![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
All from Monday 16th August 2010… for some reason known to LJ, I've had to put it behind two cuts!
( Cut for more )
From Sunday 27th June 2010, National Express Dundee are making changes to various services. Full timetables can be had from www.dundeebuses.info or www.nationalexpress.com/dundee (although the school services are currently, as I type this, only on my site!)
( Cut for the rest )
( Cut for the rest )
Following previously-mentioned commercial pressures, and a new budget for subsidised services, local bus services around Angus are changing from Monday 31st May 2010. Timetables for all the changes can be found at www.angus.gov.uk/transport/timetables
( Cut for the text )
( Cut for the text )
The story of our holiday in Scotland
May. 30th, 2010 03:40 pmAs you will have seen from my Facebook status messages and tweets, we had a busy holiday, but enjoyable.
Friday 14th May – we got a taxi to Royston Station, FCC train to
Saturday 15th May – from the hotel with the German-accented lift (you may recall I mentioned this when I stayed here in early 2009), we got a cab to Haymarket for the hire car company Thrifty, before picking up EY 10 OAP, an automatic Ford Fiesta Titanium. The choice of letters was pointed out frequently! Anyway, from there, quick stop at Ferrytoll Park & Ride (snapped my first Nordi Travel bus on the 651, as well as a chance find of the new Fife bus map – first one in ages!) before continuing via the A92 and across the Tay Road Bridge to Dundee. As we arrived with plenty of time before our next event (at 15.00) we stopped briefly for a few things in town – I got some coffee beans and syrups from Braithwaite’s, as well as catching up on bus timetables! We then drove from
Sunday 16th May – we left Farnell, and drove through Dundee and the A90/M90 to the Kelty Interchange, before going via a back-road to the
Monday 17th May – we left Farnell via Forfar, A94 to Coupar Angus, back roads through Lethendy and Spittalfield to Birnam, then onto the road through Dalguise to Aberfeldy. After filling up the car with fuel, we parked it up, and prepared to sample Caber Coaches Service 91. This is essentially a beginners guide to Highland Perthshire, taking in some streets around town, before heading up for a loop around Coshieville and
Tuesday 18th May – we left Farnell returning via the road that we came back on the night before, the A94 to
Wednesday 19th May – we needed a rest from the day before, but agreed to do a handful of things that we had planned for Thursday, to spread the load. With the latter start, we met a colleague of Lynda’s for lunch at Brechin Castle Centre. L suggested meeting, largely as the colleague is about to go walking the Camino… From there, we drove through Brechin, Aberlemno, Lunanhead and Forfar, then onto
Thursday 20th May – bit of a star-shaped day. Started from Farnell, driving direct into Montrose, stopping for some pictures and coffee. We drove back the way we came to Farnell Crossroads but then continuing to Forfar West i.e. Orchardbank. This included a quick stop for lunch, then onto JP Coaches yard for some photos. From there, back to Forfar, cross-country to Barry Mill. C had never been here, despite living more than once in Carnoustie. We happened to walk in at the start of a tour, so joined in for the look. Took the car back to Sainsbury’s Claypotts for fuel, before driving to Linlathen (the scheme) where my mum, sister Ruth and new nephew Jonah live. We arrived to find Ruth was on the way home with Jonah. Shortly after their return, we went off to see my dad, back in the car past Claypotts then onto
Friday 21st May – trimmed this back a little, so I could get some duties done for Tiger Line early morning. Got those done quickly by mid-morning, we left, and started heading north on the A90 towards
Saturday 22nd May – we both needed to get our breath back! So, walk around Farnell village early afternoon, before we went out in the evening to
Sunday 23rd May – a quiet-ish one, but we drove through Forfar, Newtyle (quick stop to nab a pic of my dad’s old care home, now boarded up and for sale as homes), then onto Errol, Cairn O’ Mohr Winery. After drinks, stocking up on fruit wine and Arran cheese again, we proceeded to go back to Maza at
Monday 24th May – we finished packing up, and got back in the car. Drove via Forfar into ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
thebustocrookes, and we both bought a few items across the road in Disc Depot! Also, chanced upon a snap of the National Express Dundee 23/24 (the 23/24 is about to become the 23, with the rest part of the new 3/3A), and one of their yet-to-enter-service Scania Omnilink single deck buses. We drove out of
That was it… C liked the hire car, better than the Mazda we have! We got to meet new and old family members, and we both did a fair bit of mileage and shopping. Thanks to everyone who helped somehow with this!
