Good News, Bad News

Between 20-23 August, unless you inhabited a windowless & sound proofed cellar, anyone living in Poole-Bournemouth can’t have failed to notice England’s, nay Europe’s biggest free air festival.

The event’s major sponsor was Wilts & Dorset who, like last year, pushed its More Bus sub-brand. It’s perhaps a little curious that a bus company should again be the sponsor of seemingly the most unsustainable festival ever seen in the south. Added to which, many will be one-off visitors and the majority will still arrive by car (where they found a well executed though eclectic Go South Coast festival park & ride fleet).

Transdev Yellow Buses gets in on the act

And, Transdev Yellow Buses slightly spoiled the party by booking double deck duplicates largely on its 3s, over More Bus’ m1 Bournemouth-Castlepoints. TYB already operates double decks on the 1b/c from Poole to Bournemouth, alongside W&D’s m1 & m2 single decks (though there were W&D festival decker workings here, as elsewhere).

All this good publicity for W&D suddenly unravelled itself three days after the last aircraft had flown home and the last stalls had packed away. The Echo printed a negative story on the result of the July 2009 public inquiry when, on maintenance grounds, the traffic commissioner reduced the number of W&D’s discs from 330 to 300. As seems to be custom & practice these days, such a reduction will have no detrimental operational effect.

What it does is put W&D on the back foot, having to defend a slightly sticky position. The rather inelegant introduction to the article reads, “Safety on Wilts & Dorset buses has been put at risk by poor upkeep of the vehicles, it has been claimed.” Not at all helpful.

W&D vehicles attracted 27 prohibitions in five years. Serious, but there was no balance. We were left wondering:

• Whether the prohibitions were delayed, immediate or ‘S’-marked (not that the public know or care);
• How many vehicles were checked;
• Whether the prohibitions they were found on the road or in a garage [it was the latter];
• What systems W&D has in place to go forward;
• Why the Echo failed to mention the significant new vehicles investment over the same period.

Some checks were undertaken by Wiltshire council. It’s significant that W&D has just retained five Wiltshire contracts currently tendered, securing work for 12 drivers. This indicates a Wiltshire willingness to continue its relationship.

What damage done? On the one hand, people may associate the success of the air festival with More Bus. On the other, the detail of the public inquiry story will soon be forgotten but the gist may remain lurking somewhere at the back of passengers’ minds. Passengers may yet recall that W&D’s been before the commissioner before, albeit for traffic rather than engineering issues. But will this all reinforce negative rather than positive perceptions?

Web Wise—results

We promised the results of our recent web survey, which asked readers to nominate their favourite Big Five web presence.

We asked, “Which in your opinion is the best of the Big Five websites?” Stagecoach was by far the leader, with just about half those responding leaning in their favour. We were surprised that Go Ahead did so well, as next best, given that each of its subsidiaries offer unique sites. First Group came next—just—and then in another surprise, Arriva and National Express came in near enough together. You will recall that Arriva did well in the Investis survey, the reason for the survey in the first place.

Those who voted Stagecoach as best tended to split their least preferred vote reasonably evenly among the other four.

Thanks to all who voted. Feel free to agree or disagree with the results.

Personalities

Sometimes it’s a struggle thinking of something imaginative to post here each day. Yesterday, though, a French visitor came to my rescue.

Am used to people arriving here searching for Harry Blundred. We’re third & fourth on Google. But yesterday someone from France was after *Sir* Harry Blundred. I don’t think her majesty has yet bestowed this honour on Blundred (unless you know diffeent). Blundred may be a gentleman soldier who was largely responsible for the introduction of the minibus into the townscape (as opposed to the landscape—get the difference?). He may be an early pioneer in the privatised, deregulated bus scene. He may have been in the right place at the right time. But he’s not received such high recognition from the crown.

In his pre-deregulation days at Exeter, immediately before he headed up the 1983 breakaway Devon General, Blundred was the 2ic at Western National. Rather oddly, Blundred reported to another unusually named individual (in control of the substantial WNOC and someone who was soon to retire) by the name of John Bodger. I recall Bodger’s secretary at that time was a certain Miss Conbeer. It seemed to me that the entire WNOC was run by what sounded like a dodgy firm of solicitors: Bodger, Blundred & Conbeer.

Blundred was a bit of a character. But there were many others in those long lost days. Pay a visit to Alan O. Watkin’s NBC Fotopic site to see a collection of I hope not too forgotten personalities of yore, inlcuding Blundred. Scroll down to one young looking Paul Atkins to see a hairstyle-and-a-half from the late 70s. I think Atkins was last heard of at Southdown or Maidstone & District. I doubt he was knighted, either. Am pleased to say that not one of them were benighted, though.

Metro

Increasingly, buses seem to carry copies of that rather flimsy daily freesheet, the Metro newspaper. Board the bus, pay the driver, pick up the newspaper, take your seat, skim through on your journey… and dump the paper before you get off.

That seems to be one of a number of problems with Metro: discarded copies on bus seats and bus floors, as passengers toss their unwanted copies aside, anywhere but off the bus in a bin.

This hardly lends itself to a welcoming bus. We know, for example, that passengers consistently welcome a well presented bus and that on board litter is off-putting. It gives the wrong impression. As the day wears on, passengers may find sundry discarded items that have built up. At least there are no longer any cigarette ends. What Metro does is add to this chaos but much earlier, in the morning. Because Metro is both ‘lite’ and free, it seems to me that, like all freesheets, people who pick it up aren’t really serious about it. They will soon discard it, after but a few minutes and this means jettisoning it while still on board. It’s in danger of turning a good idea—offering an additional service for passengers, giving them something to do—into an extremely bad one.

Better to offer free wi-fi, perhaps.

In Praise of Conductors

Outside London, you will need to be over 40 to remember the bus conductor, a breed progressively culled from the mid-1960s, sacrificed on the altar of efficiencies. Younger people in Swansea may therefore take to the designation ‘customer service host’ but the rest of us will view the staff aboard the Metro as conductors.

My recent brief encounter with Swansea Metro reminded me just how important conductors were. And how things have changed. Conductors had time to spend with their passengers. As was evident on Metro, they were happily chatting, passing the time of day, working up relationships, engaging. It was clear that conductors were beginning to know their regulars. You can easily put a financial price on the conductor as an overhead but it’s difficult to put an economic value on them. By this I mean it’s hard to estimate their worth in attracting and retaining passengers, for they must do so owing to the positive interaction they generate.

I witnessed this repeatedly on Metro. People were asking questions about their journey, about changing buses, even about their destinations. I’m sure bus drivers would want to answer all these questions but time forbids it. So often, a casual enquiry to a driver gets either short shrift or minimal information. Metro conductors seemed knowledgeable, responsive and excellent ambassadors. Some were even calling out the destinations just as they used to do which, given that the automated on board announcements were virtually inaudible (especially at the rear by the inboard engine), this is as well.

