tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post710527712611896014..comments2024-03-25T22:17:35.616+00:00Comments on Public Transport Experience: Ahh! The Good Old Daysfatbusblokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06833340546527596517noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-13385796367902135762016-02-28T12:39:34.123+00:002016-02-28T12:39:34.123+00:00Very true . . . . my memory of Lodekka's was t...Very true . . . . my memory of Lodekka's was travelling up the hill from Leigh on Sea Station towards Hadleigh (Route 25A) in the mid 1960's. Not a steep hill, but with a fullish load of commuters, the driver often had to change from 2nd to 1st gear, with a metallic "hrraingg" as the cogs protested.<br />I can hear it now . . . . . greenline727https://www.blogger.com/profile/03033268278026535109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-82059557007622218972016-02-28T12:36:40.124+00:002016-02-28T12:36:40.124+00:00Very true . . . . my memory of Lodekka's was t...Very true . . . . my memory of Lodekka's was travelling up the hill from Leigh on Sea Station towards Hadleigh (Route 25A) in the mid 1960's. Not a steep hill, but with a fullish load of commuters, the driver often had to change from 2nd to 1st gear, with a metallic "hrraingg" as the cogs protested.<br />I can hear it now . . . . . greenline727https://www.blogger.com/profile/03033268278026535109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-53805248271915349332016-02-27T12:01:50.711+00:002016-02-27T12:01:50.711+00:00About 17 years ago, when First were running a West...About 17 years ago, when First were running a Western National Lodekka on a Dartmoor Sunday Rover service, I travelled on one from Plymouth to Tavistock. The lasting impression was that we forget just how slow these were when they got to a hill. Added to that, the long hill from the Tamar up to Gunnislake Station - about 600ft. in altitude over less than a mile - often left the old Bristol boiling.<br /><br />The Lodekka with a Gardner engine was a strong, very solidly built vehicle - but we have moved on.<br /><br /><br /><br />Keithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-68011635383903724092016-02-26T12:13:03.417+00:002016-02-26T12:13:03.417+00:00I'm not sure management being remote has anyth...I'm not sure management being remote has anything to do with it - even if it were based in Northampton, how easy would it be to cover something on the Lincolnshire border? It seems like a logical, low-cost method to me. Numerous councils are merging back office functions (either completely or through common purchasing) to reduce costs and protect front-line services, which is what people want protecting. Everybody thinks of bins and buses, nobody thinks about pens for council staff.<br /><br />DRT services are fine if you are keeping to a fixed timetable and are able to book the requisite number of hours in advance, say to do your weekly shopping or attend an appointment. They are less good for emergencies, last-minute changes of plan or worse still, those that are only available to users who pre-register: fine for the locals, but cuts use off almost completely for tourists, visitors, or customers who find themselves in need at the last minute (e.g. car failure).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-9210288515819164052016-02-26T11:30:28.046+00:002016-02-26T11:30:28.046+00:00Ah yes, things were better then.....
The problem i...Ah yes, things were better then.....<br />The problem is not that we can't change the past, but that we do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-66650116825596718942016-02-26T10:07:04.328+00:002016-02-26T10:07:04.328+00:00From time to time there have been complaints in th...From time to time there have been complaints in the press about buses not turning up or being full despite pre-booking. With remote management, sorting out these problems is a nightmare.<br />DRT is a possible (and expensive) solution but it needs local management to cope effective when things go wrong.fatbusblokehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06833340546527596517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-16198514056922011552016-02-26T09:54:12.761+00:002016-02-26T09:54:12.761+00:00I think you are being a little unfair on County Co...I think you are being a little unfair on County Connects connection to Lincoln. When they set up the County Connect contract NCC did a deal with Lincolnshire County Council to use their Call Connect call centre to handle the calls etc. This meant NCC didn't need to go to the expense of setting up & running their own call centre, gained access to the experience LCC had accrued through running Call Connect for a number of years and access to the specialist equipment that had been tried & tested to work. It has since gone further merging some of the County Connect workings in the East of the county with LCC Call Connect contracts in South west Lincs, Rutland & Peterborough (the later 2 authorities doing similar deals to get DRT covering their more rural parts) to get the best service for the lowest cost. It may be a shame to see some of these important fixed links being lost but at least schemes like Call & County Connect provide a safety net maintaining some sort of lifeline to people who rely on them (the risk is that they are not that cheap to provide themselves and there is always the risk the money will run out for them and then everyone is left stranded).dwarfer1979noreply@blogger.com