Tuesday 25th May – was meant to be at PFH, but tired the day before, so decided to stay home. Wednesday 26th May – got a bit upset on the way to work at Switchboard, so back home. Despite these two days, I did get out to work at Woottens on Thursday 27th and Friday 28th May. We are now having a very quiet three day weekend to relax, and get back to normal, whatever that might be!
Further to this post about First Scotland East, and this one about First Aberdeen being called up before the TC for Scotland, First Glasgow are at it... and not for the first time...
Public Inquiry (40232) to be held at Office of the Traffic Commissioner
Level 6
The Stamp Office
10 Waterloo Place
Edinburgh
EH1 3EG, on 28 April 2010 commencing at 10:00(Previous Publication:(1803)
)
PM0000001 SI
FIRST GLASGOW (NO1) LTD T/A FIRST GLASGOW
Director(s): ROBERT GRAHAM, MARK SAVELLI, DAVID A KAYE, ALEX SHEARER, RONALD PARK, RONALD B WILLIAMSON, DOUGLAS HARRISON.
197 VICTORIA ROAD GLASGOW G42 7AD
PSV - S17 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981)
PSV - S16 - Consider attaching of varying conditions under Section 16 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981)
PSV - S28 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 28 (The Transport Act 1985)
Public Inquiry (40233) to be held at office of the Traffic Commissioner
Level 6
The Stamp Office
10 Waterloo Place
Edinburgh
EH1 3EG, on 28 April 2010 commencing at 10:00(Previous Publication:(1926)
)
PM0000006 SI
FIRST GLASGOW (NO2) LTD
Director(s): ROBERT GRAHAM, MARK SAVELLI, RONALD PARK, ALEX SHEARER, DAVID A KAYE, RONALD B WILLIAMSON, DOUGLAS HARRISON.
197 VICTORIA ROAD GLASGOW G42 7AD
PSV - S16 - Consider attaching of varying conditions under Section 16 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981)
PSV - S17 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981)
PSV - S28 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 28 (The Transport Act 1985)
Public Inquiry (40232) to be held at Office of the Traffic Commissioner
Level 6
The Stamp Office
10 Waterloo Place
Edinburgh
EH1 3EG, on 28 April 2010 commencing at 10:00(Previous Publication:(1803)
)
PM0000001 SI
FIRST GLASGOW (NO1) LTD T/A FIRST GLASGOW
Director(s): ROBERT GRAHAM, MARK SAVELLI, DAVID A KAYE, ALEX SHEARER, RONALD PARK, RONALD B WILLIAMSON, DOUGLAS HARRISON.
197 VICTORIA ROAD GLASGOW G42 7AD
PSV - S17 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981)
PSV - S16 - Consider attaching of varying conditions under Section 16 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981)
PSV - S28 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 28 (The Transport Act 1985)
Public Inquiry (40233) to be held at office of the Traffic Commissioner
Level 6
The Stamp Office
10 Waterloo Place
Edinburgh
EH1 3EG, on 28 April 2010 commencing at 10:00(Previous Publication:(1926)
)
PM0000006 SI
FIRST GLASGOW (NO2) LTD
Director(s): ROBERT GRAHAM, MARK SAVELLI, RONALD PARK, ALEX SHEARER, DAVID A KAYE, RONALD B WILLIAMSON, DOUGLAS HARRISON.
197 VICTORIA ROAD GLASGOW G42 7AD
PSV - S16 - Consider attaching of varying conditions under Section 16 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981)
PSV - S17 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981)
PSV - S28 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 28 (The Transport Act 1985)
ANOTHER First Scotland public enquiry!
Mar. 22nd, 2010 10:33 amFurther to this post about First Aberdeen, First Scotland East are up before Joan as well, i'm beginning to lose track of these! From today's N&P...
Public Inquiry (40186) to be held at Office of the Traffic Commissioner, Level 6, The Stamp Office, 10 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3EG, on 12 April 2010 commencing at 10:00(Previous Publication:(1802)
PM0000923 SI
FIRST SCOTLAND EAST LTD T/A FIRST EDINBURGH
Director(s): Steve Myers, JANE DESMOND, VICTOR DUDDY, DAVID STEWART, JULIETTE TURNER, GEORGE MAIR.