They retain the leather cash-bag of old but instead of the strap & plate for a Setright, there’s a handheld computerised ticket system. It’s a lot slower than the Setright used to be. A decent conductor could bang off a Setright ticket literally in a second. On a busy Metro run, one conductor still had difficulty in remembering who got on, where. There are four features of a good conductor: a pleasant manner, mental arithmetic, balance when on the move (the so-called ‘conductors legs’) and knowing where passengers boarded. All but arithmetic are still required today.

The other noticeable effect was the speed of the journey. Perhaps it was the Streetcar’s size because it seemed ponderously slow when compared to the E300s also on the Metro service at that time. But the Streetcar kept to time in spite of passengers at most stops, thanks to boarding & alighting via two doors and a driver who didn’t need to take fares. It was an absolute pleasure not to have to wait for a for the driver to deal with a passenger who wasn’t sure where he wanted to go and then be given change for a £1.50 fare from a tenner.

Unlike conductors of old, it was the Metro driver and not the conductor controlling the doors. Metro conductors didn’t signal via two bells when passengers had finished alighting and boarding.

And if a clippie’s good enough for the Swansea Bay road train, conductors are good enough on Metro. Such a pity that the economics of bus operations mean that we’ll never see their likes on anything other than special services. Those under 40 will never be confused about wondering why they needn’t pay the driver.

Dear Madam

Re: Half Empty Buses

I refer to our discussions in a rather public way at the shops on Saturday when you reckoned it was “pointless my running half-empty buses” that get in the way of your private car...

Madam, I’ll stop running half-empty buses if you and your like stop running half-empty cars. Since most cars seat five, one or two occupants don’t fill half a car. You’ll need three, minimum.

Your 4m length of Jaguar takes up six times the road space per occupant of my half-empty 12m bus. And my 12m bus gets full at peak times; whereas your 4m Jaguar still carries just one and, along with everyone else’s single occupancy cars, slows my 12m bus down.

Yours faithfully

Busing

P.S. Have you ever actually *counted* the number of people on my so-called half-empty bus?

Being Individual

Whatever may or may not happen as a result of Mayor Johnson’s design-a-London-bus competition, the Routemaster and its potential successor Nu-Routemaster are not the only company-designed buses. Here, we take a look at three well known examples of individual vehicles for specific operations.

The Mancunian

Said to be the first double deck design specifically for one man operation, the Mancunian was a standard set by Manchester City Council, first appearing in 1968 on a Park Royal bodied Leyland Atlantean, and adopted by successor Selnec PTE. The product later appeared on the Daimler Fleetline.

Manchester & Selnec PTE ordered 400 of these bodies, by Park Royal, Roe, East Lancs and MCW, the East Lancs version being similar, the remainder identical. Their key feature was that deep front window that, together with the design’s angularity, lent a very upright appearance. The design also featured a three-way destination indicator and long passenger side windows. Their treatment in Selnec’s sunglow orange & white meant they were incredibly up-to-date looking; at the time, no other double deck design could touch it for modernity. There followed the more discrete Selnec Standard Northern Counties or Park Royal-bodied Fleetlines or Atlanteans, in even larger number.

BET Fronts

For an operator with a Tilling pedigree, Hants & Dorset had a small selection of rather unusual Bedford, Ford and secondhand Leyland Panther buses, the last being a genuine BET purchase by Maidstone & District. Willowbrook, ECW, Plaxton and Strachan bodied these H&D buses all with BET fronts, including one of 10 Bedford with Willowbrook bodywork seen here

Single deck designs for the British Electric Traction group first appeared to a standard in the early 1960s on Willowbrooks and Marshalls and was later adopted by ECW when it built large numbers of modified RE bodies for BET’s indirect successor, National Bus. It petered out in the wake of the all-consuming Leyland National, from the mid-1970s. The BET design was not only very pleasing, it was functional. Its double curvature reduced reflection and glare. It was generally difficult to distinguish between Marshall and Willowbrook bodywork. With the design came the attractive peaked dome.

Nottingham Specials

The desire to shoehorn as many passengers into a standard double deck while retaining its inherent strength and introducing an element of streamlining resulted in a curious body style adopted by Nottingham City Transport. The so-called Nottingham “Specials” grafted an individualistic front onto what was often standard East Lancs or Northern Counties bodywork. The front featured a series of characterful curves, including a double-curvature windscreen. Then there was that heavy, clumsy American looking front bumper. Although the design to the bodywork behind the front was more traditional, Nottingham opted for a seven-bay approach on an otherwise long chassis, thereby increasing the vehicle’s strength.

Image credits (all used with permission): Selnec Preservation Society; National Bus Compnay 1970-86

Bus to the Rescue

For the whole of August, the Manchester Metrolink upgrade has closed both the Eccles-Manchester and the Altrincham-Manchester tram lines, with the central zone twixt St Peter’s Square, Piccadilly & Victoria shut for at least a further two months. The resultant engineering works are mammoth and include, in just a month, renewing all the catenary between Altrincham & Manchester; connecting the new Chorlton line and Media City spur; and remodelling at Cornbrook where the Eccles & Altrincham lines meet.

But it’s also no small deal for bus operators who are under contract to provide tram replacements. This places a burden on resources which, in terms of staff, falls at just the time when people want to take holidays.

First is fulfilling the Eccles-Manchester Piccadilly replacement service 200 using mainly 06-reg Volvo B7RLE/Wrgihts. This is more straightforward, at every 10 minutes (every 15 during evenings/Sundays). First has cascaded older stock to fill the B7RLE work.

The Altrincham situation is more complicated. This is Arriva’s responsibility. It cannot rely on the meagre Merseyrail Birkenhead tunnel standby Olympians. GMPTE needs SLFs and significant numbers of them.

GMPTE has done an admirable job in signing tram passengers to its replacement services and by distinctively marking X5/X6 and 200 stops. This doesn’t prevent confusion but it goes some significant way in mitigation. The main problem appeared to be in getting from Victoria to Piccadilly by a service other than a tram.

Here, Arriva operates the X5 at the same frequency as the 200, and the half-hourly X6 Manchester-Brooklands shorts (strengthened at peak times). Plus, Arriva either works through or provides a shuttle beyond Piccadilly, to Victoria. This facilitates connections for Metrolink to Bury and for heavy rail. City centre traffic management (and congestion) means the simple hop from Piccadilly to Victoria is far from, well, simple.

To undertake such a huge commitment, Arriva North West is doing what Arriva North West & Wales did in the summer of 2007 during a previous extended blockade. Arriva’s delaying the introduction of new stock which, in this case, means “borrowing” its own brand new 44-seat VDL SB200/Wrightbus Pulsar 2s delivered from June & July 2009. In September, these will find their way onto the 10A St Helens-Liverpool service and elsewhere. These are said to be 70 such vehicles delivered or in the pipeline.

