Bus Randomness

[suzyscottdotcom]

Right, in no particular order, starting around Dundee, Perth, back to Dundee, Cambridge and the shire, and onto Norfolk.

1. Firstly, earlier in the month, DundeeBuses.info is one! Remember last year I compiled a list of downloadable timetables, simple and whenever you needed it? Well, in the first year, 24,504 visits and an average of 199 per day (see some stats from the first year here) – wonderful news, showing it was certainly needed. Indeed, since January, the website has experienced an interesting spike upwards with visitors – just glad that I could be of help, well over 24 thousand times!

2. Remember Bankfoot Buses hired Max Clifford to repair their shattered image? What, with photocopied operator licence discs and ex-Ensignbus (bus dealer) Darts proclaiming to be “Stagcoach”, you'd have wondered why. Anyway, having worked through the Scottish TC and onto the internal VOSA appeal, they ended up disqualified indefinitely, still with a fine, and Transport Scotland are questioning over fraudulent free concession pass reimbursement claims. Well, as I said, they had one last shot – an appeal to The Upper Tribunal, formerly The Transport Tribunal. I'm not going to quote the full chapter and verse on this one, but it's for all to see at this link, with the full version downloadable here. Basically, it's still no, they've upheld the decision of the Deputy Traffic Commissioner. The decision of the Upper Tribunal states: “With regard to disqualification, we are not surprised that the Deputy Traffic Commissioner considered this a necessary addition to the revocations since the various deliberate instances of defiance of law and good practice were blatant and pre-meditated.  There is no place in the industry for those who attempt to deceive Traffic Commissioners at public inquiry, including involving the forgery of an ‘O’ licence disc.”

 

3. Talking of the Traffic Commissioner, Fishers Tours were in hot water following some issues with the Scottish Express services last year. I mentioned in this post, and this post, the background and a follow-up correction. Well, subsequently, the operator have appealed to VOSA against the penalty, and been allowed to continue until the appeal is held – probably March. The operator have added a note of this to their website (which was the first word about it) as well as taking out press advertising.

 

 

4. Cambridge's Guided Busway. I have to mention it, seeing as everyone else does. No announcement of a revised opening date. It looks like the delays might well be caused by a series of contractor rows and further strops over money (remember where you read it first!) As such, the council is taking out loans to cover the increased cost, but intend to claim it back from the contractor. (Just a thought, but does this mean the integrated smartcard ticketing and the southern section might be ready at the same time as the top bit?)

4A. In an interesting side, the Stagecoach vehicles had said (for almost a year) “I'll be on The Busway soon, will you”. They've now been changed (apparently with the approval of the council!) to say “Will I be on The Busway soon?” Stagecoach Cambridgeshire Managing director Andy Campbell told the Cambridge Evening News: "When we got these buses 12 months ago we were told the busway would be open in the late summer, so we decided to put these adverts on to encourage people to see what was coming in the near future. "Those adverts have now been on the buses for a year and it’s not realistic to the keep the same message. "We’ve got no indication of when the guideway is going to open so we decided to change the message in a light-hearted way."  A council spokesman said: "Stagecoach shared their plans to reword the slogan on their buses with us at a recent meeting. "Obviously we share their frustration at the ongoing delay in opening the busway, but Stagecoach, the public and ourselves are entirely in the hands of the contractor BAM Nuttall as to when they complete works and the service can open."

 

5. Some of the changes registered by Stagecoach in Cambridgeshire (that were postponed late last year, blaming The Busway and waiting for new vehicles) have been registered again, to take effect in April. Stagecoach Cambridge are then expecting 50 new double-deck buses which will run on biofuel. It is then understood that some of the displaced buses will end up in Peterborough – apparently they do not have space for a biofuel tank at their depot. The Cambridge citi network is to be relaunched then, but it is understood that some cuts will be brought in beside the bigger buses. I know the Royston 26/27 is changing on one journey by five minutes, but the rest of the network changes are to follow. With regards to the February changes, some minor bits and last-minute twists were made, although some escaped the radar. One interesting service-change-related twist was the relocation of the almost two year old Enviro200's from Peterborough's citi7 to Cambridge, where they are being used on the citi2 mostly.

6. Norfolk Green are planning to introduce their Summer timetables from 2^nd April. I mention this because it follows up with several posts I've made recently.

Coasthopper (Huntstanton – Wells – Sheringham/Cromer)
Our summer times see a return to buses every half hour between Hunstanton and Wells, and between Wells and Cromer, with a bus every hour fast to and from King's Lynn, connecting with the trains. Between May and September, our Summer Sunday service is even better than ever, with buses every half hour along the coast all day long. What's more, from 24 May we launch Coasthopper Xtra which will offer faster journeys from King's Lynn to Burnham Market via Sedgeford and Docking, and also put Holt and Kelling Heath Holiday Park on the Coasthopper map too, as well as providing extra seats between Burnham Market and Cley during the busiest times of the day.

Fairstead One (Kings Lynn Bus Station – Fairstead Circular)
We've improved our morning peak hour service with an extra bus doing the loop at 0748 (0750 Saturdays). We've also added in a little more running time along Gaywood Road at peak times to help us stay on track.

North Lynn Too! (Kings Lynn Bus Station – North Lynn Circular)
We've added an extra earlier bus on Mondays to Fridays doing the loop at 0720, and getting you back into town for 0745.