CARMUIRS HOUSE, 300 STIRLING RD , LARBERT FK5 3NJ
PSV - S17 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981)
PSV - S26 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 26 (The Transport Act 1985)
Public Inquiry (40186) to be held at Office of the Traffic Commissioner, Level 6, The Stamp Office, 10 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3EG, on 12 April 2010 commencing at 10:00(Previous Publication:(1802)
PM0000923 SI
FIRST SCOTLAND EAST LTD T/A FIRST EDINBURGH
Director(s): Steve Myers, JANE DESMOND, VICTOR DUDDY, DAVID STEWART, JULIETTE TURNER, GEORGE MAIR.
CARMUIRS HOUSE, 300 STIRLING RD , LARBERT FK5 3NJ
PSV - S17 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981)
PSV - S26 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 26 (The Transport Act 1985)
First Aberdeen makes the set!
Mar. 16th, 2010 05:35 pmFollowing public enquiries ino the way First run buses in various parts of England, plus Scotland East and Glasgow, it looks Aberdeen is about to complete the set of operators pulled up before the TC, for reliability issues.
Probe into First in drive to find out why buses run late
traffic commissioner sparks public inquiry into quality and reliability of service
Published: 15/03/2010
An international transport giant based in Aberdeen is to be investigated after a traffic commissioner expressed “extreme concern” about buses in the city running consistently late.
Bosses from First will appear at a public inquiry held by the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland next month to answer allegations that the company’s services are unreliable.
The company will also be questioned on the quality of its service in the aftermath of a two-month pay dispute where industrial action by 460 First workers led to reduced timetables.
All public transport firms in Scotland must apply to the traffic commissioner to introduce, change or remove services.
The commissioner cannot enforce changes, but can take action if agreed conditions for the provision of the service are not met.
After the inquiry, the traffic commissioner can impose a fine, reduce the number of vehicles First can run on its services, or suspend or revoke a licence for routes.
The traffic commissioner, Joan Aitken, is said to be “extremely concerned” First does not appear to be meeting the details of its services registered with her.
Aberdeen’s Mastrick and Sheddocksley Community Council chairman Steve Delaney will be among those giving evidence at the public inquiry at the Town House on April 6.
He wrote to the traffic commissioner raising concerns about the unreliability of First’s number 23 service between Summerhill and Heathryfold.
Mr Delaney said: “There have been problems with the services since a timetable change in February 2008, and two years is a long time to wait for reliable buses.
“We do not want this to be dealt with in any kind of draconian manner – all we want is buses which arrive on time.”
A letter to the community council from the Office of the Transport Commissioner said: “The traffic commissioner is extremely concerned that local services registered with her by the company do not appear to be running in accordance with the registered details.
“In normal circumstances the commissioner would contact the company to ask for a detailed explanation.
“However the traffic commissioner has, in view of other matters that have come to her attention, already decided that the company is required to show cause why she should not take disciplinary action against the licence held by the company due to local services not being operated as registered,” added the letter.
George Thomson, chairman of the Grampian Senior Citizens’ Forum, said the inquiry would come as a relief to pensioners living in the city who rely on First services.
He said: “This is the best news I have heard in a long time.
“They are virtually a monopoly in the city, and it is about time the effect of that is looked at. I do not think I am alone in thinking the service is, at times, nothing short of a joke.”
A spokesman for First confirmed the transport giant had been notified of the hearing. But he said the principal reasons for the inquiry were issues surrounding the company’s resumption of services after industrial action in September last year, as well as concerns held by the traffic commissioner over a change made on the firm’s board of directors in 2007.
The spokesman refused to give any more details about these concerns, but said: “We are hoping to improve the reliability and provision of our services with the changes to our routes and timetables being introduced on March 21.”
Bus Randomness
Feb. 28th, 2010 12:42 pmRight, 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 2nd April. I mention this because it follows up with several posts I've made recently.( Cut here for the rest of the Norfolk Green changes. )
From the company announcement... the all-day X42 looks like a good one, and will fulfill a number of often-requested links, as well as supporting the popular X1 between Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes. The 96 being reinstated to/from Ninewells Hospital also brings back a direct service to/from St Andrews, but it's interesting to note the 42 and 96 are swapping around in Tayport.
