Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(30/07/2016 16:37)WhiteVanMan Wrote:  If every bus was used every day. Then what would happen when a bus is off the road due to accident damage?

Buses are on the pits in Chester and those were not included when I said about left over buses. Left overs are normally sat at the back of the depot or under the cover. There is normally about 4 buses on pits from what I have seem. Unless I just see it on a busy day.

(30/07/2016 16:52)Dentonian Wrote:  I can't speak for Cheshire West or East, or indeed Merseytravel, but TFGM are forever receiving Registrations well after the 56 days notice period, so combined with the number of changes made (about 130 in GM from 4th September), you can see how it can often be close to introduction date for timetables to be available.

If an operator increases the level of a "funded" service, then there will be serious questions asked by the Tendering Authority (on behalf of the tax payer) as to why the service is subsidised in the first place.

I know places have a lot of different registrations but timetables are made via scripts from what I have seen. You click a button and bus stop timetables and standard timetables are made. Most of chesters changes are small but CWACC are too lazy to make individual timetables like TFGM and Merseytravel. I know they arent a transport organisation thing but still. They make the timetables for stuff like Dee Bee but dont for SC and just wait for SC to bring their timetables out. Secondly, the timetables were made to send of the the authorities so the times are there. Just format it into the timetable. It surely cant take that long if you have the template. Just copy the times over.

Stuff like SP1/2 I mean increase with the funding still there and the 36 is fully commercial so that should be increased. SP1/SP2 always was half hourly so increasing it back to that will be the same as GHA operated it with funding therefore nothing really changes other than it puts it back to normal.

(30/07/2016 17:32)chester285 Wrote:  The problem is with Chester the depot is too small really for the purpose, I think if Chester are to introduce new routes other than the ones picked up from the collapse of GHA they would have to look at either relocation or an out station , it would be nice to see both depots take on new routes but I can't see them taking on Arriva, particularly from Chester into north wales

Chester is tiny. They need to move to Bumpers Lane and get a purpose built depot down there. The current location should be student accommodation. Depot is tiny and buses are already left outside blocking Victoria Road at night so a bigger depot is a must. Chester could really do with taking on the X2 half hourly and maybe looking at something like the DB2. Arriva are tough competitors but look at Blacons and Liverpools, Arriva are loosing the battle by dropping 2 and blacons they arent doing well as everyone has Stagecoach cards and day tickets because they are cheaper and can be used further afield. Arriva I dont think make that much around Blacon as SC have the additional bus and now Sundays SC have a bus running so Arriva isnt doing great to be fair.

(30/07/2016 17:39)chester285 Wrote:  Chester hardly has any spare buses in the depot compared to Rockferry, I doubt at the moment that they will increase frequency on the SP1/2 as they are currently on emergency contract with the support of Flintshire council, regarding the 36 until they have settled its on the route an reduced timetable makesnmore sense

Increading frequency on SP1/2 only needs 2 buses. It isnt that much in the grand scheme of things. Especially if they come off S1 and head straight to Mold for later evening services. GHA had a few sunday services in Wrexham and as SC are trying to get a foot in down there, they could do those with spare sunday buses.