Citistar
Member
I'm struggling to think of a situation where a "Use it or lose it" ultimatum hasn't resulted in the latter happening. I'm surprised the 25 and 58/A have lasted as long as they have.
Struggling to see how the 28 is loss making, besides the company's own choice not to run services on the route in favour of using the drivers to run open toppers along the Bristol Channel. With Butlins at one end it's a major connection of a rail-less town (as in National Rail!) to a town which has one.Somerset County Council makes "use it or lose it"
'Use it or lose it' warns council as it subsidises loss making bus routes
Somerset Council has stepped in to save four sus services with low passenger numbers.www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk
The 54 is the former joint Southern/Western National 264 Beeching-era rail replacement service. Presumably one of the last to survive.
Comparing the 28 here in the curent PDF of the timetable bookCouncil stop gap to protect key bus routes in Somerset
Four bus services to be supported as part of the county's bus service improvement planwww.somerset.gov.uk
Direct from Somerset Council
They wouldn't allow it to be demolished, but it could be redeveloped into flats etc by adapting the existing building. The rear shed isn't listed.Is the Yeovil depot still in the Nautilus works? That's so historic they'll never allow demolition.
Where Petter's started, and as a result birthplace of Westlands
History of the Nautilus works
Yeovil's Virtual Museum, the A-to-Z of Yeovil's History - by Bob Osborn
An A-to-Z History of Yeovil, Somerset, England - by Bob Osbornwww.yeovilhistory.info
You obviously don’t live in the area then as the Yeovil to Sherborne corridor is very busy with 58/Y4 services.I'm struggling to think of a situation where a "Use it or lose it" ultimatum hasn't resulted in the latter happening. I'm surprised the 25 and 58/A have lasted as long as they have.
You obviously don’t live in the area then as the Yeovil to Sherborne corridor is very busy with 58/Y4 services.
Agreed quieter beyond Sherborne but if we get rid of all bus services in this country that don’t fit city criteria what would be left.
They wouldn't allow it to be demolished, but it could be redeveloped into flats etc by adapting the existing building. The rear shed isn't listed.
The absense of the Y4 on a Saturday means that the 58 is often overcrowded between Henstridge and Yeovil.I know the services between Yeovil and Sherborne are busy, but the rest of it seems rather less so. The absence of the Y4 on Saturdays makes the whole offering look pretty weak.
I don't think that any of it is actually listed. Looking at the nice new development behind, you can see what might well happen to such a site. I hope not as it is a real time capsule but money talks and the Yeovil operation is looking as vulnerable as I've ever knownThey wouldn't allow it to be demolished, but it could be redeveloped into flats etc by adapting the existing building. The rear shed isn't listed.
Got to remember that up until a few years ago, the 57/58 provided a half hourly headway between Yeovil and Sherborne. The 57 was then axed (at the same time as the 54 and 77 became every 90 mins) and then the hourly 58 was cut to two hourly in favour of the X10 being won on tender but, as you say, it runs only Mon-Fri.The absense of the Y4 on a Saturday means that the 58 is often overcrowded between Henstridge and Yeovil.
The Y4 is paid for by Dorset Council and they don't seem to offer weekend timetables on their core routes. The 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 are also all Monday-Friday only.
So it's finished earlier than planned - the publicity says 9th September. It's had single deckers for a while because of overhanging trees between Exeter and Moretonhampstead but that doesn't seem a valid reason for curtailing it.Last day of the Dartmoor Explorer tomorrow. Hopefully not permanently, but we'll have to wait and see.
It feels like the potential of this wonderful route has never been fully realised, in stark contrast to the Exmoor Coaster.
The registration was indeed cancelled effective from 26th August before the service even restarted this year.So it's finished earlier than planned - the publicity says 9th September. It's had single deckers for a while because of overhanging trees between Exeter and Moretonhampstead but that doesn't seem a valid reason for curtailing it.
Presumably it's the highway authority's responsibility to keep the trees trimmed back and they delegate it to a bus operator with a tree-lopper, but these are few and far between now.The registration was indeed cancelled effective from 26th August before the service even restarted this year.
It's been single deck throughout. I dare say that as soon as the tree issue was discovered FSW wouldn't have wanted to have operated the route at all, but as it was registered they were committed and the earliest date it could be cancelled was 26th August.
It's the highway's responsibility to trim the trees. FSW no longer have a tree lopper due to legal issues.Presumably it's the highway authority's responsibility to keep the trees trimmed back and they delegate it to a bus operator with a tree-lopper, but these are few and far between now.