The Pulsar 2s, with their black front light clusters, are supplemented on the X5/6 by 58-reg all-ADL Enviro 300s usually seen on the 263 Altrincham-Manchesters. During the tram blockade, the 10-minute 263 has been strengthened by brand new ADL Enviro 400 double decks which, come September, are destined for elsewhere within Arriva North West, believed to be the 60 Bootle-Aigburth Vale.

Seen at Stretford, to the rear is a brand new ADL E400 on the Manchester-Altrincham 263 plus the Trafford Centre shuttle, a rare example of non-corporate Arriva branding

The 10A is the one Arriva North West trunk route well overdue for new stock. The maximum end-to-end running time is 76 minutes on this 10-minute headway service. It’s one of those routes prized for its middle-to-middle or middle-to-end flows rather than passengers travelling from end-to-end who might prefer the train. It currently sees a mixture of stock and particularly during the Glenvale days could be relied upon for “interesting” vehicles by both parties. The history of the 10As involves a number of former corporation transport departments including a Widnes extension and territorial operators, all on a revenue sharing basis.

Information & photos by Omnibuses2.0’s Northern Correspondent

New Transit 2

Talking of liveries as we were recently, the last couple of editions of routeONE have featured a small clutch of Go South Coast colours, like Wilts & Dorset’s Purbeck Breezer, seen here in this admirable shot amid the gentle chalk downs of the Purbeck Hills, care of the centre spread of the second New Transit magazine. Off the page and unable to fit on the scanner bed is the church & castle at Corfe Castle. There’s no photo credit. The Breezer livery is literally quite outstanding and its modern colours and application complement the vehicle design chosen by W&D.

We still wonder why New Transit should squander two pages in this way but if they’re going to print any photo, the publisher may as well choose a shot of this quality.

The second edition of New Transit has eight fewer pages in total and four fewer pages of adverts, though the percentage of ads to editorial remains constant. I have to say, though, in spite of the scepticism shown in some quarters, the editorial is still quite excellent. No news, as we’ve said before, but the comment, analysis & reflection are thoroughly thought provoking. As you put the magazine down you ponder long upon its words and content. It has an ethereal yet earthy feel (and the design is excellent).

As a result, it takes far longer to read the monthly New Transit than it did two of the fortnightly old ones. Edition three will be with us shortly.

SQPs

During an unabated recession such as this, we wonder why so few competing operators are entertaining statutory quality partnerships, as available to them under the Local Transport Act 2008.

In theory, these should seem quite attractive. Since costs need cutting in a static market, it might seem logical to come to an agreement with a competing operator to share resources. A co-ordinated, even headway timetable offers the benefit of enhancing the combined service while still making savings—but without all the negativity associated with a straight cut in frequency.

Where there is currently no combined timetable, one co-ordinated service by two operators at every 7½ minutes is probably better than two independent services at every 10. In this case, network and return ticket holders only have the benefit of six buses an hour on just one of the two operators. A combined service at eight per hour is an improvement, might grow the market again and yet there is a third reduction in resources. And, a SQP staves off the possibility of a quality contract.

No doubt the OFT would welcome the forthcoming so-called bus war in Plymouth but the question is, will it last? First’s actions may either be destabilising during the sale process or it may be protectionist. In the end, it’s unlikely that the market can sustain such competition in the longer term. Something’s got to give. If a second operator other than First successfully buys Plymouth Citybus, might the end product be a SQP? Interesting to speculate.

Take a look at the resources First will need. One of the services operates at every 15 minutes, two at every 12 and the fourth is registered as a frequent service. Assuming that a round trip on each journey lasts an hour, my guess is that First will need to employ about 25 vehicles, including spares. Given the services operate on Sundays (at lower frequencies) and allowing for holidays and sickness, First will need over 45 drivers to maintain this level.

One of the reasons Plymouth council cites for its market testing is that Plymouth Citybus is vulnerable to attack. This, the council argues, would make Citybus a liability. Better, then, to sell or at least market test. It’s a little ironic that Citybus finds itself in that very position because the council has announced a sale.

A Far-reaching Report

I found myself agreeing more than I anticipated with yesterday’s 176-page OFT market study report into local bus services. It’s been well researched and the industry should welcome it if only as a jumping off point for further negotiations and discussions.

Some of the information within comes as no surprise, like the dominance of the Big Five and the preponderance of smaller operators but with little in between. Others parts are inexact. For example, the OFT seems to treat free travel not as a reimbursement but a subsidy. And the OFT seems to dismiss the competition from the car as more-or-less irrelevant.

It still seems odd to me that this report should present itself at this time—in the midst of a recession, especially as bus services are lag indicators. The industry isn’t as robust as it was 18 months ago, as can be seen by the changes some operators are making.

It seems even odder that, when the government appears to be relaxing the tight competition authorities’ grip on the industry through the Local Transport Act 2008, the OFT should be so resolute in its intent in the first place.

What are the OFT’s main findings? Here are some off-the-cuff thoughts... please share *your* views.

1. Operators tend to eliminate competition and this leaves no long term benefit to customers

Some might say this is how the market will always work. Smaller operators might argue that, for them, competition is for tenders and not commercial bus services. Has the OFT considered the benefits of a single supplier in a natural monopoly? Little waste, network benefits, an ability to invest, stability, the commercial operation of marginal services.

2. Concessionary fares incentivises operators to increase fares

Let’s be honest and for some of us hold our hands up. But let the competition authorities be honest and remember that in great swathes of England reimbursements are insufficient. And let them remember that day and season tickets offer better value for money. Indeed, these classes of tickets are generally climbing at a slower rate than single fares.

3. There is no incentive for larger operators to enter into network ticketing with smaller operators

Does the OFT recognise that one reason for this might be the complexity of competition rules surrounding fares? Should this area remain the province of neutral third parties? And would you honestly expect an operator with a large network to take a one-route, 0700-1900 operator’s ticket?

4. Over-busing is a strategy in reducing or deterring competition

Perhaps some of us need to be honest here, too. This might be a good thing save that it is often short term. Generally, when it finishes, passengers tend to be no worse off than when it started.

5. The OFT estimates that fares are nine per cent higher if there is one large incumbent compared to two or more operators
Above left, the spread of fares in transport authorities with one provider. On the right, with two or more. Has the OFT considered what might happen if there was a fares reduction? How would it impact on investment? What might be the effect on marginal mileage? The economics of bus operation are finely balanced.

6. Contract prices are rising ahead of transport and general inflation

Does the OFT recognise that tendering authorities now ask for better quality? And accessible vehicles, with higher capital and operating costs? The OFT might also recognises that operators are no longer prepared to retain work at any price that otherwise used to drain a business. There are also plenty of smaller lower cost operators filling tender voids.

And the suggested remedies: where are we going on this? Here are the main ones.

1. The traffic commissioners to control over-busing. How?

2. The use of quality contracts (franchising) to develop competition for but not in the market. Would this help smaller operators? Would there be too much political interference?

