Classic Yellow Buses operated last season's Seafront 12
Even so, the news that there will be no yellow open tops this season will come as a disappointment to free travelling nostalgists and holiday makers alike. The reality is that the Bournemouth open top coastal service is not commercial. We explained the reasons why and the nation's changing open top habits some while ago.
Since Transdev's involvement in Bournemouth, the service 12 open top's been in some doubt. The 2006 season was marketed on a use it or lose it basis. It operated from the rail station in a bid to attract more tourists. In 2007, TYB reverted to a fuller service, from Hengestbury Head to Sandbanks, albeit using the same two of three vehicles at a less than attractive 90-minute frequency. In 2008, Classic Yellow Buses took on the mantle in partnership with TYB. Using refurbished heritage stock including memorably an ex-Bournemouth Corporation vehicle, the partnership offered a frequent shuttle service between the two piers. The service was extended into the autumn with a promise of an Easter 2009 restart. This was pushed back to high season and, now, not at all.
One of three TYB convertible open tops with lid on, last summer, on the Poole-Somerfords
Readers on the south coast will recall last summer's poor weather. Numbers on the 12 never quite matched expectations and traditional family visits were down (even though overall numbers were up). There was nevertheless much talk of this year being a second and more successful year of operation. Until recently. The recession seems to have put paid to that, in spite of promised good weather and more people holidaying at home.
In pre-Transdev times, the traditional 12 rests at Alum Chine
And, of course, TYB itself can ill-afford to 'waste' up to two of its three convertible double decks when they're needed, lids on, on the network itself. To do otherwise would be purely sentimental.
Open top aficionados will not be totally disappointed, though. Wilts & Dorset will offer them on the 50 (Bournemouth-Sandbanks-Swanage), this year using its brand new Olympuses (closed top versions will also appear on the 40 (Poole-Wareham-Swanage). As mentioned on this blog, these vehicles will be in an unusual and attractive livery—now revealed as blue and green. But there won't be open tops on the Lymingtons.
8 comments:
The concessionary fare changes in April which may allow many open top routes not to accept the free passes will also have a huge impact. Southern Vectis on the Island no longer allow free travel on their Breezer tours (although of course it is the council who made that decision) - one can see a devastating effect on some of those routes e.g. Shanklin Esplanade up to town will now cost an elderly couple £5 instead of being free. Next summer could be interesting.
It's a rumour that W&D's X12 Bournemouth to Lymington service will not include open-tops this Summer, but the Swanage services will. Both are normal services: that raises the question, why the possibility of different treatments?
Let's not assume the change arises from a council (or councils) decision, nor limit thoughts to one service. But all the same over a long route passing through many TCAs might not one's decision about free passes have an influence well beyond its own borders?
Bournemouth Town Council and I think Poole too continue to allow free travel for pensioners on open top routes.
From what i've heard Venturer, Southern Vectis didn't object to the removal of free travel, ahve managed to save the cost of two duplicate vehicles, and are not unhappy with the performance of the Breezers overall since.
The X12 was a little too long for open toppers as it was often fine in Lymington and raining in Bournemouth or vice versa. When the roofs are off they stay off, and substituting step entrance closed top buses on X12 was unpopular with the elderly regulars.
Regarding concessionary fares, services 50 and 52 are local bus services that happen to use open toppers in the Summer so there is no likelihood of exclusion from the concessionary fares scheme.
Not sure either that I would say the X12 route is a particularly stunning one for topless working.
Thanks for this article - I visited Bournemouth a couple of weeks ago and searched in vain to see if the 12 was in service. Now I know why. It's interesting that you refer to the 50 to Swanage - that service was hopelessly oversubscribed with people being unable to board at Gervis Place and being left to wait for more than an hour. I was there on the Saturday before the late May bank holiday and I believe there were service changes due that might have increased the frequency of the 50.
Are there restrictions on the use of the Sandbanks ferry as some competition from Transdev would surely provide a better service for the public?
Replying to PLCD1 I too was in Bournemouth on the Saturday before the late May bank holiday and observed service 50 at 1050 unable to clear the queue on what was a glorious sunny day. This had obviously brought out the tourists as most of the queue boarded with passes. The bus however was a closed top Spectra. The driver rang Poole but no relief could be found and the overflow had to wait an hour for the next bus, an open top Palatine. Passengers especially locals further along the route would have been left behind. What was unfortunate however was that the summer timetable was due to commence the following day, Sunday 24 May and the new timetables showing the 30 minute frequency were already in the timetable cases in the shelter. People were referring to these and not noticing the start date stamped on the bottom of the display. Had it been raining however the situation would not have arisen.
I don't think there is any restriction on buses on the Sandbanks Ferry but modern buses with front platforms need to be fitted with suspension lifts. Even fully blown up it was necessary at certain tide levels to drive on and off the ferry at a very slow speed and an angle to avoid digging the nose in.
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