Yet the stagecoach 1 has diverted along the offending stretch of road several times in the last month due to road closures between yelverton and Tavistock without issue.Presumably it's the highway authority's responsibility to keep the trees trimmed back and they delegate it to a bus operator with a tree-lopper, but these are few and far between now.
Devon council are normally very prompt to address tree issues when reportedSadly the majority of Highway Authorities seem to have absolutely zero interest in addressing overgrown trees and other roadside foliage. There are roads which we have used on a daily basis over the past decade which have had their usable width reduced by around 2ft because of overgrowth (and can be evidenced by Google StreetView) which seems impossible to be dealt with, especially if it adjoins residential properties. I suspect Highways staff prefer the roads being narrower because they think it slows traffic down, which seems to be their whole raison d'etre.
But are they going to direct their resources towards a summer only tourist bus service, in preference to an all year round service?Devon council are normally very prompt to address tree issues when reported
Oh yes they do. The council has a statutory duty to prevent obstruction of the highway. Whether they do this themselves or force the landowner to is up to them.The trees alongside a highway are the responsibility of the landowner. Cornwall Council do not take responsibility.
The property owner is responsible for cutting back trees and hedges. I see farmers locally regularly cutting back hedges. The local authority generally only becomes involved when a complaint is made and then issues a notice to the property owner who should then act within a given time frame. Only then if the work is not carried out or if requested does the Council carry out the work.Oh yes they do. The council has a statutory duty to prevent obstruction of the highway. Whether they do this themselves or force the landowner to is up to them.
I know the property owner is responsible for cutting back. Nevertheless that does not negate the fact that if trees or hedges are obstructing the highway in such a way as to cause a hazard the highway authority has a statutory duty to deal with the matter.The property owner is responsible for cutting back trees and hedges. I see farmers locally regularly cutting back hedges. The local authority generally only becomes involved when a complaint is made and then issues a notice to the property owner who should then act within a given time frame. Only then if the work is not carried out or if requested does the Council carry out the work.
And I imagine that timeframe, knowing councils, is quite longThe property owner is responsible for cutting back trees and hedges. I see farmers locally regularly cutting back hedges. The local authority generally only becomes involved when a complaint is made and then issues a notice to the property owner who should then act within a given time frame. Only then if the work is not carried out or if requested does the Council carry out the work.
Cutting hedges is a side issue literally (Grabs coat)While I appreciate that the subject of tree cutting has a slight relevance, it's very much a side issue and is not the main subject of the thread. Let's get back on topic, please.
Leafing through all the posts about the trees we should be hedging our bets as to who is responsible as GusB says we are branching away from the main topic.Cutting hedges is a side issue literally (Grabs coat)
The 28 should be booming taking everything into account. Sadly I don't think enough is done to promote the Butlins link nor done to promote it's touristy links to the West Somerset Railway. It's worth saying that the Butlins stop, the one which should be the busiest as there are 7,500 people holidaying just the other side of the fences (plus hundreds of staff who need transport to/from work), doesn't have a bus stop timetable or shelter. Just a flag. What a way to encourage holiday makers onto your bus! Otherwise, the only issue which holiday makers may have with the route could be journey time. 1h30 when you can drive it in half that time. I understand why the 28 does what it does but it does take a long time compared to driving.Struggling to see how the 28 is loss making, besides the company's own choice not to run services on the route in favour of using the drivers to run open toppers along the Bristol Channel. With Butlins at one end it's a major connection of a rail-less town (as in National Rail!) to a town which has one.
54 is PVR of 2 but that seems split between Taunton and Yeovil, as are drivers it seems. I was on the 54 the other day and as we got to Somerton, the other 54 pulled up behind us and both drivers swapped over between the buses (so the Taunton driver did Taunton - Somerton, switched buses and then went back to Taunton).Yeovil depot must be next on the list of closures - 54/58 account for 40% of the depot's vehicle requirement and the overhead has been spread over fewer than 20 vehicles for a number of years now. When First took over, it was a 63 vehicle allocation. The work remains, just not done by First vehicles!
Cutting hedges is a side issue literally (Grabs coat)
Leafing through all the posts about the trees we should be hedging our bets as to who is responsible as GusB says we are branching away from the main topic.
Surely, the tree problems are between Moretonhampstead and Exeter?Yet the stagecoach 1 has diverted along the offending stretch of road several times in the last month due to road closures between yelverton and Tavistock without issue.
Devon council are normally very prompt to address tree issues when reported