Let's Change Things - It Will Cause Chaos! (1)

But The Craze Is Spreading!

It really started in Manchester and rapidly spread to Liverpool ...

... now the "lesser mortals" are joining in. Even Brighton ...

... where Roger French (former boss of the Brighton and Hove bus company) will be turning in his grave; (actually he is very fit and well-distanced from the grave!) but, were he in it, he would be spinning faster than a jumbo jet turbine!

And the well known British West Hartlepool want to join in with the game.

Meanwhile in the conurbation whose transport system they all wish to adopt ...

... and, of course, Transport for London is having a consultation!

Note the "artistic" but impossible bus pictures. Maybe the impossibility is a reflection of Transport for London's current but long-standing problems.

To help our loyal reader, fbb has expurgated the introduction to the Bus Review documentation.

TfL’s reliance on customer fares for the majority of its income means the effect of the pandemic on our finances has been devastating, requiring Government support to keep public transport in London operating.

Is £1.65 flat fare for ANY journey on a London bus (using tap and pay) realistic? Of course it isn't. It is even frantically low when compared with many "flat fare" and heavily subsidised European cities.

The Government set a number of conditions before it would provide emergency funding to enable TfL to keep operating, including requiring us to produce a plan to set out how we would achieve significant financial savings. This plan included reducing the extent of our bus network.

So the much admired "London-style" franchise system will involve many frequency cuts and, sooner or later, fares increases - and more fares increases.

We have always adjusted our bus network to reflect our changing city, but the devastating impact of the pandemic (and bad political management!) on our finances has required a more significant review.

Our plan to achieve the savings required by the Government includes a 4% reduction in bus kilometres. 

It will need a.lot more than that to balance the books.

In response to this and the savings we have been required to make, we are consulting on changes to some bus routes in and around central London.

Devastating changes

We are consulting on withdrawing some individual bus routes or sections of routes where they are covered by other high-frequency services or are close to alternative stops.  The changes being consulted on are intended to cause as little disruption to passengers as possible, while making the required savings. 

Yeah, right - see below! TfL is now defining "high frequency" as every 12 minues - which it never is.

The Hopper Fare will continue to allow customers to change between buses within 60 minutes of starting journeys without having to pay more.

Hopper fare?

Pay as you go at adult rate on buses and trams and our Hopper fare gives you unlimited journeys for £1.65, made within one hour of touching in. 

As the timing applies to the "touch-in" time you could, in theory, travel for up to TWO HOURS for £1.65. You wonder how the enthusiasts for "London-style" franchising will find the money for their cheap fares?

So what does this "consultation" document tell us?

There's a buss stop poster ...

... and a downloadable copy of the Bus Action Plan ...

... that tells us it is "building an attractive zero-emission bus service for all Londoners". This, it transpires will be achieved by reducing frequencies, withdrawing routes and increasing fares; which does, indeed, sound very attractive for all Londoners.

The booklet contains some very noble and far reaching ideas of which a few are shown below.

Which, again, explains why TfL is (nearly wrote "are") reducing frequencies, withdrawing services and, very soon, increasing fares. But, do not despair harassed London bus passenger, TfL has a vision.

So that's all right, then!

But, as they say, the devil is in the detail. So fbb will take a detailed look at one sector of the capital and try, firstly, to understand the proposals and, secondly, to communicate them to his loyal readership. It will not be easy.

To achieve this, the usual Saturday and Sunday Variety blogs will be postponed for one day and the sample of complex changes will be revealed (hopefully) in tomorrow's blog. Even if you are not a Londoner, or a London Buses geek, you should be able to follow what is being propounded in the "consultation". Which of course means "what we are going to do anyway whether you like it or not!"

So; fasten your seatbelts, grab the tranquillisers and switch on your thinking head, all ready for tomorrows exciting blog.

Meanwhile - Purple Platinum for London

And Purple Platinum from Arriva

With a pedantic (?) challenge to literacy.

"Arriva are"? Should be Arriva is! Yes, fbb is well aware that we tend to say "The Government are ..."

Replace "the Government" with "Boris Johnson" and you see how wrong it is.  If you want to encompass the masses of Arriva staff, then use "We are" with the company's meaningful logo.

Anyway, fbb are very busy for the next few days with the two monthly Bible Fellowship meetings, followed by preparation for taking the service at their former church on the Isle of Wight the following weekend. fbb and his Mrs is attending the wedding of a friend's daughter. The service, nosh and party is all on the Saturday at the posh Royal Hotel. 

They is both looking forward to the day with some trepidation.

Snippets

fbb thinks that "market engagement" means "doing the sums".  Without an accountancy qualification, fbb can assure Notwork Rail that the cost will be much, much higher than it would have been had the job been done when the rest of the Midland Main Line was electrified.

Some of our astute readers may remember that Island Line has not long recovered from total closure to upgrade for the new old Underground trains. The self-same readers may wonder why the pier head work was not done while the line was totally closed.

Good, but unanswered, question!

Without an accountancy qualification, fbb can assure Notwork Rail (and/or Island Line and/or First Rail) that the cost will be much much higher than it would have been had the job been done when the rest of the Island Line was upgraded.

 Next London consultation blog : Saturday 4th June 

Cardiff v Sheffield Contrast and Compare

The two conurbations are similar; the Welsh Capital has a population of just under 560,000 ( including Barry and Penarth) whilst greater Sheffield is 580,000. Both were historically developed round heavy industry, Cardiff trading in King Coal and Sheffield being the city of Steel.

