Pilgrims’ Progress

A Plymouth MP has entered the fray regarding the customer service offered by Plymouth City Bus and First Devon & Cornwall. This ahead of the forthcoming bus war in the city.

In a recent article on his website, Gary Streeter says, “I have long been baffled about why I get such a regular trickle of complaints about the bus service in Plymstock [from First] and virtually none about the service in Plympton [by Citybus].”

He goes on to say that they are similar suburbs in every way and welcomes the forthcoming arrival of Citybus in Plymstock. “I have a very simple challenge to all of you who have contacted me in recent months about the poor state of public transport east of the Plym. Once these new routes are in place: use it or lose it.”

With First Devon & Cornwall’s Plymouth combative strike now less than two weeks away, First is amassing the necessary vehicles for its Ugobus Phase 3. Incoming are Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse Urbans from subsidiaries including Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester & West Yorkshire. The newest is believed to be 07-reg.

It’s interesting that First’s savings enforced across its considerable operations are (a) taking relatively new stock out of service rather than withdrawing step entrance vehicles and (b) seeing a redeployment in Plymouth where arguably there is already a good service. But that’s competition for you.

For example, news reached the press yesterday of First’s reductions from 25 October 2009 in Sheffield & Rotherham.

As Streeter points out, Citybus is not sitting back. Unlike its neighbour, Citybus already has enough vehicles in the shape of ex-London SLF double decks. There must surely now be speculation as to whether the deckers bought from London will be used on front line services rather than simply on schools, as planned. If so, the purchase has shown considerable (and coincidental?) foresight. They are already marshalled on recently won Argyle football contract journeys, on no fewer than nine routes.

These highly specificated (sic) E200s are for the 5/5As, heading east to Plymstock

The Citybus response on the Plymstock corridor will, apparently, reintroduce a popular terminal loop on the 5/5A recently withdrawn by First. Here, Citybus will use its recent 08-reg Enviro 200s, all with leather seats and GPS next stop technology. The frequency is likely to be every 10 minutes along the common section. In a rather clever move, Citybus is prepared to operate commercially throughout the evening, meaning in Plymstock it can trump First, something that’s precipitated the council to withdraw its subsidised evening 6 service, operated by Target Travel.

It’s believed that Citybus will also up its daytime frequency on service 26 service that already competes with First in the Devonport, St Budeaux and Saltash area to every ten minutes (every 20 minutes to Saltash, up from every 30). Service 43 (City-Milehouse-St Budeaux-Ernesettle) will increase from every 10 minutes to every 7/8.

And then there’s fares. Though First will no doubt reduce its fares, for example, in Plymstock, Citybus’ tend to be significantly lower. Citybus is playing on its fares advantage: it equitably charges the same fare from the outer suburbs regardless of the market; First’s fares vary.

Meanwhile, back to that MP. He concludes by stating that Citybus is a well run & successful operator. “I have never understood why a local authority should own a bus company, rather than focusing on the delivery of essential services. If a new buyer for this business is found, there is no reason to suppose that its focus on customer satisfaction would change.”

That, surely, depends upon the buyer.

i Gary Streeter MP on Citybus & First
i Plymothian Transit with regular Plymouth updates