3. Mandatory multi-ticketing. How would operators differentiate their product, the benefits of quality or a strong network? Perhaps by under-cutting the multi-ticket price with their own scheme.

And they say August is a Slow News Month…

First Devon & Cornwall is recruiting new drivers in Plymouth in what is believed to enable it to mount a significant combative attack on Plymouth Citybus. This comes amidst the Citybus sale process.

In what industry watchers may see as a Chester-style pre-emptive attack, it appears First may be attempting either to devalue Citybus or dissuade potential bidders. First will however point to its legitimate right to operate commercial services; and defend its position against what might be an unfriendly Citybus purchaser.

Four First services as accepted by the traffic commissioner start on 11 October and are from the city centre to St Budeaux, Derriford and Crownhill areas and to the east of the city. This at a time when First is cutting back on the Plymouth 11 in the evenings and significantly, again, in Cornwall. Plus, of course, pretty much nationally.

Post-Chester, could this sort of activity now become the norm in future municipal sales? It didn’t happen in Eastbourne but it has subsequently emerged that it might’ve. It transpires that Stagecoach had been negotiating with Cavendish Renown for at least one month before the Eastbourne Transport deal was struck. Was this an insurance in case matters didn’t turn out as Stagecoach expected? And we shouldn’t forget this also happened in Bournemouth, too, though the effect on the eventual sale price was limited in both latter cases.

Meanwhile, 150 miles further east, when locals first saw the now withdrawn First Hampshire & Dorset advertisements for coach drivers, many immediately jumped to the conclusion that there was to be some sort of reborn regional south coast express.

We, on the other hand, knew different but were sworn to secrecy. If that sounds supercilious, we didn’t get it all right. We knew it was to be non-stop Greyhound services from London to Portsmouth (hourly) or Southampton (less frequently). All we could do was hint that this was a Greyhound venture, as we did on 10 August by suggesting there were “rumours afoot about Hampshire”.

What was a very closely guarded secret, though, was that Greyhound UK was not, as we all thought, such a budget operator. Even though its 11 Scania Irizar PBs will be 05- and 55-reg, they have been refurbished & repainted by Plaxton and have only 41 new leather seats, which gives a generous seat pitch by any standards, especially for those using laptops via individual power sockets with free wi-fi. They all feature climate control. It’s as well that the Scanias are far more exciting and modern than their Stateside counterparts. The nightmare vision of fluted aluminium Greyhound trim as once popular in America did not turn into reality.

Greyhound UK will be good for the profile of the coaching sector. UK coaching desperately needs a higher recognition. Greyhound has really got the UK and international media thinking, including newspapers national and regional. And we thought August was a slow news month. Or perhaps *because* it’s a slow news month, it has become quite a talking point and guarantees the brand a good initial reception. They will probably stand out more than the plain white of National Express (16 departures from Southampton to Greyhound’s 10) and the once-a-day Megabus services. Expect the brand to roll out elsewhere, in 2010. Why else would First Group appoint a Greyhound UK managing director and why else chose someone of Alex Warner’s pedigree? It can only mean expansion.

First & the media have pushed the American iconic nature of Greyhound. The English public won’t see the tarnished side of America’s Greyhound Lines, a service subject to some readjustment since First took it on but also much investment. Greyhound has progressively become the American carrier of the less wealthy and the migrant worker. Greyhound UK appears pitched at more upmarket user, especially motorists, though to suggest Greyhound isn’t after rail, Megabus or NatEx passengers might be a little disingenuous.

We do wonder whether belting along the M3 is quite as romantic or poetic as some of the long distance American routes.

Web Wise

(Update: readers were invited to answer a two-question survey, now closed. Results soon)

Arriva landed second place in the Investis FTSE 250 quarterly ranking of corporate websites. Yes, incredible though it is, someone, somewhere beavers away ranking such things.

The FTSE 250 is loosely the list of the 101st to 350th largest companies on the London stock exchange. To come second is a tremendous accomplishment. To achieve this accolade, the web design needs to be crisp and clear, colourful and simple, obviously, but there’s much more to it. Investis has 188 categories, in fact. You and I might rank the site on its look, transport functionality and feel. Investis considers more sober components such as corporate governance, investor relations, corporate strategy, business performance and, with increasing importance, third party content. This is a *corporate* ranking, remember.

Why would a corporate website want third party (someone else’s) content together with its own? Independent opinion fosters trust and the use of this is growing markedly but we don’t see this on any corporate transport website within the Big Five. May be that’s to come. Perhaps they might even choose something from this blog, in the same way that Transit, for example, has done. As if.So, Arriva is second. Note also that Stagecoach is fifth and National Express, seventh. Bravo to all three. Go Ahead languishes at no.57.

But what about First Group’s site? That’s an entirely different animal. First’s not in the FTSE 250 for the purposes of this survey; rather, it’s been lumped by Investis in the FTSE top 100. Here, it’s down one at no. 75, scoring lower than Arriva, Stagecoach and NatEx and this in spite of a significant makeover within the last six months.

Investis suggests that a good corporate website also needs to show the importance of senior leadership (interview, statements, etc). First’s Moir Lockhead once played his part on his website and his presence must’ve scored highly. But where are the British senior executive blogs you find in the States?

i Investis report here

Watch this Space

As we reported on 10 August, expect to hear news tomorrow of First Group’s new English budget express coach launch. It’s widely tipped that this will include significant elements pinched from the US Greyhound subsidiary Bolt Bus, itself a more-than-less carbon copy of Stagecoach’s successful UK, US and from this month Canadian Megabus operations.

Greyhound in the UK will be internet heavy, using a discriminatory yield management database that tries to predict and influence travel behaviour by offering the same product at different prices, depending upon time of day, week, season and expected or actual popularity.

It’s widely tipped to go under the web address of greyhounduk.com, as initially registered by First Group back in January 2009. Greyhoundbus.co.uk points there, too. Currently, as of this morning at 0630, all you see is this holding page.

Aside from a few smaller concerns and niches, the UK express market is segmented between standard carrier National Express and budget no-frills* offering Megabus. Since its 2003 launch, Megabus has expanded to include Megatrain and Megabusplus but remains a bit-part player in terms of destinations and number of departures, but significant in terms of the major flows it serves.

Is there room among them for a second budget offering? You betcha. Especially as Greyhound UK will be a London-centred, low fares initiative that captures peak home counties or other south east key flows while capitalising on a renewed recession-led interest in the budget market, especially in terms of more discretionary travel purchases.

Evidence from North America and, indeed, Australia, underlines a growing trend towards budget travel. Both Megabus and Bolt Bus in the USA point to significant market growth. Stagecoach gushes that in the last six months stateside, passengers have made over one million Megabus journeys. 60 per cent of Megabus USA journeys replace travel by car.

