Partnership Bonny in Yorkshire's Donny? [2]

More Service Improvements??????

Although, to be fair, the pre-partnership publicity was less effusive about service improvements, focusing on nebulous "benefits" and "pie-in-the-sky" access to Government funding. There was also more talk of "matching services to demand", a typical euphemism for cuts.

In 2011, one of First's other incursions into Stagecoach territory was on the route to Scawsby. In 1985, the 189 was up to every 12 minutes.

As a resul of First's 2011 attack, their route 41 ran every 20 minutes ...

... shadowing Stagecoach's 42, also every 20 minutes.

The services terminate at the turning circle complete with blue shelter ...

... which was replaced by a new version between noddy car visits.

But six buses an hour was too much and, subsequently common sense prevailed and the competitors reduced their services to half hourly. Not only that, but they are evenly spaced around the clockface.

TO BE CONTINUED

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It was at this point last evening that Travel South Yorkshire's web site declined to deliver any timetables; which completely messed up the rest of this blog. It has not been as good week for fbb and technology. First the printer broke, then the lap top started behaving oddly.

Finally nothing would work from the desktop. Restore - ineffective; virus protection - nothing untoward. Even fbb's genius No 3 son could not sort it out remotely. For a week now the blog production has been in "safe mode".

And now the PTE's web site throws a wobbly.

The computer SWAT team is on its way and today, Tuesday, a complete rebuild is planned.

If no blog appears for a day or two you will know that it, too, failed.

So, a few arbitrary bits and pieces to replace today's messed-up offering!

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For starters, , we take a look at the nely announced Devon Ranger ticket. Introduced "from April 2016" this is publicised by an attractive leaflet.

(which won't spin round in "safe mode"!).

There is a disappointing map with no route numbers. Why not? Is Devon County trying to economise by producing a leaflet that won't age. If so why print April 2015 on the front?

Prices look reasonable with the family deal being particularly attractive. This should easily beat "normal" fares for 2 adults and three kiddiewinkies, even over quite short distances.

Effectively, the children travel free.

There is a panel of operators' logos ...

 ... which looks pretty comprehensive.

Stagecoach are accepting the ticket on the whole of their network, even over the border to Saltash, Bude, Taunton and Lyme Regis but NOT on the South West Falcon coaches, even within Devon.

Shame!

But which operator of buses in Devon is missing?

Is there not a half-bit minor company operating between Lyme Regis and Exeter in competition with Stagecoach? And does not the same outfit run between Axminster and Lyme Regis and between Axminster and Taunton?

If only fbb could remember the company name? fbb predicts "trouble at 't'mill" when Mrs Miggins, enjoying her holiday in Lyme, tries to board an X52 back from Exeter. If Stagecoach is prepared to accept the Devon Day ticket for cross border routes, you would have thought that this other lot would want to.

And talking of printed publicity ...

GoTimetable Seaton flyers are now available at Seaton Tourist Information shelf, a poor replacement withing Seaton Jurassic for the former well-stocked office which was demolished to make way for the "attraction" More about this downgrade in a future blog. Also holding the leaflets is Seaton's main newsagent, W H Smith Local whoase owner Marcus is a town councillor.

So they are in the Council Office foyer as well.

Progress.

With the usual apologies for poor blogging, fbb hopes to be back to normal tomorrow.

 Next bus blog (maybe, possibly) Wednesday 27th April