Well, now. Several colleagues have reported that passengers have been asking whether their buses are on strike today. One email I’ve seen states that a passenger quizzed a member of staff and when told *everything* will operate as normal, she still asked, “Does that apply to route X?” D’oh. Reminds me of the daft questions I used to get when I was in an enquiry office.
No matter how we like to portray ourselves as belonging to the thrusting private sector, there are still those who either see us as a nationalised industry or owned by the council taxpayers. This, no doubt, is partly a legacy of times past but it’s something that we don’t seem to be able to shake off. It’s only been 25 years or so, after all. Even so, the public equate us with Town Hall staff. We’re viewed as a Public Asset.
May be it’s also a legacy of industrial unrest that beset the industry in the 1970s and 1980s. From time to time there are still strikes but they tend to be far, far fewer than they once were. It seems that in the good-old-bad-old days, there might be a strike every few weeks. And picket lines were much more active and militant back then, too.
Perhaps it doesn’t matter what passengers think about ownership. All they want is a cheap bus, running on time, taking them where they want to go.
One set of passengers who struggle to get a (direct) bus to where they want to go is in the health sector. These days, most general hospitals tend to be located on a radial and not in the centre of towns or cities. I doubt therefore many nurses use the buses these days. I also doubt many teachers do, either, if they ever did. So, it’s probable that the industry won’t feel the pinch too much today, as over two million people don’t go to work. Unless, of course, bus-using working parents take leave to care for their children.
In fact, I bet bus services will be busy as anything during the day. Virtually all schools in Bournemouth & Poole are closed and if this is replicated throughout England—as it seems to be—there’ll be every excuse for a bit of Christmas shopping. Parents with their children, older children with friends and even strikers themselves will be overwhelming our city centres. A proportion will get there by bus. As long as these aren’t substitute journeys for those later in the next 3½ weeks, it looks set to be a bit of a bonanza today.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Bonanza?
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24 comments:
So what did Alex say?
We were inundated with calls yesterday along the lines of "are you running any buses tomorrow" This despite website news, facebook, twitter, local radio. Although many schools in Plymouth are closed several schools would not confirm until late yesterday whether they were in or not so as we were aware that quite a few sixth forms are in we are operating all services as normal including schools. Expecting a bonanza? Would like to think so as we suspect many strikers will use the day as an opportuinty for some Xmas retail therapy. Will be interesting to see loadings tomorrow.
Try catching a bus in Cardiff today!
The majority of the calls I've had to my LA desk this morning have been asking if the buses are on strike - and they are asking bout general service buses, not school journeys to establishments which are partially open and could therefore cause confusion.
The latest call was from someone saying the "the bus is late, I suppose he's on strike" when the journey is only 7 minutes late (OK, outside the window of tolerance, but not too bad)!
The media (BBC Radio 4 as my example) are part of the problem as their headlines are saying that "public transport" is affected. In the main bulletins they explain they mean the airports and Tyne & Wear Metro, but the headline is very misleading.
As anonymous 0811 points out, Cardiff Bus will not be operating today. Being a municipal, they are more likely to be subject to local government pension schemes. Not aware of any fellow municipal being affected - though Network Warrington report that they challenged the validity of the ballot for strike action.
TfGM was reporting the possibility of bus stations being closed, whether through H&S or picketing, but I'm not aware if this has come to pass. On Merseyside, the ferries are not operating, plus the road tunnels are closed to all but emergency services.
Yes, what did Alex say, in his nicely ironed shirt?
I totally agree with the first paragraph. Something I have said before in responses to blogs.
Many local people remember when the council had its own bus company, and twenty years later are reluctant to believe that it does not licence, franchise or control what goes on. If we didn't - who!
Is one of the reasons that people call the council because the big groups call centres are not local and often do not have an answer? I speak here from the many calls I received from frustrated people.
Its not so much of a bonanza when your school services are not running so that the revenue you should get wont be coming for the day, but you still have the drivers wages to pay for.
Anon @ 743 & Petras409 ... too busy collecting awards to chat to Mr Omnibuses Blog in his kilt (also ironed I assume?)
"One email I’ve seen states that a passenger quizzed a member of staff and when told *everything* will operate as normal, she still asked, “Does that apply to route X?” D’oh."
It's either coincidence or the person you speak of is a certain Mr. Fowles!
Bits from the BBC's live news updates:
"1344: Go North East say their buses in Tyne and Wear have been packed today with passengers who would normally travel on the Metro. The company put on 40 extra buses and brought in 90 more staff to minimise the impact on those travelling, it says."
"1313: Translink, the company which runs Northern Ireland's public transport services, says there's been a total shutdown of rail and bus services."
1241 "Breaking News Scotland Yard says two protesters were arrested after a woman police support officer was assaulted in clashes surrounding strikes at Hackney bus garage, north London."
The 904 Park & Ride in Bristol was full and standing at 0930, usually quite a quiet working, full with Mums & Kids...
"The company put on 40 extra buses and brought in 90 more staff"
Where did they get all those from???
"Its not so much of a bonanza when your school services are not running so that the revenue you should get wont be coming for the day, but you still have the drivers wages to pay for."#
Most kiddies have weeklies or seasons...
Anonymous said...
"Most kiddies have weeklies or seasons..."
On school contracts? I doubt it. And, if you're referring to Dorset, I understood the county receives that revenue.
Anon @ 18:51 - ours often don't, singles or returns usually. Although it does depend on the school/area.
Any operator friends reading this Blog like to comment on yesterday's revenue?
Up? Down? Nothing to note?
@ Anon 1844:
GNE have timetabled extra buses, especially in North Tyneside, when there's Metro disruption. I'd imagine it was simply a case of changing rotas around, especially if most schools services were not operating (although the works services did run).
Wonder if Cardiff are giving credits for a lost day on period tickets then?
The railways used to if services were 'lost' due to strikes.
Seem to recall talk that other municipals might be facing a pension black hole. That may affect the chances of selling them in the future.
Do buses ever go on strike these days?
"Any operator friends reading this Blog like to comment on yesterday's revenue?
Up? Down? Nothing to note?"
One small operator I know of says he lost about £750 due to lack of school fares and contract work that didn't run. He has about 10 vehicoes so not a big operator at all.
Anon @ 12:31 - they're offering an additional day extension on their weekly passes etc
"Where did they get all those from???"
40 buses out of a fleet of well over 600 shouldn't be too hard to muster up.
@ Anon 1307:
Stagecoach Newcastle drivers went on strike about five years ago, demanding a piddling 16% payrise. They got it, too.
Guess what the fare increase was the following January?
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