A council-owned company

A "partnership" - First & Stagecoach

So let's start with "new" technology:-

ELECTRIC BUSES - Cardiff

ELECTRIC BUSES - Sheffield

27 buses to be delivered.

PRINTED ROUTE MAP - Cardiff

An excellent map. It is too big to show in its entirety, but below is a chunk showing fbb's favourite Cardiff suburb, namely Splott.

Also included are routes in Penarth and Barry ...

... and a large scale city centre graphic.

There is a very simple frequency guide ...

... and a good sample of fares information.

Ordinary fares are covered, showing that a £2 flat fare applies in Cardiff with variations elsewhere.

The panel above is an extract. The table also also shows weekly and monthly options, zone by zone. But there is this interesting little note:-

We will meet the "short hop" in due course.

There is even a brief history of the undertaking BUT ...

... although a trolleybus is pictured, these joys of past times in Cardiff get not a mention in the historic timeline. Disgraceful - although, to be fair, the omission is unlikely to affect ridership in 2022!

PRINTED ROUTE MAP - Sheffield

PRINTED TIMETABLES - Cardiff

Five area booklets with just a touch of the Beardef Bus Beautifier of the Bush about them (a k a Stunning by Stenning?). But before our readers slaver too excitedly, it is worth noting that these are timetable books "lite".

All you get for your money (no money actually, they are free!) is a pretty front cover ...

... a list of contents ...

... and the timetables. Note that the Summer bus guide returns again this year - another excellent piece of PRINTED publicity.

There is no index, no maps and no colour coding. fbb does wonder whether things are a little too "lite". For example, the X45 is only headed X45 on the first page of the service. 

In the case of this service, the Monday to Friday panels are very different ...

... from the Saturday schedule.

Could the lack of a route number cause confusion. It did for fbb!

But, joy of joys, Cardiff folks now have proper printed timetables!

Hooray!

PRINTED ROUTE MAP - Sheffield

ONLY ON-LINE - Cardiff

Because the printed books are "basic", some useful information does require adherence to the "It's All On Line" brigade. The interwebnet has a PDF route map for each service.

The X45 shares its map with the 44, 45 and 45B which do not penetrate the "South" timetable area.

Of particular interest is that the "short hop" fare for Trowbridge and St Mellons is show by a pale orange shading. Nowhere could fbb find out how much the "short hop" fare was - but obviously cheaper that the not quite so flat fare of £2.

Readers may wish to amuse themselves as they try to work out which route goes where!

There is also a "short hop" fare in the city centre.

FARES INFROMATION - Sheffield

... unless you want day, weekly or monthly tickets. Individual one-trip fares are simply not provided. But those that are promoted on-line are ...

many, various and baffling; and that's only tickets for ONE DAY.

And a question. Which operation stands the best chance of increasing passenger numbers and "Building Back Better"?

Many thanks to correspondent Mike for sending map and South Cardiff leaflet.

70 Glorious Years

The Southern Vectis Jubilee bus is a very splendid paint job - one of the best.

But thank you Ma'am for the record number of years of glorious reign and or a clear and very personal upholding of your Christian faith!

 Next Causing Confusion blog : Friday 3rd June 

Orkney Plane Plus

But First : A Ferry P.S.

The fares seem ludicrously cheap compared with either Scottish mainland or English ferries (i.e. Isle of Wight) but they they are vastly subsidised. 

The destinations further north ...

... are, as you might expect, more expensive.

And a few screenshots of a sailing at Papa Westray (called "Papay" by the indigenous and long-term residents).

So everything has to be craned on or off ... vehicles ...

... trailers ...

... and coos!

These beasts don't just stand around on the deck enjoying the view; in fact they do not have a view from their special pens!

No doubt they can amoose themselves on the sail to Kirkwall. GROAN!

Getting Around By Air

But if you want to get around the islands more quickly, the plane will take the strain. Like the ferries, it nips about on a daily but varied cycle - below is Thursday.

North Ronaldsay gets three trips - but beware; the pink shaded journeys have a health warning. They fly "in the hours of darkness" and may be retimed if either plane or pilot is not "passed" for night flying.

But note the scheduled flight time between Westray and Papa Westray. Although the timetable allows two whole minutes, the flight can take even less. It is certainly the shortest air trip in the UK but some observers suggest that it is a WORLD record.

The two air terminals (?) are not far apart ...

... not too much more than a mile and a half apart.

So this video explains all.

Sample air fares are quoted in the Orkney timetable book ...

... but, to an outsider, they are baffling. How can an adult return be a smidgen more that HALF the single fare?

It would appear that, to encourage inter island mobility, especially from the less populous and remote northern destinations, there are very special discounted fares FROM the islands compared with fares FROM Kirkwall.

The page on the Logan Air web site is a bit more comprehensible - but not much! (click on the graphic for an enlargement).

Again, the locals will understand and visitors will probably phone "the man" to book and pay - so they can ask the questions.

Now here is a fascinating question to which fbb does not have an answer.

Can you fly from London to North Ronaldsay and back in ONE DAY i.e. 24 hours?

Quiz Time Again!

The fbb's monthly Christian Fellowship meetings are coming up again over the Jubilee weekend. So here is the main part of this month's quiz.

The questions may be too difficult for some, but, if you had the whole leaflet, you would find the answers hidden in the text on pages 2 and 3.

But there is an easier bit of quiz!

Tomorrow we go to Wales.

 Next Cardiff blog : Thursday 2nd June