In fact, last week, Megabus launched in Canada, with a fleet of 15 81-seat Van Hool Astromegas plying the significant but vast inter-urban 338 mile corridor from Toronto to Montréal. Megabus offers eight trips compared to Air Canada’s 22 and rail’s six. Air takes 1hr 15mins (plus check-in) and air’s cheapest fares are seven times more expensive than those on Megabus. Similarly, rail advanced tickets are four times more expensive, for a five hour journey. Megabus takes seven hours.

But it is against First subsidiary Greyhound that Megabus Canada will compete most. Greyhound Canada offers seven trips between Montréal and Toronto, most of which require a ‘transfer’ for end-to-end travel. Fares on Greyhound are currently anything between 1½ and three times as expensive.

Megabus’ 2006 expansion in the USA resulted in First’s Bolt Bus in 2008. The battleground seems likely to transfer to the UK from next month with what is expected to be a slow start to test the water at Greyhounduk.com. Watch this space.

A Question of Balance

It won’t be popular with bus operators but it’s likely to be so with our city regions’ politicians. The DfT is considering ceding considerable London-style powers to both West Yorkshire & Greater Manchester, in two trials. This means a regional approach to highways, heavy & light rail—and bus services. It will probably give greater control over free travel, fares & ticketing, and BSOG. Taken to its logical end, this might hasten TfL-style franchising across the regions.

This announcement has come at an interesting time, just when the Local Government Association’s calling for means testing of bus passes, in an effort to save taxpayers’ cash. Means testing won’t happen under the current government. Writing in Friday’s Manchester Evening News, the well known anti-deregulation MP Graham Stringer stated quite clearly that the “sensible solution” to taxpayers “not getting value for money” from free travel was to “regulate the buses under local democratic control”.

Even before that, Paul Routledge wrote in the Mirror that the free transport culprits were “the thieving privatised bus companies, who have swindled the taxpayer out of £1bn a year yet still demand more”.

We’re back once again to the notion that people view the bus service as a public asset rather a commercial service. A recent well-argued comment on this blog by RC169 clearly set out that buses are not, in fact, a public asset at all, because of the element of choice—when, whether to travel, to where and by what mode—means it is realistic to allow commercial decisions to determine bus services.

My experience over a number of years of the public’s *perception* is quite different. There are a number of reasons why I think this is so. The general public:

• Feels that a democratically controlled bus network serves as an insurance policy underwritten by the state.


• Feels that authorities should guarantee a certain level of mobility.


• Looks to history when, from the days when corporations took over private tramways to the issuing of tokens, to running their own bus fleets, there’s been local accountability.


• Perceives (probably false, possibly not) that fares and withdrawals are out of control.


• Sees a private monopoly (even though in Economics, the bus service is termed a natural monopoly)


• Feels that public transport is basic to their lives and should ultimately be controlled by other than for commercial gain. In other words, there’s a high degree of social necessity involved and that profit should not enter the equation.


• Often doesn’t hold the bus service in high regard (and buses are treated in the media in the same way as council services).

All these are *perceptions*. It’s not to say that the network support of yore and greater democratic control are necessarily a panacea because, clearly, it wasn’t back then. There were cuts, fares increases and accusations of political “meddling”.

There nevertheless remains a level of frustration at what are seen as the wrongs of the current system, without considering its many benefits. There has always been an uneasy balance between profit (known till 1986 as breaking even) and public funding (known till 1986 as network support). Has this balance swung too far away from public control? If that’s the case, the government is right to consider its trials. If not, for all its *perceived* flaws and in the absence of anything else, there may be no better system than a deregulated one.

*—see comments box

Should be Certified

Omnibuses2.0’s Northern Correspondent reports from the temporarily double decked upstairs rear of the no. 263

It gave the youngsters occupying the rear seats of the bus something to chuckle about. Within the multiple copies of Metro news sheets strewn over the seats was the story of the teenager (not unlike them) who received a certificate for using a bus.

It’s natural that the media will have a laugh at a so-called assessment authority that issues such certificates. After all, it does have more than a vague hint of silliness about it, as exemplified by the young passengers’ hilarity. As if the media need an excuse to take a pop at the bus service.

The certificate in question acknowledged that the candidate could await a bus, calmly board, sit and get off again.

The underlying issue, though, is that it’s not just thousands of teenagers who struggle to understand a timetable and use a bus, there are plenty of adults who can’t either. That’s through either a lack of practice (thanks to the car) or unfamiliarity with the system. Many timetables and websites now include sections on how to use a bus. Why would operators waste valuable print or bandwidth if there wasn’t a real and pressing need? A useful extension is therefore to educate young people in safe travelling on the bus service. Get them while they’re young.

Issuing a certificate may not be the ideal reward. Giving them some sort of free day ticket or longer-period discount might be better—and it might attract less unwanted interest and ridicule.

It was all well and good the teenagers on the 263 having a laugh but these were fully worldly wise. Even if one of them had to phone his dad to seek permission to go on a sleep-over.

In the article, Metro reported the youngster as “clambering on board”. Why do the media always associate disparaging, derogatory or belittling words such as “clamber” with public transport? Clamber implies effort, even on all fours. Metro is obviously unaware of the modern articulated stock on the youngster’s route 135 in Manchester; if they were, they’d probably slag those off, too.

135 photo by Omnibuses2.0’s Northern Correspondent

An Interesting Excuse

It might be sold as a heritage bus service but is the use of a classic bus between Bournemouth and Salisbury just an excuse for a bit of old fashioned lower cost competition?

This summer from today, Thompson Tours is due to begin a limited Saturday service on the erstwhile 238, giving time for a full day out in Salisbury & a half day out in Bournemouth. At £6 return, the fare is below Wilts & Dorset’s on the X3. Thompson is differentiating his service by offering a heritage vehicle. And the vehicle being used? The Leyland National. They have three of them.

Salisbury and indeed Hants & Dorset used to be brimming with Leyland Nationals. But do they have enough appeal to entice passengers on a nostalgic day out by “vintage” bus? (Actually, the term “classic” might be more appropriate). Using a half-cab or even a 1950s coach typifies some sort of perceived golden era, whereas to the public the National was just this modern rear engined, front entrance pay-the-driver bus. It might look a little different by today’s contemporary design standards but it isn’t so far removed from the upright Tempo, for example, or any modern single deck.

The National most certainly had its part to play in the history of England’s bus services but it hardly evokes memories in ordinary passengers’ minds of a time when you trusted your neighbours, bought food at local shops, housewives never worked other than in the home and the pre-package holiday beaches of Bournemouth were bursting.

The 238 (formerly 38) was once a joint H&D and W&D route. It operated hourly via Christchurch, Burton & Ringwood and was the main service between Bournemouth and Salisbury. At deregulation, W&D replaced it with the more direct and substantially quicker hourly X3 that became half-hourly—and it has never looked back. The X3 is now one of those routes where head on competition is impossible. But will offering something different in the form of the longer 238 be enough to do anything other than cause limited annoyance at W&D? Instead, it will be an interesting diversion. If successful, who knows what may happen in the future.

