Hertfordshire bus infrastructure.

[Deleted]

I think the bus infrastruture in Hertfordshire is certainly one of the best in the UK, excluding London of course. I live in Essex, and when I enter Hertfordshire its like a different world in terms of infrastructure.

For a start, ALL the bus stops have a decent flag (bus stop name, direction etc) and always have timetables which are always up to date and changed instantly when timetables are changed. Many stops have decent shelters aswell

There is also the £7 Intalink Explorer ticket which is very well advertised and is on all services in Herts (except TfL) and alot of services in Essex for some reason.
The Intalink website which is basically the Hertfordshire public transport site, has every timetable and tells you which routes accept the Explorer ticket. There is lots of other up to date info on there aswell.

So why is it so different from infrastructure in Essex?? Hardly any stops have timetables, and those which do are usually out of date. At Waltham Abbey for example, here is still a timetable for route 506 (Waltham X to Harlow) which ceased operation in around 2006. The bus stop flags are not that good either.
Also, the Essex CC public transport website is...adequate...especially compared to the Herts one. There are hardly any shelters in Essex either

So tell me, why is it so different. An obvious answer may be Herts CC may have more money and resources...

[Deleted]

It is so different because there are no national standards relating to the provision of bus-related infrastructure, so each local authority is left to its own devices. Some are good, some don't care, some try but don't quite hit the spot. I think Essex falls into that category.

Money and resources are certainly a part of the equation. However money has to be spent by people, some of whom are more capable than others. One council may hire a top person in the field, another may not. I don't know much about the employment situation within local authorities, but I have the impression that Transport (especially public transport outside the larger towns and cities) is, in local authorities as in central government, not regarded as the pinnacle of ones career.

There is also the issue of the support, or otherwise, a local authority gets from the operators. A massive generalisation I know, but Stagecoach and Go-Ahead seem to be generally more progressive than Arriva and First. And Essex's main operators are...

I shudder to propose yet another area for central government to micro-manage and produce league tables for, but I think if some standards showing what is required, and what is expected, and in generally what form things were to be provided, were produced then perhaps that might give local authorities some form of benchmark to work from. Perhaps the efforts of the better authorities (Herts, Surrey, Derbyshire etc) could be held up as examples of best practice?


Edit: That timetable for the 506, it's not on one of the bus stops with the grey spray paint still covering the flag, from when the road was closed about 2 years ago, is it?

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2009 19:55:29 GMT @owen76 said:

Edit: That timetable for the 506, it's not on one of the bus stops with the grey spray paint still covering the flag, from when the road was closed about 2 years ago, is it?

Im talking about the Greek Taverner stop (stop before the Leverton Way stop).
And by road closed, do you mean roads that have stopped being served by buses? Because along the Meridian Park road (the new-ish housing estate) the 506 used to serve there (aswell as the 252 Waltham Abbey to Waltham X)

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2009 23:18:19 GMT @truffles1234 said:

Aug 21, 2009 19:55:29 GMT @owen76 said:

Edit: That timetable for the 506, it's not on one of the bus stops with the grey spray paint still covering the flag, from when the road was closed about 2 years ago, is it?

Im talking about the Greek Taverner stop (stop before the Leverton Way stop).
And by road closed, do you mean roads that have stopped being served by buses? Because along the Meridian Park road (the new-ish housing estate) the 506 used to serve there (aswell as the 252 Waltham Abbey to Waltham X)

No, I meant the ones in Quaker Lane and Leverton Way, that were sprayed over when Highbridge Street was closed for bridge works, and have never been unsprayed. As far as I'm aware, the Meridian Way ones are intact, just unserved.

[Deleted]

Aug 23, 2009 16:49:10 GMT @owen76 said:

Aug 21, 2009 23:18:19 GMT @truffles1234 said:

Im talking about the Greek Taverner stop (stop before the Leverton Way stop).
And by road closed, do you mean roads that have stopped being served by buses? Because along the Meridian Park road (the new-ish housing estate) the 506 used to serve there (aswell as the 252 Waltham Abbey to Waltham X)

No, I meant the ones in Quaker Lane and Leverton Way, that were sprayed over when Highbridge Street was closed for bridge works, and have never been unsprayed. As far as I'm aware, the Meridian Way ones are intact, just unserved.

Oh ok.
I always thought that someone had graffited those stops, but now it makes sense ;D Can't believe no one has got round to cleaning or replacing those stops yet.

[Deleted]

Aug 18, 2009 15:40:38 GMT @truffles1234 said:

I think the bus infrastruture in Hertfordshire is certainly one of the best in the UK, excluding London of course. I live in Essex, and when I enter Hertfordshire its like a different world in terms of infrastructure.

For a start, ALL the bus stops have a decent flag (bus stop name, direction etc) and always have timetables which are always up to date and changed instantly when timetables are changed. Many stops have decent shelters aswell

There is also the £7 Intalink Explorer ticket which is very well advertised and is on all services in Herts (except TfL) and alot of services in Essex for some reason.
The Intalink website which is basically the Hertfordshire public transport site, has every timetable and tells you which routes accept the Explorer ticket. There is lots of other up to date info on there aswell.

