read this comic www.goaheadlondon.com/application/files/8816/0406/3399/02_GoAhead_London_SR20_1.pdf That's the sort of thing you might expect on their website but reality is that they are a subcontractor and answerable only to their paymasters at TfL.
|
|
|
Post by DT 11 on May 15, 2024 18:06:02 GMT
All firms will ask drivers to wait for more than 2 minutes however should be over a course of two stops. But this is reported as 45 minutes ... if captured on CCTV, there would be no defence Your taking this too far in my opinion. 45 minutes I highly doubt anything will come out of that no one is actually bothered about the bus at a bus stop regardless of how long it is there for. No different to a bus parked at a bus stop or a breakdown. Cars & Lorries regularly park in bus stops again no one cares. I see these things daily never seen anything of it only if you do something illegal such as stopping on a box junction a PCN will come for you. Zig Zag White Lines if the Police see this you will get points.
|
|
|
Post by SILENCED on May 15, 2024 18:12:38 GMT
Hang on that what was taken from their website ... Or are we trying to say their website is complete BS? They are the interface to the public, they provide the customer service, so how can it not be their problem. They are 100% responsible for the face to face customer service. They are the service provider. You might want to read this comic www.goaheadlondon.com/application/files/8816/0406/3399/02_GoAhead_London_SR20_1.pdf That's the sort of thing you might expect on their website but reality is that they are a subcontractor and answerable only to their paymasters at TfL. They are a contractor, not a subcontractor. They are not that far removed, they are contracted directly to TfL. As such they legally become agents of TfL, and agency law is very complicated, not that I can remember much of it. The joys of working at a bank and having to study to get promotion ... Doubt anyone does them these days. So glad to get out of that profession. How do you regard the train companies. Poor performance not their issue, or is it all DfTs fault?
|
|
|
Post by WH241 on May 15, 2024 19:18:45 GMT
By holding the SL7 for that length of time it must have really messed up the rest of its duty? Could they are not turn a bus in the other direction to help plug the gap?
I find it fascinating whenever regulation comes up its nearly 99& Go Ahead! Makes my 6 or 7 min wait at a stop last week seem like nothing.
|
|
|
Post by Eastlondoner62 on May 15, 2024 21:22:50 GMT
By holding the SL7 for that length of time it must have really messed up the rest of its duty? Could they are not turn a bus in the other direction to help plug the gap? I find it fascinating whenever regulation comes up its nearly 99& Go Ahead! Makes my 6 or 7 min wait at a stop last week seem like nothing. There's often an SL2 sitting at Barking Station for a while whenever you go past, if you ride the 25 you'll run into similar problems throughout its route as well. I think what effectively happened with the SL7 in this case is that whatever 'trip number' this was on was cancelled and the bus retimed to be on another trip, with passengers effectively being turfed off and being told to get the next bus (which was going to be this same SL7 anyway). Considering it's a low frequency route as has been mentioned here a 45 minute regulation just wouldn't fit into the way its stats are measured and how it theoretically should be controlled.
|
|