Expect the first journey to carry a smattering of enthusiasts and possibly even professionals. Given the role of the National in former times, I may just be tempted myself...

i Photo from Bus Pics South (used with permission)

The 238 is scheduled to depart Bournemouth Gervis Place at 0830 & 1330, returning from Salisbury Endless Street at 1100 & 1600. The end-to-end journey time is 100 minutes. E&OE

Bumpy Ride for the Monkey’s Hump

It seems that the rumours circulating are indeed true: Roadliner is living up to its strapline as “the most talked about coach company in Dorset” but for entirely the wrong reasons. It would appear that the bank has called in administrators ahead of an Inland Revenue winding-up petition. The bank therefore should enable Roadliner to continue to trade while a buyer is sought. And all this ahead of a scheduled appearance before the traffic commissioner.

Though it is maintaining its Poole council commitments on the popular service 8 Rossmore Flyer (aka the Monkey’s Hump & Heavenly Bottom Express), the Roadliner bubble appears to have burst. It’s been a remarkable journey for its managing director, Mark Self.

Roadliner was nothing if unconventional. We’ve featured Roadliner on a number of occasions on this blog. Here are some highlights:

• 2001—Roadliner formed with licence for two vehicles. First vehicle was a refurbished 1986 former Green Line Leyland Tiger 245/Berkhof Everest
• 2006—incorporated
• Feb 2006—Roadliner buys brand new tri-axle Volvo B9TL/East Lancs 102-seat double deck said at the time to be the largest coach in Britain
• Mar 2006—took on and rebranded as the erstwhile Rossmore Flyer the 168/9. Roadliner was nothing if not popular and growth results
• Oct 2006—Roadliner named Bus Operator of the Year (1-10 vehicles category)
• Nov 2006—Roadliner achieves prestigious CPT Coachmarque status, though this has subsequently lapsed
• Jan 2007—following its purchase of Purbeck Cars, Roadliner promises seasonal Tuc Tucs on the streets of Swanage but they never materialise
• Mar 2007—a 100-seat ex-Hong Kong City Bus Leyland Olympian is added, via Shamrock (Dorset), principally for Bournemouth’s EFL students
• Apr 2007—Roadliner takes delivery of the UK’s first Beulas bodied Mercedes Atego, in 24-seat form
• Mar 2008—Victory Tours name revived by Roadliner
• Oct 2008—Roadliner revives Dorset Queen fleetname
• Feb 2009—the company adds a saucy image to the rear of its Rossmore Flyer buses
• Future plans—were to introduce more high capacity double decks
  

i The highly recommended Countrybus website has a superb historic piece on the Rossmore Flyer and other bygone rural and urban operators

A Real Busman’s Minibus

Almost before our very eyes yet without really noticing, the MCW & Optare Metrorider minibus is disappearing—fast.

There won’t be too many admirers who might call for a last running day but, nevertheless, it’s worth remembering the role this little warrior has played in the deregulated environment.

Conceived by MCW as its antidote to a sharply declining double deck bus market, the original integral 25 seat Metrorider first appeared in August 1987, offering something that the Gen 1 Transit and 608d minibuses did not: a modern design, large passenger windows, decent accommodation with good headroom and a wide entrance with shallower steps. And, let’s face it, some real guts under the bonnet.

For, unlike its contemporaries, the Metrorider was a busman’s minibus, designed and conceived as such, without having to undergo a conversion. Because it followed the likes of the Transit, 608 and Sherpa, MCW anticipated what operators wanted: more than just 16-20 seats. Its stretched 33 seater 8.4m form was somewhat less robust and suffered from rot at the rear end, though this did not afflict later models so much.

Metrorider was popular among operators large and small. The list taking it reads like a hall of fame of bygone, memorable companies. Oh, and Wilts & Dorset bought a few, too.

W&D skipped Gen 1 minibuses in favour of a Badger Vectis-busting 75 Metroriders under MCW and a further 47 under Optares, Optare buying the rights as MCW fizzled out in 1989. W&D used them on the full spread of urban, inter-urban and rural routes. It even bought in second hand examples.

If you want to admire the last of a bygone generation of minibuses that served the last 20 years well, you’ll need to be quick. W&D Salisbury have but a handful left. There are penny numbers with Go South Coast’s lower cost operations.

These are all 1990s models and expect them all to have vanished by the turn of the year, probably much sooner, especially as Salisbury’s now trialling one of four surplus ex-Southern Vectis MPDs which, if successful, will wipe out what were once known as W&D’s Skippers.

The Metrorider’s successor was, of course, the Optare Solo.

Photos: Preston, Blackburn & Warrington c/o Omnibuses' Northern Correspodent

21st Century Competition

Where are we exactly with competition these days?

We can all quote examples of pockets of competition, where an incumbent faces what is perhaps an 0700-1900 six day week onslaught, often on a few key routes but rarely over a whole network. Such competition invariably and ultimately turns out to be unsustainable but can do irreparable damage. It often takes years for fares to recover to levels that can sustain a network while promoting investment.

Similarly, we all know that quality competition in the likes of Bournemouth & Oxford has real benefits for the customer and market growth. Yet, this applies to but a handful of towns and it’s fair to say that in counting them you probably won’t run out of fingers and toes. Elsewhere, in the majority of towns, the market isn’t there or isn’t strong enough.

The architects of deregulation foresaw small family firms and even own account operators popping up like mushrooms after rainfall. They may be disappointed to find this wasn’t the case in 1986 and is unlikely to be so now. Meanwhile, the industry points to its successes in areas where there is mostly a monopoly.

So, in the Local Transport Act 2008 era, is 21st century competition dead? New Transit suggests that there should be less physical and more off-road competition, for tenders. In suggesting this, it is playing to its audience, whose readers are likely to offer quality (e.g. Stagecoach, Arriva), distinctiveness (e.g. Go Ahead) or are just plain large (e.g. First). There are few arenas where these players compete, though there are areas where they overlap. Instead, operators get on with the job of building their local markets, largely unhindered. Better, then, to foster and nurture off-road competition.

This is exactly how the smaller operators think and have done so for years. Many of them can’t (or daren’t) compete commercially head on but they can vie for tenders. For them, tenders are fair game. Some call these low cost operators. I prefer *lower* cost. This recognises the strides they have taken in the 20 years of deregulation as they have perhaps developed from coach operators to fully-fledged bus operators. Some of them have as high if not a higher ratio of SLFs to conventionals, thanks to the public purse. They have no shareholders to please and can helpfully settle for lower margins. Such operators have developed a niche, picking at those areas where larger operators have a disadvantage.

But if New Transit is calling for competition in future to be confined to public tender rounds, why stop there? Isn’t this argument an admission that the competitive free market isn’t working on the ground and actually can’t? Better, then, for transport authorities to invite expressions of interest for franchises. That way, we may yet see the apex of off-road competition. But is this realistic, fair and above all cost effective?

