Transport randomness
Mar. 31st, 2009 08:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
suzyscottdotcomCatching up - this post should just about clear most of it...
1. Following the post re the Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire Service Changes, I forgot to mention the new Guided Busway vehicles will be entering service on existing Stagecoach services – in two special green liveries. As the Busway will now not be opening until the Autumn, the buses have been built (well, the Stagecoach ones anyway!), and will be used, complete with new driver group, new uniforms – plus the buses will be running on biodiesel, and offering free Wi-Fi. You should expect to see them on the 55 from Cambridge to Huntingdon from April, and possibly also the 45 (same but over different roads).
2. Norfok Green news, from the company’s own Greencast newsletter.
“summer bus times start on Saturday 2 May, and we're further improving our key services up to and along the Norfolk coast. As well as even more Coasthoppers (see below), our X6 Cromer-Fakenham and X8 Fakenham-King's Lynn buses will now run every hour during the day Monday to Saturday, and will feature better morning connections with trains at King's Lynn and a late night bus from Cromer through to Holt. Our fast 35 buses between King's Lynn and Hunstanton will be much more regular, running every hour seven days a week, meeting most trains at King's Lynn in both directions. There will also be some minor changes to buses on PandoraFour and on the 48 where the trial Sunday buses have done so well that they are here to stay. However, the Sunday buses on the 39 from West Winch have not done so well, and they won't run after Sunday 26 April. New times will be available online very soon, and new leaflets will be available on buses and from usual outlets from the middle of April.”
3. Also from Greencast, news on the Coasthopper (currently getting a new batch of Slimline Optare Solo’s, to add to those bought in the last two years)…
“Our summer Coasthopper bus times also get into full swing on 2 May, with buses every 30 minutes between Hunstanton and Wells and between Wells and Cromer Monday to Saturday and up to every 30 minutes on Sundays too at the busiest times. Coasthoppers will also offer guaranteed connections in Hunstanton with our improved 35 buses meeting the trains in King's Lynn. Our new fleet of Coasthopper buses have now arrived in their bright new colours, and one of them was centre stage at Norfolk Tourism's stand at this weekend's Outdoors Show at Birmingham's NEC. Later this month, our new dedicated coasthopper.co.uk website opens its doors for business, where you'll be able to find out about the route, the places it goes and even upload your own holiday snaps and check your CO2 emissions!
Coasthopper Rover tickets are changing from 2 May, and while the price rises to £6 for adults, they will now be valid from Cromer to King's Lynn on Coasthopper buses and the 35, and will also now be available in 3 and 7 day versions. 16-19s will also be able to buy discounted Rover tickets. Also, our popular Duo returns, which give 15% discount to two adults travelling there and back together, will be available on Coasthopper and the 35 for the first time. Meanwhile, our day anywhere tickets will be known as Explorers, and while they won't be changing in price they will also be accepted on Konectbus buses, meaning you can easily reach the N&NU Hospital in Norwich without paying extra. We've also got another exciting new ticket up our sleeve for launch in time for the summer...but you'll have to wait until the next newsletter to find out more!”
4. Stuff in Hertfordshire - further to the retendering, new contracts started on Monday past. Further commercial changes have been registered by uno from late April, confusing matters a little, so I shall come back to these later.
5. Back to Scotland, and to add to the details in the post on the Fife changes next month, Nordi Travel Service 632/633 was introduced a fortnight ago on Monday 16th March 2009, providing up to six buses a day (the previous best level of service was five!) between Livingston Bus Terminal, (St John’s Hospital – 632 only), Uphall, Broxburn, Winchburn, Kirkliston, Forth Bridge, Ferrytoll Park & Ride, then half the journeys continue to/from Rosyth and Dunfermline. These services operate Monday-Friday only from Livingston at 0650 (632 to Ferrytoll), 0840 (633 to Ferrytoll and Dunfermline), 1040 (633 to Ferrytoll and Dunfermline), 1330 (632 to Ferrytoll), 1515 (633 to Dunfermline), and 1715 (632 to Ferrytoll). From Dunfermline, Service 633 at 0940, 1205, 1615. From Ferrytoll, buses at 0740 (632), 0957 (633), 1222 (633), 1415 (632), 1632 (633), and 1805 (633). Services will start/terminate at Dalmeny Station in the event of the Forth Road Bridge being closed to traffic. One-Tickets are valid throughout, and fares to/from Livingston are £3.50 Single/£5.25 Return to Dunfermline, or £2.80 Single/£4.20 Return to Ferrytoll. No Saturday and Sunday service, although as noted on the post re the Fife changes, the X51 starts soon.
