Herts, Cambs, Brighton transport stuff
Feb. 23rd, 2008 04:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
suzyscottdotcomWell, there are tonnes of it to do… I am going to leave the Scottish stuff (which will mostly appear in Monday’s edition of Notices & Proceedings) for now, as there is enough to explain elsewhere.
Hertfordshire stuff – I mentioned before of changes at the end of March upon retendering, and the results are now online. Service 90/91/92 (The Mordens – Letchworth) has been retendered as Services 90/91 (the 92 is really a separate service in its own right, but had a couple of journeys extended to cover bits of the 91), and won from Arriva by Centrebus. From March 31st, Services 90 & 91 will follow a new route from Royston Bus Station via Somerfield and the A505, taking back roads via Ashwell & Morden Station to Ashwell village, then following the current 90/91/92 service to provide a five times a day service to Baldock and Letchworth. Four buses run as 91 via Newham (not the one in Cambridge), and one runs as a 90 via Bygrave, Manor Farm. Buses will run Monday-Saturday from Royston at 0735 (91), 0930 (90), 1210 (91), 1430 (91), 1635 (91), with returns from Letchworth Broadway at 0838 (91), 1110 (91), 1310 (90), 1525 (91), and 1735 (91). The new operator intends to use a new 28-seater Optare Solo on this work. Of course, in year gone by, the 90/91 ran beyond Ashwell & The Mordens to Royston via Bassingbourn – and the bit that does this is now covered by Allan’s 127. The 90/91 will still touch into Cambridgeshire, but only just. Presumably, the idea is of more potential for travelling to/from Royston, rather than villages, and it does help to plug a rather sizable gap. As it is a Herts CC contract service, Explorer tickets will still be accepted and issued throughout.
Hertfordshire (continued) - Service 331 & 331X (Royston Tesco – Hertford Bus Station) have been retained by Arriva The Shires, (331X is a new number for the ‘direct’ journeys), with slight minor timetable changes. The main highlight of the 331 award is that Arriva intend to purchase new 36-seater Optare Versa single deck buses, to replace the existing four-year old DAF/Wright Cadets. Don’t have a problem with the DAF’s (3830-3832 in the fleet, IIRC) as they can move when needed.
Cambridgeshire – almost no change. With only a handful of routes still to be awarded, nothing has changed hands, of the awards made public so far.
Brighton – outwith my usual scope, but as I’ve mentioned the rise, fall, and return of The Big Lemon, thought I’d better mention this. An hourly service in the peaks and evenings restarts on Service 42 (which will now only run from Churchill Square to the uni) starting this Thursday, 28th February. The following night, a benefit gig is being held to launch the service, and raise funds, entitled LEMONAID, at Pressure Point. Over the weeks while the operator has been off the road, it was interesting to read some of the comments that this most recent article in The (Brighton) Argus has generated. Following the many issues raised recently, perhaps not surprising that in last Friday’s South East & Met area Notices & Proceedings, this operator has been called up to a public enquiry on Wednesday 19th March, with four different ‘consideration of disciplinary action’ charges.
Hertfordshire stuff – I mentioned before of changes at the end of March upon retendering, and the results are now online. Service 90/91/92 (The Mordens – Letchworth) has been retendered as Services 90/91 (the 92 is really a separate service in its own right, but had a couple of journeys extended to cover bits of the 91), and won from Arriva by Centrebus. From March 31st, Services 90 & 91 will follow a new route from Royston Bus Station via Somerfield and the A505, taking back roads via Ashwell & Morden Station to Ashwell village, then following the current 90/91/92 service to provide a five times a day service to Baldock and Letchworth. Four buses run as 91 via Newham (not the one in Cambridge), and one runs as a 90 via Bygrave, Manor Farm. Buses will run Monday-Saturday from Royston at 0735 (91), 0930 (90), 1210 (91), 1430 (91), 1635 (91), with returns from Letchworth Broadway at 0838 (91), 1110 (91), 1310 (90), 1525 (91), and 1735 (91). The new operator intends to use a new 28-seater Optare Solo on this work. Of course, in year gone by, the 90/91 ran beyond Ashwell & The Mordens to Royston via Bassingbourn – and the bit that does this is now covered by Allan’s 127. The 90/91 will still touch into Cambridgeshire, but only just. Presumably, the idea is of more potential for travelling to/from Royston, rather than villages, and it does help to plug a rather sizable gap. As it is a Herts CC contract service, Explorer tickets will still be accepted and issued throughout.
Hertfordshire (continued) - Service 331 & 331X (Royston Tesco – Hertford Bus Station) have been retained by Arriva The Shires, (331X is a new number for the ‘direct’ journeys), with slight minor timetable changes. The main highlight of the 331 award is that Arriva intend to purchase new 36-seater Optare Versa single deck buses, to replace the existing four-year old DAF/Wright Cadets. Don’t have a problem with the DAF’s (3830-3832 in the fleet, IIRC) as they can move when needed.
Cambridgeshire – almost no change. With only a handful of routes still to be awarded, nothing has changed hands, of the awards made public so far.
Brighton – outwith my usual scope, but as I’ve mentioned the rise, fall, and return of The Big Lemon, thought I’d better mention this. An hourly service in the peaks and evenings restarts on Service 42 (which will now only run from Churchill Square to the uni) starting this Thursday, 28th February. The following night, a benefit gig is being held to launch the service, and raise funds, entitled LEMONAID, at Pressure Point. Over the weeks while the operator has been off the road, it was interesting to read some of the comments that this most recent article in The (Brighton) Argus has generated. Following the many issues raised recently, perhaps not surprising that in last Friday’s South East & Met area Notices & Proceedings, this operator has been called up to a public enquiry on Wednesday 19th March, with four different ‘consideration of disciplinary action’ charges.
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no subject
Date: 2008-02-23 07:09 pm (UTC)Routes that end in an X have always been a curiosity to me, not sure why... Bit like routes that start with a zero...
no subject
Date: 2008-02-23 08:26 pm (UTC)The front page of the registration doc shows it will be 331X, but the currently-used DAF's have three track power wound blinds. As for the future, shouldn't be a problem, as I'm assuming that the Versa's will have LED displays.
Have you seen a Versa in the flesh yet, BTW?