Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,572
Howard, isn't that correct of many national politicians?
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Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,981
Been into Dover today on the bus main topic of conversation,the proposed changes to services.We thought about filling the bus with protesters.Thete were over a dozen passengers going into town.The intention is for all our buses to go via St Radigunds .By the time it gets to the old hospital probably run out of seats.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,981
In today's Dover Mercury Charlie our MP states he has asked Stagecoach to extend the consultation period.He is a few days behind as prior to his meeting last Friday after much lobbing the time was extended by a further seven days.He is now eager to help not like the one line email he sent me.Of course we have the selfie .
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Stagecoach are just stringing Charlie along as there little chance of them running loss making routes and KCC are not in a position to help. The important thing is that it was an excellent photo opportunity.
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/bus-service-cuts---think-128318/Guest 1395- Registered: 5 Nov 2014
- Posts: 463
The simple fact is that if the services were used enough, they wouldn't be cut. I saw an 87 heading north through Whitfield on Friday with 5 passengers on board - not exactly an economic load. Overall, Stagecoach South East has doubled the number of passengers carried in the last 10 years but clearly not on some of these services.
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Lew Finnis
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,572
Sure on parts of the route there may not be many but you have to study all the route
Hopefully stagecoach will have a re think
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Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,981
Quite right Keith.Do you remember the old Compass route started in Dover and linked all the coastal towns came back by Canterbury took four hours .
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,572
I think this consultation has again shown Stagecoach lacks the ability to engage.
Instead it hopes by having a very short consultation process, people wouldn't see it and they can bring in drastic cut backs.
They attempted the same with the 68 bus where they put one notice on one bus shelter that was there consultation!! to withdraw the bus
they didn't count on a very engaged public, who turned up in to give there stories on how the bus affected them.
Both KCC/Stagecoach stepped back after all the people power.
Here we are again Stagecoach again not learning from past errors attempting again through short notice to bring in drastic cuts again.
But I believe people power will go some way to hopefully make them re think
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Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,981
People in River have really got together to protest.Waiting on Radio Kent to interview some of them KCC have acknowledged my letter.
Guest 1395- Registered: 5 Nov 2014
- Posts: 463
People power will only work if it is backed up by funding. By law, Stagecoach are prohibited from running services at a loss (1984 Transport Act) so they are trying to run buses where there is sufficient demand to cover their costs, hence some of the convoluted routes proposed. I was amused by a letter in the Dover Express where someone complained that there will be a 2 hour gap in the 91 - has he looked at the current 91 timetable?
Lew Finnis
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,981
Hence me writing to KCC
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,572
Stagecoach should be proud of Lew who is fighting there corner.
We do need to decide do we want a PUBLICLY run service, or one that runs in the interests of its shareholders?
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
There are good and bad things about deregulation of bus services, sadly they are run purely for profit.
On the plus side they don't stick just to main roads anymore but go where the passengers demand which are usually densely populated residential areas. I remember the old days of London Transport, they used to run to a factory off of the A13 to fit in with their 3 shifts, when the factory closed they continued for nearly a year with 20 minutes dead running 3 times a day. There were so many examples of their intransigence.
Guest 1849- Registered: 12 Sep 2016
- Posts: 440
Lew Finnis wrote:People power will only work if it is backed up by funding. By law, Stagecoach are prohibited from running services at a loss (1984 Transport Act) so they are trying to run buses where there is sufficient demand to cover their costs, hence some of the convoluted routes proposed. I was amused by a letter in the Dover Express where someone complained that there will be a 2 hour gap in the 91 - has he looked at the current 91 timetable?
It seems some people are choosing to ignore Lew's post about the law. It is illegal to run a bus service at a loss, people would be better off lobbying to change the law rather than having a pop at Stagecoach who are operating within the law.
Still, as I keep saying, facts are irrelevant to some on here.
Guest 1395- Registered: 5 Nov 2014
- Posts: 463
I'm not fighting Stagecoach's corner, just pointing out the realities of the situation. As it happens, I've e-mailed them twice pointing out some of the daft bits of their proposals. It is worth pointing out that many bus services in the area are better than they were under the National Bus Company. Those that aren't are the ones that weren't used enough!
Lew Finnis
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
The big surprise to me is the improvement to the 91 service Folkestone - Alkham - Temple Ewell - Dover. An hourly service for most of the day through some great scenery. My feeling is that Stagecoach will give ground on the 15B as that is causing most angst.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,572
Howard,
I'm sure there will be many changes to the original consultation, but this will have come about via People power.
Not Stagecoach.
I'm still sure this will have some way to run as the company barters, and interested parties lobby for a better, or in some cases an improvement on a poor service.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Interesting one, maybe another operator would be interested in running a limited service at peak times on the 15b route?
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/passenger-power-has-proved-just-128810/Guest 1395- Registered: 5 Nov 2014
- Posts: 463
Not comparing like with like, Howard. The Gillingham service is very limited and using a bus spare between peak runs and from a KCC contract service, so marginal costs are relatively less. To run a peak service would mean extra buses and drivers, so a far less economic proposition.
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Lew Finnis
Guest 1395- Registered: 5 Nov 2014
- Posts: 463
I see from this week's Notices and Proceedings the various licence applications have been made, though there is no detail published. It will be interesting to see what changes, if any, have been made following the 'consultation' but it all looks very much as proposed.
Lew Finnis