Gaywood Five (Kings Lynn Bus Station – Gaywood Park Circular)
We've added an extra bus doing the loop from town at 0900.

the 26A (Blakeney – Fakenham for Kings Lynn)
The afternoon bus will leave Fakenham slightly later at 1700, still connecting with the X8 from King's Lynn.

the 27 (Fakenham – The Creakes – Syderstone – Four Wynds, for Kings Lynn)
The 0935 bus from South Creake will now be extended to start at Fakenham at 0935. The 1735 College day bus from Fakenham will no longer run.

the 29 (Fakenham – Walsingham - Wells)
There are some slight timing changes in the morning and early evening. The first bus from Fakenham to Wells will now be at 0800.

the 34 (Benwick or Manea – March Tesco Extra)
This service will be merged in with the 56 to create a new link from Manea or Benwick through March to Wisbech - see under the 56 for details.

the 35 (Hunstanton – Kings Lynn)
Extra buses will run in conjunction with the Coasthopper summer timetable, and we'll also be serving our stop within Searles Holiday Park at Hunstanton again. There are also later buses on Thursday and Friday nights this year, and all our buses are timed to connect with the trains at King's Lynn!

the 37 (Southery – Downham Market – Kings Lynn)
There is a slight timing change to the Sunday buses, and also the 1435 bus from King's Lynn will follow the standard route south of Downham Market during school holidays.

the 46 (March – Guhyrin - Wisbech – Kings Lynn)
Will now be running seven days a week, with brand new Sunday buses during the day between March, Wisbech and King's Lynn, connecting with 35 buses to Hunstanton! There are also some timing changes during the week, and the 0750 bus from Wisbech to March is put back to 0800 and extended to start at Terrington St John. We still connect with Stagecoach X9 buses to and from Cambridge with through fares, and with the 56 there are now green buses every 30 mins between Wisbech and March through the day!

the 48 (Grimston – Kings Lynn)
There are some very minor timing changes to a couple of journeys.

the 50 (Long Sutton – Tydd St Mary - Wisbech)
This service is changing to merge together our existing 50 and 55 buses between Long Sutton, Sutton Bridge and Wisbech. We are improving the Long Sutton town service with buses in both directions along Cowper's Gate and past Peele School, and between Tydd St Mary and Leverington we are diverting through Tydd St Giles and Newton instead of Four Gotes. Buses wil run approx every two hours during the day with extra buses at peak times, and with connections and through fares available onto the 505 to King's Lynn or Spalding. Buses will no longer be calling at Wisbech Tesco.

the 55 (Long Sutton – Tydd St Giles - Wisbech)
This service is being replaced by the new 50, see above for details.

the 56 (March – Elm - Wisbech)
This service will be extended beyond March to Wimblington then Benwick or Manea, replacing the 34. This new route will also link Wisbech with Doddington Hospital. Buses will run every hour during the day between Wisbech and Wimblington, then approx every two hours to either Benwick or Manea. We won't be going to the big Tesco store at March any more, but we'll still be linking Elliott Road with town every hour. All buses through Wimblington will also now call at the village hall, saving you the walk to the main road. Together with the 46, there will now be green buses every 30mins between Wisbech and March through the day!

the 60 (Three Holes – Outwell - Wisbech)
There will be some very minor timing changes in the morning, but a much later last bus back into Wisbech on Mondays to Fridays, leaving Three Holes at 1703.

the 63 (Wisbech – The Walpoles – Kings Lynn)
There are some slight timing changes to a couple of journeys.

the 66 (Wisbech Town Service)
The afternoon service is improved, with buses every 30 mins up to 1500, then buses at 1605, 1640 and on Mondays to Fridays a later last bus at 1735.

the 505 (Spalding – Terrington – Kings Lynn)
There are some slight timing changes to most journeys to improve timekeeping, especially during the work on the South Gates roundabout. On Mondays to Fridays, there's a brand new bus at 0735 from Long Sutton into King's Lynn to help reduce overcrowding on the 0744 bus from Walpole Cross Keys. There's also good news in the evening, as we're extending the 1935 bus from King's Lynn right through to Holbeach!

the X5 (Norwich – Cromer – Sheringham, evenings & Sundays)
On Mondays to Fridays there will be new daytime buses from Norwich, linking straight through to Coasthopper at Sheringham to get you on your way along the coast. These will leave Norwich at 0830, returning from Sheringham at 1545 (Cromer 1605). This is especially good news as from 1 April over-60s with Norfolk passes will once again be able to board buses for free during the week within the Norwich City boundary from the standard Norfolk time of 0830!

the X6 (Fakenham – Holt - Cromer)
The 1710 bus from Cromer will run only as far as Melton Constable (the 1810 bus still runs through to Fakenham for King's Lynn).

the X8 (Fakenham – Kings Lynn)
There are some very minor timing changes to afternoon College day buses from King's Lynn. The 1817 bus from Fakenham to King's Lynn will no longer run, but the last bus at 1915 will still be running as now.

the X29 (Norwich – Pensthorpe - Fakenham)
We've plugged the gaps so that there is a basic hourly service right through the day between Fakenham, Pensthorpe and Norwich. We've also further improved the Monday to Friday peak hour buses with extra journeys at 0830 into Norwich, returning at 1720.