A Chemical Intolerance

This month’s Buses magazine adduced that First Group was right for the delayed FTR Metro to have awaited the completion of highways work before a ‘softly softly’ introduction of its Swansea Streetcars. In a special report on Metro service 4, we asked local people, has this tactic worked?

Visiting Swansea, you get a real sense that you just can’t win. Everyone from the government down is calling for revolutionary public transport. So, First Cymru, the Welsh assembly & Swansea council go radical and yet face something between unease and a barrage of local ‘nimby’ criticism. Seems so unfair.

The Quadrant bus station Metro stop sees north-bound buses slew across the south-bound lane to wait on the 'wrong' side. This minimises passengers needing to cross for the bus station

Since the 1 June 2009 introduction, First has gradually added Streetcars to its service 4. A week ago today, five of the Volvo B7LA/Wrightbuses were out. Every other bus was a Metro articulated vehicle, enough to give an impression.

Another interesting feature is bus stops opposite each other, even outside the bus only sections. Beyond the red road surfacing is the reduced standard road for other users

The first passenger to whom I spoke called the service “useless”. She stated that ‘they’ had stopped serving some Cross with an unpronounceable name beginning with the letter ‘P’, which meant she now had a 10-minutes walk, not easy with shopping. This seemed to be the case at another point along the route, as a passenger complained that his usual stop was now served only by other, less frequent buses and not Metro. This in spite of Metro passing it, something he couldn’t understand.

All buses can use the city centre Metro infrastructure. Here with Metro are three other First buses, one from Silverline and a private hire taxi. Goods vehicle loading is also permitted

Another felt that we could ill afford such buses in these recessionary times (not realising that they are actually two years old, four of which had seen service in Luton and the remainder were stored. The perception was of all-new buses).

The Hafod bus only road is shared between Metro and the Landore park & ride. Here, a Streetcar goes through the gates, leaving a particularly congested Neath Road to other local services

More than one commented that Metro was “empty most of the time”. This wasn’t evident during my short visit. There were journeys where the 42-seaters were half full but there were off-peak times with standees & every seat occupied. I was impressed by the number of mothers-with-buggies who would crane & peer inside when FTR ‘landed’ at their stop. There were nominally four buggy spaces though I saw more on board.

Not all the infrastructure is quite in place

It was true, however, that there was a more positive view *inside* FTR than out. In their usual way, passengers didn’t seem over-excited but they tended to like the environment within and the conductor service offered. And they liked the flexibility of boarding at both doors, welcoming the swiftness this and conductors brought. A cautious thumbs up, then.

This was not the case regarding non-users. As you might expect, there was some criticism over the way Swansea had realigned the city centre’s roads to accommodate Metro. More than one claimed that the innovative central priority—available to all local buses—had throttled the city and businesses had apparently closed as a result. Were these peripheral shops, I wondered? To be honest, there was little evidence of a down-at-heel city centre and it would be difficult during a recession to attribute closures to Metro.

One person at least cottoned on to the theory behind Metro, by suggesting that First might’ve been better trying double decks to increase passenger numbers. This, though, missed the point entirely.

Infrastructure improvements range from bus only roads to a bus gate at Singleton Hospital to priorities at roundabouts to building out bus stops. Notice the half-obscured 'bus stop' markings as the kerb is extended to assist the 18.5m artics, seen here at Morriston

It was in the suburb of Morriston where there was most Metro vitriol. Residents in Chemical Road are particularly intolerant at so many Metros squeezing their way through the interestingly named, long residential street. And Streetcar certainly dominates the streetscape, though it only seems to be inconsiderate parking that causes problems. The Streetcar is wider than your average bus but, being articulated, Streetcar is just as manoeuvrable. I wonder what Chemical Road residents might think about passengers on double decks peering into their upper windows.

Poster in a Chemical Road window: beware of the dog and beware of the bendy bus

My lasting memory of Metro was a positive one. It’s of two young children who with their parents were waving to the Metro ‘pilot’ as if they were greeting a train driver. That gave me hope for the success of Metro in Swansea. If youngsters recognise Metro as different, may be in time dissenters will, too. Perhaps, then, everyone can win after all, as the bus plays its part in reducing traffic in the city.

Something New—local, national & international

National The most interesting article in yesterday's Sunday Times was about married couples who live apart but stay together. It seems living in the house next door to or the flat above your spouse is good for your relationship. Hmmm. A case of "Knock three times on the ceiling if you want me…" The second most interesting article was a snip about the forthcoming launch by First of a National Express- and Megabus-busting UK Greyhound express coach operations, initially between London and both the midlands and Oxfordshire (so it said), with rumours afoot about Hampshire, too (which the article didn't mention). Mirroring Megabus and the US Greyhound Bolt Bus offshoot, the formula will attract younger travellers, with wi-fi and fares starting at £1. Two years after First bought Greyhound and nearly a year after rumours of Greyhound operating in the UK, First has finally faced the situation and will start services from next month. The fleet is expected to be modest initially and to use Greyhound's famous though innocuous grey(ish), one step beyond white. In other Sunday Times news, there's further evidence that recession-hit travellers are trading down, as easyBus' Luton, Stanstead & Gatwick routes reported a 25 per cent increase in business in the year to June 2009. No doubt First Group will wish to capitalise on this burgeoning travel market lower cost sector.

Local 2009 multi-award winning and Rotala Group Diamond Bus will in three weeks start its Worcester operation. This includes two commercial services against incumbent First, on the back of successful Worcestershire council tenders. Diamond claims it will create up to 60 new jobs, though the loss of contracts elsewhere may result in redundancies. Commercial routes will be to Dines Green & Henwick Park, operated by First currently at frequent intervals and every 15 minutes respectively. Diamond relaunched in Redditch services over a year ago as Red Diamond and entered Droitwich in April at the same time as operating more in Redditch, again following success at tender. During both launches, it majored on the re-establishment of a "well respected operator with red buses", evoking memories of National Bus and before that BET giant Birmingham & Midland Motor Omnibus Company. In truth, Midland Red as it was known, was never quite as well respected as our literally rose tinted specs made out. The necessary withdrawals associated with the passing of profitable urban routes to the West Midlands PTE left Midland Red struggling and unpopular. The vehicles Diamond Bus operates in Redditch indicate that it is far from a lower cost operation. 12 of 20 were new. AIM listed Rotala continues to turn things around and is showing good profitability.

International

Meanwhile, in the face of Megabus computation and a lacklustre performance, American Greyhound is undergoing something of a transformation. The first of 102 Prevost X3-45 50-seat tri-axle coaches now operate out of New York. They offer improved seat pitch, wi-fi and power outlets in an attempt to attract a younger demographic. Meanwhile, under First, Greyhound has subtly redesigned its logo and brand identity using blue, less grey and no white, and is investing $60mil in termini modernisation. Greyhound, meanwhile, launched Bolt Bus in spring 2008 as its cheaper brand, modelled on Megabus.

