Stagecoach representatives will be on hand between 0830 and 1800 in Eastbourne today to sell its new, March 2009 unified network. Opportunities to throw two competing networks into the air and see what settles are still relatively rare. Now that Stagecoach owns Eastbourne Buses and will close Cavendish, Stagecoach has real scope to redraw a network that can set aside a somewhat chequered past: the slow decay of Eastbourne Buses; and the chipping away during daylight hours by Cavendish—an operator less profitable then first thought, if this comment is correct. In short, Stagecoach has a Brighton-style opportunity for a customer driven network, something that includes Cavendish innovations, such the 8/8A circulars.
It’s interesting that Stagecoach, well known for its brinkmanship, is marketing Eastbourne’s network as providing “timetables that have been designed to provide regular times between journeys so that buses no longer run within a few minutes of each other, followed by a long gap in service.” The general public never sees the logic in competition that causes imbalances such as these!
While some will cry ‘foul’ over the creation of a monopoly, others will remember that monopoly was near enough the case in 2006 before Cavendish started, the more so since Stagecoach’s strategic Eastbourne withdrawal in 2002. Yet others will welcome even headways and much-needed investment, visible as £1½mil-worth of ADL E300s start appearing on service, diverted it seems from Northampton.
If, on balance, all this is good news for the people and council of Eastbourne, watch out for the competition authorities who might see things differently. Can the OFT really expect Cavendish to hang around when an efficient and ruthless competitor sets up stall to replace the previous lacklustre incumbent? And could the OFT really expect Cavendish to sell to another?
It’s interesting that Stagecoach, well known for its brinkmanship, is marketing Eastbourne’s network as providing “timetables that have been designed to provide regular times between journeys so that buses no longer run within a few minutes of each other, followed by a long gap in service.” The general public never sees the logic in competition that causes imbalances such as these!
While some will cry ‘foul’ over the creation of a monopoly, others will remember that monopoly was near enough the case in 2006 before Cavendish started, the more so since Stagecoach’s strategic Eastbourne withdrawal in 2002. Yet others will welcome even headways and much-needed investment, visible as £1½mil-worth of ADL E300s start appearing on service, diverted it seems from Northampton.If, on balance, all this is good news for the people and council of Eastbourne, watch out for the competition authorities who might see things differently. Can the OFT really expect Cavendish to hang around when an efficient and ruthless competitor sets up stall to replace the previous lacklustre incumbent? And could the OFT really expect Cavendish to sell to another?
2 comments:
The complete ADL E300s were just stored in Northampton. Stagecoach United Counties are due MAN ADL E300s for Northampton.
The comment about even headways is possibly another dig at the Cavendish operation. Their current timetable provide 3 buses in convoy along Seaside every 15 minutes, then nothing until the next 3 bus convoy !!!
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