6. Buses in Dundee – Dundee City Council have cut subsidy for very early morning Saturday journeys, meaning some journeys on Services 1A/1B, 2, 4, 9/9A/10, 17, 18/19, 21, 22, 28/29, 32/33. Travel Dundee have withdrawn some of the early journeys on the 1A/1B, 4 and 22 from the start of May, but the other services have not yet been changed, apparently pending further developments. One more notable casualty is Service 51 from Dundee to Liff and Fowlis, which Travel Dundee have withdrawn from the same date, following cessation of council funding.
7. Angus Council local bus service tender results have been published, and the new services now start on Monday 1st June 2009 (following a two month postponement until the budget was confirmed). Most stuff has been retained by the existing operators, however Service 30 (Montrose – Stracathro/Edzell) sees the current Nicoll journeys revert to Strathtay (as those were tendered with some existing Strathtay journeys). However, a 1635 from Montrose return, and the evening service on the 30, Monday to Saturday, conversely go from Strathtay to Nicoll’s. Service 115/116 (Forfar – Friockheim - Farnell or Lunan – Montrose) go from Strathtay to JP for the second time. The morning subsidised 52 (Monday to Friday) ran by Strathtay with the 115/116 bus is also gone, but an enhanced Saturday service was tendered by the council, and won by JP. A slightly enhanced Service 81 (Carnoustie or Monifieth – Forfar) will see the service have two northbound and one southbound journey per day, Monday to Saturday, with all journeys serving Monifieth and Carnoustie. JP have retained their peak time journey on Service 138 (Monday to Friday at 0800 from Inveraldie), but the main 137/138/139 bus from Downfield to Auchterhouse, Tealing, Murroes and Dundee City Centre, is won by TeeJay Travel from Strathtay. This service is expected to extend to/from Auchterhouse Park once more (homes built on the site of the former Sidlaw Hospital), with slight timetable changes.
8. Trains – First Capital Connect’s Thameslink plans got twisted, as not enough trains are available for the expanded cross-London 12-car trains. To get round this, various changes have been implemented, including some trains running shorter than planned. At least one “Great Northern” train from Cambridge and Royston to London in the peaks is running with four cars instead of eight at the moment.
1. Following the post re the Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire Service Changes, I forgot to mention the new Guided Busway vehicles will be entering service on existing Stagecoach services – in two special green liveries. As the Busway will now not be opening until the Autumn, the buses have been built (well, the Stagecoach ones anyway!), and will be used, complete with new driver group, new uniforms – plus the buses will be running on biodiesel, and offering free Wi-Fi. You should expect to see them on the 55 from Cambridge to Huntingdon from April, and possibly also the 45 (same but over different roads).
2. Norfok Green news, from the company’s own Greencast newsletter.
“summer bus times start on Saturday 2 May, and we're further improving our key services up to and along the Norfolk coast. As well as even more Coasthoppers (see below), our X6 Cromer-Fakenham and X8 Fakenham-King's Lynn buses will now run every hour during the day Monday to Saturday, and will feature better morning connections with trains at King's Lynn and a late night bus from Cromer through to Holt. Our fast 35 buses between King's Lynn and Hunstanton will be much more regular, running every hour seven days a week, meeting most trains at King's Lynn in both directions. There will also be some minor changes to buses on PandoraFour and on the 48 where the trial Sunday buses have done so well that they are here to stay. However, the Sunday buses on the 39 from West Winch have not done so well, and they won't run after Sunday 26 April. New times will be available online very soon, and new leaflets will be available on buses and from usual outlets from the middle of April.”
3. Also from Greencast, news on the Coasthopper (currently getting a new batch of Slimline Optare Solo’s, to add to those bought in the last two years)…
“Our summer Coasthopper bus times also get into full swing on 2 May, with buses every 30 minutes between Hunstanton and Wells and between Wells and Cromer Monday to Saturday and up to every 30 minutes on Sundays too at the busiest times. Coasthoppers will also offer guaranteed connections in Hunstanton with our improved 35 buses meeting the trains in King's Lynn. Our new fleet of Coasthopper buses have now arrived in their bright new colours, and one of them was centre stage at Norfolk Tourism's stand at this weekend's Outdoors Show at Birmingham's NEC. Later this month, our new dedicated coasthopper.co.uk website opens its doors for business, where you'll be able to find out about the route, the places it goes and even upload your own holiday snaps and check your CO2 emissions!