Stagecoach in Fife would like to advise passengers of a number of service changes that will be introduced across Fife as a result of feedback received by ourselves and Fife Council in relation to the new network of supported services introduced in August 2009 in North East Fife. In the Central Fife area a number of minor changes will be introduced in order to improve the reliability of certain services, particularly at peak times. A summary of the changes can be found below:
( Cut for the rest )
Stagecoach in Fife would like to advise passengers of a number of service changes that will be introduced across Fife as a result of feedback received by ourselves and Fife Council in relation to the new network of supported services introduced in August 2009 in North East Fife. In the Central Fife area a number of minor changes will be introduced in order to improve the reliability of certain services, particularly at peak times. A summary of the changes can be found below:
( Cut for the rest )
Yet more Bankfoot Buses
Jan. 13th, 2010 02:10 pmBanned bus firm hires Clifford in bid to repair reputation
Published on 13 Jan 2010
A bus firm that was ordered off the road for trying to imitate Stagecoach services has enlisted the help of publicity guru Max Clifford in an attempt to improve its battered reputation.
Bankfoot Buses, based outside Perth, is attempting the public makeover after having its licence confiscated by Scotland’s Traffic Commissioner last year and being subjected to an ongoing criminal investigation for allegedly trying to defraud the Government’s concessionary travel scheme.
The task of salvaging the firm’s reputation has apparently been taken on with relish by Mr Clifford, who has boasted of turning around the fortunes of figures such as Gerald Ratner, whose family firm collapsed after he famously called its jewellery “crap”.
Bankfoot has built up a colourful reputation since it was set up in 2007 by English couple Stuart and Sarah Newing-Davis. Having moved to Bankfoot from their home in London, they used the profits from two recruitment businesses to subsidise an hourly service between Perth and Dunkeld.
Among the publicity stunts the company has staged are offering free mulled wine and mince pies to Christmas shoppers and having their drivers wear fancy dress.
Mr Newing-Davis said he had fought a “David and Goliath” battle with Stagecoach, the Perth-based company founded by Brian Souter.
He said he had hired Mr Clifford as part of a “last throw of the dice” before an appeal next week against a decision to ban him indefinitely from holding a bus operator’s licence.
“We’ve got a lot of loyalty from people in Bankfoot who want to see the service continued. They’re the real losers in this, while our names have been dragged through the mud,” he said.
He was supported yesterday by Gordon Banks, MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, who said: “I’ve had a lot of correspondence from residents in the area who want the Bankfoot bus service bought back.”
Mr Newing-Davis conceded there was a lot of bad publicity to make up for. The company had its licence removed in April last
year after Traffic Commissioner Joan Aitken found it had imitated Stagecoach buses, using similar vehicles, livery and company uniforms and running free services just ahead of those registered to its bigger rival.
A fresh hearing six months later led to Bankfoot’s licence being removed indefinitely.
The company is also alleged to have put in £58,000 in fraudulent claims to Government agency Transport Scotland under the concessionary travel scheme. A trial is set for March 23 at Perth Sheriff Court.
A statement from Max Clifford Associates that the firm’s troubles had been caused by a “string of false allegations”
yesterday drew a frosty response from the Traffic Commissioner, who said she had made a “balanced judicial decision” and that operators were given “every opportunity” to represent their case.
Pegasus Travel ceases operating
Jan. 13th, 2010 02:07 pmI was surprised at this one... the Newburgh run had not operated for the last few months, as it was the end of the contract I think - but they had just gained a school run from the closure of Ochils Tours, and introduced a new semi-commercial service to Bridge of Earn. Stagecoach have moved in some Volvo/Alexander PS type buses to run the 17 to Gleneagles/Dunning, and some of the school runs.
Perth bus company goes bust
Pegasus Travel lays off 15 workers, citing cashflow problems and the recession, STV News can reveal.
A Perth-based bus company has gone bust citing cashflow problems caused by the recession - leaving 15 workers out of a job.
Pegasus Travel broke the news to their staff on Tuesday morning.
The company, which has been in operation since 1993, said they had experienced a huge downturn in their private hire business in the last six months, forcing them to close their business for good.
The staff laid off includes 13 drivers, one engineer and one apprentice engineer.
Pegasus owned and operated 10 vehicles - ranging from 33-seater buses to 53-seater executive coaches - for private hire and on scheduled service routes.
They had two bus routes in the Perth area - one running nine times a day to and from to Gleneagles Hotel and another three times a day to and from Newburgh in Fife.
These will now be taken over by other operators, including Perth-based transport giants Stagecoach.
Duncan Graham, director of Pegasus Travel, said they had been forced to cease trading due to money problems
He said: "There has been a general cash flow problem and the recession has also had an impact.
"The private hire side of the business has experienced a down-turn in the past six months.
"It really wasn't possible to keep the business going and I don't see any way of re-starting it in the future.
