Double Speak?

Here’s an interesting statement from Connex (Veolia), a week into the trial of a double deck on an island not having seen them for some 40 years. Jersey’s trial on service 15 aims to provide more seats on the busy route between St Helier and the airport, without the expense of duplicates or a higher frequency single deck solution.

“The double decker… uses the latest technology to achieve low carbon emissions and a high fuel efficiency”

The problem with the statement is that today’s engines on today’s heavier buses burn more fuel. Comparing miles per gallon twenty years ago with today’s Euro V engines, fuel consumption is down by as much as 35-40 per cent. This is a cost we saw passed on to UK passengers from late Spring 2008, as oil prices rose dramatically. On top of which, we shouldn’t forget that Euro V engines can be anything up to four times the price of those badged as Euro IV.

That’s not to suggest Connex is spinning a line. There is a higher fuel efficiency per passenger journey on a double deck provided it is usually loaded ahead of a single. There are lower emissions with a double deck when compared to the single deck option of duplicates or increased frequency. The central question remains: how can the industry reduce its fuel bill at a time of further rising oil prices as we are seeing right now.

And there was a second interesting statement from Connex on the bus that will undertake the two-week trial.

“A passenger survey will be conducted throughout the trial to monitor passenger feedback and understand how well the double decker meets the needs of the Jersey bus service.”

That’s something you don’t hear too often: passenger views ahead of a major change in investment policy. One wonders what might’ve happened in London had former Mayor Livingstone adopted this principle before dropping the Routemaster ahead of the Mercedes Citaro bendy bus. OK, there are some rather sharp differences between Jersey and London. Current Mayor Johnson did consult about a RM replacement, though. The eventual Wrightbus probably will be somewhat different to the competition winner.

Such Jersey passenger feedback should be interesting. The idea behind the trial is to cater for crush loadings on the 15. Such loadings result from airport arrivals. Visitors are probably unlikely to use the service with anything like the regularity to judge whether a decker’s better than a 41 seater (the present maximum vehicle size). And quite possibly, they won’t be regular bus users in the first place.

The trial vehicle is an ADL Enviro400 demonstrator, with 67 seats in a burgundy and yellow livery not dissimilar to that adopted by Lothian Buses for its service 3. Jersey’s bus station has a headroom of 10'5" and clearly wasn’t built with double decks in mind.