Red Arrows Reach All-over [4]

First Bus Responds (a little late maybe?)

A dramatic (?) response in Halifax to on-going competition from T J Walsh.

First formally launched the Red Arrows a week ago. Here is Oliver Howarth, First's Halifax boss with local MP Linda Riordan doing their PR best.

And they are clutching a wodge of new leaflets. We'll check out 12 buses an hour later; because you don't get any timetables on this promotional flyer. Odd, really, considering that the service is so complicated. Free WiFi is only on the 522 and 523 buses; but the fares deal looks good.

A initial reaction might be to wonder why anyone would want a £2.30 return when a single is only £1. But in bus speak, singles are FROM £1, so why not show ALL fares? The picture of a Red Arrow bus in the current "Buses" magazine ...

... shows £1.50 single. A rethink? A bludner? Or a tougher challenge to T J Walsh?

There may be no timetables but here is an adequate explanatory route diagram ...

... and a repeat of the fares offers.

First Bus routes terminate in King Edward Street, whereas T J Walsh stop just across the junction in Albion Street.

Do Haligonians** lurk at the crossroads and rush eagerly to the next bus that is loading? At least, with reference to Metro West Yorkshire's timetable library we can "contrast and compare".

 Red Arrows to UIllingworth 

 521  via Ovenden Way
Every 7/8 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime
Every 12 to 15 minutes Sunday daytime
Every 30 minutes all evenings.

 522  via Ovenden Road
Every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime
One journey an hour via Highmoor Park Road
   at Illingworth as  523 

NO evening and Sunday service

 T J Walsh   no evening or Sunday service on any of these.

 525  via Ovenden Way to Ovenden
Every 7 mins Monday to Friday morning (to 1215)
Every 8 mins Saturday morning (to 1215)

 600  loop via Ovenden Way and Ovenden Road
Every 10 mins Monday to Saturday daytime
also to/from Halifax Station every 20 mins

 700  via Ovenden Road to Illingworth
Every 10 mins Monday to Saturday daytime

Oddly the last two T J Walsh routes are not numbered "correctly" to match the West Yorkshire scheme. 600s are Bradford routes; 700s are used in the Keighley area.

A couple of niggles arise with the Red Arrows. Look at the timetable for the 522 and 523. Note that the Illingworth time point for the 523 is Tewit Lane Top; whereas, by contrast and on a separate line, the time point for the 522 is ...

... Tewit Lane Top. What a clever way to differentiate the services and their two different routes!

But worse is to come. There are 8 journeys an hour on the 521, four an hour on the 522/523, adding up to 12 journeys an hour between Halifax and Illingworth. An impressive frequency. Go to First Bus web site for West Yorkshire and the new network is highlighted on the home page.

"Buses every 12 minutes ..."

Whoops!

That is a modest 5 buses an hour, not 12.

Questions to Ponder
  1. Does the web designer know the difference?
  2. Do First Bus management know the difference?
  3. Will anyone notice?
  4. How long will it take to get it changed?
Answers, please, on a postcard to the usual address.

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**Haligonian means "resident of Halifax"; or does it?

The name is first recorded in about 1091 in the form Halyfax, possibly from the Old English halh-gefeaxe, meaning "area of coarse grass in the nook of land". This explanation is now preferred to derivations from the Old English halig (holy), for example hālig feax (holy hair), first proposed by 16th century antiquarians. The erroneous derivation from halig has also given rise to the adjective Haligonian, which is of recent origin and not in universal use.

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 Yet another Red Arrow blog : Friday 28th November