"I would like to thank our staff for their hard work over the years and I hope they will find new work in the public transport sector."
A spokesperson for Stagecoach East Scotland said: "Following this announcement, Stagecoach East Scotland, along with other local operators have been asked by Perth and Kinross Council to temporarily fulfil the Pegasus Travel routes and services to ensure travellers around the region still have access to bus services at this time.
"This is only a temporary measure, however the Public Transport Unit at Perth and Kinross Council are currently looking at longer term plans."
More Fishers Tours
Jan. 8th, 2010 03:14 pmFurther to the previous post re the Fishers Tours Public Inquiry into service delivery issues, the operator wishes to point out an error in the transcript of the PI. It was 42 journeys, not 42 services, that were monitored. 42 would include the school runs (30 Scottish Express and 19 school runs), which warranted only this brief mention -
“58. I have no evidence of any adverse matters in relation to the operator’s school contract registered services and these should be unaffected by this decision. All are within Dundee and Angus.”
i.e. the problem was specifically with the services outlined. I had taken the information from the press release/transcript as verbatim, but what they said would certainly make more sense, especially when contrasting with this quote.
“58. I have no evidence of any adverse matters in relation to the operator’s school contract registered services and these should be unaffected by this decision. All are within Dundee and Angus.”
i.e. the problem was specifically with the services outlined. I had taken the information from the press release/transcript as verbatim, but what they said would certainly make more sense, especially when contrasting with this quote.
Traffic Commissioner fines Dundee bus company and cancels services
30 December 2009 14:26
Office of the Traffic Commissioner (Scotland)
A Dundee bus company has been fined £12,650 – the maximum penalty - and had several of their services cancelled by the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland.
The Traffic Commissioner, Ms Joan Aitken, also directed that the company be prevented for registering any new local services serving places outwith the area of Angus and Dundee City Council with immediate effect. Services ordered to cease must end by 31st January 2010, with the fine payable to Scottish Ministers by the same date.
James and Catherine Cosgrove, Trading as Fishers Tours, appeared before the Traffic Commissioner at Public Inquiry on October 14 following receipt of an adverse report from Bus Compliance Officers. The commissioner heard that of 42 services monitored; 31 were either early, late, or failed to operate.
The full text of the Traffic Commissioner’s decision is below. Details of her consideration of the evidence and her decision can be found from paragraph 32 .
( Cut for the rest of the transcript )
30 December 2009 14:26
Office of the Traffic Commissioner (Scotland)
A Dundee bus company has been fined £12,650 – the maximum penalty - and had several of their services cancelled by the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland.
The Traffic Commissioner, Ms Joan Aitken, also directed that the company be prevented for registering any new local services serving places outwith the area of Angus and Dundee City Council with immediate effect. Services ordered to cease must end by 31st January 2010, with the fine payable to Scottish Ministers by the same date.
James and Catherine Cosgrove, Trading as Fishers Tours, appeared before the Traffic Commissioner at Public Inquiry on October 14 following receipt of an adverse report from Bus Compliance Officers. The commissioner heard that of 42 services monitored; 31 were either early, late, or failed to operate.
The full text of the Traffic Commissioner’s decision is below. Details of her consideration of the evidence and her decision can be found from paragraph 32 .
( Cut for the rest of the transcript )
Legendary author Robert Grieves passes on
Dec. 21st, 2009 10:44 amLegendary author Robert Grieves passes on
Dec 18 2009 by Kenneth Speirs, Paisley Daily Express
MOURNERS will gather next week for the funeral of a talented author who brought history to life for countless Buddies. Robert Grieves, who brilliantly recorded Scotland’s motor transport past, has died at the age of 65 after a long battle with illness.
He amassed a huge collection of road transport images and published much-loved books such as Wheels Around Paisley and Wheels Around Renfrewshire. A former pupil of Paisley Grammar School, Mr Grieves’ collecting career began in the 1950s, when he was given a gift of a Kodak Brownie camera.
His hobby was identifying and photographing buses and this pastime became a passion. He would go to bus depots such as Cunninghams of Paisley, Patons of Renfrew and Smiths of Barrhead, where he asked for unwanted photographs and other items relating to buses.
It is photographs such as these that make up the core Robert Grieves Archive – a collection which has been preserved in its entirety by the Scottish Motor Museum Trust, with the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund, in Alexandria, in the Vale of Leven.