End of Free Travel?

The withdrawal of free travel for people over 60 will never happen as long as the current government’s in office. Last week’s local government association’s report may recommend its revocation but it just ain’t gonna happen. Yet. But what if it does, under a future government?

A woman purporting to speak for millions of free travellers on Thursday’s Today Programme on BBC Radio 4 said, and I paraphrase, buses will run anyway whether there are OAPs on board travelling free or not; so pensioners may as well travel for free.

And there’s the rub. If it were only that simple. There’s evidence that some operators are making cuts because of free travel. They can no longer sustain a level of service with such poor reimbursement. Expect more free travel related withdrawals from struggling operators to come.

But, how much harder would life be without free travel? “No better or worse off” the regulations may say but in reality free travel has become the lifeblood of local bus services to the extent that any means tested-induced collapse in what is a recession proof, rock steady market would have a profound effect on local transport. We may moan about generation factors and reimbursement rates but life without free travel would destabilise services completely. What, for example, would happen to marginal and rural services currently enjoying a free travel stimulus and where would the funding come to operate them under subsidy? And what would happen to the investment many have made in frequency enhancements and larger vehicles?

Best Livery

The second routeONE livery competition (last year's winnear here) continues apace. Be astounded at the great variety of colours. Be amazed at the swirls and swoops. Be dazzled by the multi-coloured graphics.

Be confused at the choice.

However laudable the livery competition is, we can’t help but wonder whether any of the schemes get more than a handful of votes. It’s particularly difficult to chose one that stands out.

May be routeONE should publish the percentage votes each livery attracts. That way, we’ll not only know the winners but those whose livery styles are less liked, assuming that the audience is representative of a cross section of the public—and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be. It might mean fewer mistakes in the future as we all learn from each other. Alas! this is unlikely to happen, as no one likes a loser.

The more I look at the entries, the more I realise that perhaps everything seems to look the same. For fear of sounding contradictory, every livery is different, of course, but there’s a also a sense that they are all based upon the same principles, often (about half) dealer white, with some swirls, stripes and stars. All very innovative but often quite anonymous. Yes, anonymous in many cases is the term. And very much the antithesis of the traditionally evolving family coach liveries of yore that identified your local operator as different and special. Much of this has been swept aside in the quest for a contemporary look and feel.

Audit

Southern Vectis is the latest operator to request an audit from the National Federation of Bus Users (Bus Users UK). This goes well beyond mystery shopping (something that SVOC also undertakes, along with all Go Ahead subsidiaries). It’s understood that SVOC chose BUUK on the basis of BUUK’s good practice guide that outlines clearly exactly what a passenger wants.

Why don’t more operators do something similar? To date, only Go North East, Blue Star, Brighton & Hove and Trent Barton have commissioned BUUK so there’s plenty of scope for others.

SVOC’s was slightly different in that it’s the first such audit to be repeated annually, as it strives for continuous improvement. It also asks BUUK to engage with real Isle of Wight passengers in reviewing its roadside information. It has resulted in an action plan that SVOC now publishes on its blog. Accountability.

So here, at last, we may have a solid and robust role for an organisation that in the Passenger Focus era might otherwise be sidelined. There are those who feel that BUUK is a group of well meaning amateurs when in fact this sort of work proves otherwise (albeit on a consultancy basis). BUUK’s strength is harnessing actual grassroots (routes?) users, some of whom can be very critical in a positive sort of way. And there can only be three beneficiaries—passengers, the company and BUUK.

Now all we need is some sort of BUUK accreditation. How about it, Gavin?

i SVOC blog post on the audit

Expect SVOC's innovative online purchasing system real soon right now.

Obituary (almost): Metrobus

Today sees the launch by Ian Allen of Matthew Wharmby's latest book, The London Metrobus. London’s mostly better-looking Mk Is have long gone but you can still find the Metrobus Mk II in the Midlands, if you look hard enough...

And they’ve certainly lasted well, longer than their original owner WMPTE would have expected and in front line National Express West Midlands service, too.

Former London Buses Ltd Mark 1 MCW Metrobus when on service in Halifax with the so-called Halifax Joint Committee

The integral Metrobus guarded against what MCW felt was a developing 1970s Leyland monopoly. At the time, no one could have foreseen the structural changes within the manufacturing industry that would see the Leyland name disappear in 1993 after acquisition by Volvo Bus in 1988, one year before MCW’s collapse.

Metrobus was born of the businesslike looking though outstandingly unreliable Anglo-Swedish Metro Scania single deck, and later more dependable though rot-prone semi-integral Metropolitan double deck. Newport Borough Transport operated both. In fact, it was something of a surprise that it ordered 10 somewhat starker Metropolitans when compared to the attractive Atlantean/Alexanders previously supplied to it, just four years after its first of 44 Metro Scanias. Perhaps there was insufficient time in which to evaluate the single decks fully. Later, Newport went on to purchase Metrobuses.

Halifax has some of the oldest buses running in service in England

The Metropolitan body developed into the Metrobus semi-integral. Metrobus became popular as a city double deck, in Manchester and especially so in the West Midlands & London. In Mk II guise, the bus was somewhat inelegant. It didn’t help that it lost its previously characterful bowed & asymmetric front windscreen. If the Mk II front was now somewhat fussy with bulges, grills, flutes, vents and a slightly displeasing concave look about it, the rear was pure Gardner (or Cummins). These naturally aspired, slow revving distinctively pitched engines offered with the Metrobus’ build a mellifluous tone all of its own that you rarely hear with today’s smaller but more efficient pipsqueak turbo-charged lighter powerplants.

MCW did make the Metrobus underframe available to other bodybuilders. Alexander versions were most popular, for the Scottish Bus Group, Strathclyde and Merseyside PTEs, and Leicester City Transport. West Yorkshire PTE took MCW- and Alexander-bodied versions. GMPTE purchased those bodied by MCW and Northern Counties.

In spite of a small post-deregulation revival in Metrobus sales, the market for double decks had by the mid- to late-1980s slipped. Uncertainties and a penchant for minibuses put paid to them. Here, MCW developed the integral Metrorider, an early PSV manufactured mini and, in stretched form, midibus.

The curved and cutaway windscreen lent the Mark 1 Metrobus considerable character

From 1988, MCW’s owners progressively sold their transport manufacturing interests but could find no buyer for MCW. Plaxton was sort of interested in the Metrobus but for its purchase at that time of Duple. Instead, DAF and Optare between them took it on, re-engineering it to become the Spectra. It’s interesting that older Spectras are being withdrawn from front line service ahead of their Metrobus forbears.

Bereft of orders, it was two decades ago this year that MCW therefore closed. 20 years later, the last of the line are also now vanishing from NXWM.