Doric; see Saturday's blog (read again)!
“Sen we cairry a haill bourach o littleens an visitors tae the ceity, I howp ‘The Doric Bus’ an the Doric blads steekit up on aa the buses wull help tae mak fowk mair aware o the mither tongue, an mak siccar at it’s aye tae the fore.”
Translated to English, Davie, who has been driving buses for First since 2008, said:
“Given we transport lots of children and visitors to the city, I hope ‘The Doric Bus’ and the Doric messages on board all the buses will help raise awareness and ensure our dialect continues to prosper.”
If you couldn't get it right, dinna fash yersel!
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A Northampton footnote.
A week go fbb concluded a series about the new and fairly useless North Gate bus station in Northampton. There are grave concerns about traffic congestion in and around the bus station area. There was a picture of a cloggage in December 2012 caused by preliminary work around the development site.
But on 15th January (i.e. Wednesday, last) this appeared on Stagecoach's web site.
Our Northampton correspondent reports that road works in the Sheep Street pinch point, as highlighted by fbb maps ...
... so impeded traffic flow that Stagecoach gave up any attempt to travel via The Drapery.
Last week, fbb was banging on (as usual) bout the poor quality of Sheffield bus publicity. But other areas are equally culpable. Stagecoach gives a list of services affected by the Northampton roadworks.
1, 2, 2A, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 9A, 9B, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 16X, 17, 22, 22A, 24, 34, 38, 39, 49, 49B, 50, 50, 50A, 50B, 51, 53, 54, 58, 86, 87, 89, D1, D2, D3, X4, X4, X4, X4, X4, X7, X7, X7, X46, X46, X47, X47
Observant blog readers will be intrigued by TWO each of services 50, X46 and X47; THREE service X7s and an exciting FIVE service X4s.
But it gets worse!
1,2,15,16,17, 38,39, X46, X47, 87, 89 do not use The Drapery
2A and 4 are services in Corby
34 runs between Wellingborough and Kettering. One journey each way Monday to Friday:-
49 runs between Kettering and Rushden (Asda).
50B is a mystery!
6, 33, 33A, 41 and 43 normally use the Drapery but are not mentioned.
Well done, Stagecoach. Like Travel South Yorkshire, you don't seem to know where your buses go!
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And, talking of the new North Gate bus station.
Councillor (Mackin)Tosh has been speaking again. Sorry, fbb can't get rid of the advert!
Whilst launching this video of the inside of the new bus station (compare it with the facilities and the size of Greyfriars as illustrated in the recent fbb blog - read again), the councillor was at pains to explain that the new facility would be big enough because "it wasn't being used as a bus depot".
What the Councillor hasn't grasped is that the bus parking area at Greyfriars did not interfere in the slightest with access to the 27 stands or to the areas used by the waiting or interchanging public. He does not seem to understand the difference between storage of buses overnight and the absolute necessity for parking space for vehicles whilst their drivers are taking their legal breaks (usually 30 minutes) from driving. No provision is made for either at the new facility.
Mr Mackintosh said he hoped North Gate would help revitalise the surrounding area and the Drapery while also benefiting market traders. Northampton Borough Council has also defended its decision to charge passengers 20p to use the toilets at the new bus station. Mr Mackintosh said: “It is fairly standard to charge for toilet facilities."
He also said: “People have been saying it’s much too small, but what you have to remember is that Greyfriars was a home to the entire bus fleet and it was the base for large offices above. The buses will not be staying overnight at the new bus station.”
“We have actually taken in a lot more of the land around the Fishmarket and it is much bigger than people realise."
We are sure that our blog readers will be able to make the comparisons. And even work out how having offices above Greyfriars bus station affects the number of buses using the stands. Even fbb struggles with that piece of political misdirection.
He also said: “People have been saying it’s much too small, but what you have to remember is that Greyfriars was a home to the entire bus fleet and it was the base for large offices above. The buses will not be staying overnight at the new bus station.”
“We have actually taken in a lot more of the land around the Fishmarket and it is much bigger than people realise."
We are sure that our blog readers will be able to make the comparisons. And even work out how having offices above Greyfriars bus station affects the number of buses using the stands. Even fbb struggles with that piece of political misdirection.
Next bus blog : Tuesday 21st January
A little clarification -our wonderful County Council who think Stagecoach runs all the buses in Northampton leaves publicity to the operators. If this is Stagecoach they provide it. You need quite good eyesight to read it. The others like Country Lion (service 6) Z and S (service 33) don't. Service 41 is a Stagecoach East service from Bedford, nuffin to do with us ,gov!
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