By the 1960s, the young Robert became a familiar sight at the Paisley bus companies, who gladly handed over pictures, timetables and other items. When he was just 17, he made the first of many appearances in the Paisley Daily Express when we carried a story about his collection and his purchase of a 1930 Albion bus for restoration.
Not surprisingly, when he left school, Robert went to work in the office of bus company Western SMT. He later worked at Grahams of Hawkhead as a conductor and office boy and then moved to MacBraynes buses, where he was a conductor on the Glasgow to Tarbert route.
At the age of 24, Mr Grieves upped sticks and headed for Melbourne, Australia, where he worked as a tram driver, later moving to Sydney and Brisbane to drive buses. He returned home a few years later and continued to add to his collection centred on motor transport of all kinds, while working at the Inchinnan depot of Clydeside Scottish buses.
It is generally accepted that Mr Grieves’ collection of bus and car images is one of the finest in the world, documenting not just transport but the way transport changed the way we lived. He described his collection as “like a tour around Scotland, showing glimpses of our motoring past”.
Up to the end, Mr Grieves was an active historian and was writing another in the ‘Wheels Around’ series while a patient at ACCORD Hospice in Paisley.
His son Christopher, 27, told the Express: “There was nothing my dad would not do for me or my sister Alison or anyone really. “I admired him for what he achieved throughout his life.”
As well as his two children, Mr Grieves is survived by his partner Sadie Smart and granddaughter Meghan. His funeral will be held at Woodside Crematorium, Paisley, on Monday, at 1pm, to which all family and friends are invited.
Dec 18 2009 by Kenneth Speirs, Paisley Daily Express
MOURNERS will gather next week for the funeral of a talented author who brought history to life for countless Buddies. Robert Grieves, who brilliantly recorded Scotland’s motor transport past, has died at the age of 65 after a long battle with illness.
He amassed a huge collection of road transport images and published much-loved books such as Wheels Around Paisley and Wheels Around Renfrewshire. A former pupil of Paisley Grammar School, Mr Grieves’ collecting career began in the 1950s, when he was given a gift of a Kodak Brownie camera.
His hobby was identifying and photographing buses and this pastime became a passion. He would go to bus depots such as Cunninghams of Paisley, Patons of Renfrew and Smiths of Barrhead, where he asked for unwanted photographs and other items relating to buses.
It is photographs such as these that make up the core Robert Grieves Archive – a collection which has been preserved in its entirety by the Scottish Motor Museum Trust, with the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund, in Alexandria, in the Vale of Leven.
By the 1960s, the young Robert became a familiar sight at the Paisley bus companies, who gladly handed over pictures, timetables and other items. When he was just 17, he made the first of many appearances in the Paisley Daily Express when we carried a story about his collection and his purchase of a 1930 Albion bus for restoration.
Not surprisingly, when he left school, Robert went to work in the office of bus company Western SMT. He later worked at Grahams of Hawkhead as a conductor and office boy and then moved to MacBraynes buses, where he was a conductor on the Glasgow to Tarbert route.
At the age of 24, Mr Grieves upped sticks and headed for Melbourne, Australia, where he worked as a tram driver, later moving to Sydney and Brisbane to drive buses. He returned home a few years later and continued to add to his collection centred on motor transport of all kinds, while working at the Inchinnan depot of Clydeside Scottish buses.
It is generally accepted that Mr Grieves’ collection of bus and car images is one of the finest in the world, documenting not just transport but the way transport changed the way we lived. He described his collection as “like a tour around Scotland, showing glimpses of our motoring past”.
Up to the end, Mr Grieves was an active historian and was writing another in the ‘Wheels Around’ series while a patient at ACCORD Hospice in Paisley.
His son Christopher, 27, told the Express: “There was nothing my dad would not do for me or my sister Alison or anyone really. “I admired him for what he achieved throughout his life.”
As well as his two children, Mr Grieves is survived by his partner Sadie Smart and granddaughter Meghan. His funeral will be held at Woodside Crematorium, Paisley, on Monday, at 1pm, to which all family and friends are invited.
So, some time ago, I said I would discuss timetables. All the timetables on these pages are most highly recommended – I like books where they are comprehensive, easy to use, readily available, and frequently updated, however leaflets can also have these qualities. Some of these I use more than others in areas where I rarely tread, but I’ve tried to choose my favourites, and this list is guaranteed to be sponsor free!