Coasthopper Rover tickets are changing from 2 May, and while the price rises to £6 for adults, they will now be valid from Cromer to King's Lynn on Coasthopper buses and the 35, and will also now be available in 3 and 7 day versions. 16-19s will also be able to buy discounted Rover tickets. Also, our popular Duo returns, which give 15% discount to two adults travelling there and back together, will be available on Coasthopper and the 35 for the first time. Meanwhile, our day anywhere tickets will be known as Explorers, and while they won't be changing in price they will also be accepted on Konectbus buses, meaning you can easily reach the N&NU Hospital in Norwich without paying extra. We've also got another exciting new ticket up our sleeve for launch in time for the summer...but you'll have to wait until the next newsletter to find out more!”
4. Stuff in Hertfordshire - further to the retendering, new contracts started on Monday past. Further commercial changes have been registered by uno from late April, confusing matters a little, so I shall come back to these later.
5. Back to Scotland, and to add to the details in the post on the Fife changes next month, Nordi Travel Service 632/633 was introduced a fortnight ago on Monday 16th March 2009, providing up to six buses a day (the previous best level of service was five!) between Livingston Bus Terminal, (St John’s Hospital – 632 only), Uphall, Broxburn, Winchburn, Kirkliston, Forth Bridge, Ferrytoll Park & Ride, then half the journeys continue to/from Rosyth and Dunfermline. These services operate Monday-Friday only from Livingston at 0650 (632 to Ferrytoll), 0840 (633 to Ferrytoll and Dunfermline), 1040 (633 to Ferrytoll and Dunfermline), 1330 (632 to Ferrytoll), 1515 (633 to Dunfermline), and 1715 (632 to Ferrytoll). From Dunfermline, Service 633 at 0940, 1205, 1615. From Ferrytoll, buses at 0740 (632), 0957 (633), 1222 (633), 1415 (632), 1632 (633), and 1805 (633). Services will start/terminate at Dalmeny Station in the event of the Forth Road Bridge being closed to traffic. One-Tickets are valid throughout, and fares to/from Livingston are £3.50 Single/£5.25 Return to Dunfermline, or £2.80 Single/£4.20 Return to Ferrytoll. No Saturday and Sunday service, although as noted on the post re the Fife changes, the X51 starts soon.
6. Buses in Dundee – Dundee City Council have cut subsidy for very early morning Saturday journeys, meaning some journeys on Services 1A/1B, 2, 4, 9/9A/10, 17, 18/19, 21, 22, 28/29, 32/33. Travel Dundee have withdrawn some of the early journeys on the 1A/1B, 4 and 22 from the start of May, but the other services have not yet been changed, apparently pending further developments. One more notable casualty is Service 51 from Dundee to Liff and Fowlis, which Travel Dundee have withdrawn from the same date, following cessation of council funding.
7. Angus Council local bus service tender results have been published, and the new services now start on Monday 1st June 2009 (following a two month postponement until the budget was confirmed). Most stuff has been retained by the existing operators, however Service 30 (Montrose – Stracathro/Edzell) sees the current Nicoll journeys revert to Strathtay (as those were tendered with some existing Strathtay journeys). However, a 1635 from Montrose return, and the evening service on the 30, Monday to Saturday, conversely go from Strathtay to Nicoll’s. Service 115/116 (Forfar – Friockheim - Farnell or Lunan – Montrose) go from Strathtay to JP for the second time. The morning subsidised 52 (Monday to Friday) ran by Strathtay with the 115/116 bus is also gone, but an enhanced Saturday service was tendered by the council, and won by JP. A slightly enhanced Service 81 (Carnoustie or Monifieth – Forfar) will see the service have two northbound and one southbound journey per day, Monday to Saturday, with all journeys serving Monifieth and Carnoustie. JP have retained their peak time journey on Service 138 (Monday to Friday at 0800 from Inveraldie), but the main 137/138/139 bus from Downfield to Auchterhouse, Tealing, Murroes and Dundee City Centre, is won by TeeJay Travel from Strathtay. This service is expected to extend to/from Auchterhouse Park once more (homes built on the site of the former Sidlaw Hospital), with slight timetable changes.
8. Trains – First Capital Connect’s Thameslink plans got twisted, as not enough trains are available for the expanded cross-London 12-car trains. To get round this, various changes have been implemented, including some trains running shorter than planned. At least one “Great Northern” train from Cambridge and Royston to London in the peaks is running with four cars instead of eight at the moment.