So why is it so different from infrastructure in Essex?? Hardly any stops have timetables, and those which do are usually out of date. At Waltham Abbey for example, here is still a timetable for route 506 (Waltham X to Harlow) which ceased operation in around 2006. The bus stop flags are not that good either.
Also, the Essex CC public transport website is...adequate...especially compared to the Herts one. There are hardly any shelters in Essex either

So tell me, why is it so different. An obvious answer may be Herts CC may have more money and resources...

Given the frequency at which timetables can change & vandalism etc it would be far better to make timetable information available on mobile phones

[Deleted]

Aug 23, 2009 17:24:17 GMT bob said:

Given the frequency at which timetables can change & vandalism etc it would be far better to make timetable information available on mobile phones

I certainly think so too. You can already do so be texting Traveline, but you have to pay. It would only be useful if it was free.
And alot of bus passengers these days (especially out of London) are elderly and alot of them will not want to use thier mobile (if they have one) to get a timetable. I find the text from mobile timetables difficult to read, and I have a pretty good eyesight.
I hope I am not being stereotypical about older people here, but I hardly doubt alot of them would want to use a mobile service.
Basically I think timetables should stay, but also have a mobile service that is free, as some stops dont have timetables

[DLA 365]

Though it would be nice to have a free mobile phone service where you can get the next bus departure, it will unfortunately require funding.

Then again we are back to that vicious circle question: who foots the bill? ;D

[Deleted]

Aug 24, 2009 15:38:13 GMT DLA 365 said:

Though it would be nice to have a free mobile phone service where you can get the next bus departure, it will unfortunately require funding.

Then again we are back to that vicious circle question: who foots the bill? ;D

Most likely the taxpayer
But i suppose timetables are free, and probably payed for by the taxpayer. Mobile timetables might be more expensive, but it shouldnt raise the tax bill too much

[DLA 365]

Though some councils charge for bus timetable booklets (some are good value for money and others aren't).

I think Essex County Council is one of those where nothing comes free ;D

[Deleted]

Aug 24, 2009 18:19:06 GMT DLA 365 said:

Though some councils charge for bus timetable booklets (some are good value for money and others aren't).

I think Essex County Council is one of those where nothing comes free ;D

Well you can pick up specific route timetables for free, at bus stations etc in Essex, but for £1 you can buy a booklet which includes EVERY bus service in Essex, aswell as travel advice, ticket advice and town maps.

[DLA 365]

Yes I have seen the booklet you mention (but isn't it more like the size of a telephone directory?) *drools*

The person I spoke to said they had to get it through the post, but do you know of any bus stations and / or libraries where this can be purchased from?

[Deleted]

Aug 25, 2009 15:51:10 GMT DLA 365 said:

Yes I have seen the booklet you mention (but isn't it more like the size of a telephone directory?) *drools*

The person I spoke to said they had to get it through the post, but do you know of any bus stations and / or libraries where this can be purchased from?

It can be bought from Harlow Bus Station (at the Infomation Desk).
It is available at Essex libraries, and also at SOME Essex newsagents.
You can also order one by post but this costs £3.50 with P+P.

Heres some more infomation about it if your interested:

www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/ECCWebsite/dis/new.jsp?channelOid=74978&guideOid=null&oid=122463

To see the newsagents that you can buy it from, look on the right hand side of the web page for the pdf document.

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2009 19:55:29 GMT @owen76 said:

It is so different because there are no national standards relating to the provision of bus-related infrastructure, so each local authority is left to its own devices. Some are good, some don't care, some try but don't quite hit the spot. I think Essex falls into that category.

Money and resources are certainly a part of the equation. However money has to be spent by people, some of whom are more capable than others. One council may hire a top person in the field, another may not. I don't know much about the employment situation within local authorities, but I have the impression that Transport (especially public transport outside the larger towns and cities) is, in local authorities as in central government, not regarded as the pinnacle of ones career.

There is also the issue of the support, or otherwise, a local authority gets from the operators. A massive generalisation I know, but Stagecoach and Go-Ahead seem to be generally more progressive than Arriva and First. And Essex's main operators are...

I shudder to propose yet another area for central government to micro-manage and produce league tables for, but I think if some standards showing what is required, and what is expected, and in generally what form things were to be provided, were produced then perhaps that might give local authorities some form of benchmark to work from. Perhaps the efforts of the better authorities (Herts, Surrey, Derbyshire etc) could be held up as examples of best practice?


Edit: That timetable for the 506, it's not on one of the bus stops with the grey spray paint still covering the flag, from when the road was closed about 2 years ago, is it?

A lot of the problem is most councils are now finding that almost their entire public tranport budget and in some case more then the buget is going towards funding free travel. It then leaves no money for anything else