Train Timetables
Well, the new First Great Western timetable book brought this about, when I went to buy one a few weeks ago. In the Summer timetable, they changed from 1/3 A4 booklets (and some additional summaries) to 40 mostly small (A7 or 1/3 A4) leaflets and booklets, coupled with an additional information booklet. However, a complete timetable was also advertised on request via the website, so I asked for one. It was a rather nice A5 book, 450-odd pages, with a cover price of £2.50 (but initially free of charge). Following a good take-up, there is a book for the Winter, this time sold for £3.00, but only available from main ticket offices. So, I went to London Paddington to get one, and I’m fairly impressed. There is now 424 pages, with bus connections and named trains still included. The map has been expanded, and is now a fold-out from the back cover, as well as sectional maps for each group of routes. It is a very useful publication, and additionally the first public timetable that I’ve seen with headcodes (4-character alphanumeric train reference numbers). Again, if you can get to a FGW ticket office, buy one!
In addition to this, there are other timetables that I really like. South West Trains is similar in size to that of FGW, now 268 pages of timetables for services out of London Waterloo and beyond, including Island Line trains on the Isle of Wight, bus and ferry connections. This one is £4.00 plus £1.00 postage, and can be had from South West Trains main ticket offices, or by phone from Telesales.
With train timetables, there is at least one book with everything in it, for the whole of Great Britain (not Northern Ireland). Well, it was to be available online only. The Summer 2007 edition was to be the last paper one done by Network Rail, but now there are two. Middleton Press said they’d be doing Train Times, with lighter paper and two pages reduced to fit onto one, and then The Stationery Office started their publications. The latter is the one I usually buy from TSO, the current one costing £16 plus postage each.
Looking outside from the UK, the Thomas Cook timetable series covers Europe (monthly) and Overseas (bi-monthly). The European one covers trains, the Overseas includes other forms of surface transport where needed, plus monthly Supplement features on different subjects, like Visas and Rail Passes. These are available from the company and their shops. There is also a twice-yearly Independent Travellers Edition – which is slightly more expensive, but does include the information from the year’s worth of Supplement features.
Tram Timetable
Trams are not that common in the UK, but there is a timetable book for London Tramlink (Croydon area). The book may be just over a year old now, but it’s quite a nice one. The guide includes details of all services, with full matrix timetables.
Bus Timetables in books, by county
When I moved to Hertfordshire, I was rather lucky with regards to public transport publicity. Herts County Council and the operators formed the Intalink Partnership ten years ago, and they produce a series of seven area books – (1 - purple) Watford, Bushey and Rickmansworth, (2 – orange) Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamstead and Tring, (3 - turquoise) Harpenden, St Albans and Borehamwood, (4 - brown) Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and Potters Bar, (5 - pink) Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth and Baldock, (6 - green) Hertford, the Lea Valley and Cuffley, and (7 - blue) Bishop’s Stortford, Buntingford and Royston. These books have an average of 200-250 pages each, and cover bus and train services in full matrix format with the exception of the Metropolitan Line, which is a summary, with an area map and local town plans. These books are backed up with a website (updated very frequently, sometimes several times a day!), a Network Map issued twice a year, an Intachange magazine with news and service changes six times a year, and route leaflets for subsidised services. The latter include a route map for each service, with every bus stop marked out. Oh, and all of these are totally free.
Next to Herts is Essex. They changed from a series of booklets over the last few years, have evolved into one Bus Timetables for Essex book. The timetable is now a 528 page A4 book, with matrix format timetables for every bus (not trains, but there is a train map) for every service in Essex. Parts of Essex have been put into unitary authorities, so Thurrock is not included, but Southend-on-Sea is. The booklet includes lots of useful information, town plans, and an A4 map with most of the main interurban routes on it. The book is added to with a twice-yearly map, a monthly newsletter (by email or post) called Bus Passenger News, and leaflets for subsidised services. The book is available from local outlets for £1, or add £2.50 postage and get a copy by mail from County Hall.
Milton Keynes Council have also recently reissued their timetable book in a new format. The 25th October 2009 to April 2010 book is now one A5 260-page book, including all city and rural services amongst the information. There is a map available separately, but the map is also included in the book, in an “atlas” style. Updates and books are issued on specified dates, to reflect service changes. Individual books are free, but the council will also post you everything issued over three years, for only £5.
Bedfordshire County Council was recently split (aside from Luton, which was split off quite some time ago) into Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough Councils. There are now a series of timetable books covering the rural areas of Central Beds, and a single book for Bedford Borough. These are all a similar format, with books covering Biggleswade and Sandy, Dunstable and South East Bedfordshire, Leighton Buzzard Linslade and Woburn, Shefford, and finally, Ampthill & Flitwick, from Central Bedfordshire. A map was also produced in the last days of Bedfordshire CC, and is still available.
Brighton’s Bus Times book has been frequently mentioned elsewhere, but is well worth a mention in this list. The book is done twice a year, by Brighton & Hove Buses, but it does include a timetable for every bus service in the city, together with a comprehensive map. The map was recently revised to be colour-coded and losing the stops, but is still easy to use. A Pocket Bus Times is a series of maps on a folded A2 sheet, and the “times past each hour” for most bus services.
When Tayside Regional Council was split into three (Angus, Dundee City and Perth & Kinross), two of these were quick to improve on what the regional council did. Dundee City Council has veered towards gadgets and realtime information, but the other two in more rural areas retain paper. Perth & Kinross Council produce a series of five main Local Public Transport Guides, covering (green) Auchterarder & Crieff, (lilac) Blairgowrie, (orange) Carse & Scone, (light yellow) Highland Perthshire & Stanley, and (pink) Kinross-shire and Bridge of Earn. These cover all the rural areas outwith Perth City, which is covered with Stagecoach’s Perth City booklet, and a council produced leaflet for the Park & Ride. The booklets contain full timetables for each routes, and a mini-map organised by the tables in each book, to avoid overcluttering. The booklets are also updated with inserts as required. Addiitonal publications include a map of the county, a guide to days out by public transport, a series of walks between bus routes, and the occasional colour leaflet for improvements to supported services.
Peterborough City Council did do a superb loose-leaf file of timetables, but the updates were sporadic. These have now stopped, thus rendering the work done almost terminal.
Bus Timetables in leaflets, by county
Further to the Perth & Kinross Council entry for their books and maps, Angus Council produce a series of thirty numbered leaflets for the majority of routes in Angus – a few are now produced by Stagecoach. These are numbered, contain very comprehensive passenger information, and usually include town bus maps, of the majority of bus services in an urban area. The timetable leaflets are also sold to the public in a ring binder, and a mailing list service is available to the public. The latter sees timetable leaflets sent out to you regularly, with regular checklists. The council also produces a Map (15th edition now!) and a book of ideas for Days Out by bus and train.
Lancashire County Council have a similar output. Numbered leaflets are either produced by the council or some of the operators, some with route maps, and are joined by nine area maps. There is a mailing list service, which includes a monthly mailout and checklist, as well as a Bus Service Changes list monthly.
Similarly, GMPTE (Greater Manchester Public Transport Executive) do a series of leaflets for most routes, with a small number by the operator. These include route maps for every service, and are joined by a set of 12 additional maps, and a Manchester City Centre map.
Finally, a new and recent recommendation. Centro/Network West Midlands are currently working area-by-area to introduce a new series of timetable leaflets, showing not just subsidised services, but all in a particular area. (Until these are all done, the operators do their own publicity in some areas). These are joined by a series of maps for each local area, and three city centre guides for Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton.
Bus Timetables by operator
Uno produce an A5 48 page timetable book, covering most of their services. The company is owned and operated by the University of Hertfordshire, and they are very pro-active in encouraging staff and students to take the bus. The timetable includes a network map, with additional local insets for certain locations and services. Here, simplicity is good. It’s free, and you’ll see them on the buses, as well as at local outlets. Leaflets by the council cover the Welwyn Garden City weekly shopper buses, St Albans city routes, and a leaflet is produced by the operator for the Inter-Campus shuttle.
Finally, as I prepared to write this, the Wootten's Tiger Line Network Guide from 4th January 2010 has arrived. This is a new one for 2010, and I know I’ve got a soft spot for this operator (ex Strathtay rebodied Tigers anyone?), but I genuinely like this publication – it’s only 16 pages of 1/3 A4 size, but includes timetables and maps for every route, ticket information, and is also backed up with a new website.
Overseas
I don’t have a lot of overseas stuff, but one that is noteworthy is the Sound Transit “transit guide” in Seattle, USA. The book is slightly bigger than 8 inches by 5, but squeezes it all into 152 pages, with a fold-out back page route map.
Christmas comes earlier every year...
Dec. 14th, 2009 03:23 pmA Dundee based coach operator, Fishers Tours, have recently advertised Christmas shopping weekends FOR 2010.
We've not got this year out the way yet!
We've not got this year out the way yet!
