Arriva (Beds, Bucks, Herts)

[RELL6L]

I would have thought that competing with anyone was the last thing Arriva need to be doing now!

Going abroad for three weeks now but I looked in at Wycombe depot yesterday. Only two Citaros in the naughty area, 3920 has been there for a while- wouldn’t be surprised if this was withdrawn- and 3015. All others have been out today. Several Versas here though, they only seem able to get about 4 (of 9) out each day. Deckers all out except 4212 and 5457. Streetlite 2326 had been off for weeks but I don’t know where it is.

Nearer to a full service on 800/850 recently except the 07.30 from Reading which has not run for ages. Leaves a big gap into Wycombe. Still some missing journeys on 2/12. Maybe some stability ahead of the closedown.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Wonder what that stands for, surely nothing to do with Los Angeles airport

LAX - Luton Airport Express?? Nothing to do with Rachel Stevens either

I would have thought that competing with anyone was the last thing Arriva need to be doing now!

This looks like Stagecoach are looking to nibble at Arriva (as is often their way). I'm sure that Arriva wouldn't want the need to compete but if you leave the door ajar...

Nearer to a full service on 800/850 recently except the 07.30 from Reading which has not run for ages. Leaves a big gap into Wycombe. Still some missing journeys on 2/12. Maybe some stability ahead of the closedown.

I expect Arriva to be professional and have an orderly exit. Working with Carousel and ensuring that the drivers/staff can migrate across seamlessly will help both parties.

Have a good break

 

[A0]

Sounds to me like Arriva in Luton and Stagecoach in Bedford have thrown their toys out of their respective prams…
First Stagecoach reroute the MK1 partially away from the direct Luton to Luton airport route via Crawley Green Road and Wigmore.
Next Stagecoach steps into the Hitchin to Stevenage corridor.
Then Arriva counters by rerouting the 100/101 to also follow the Crawley Green Road Route and Wigmore.
Then Stagecoach slips in the LAX to also run that route in addition to the MK1.
Now Arriva counters with the X1 Luton to Milton Keynes….

Am I reading too much into this?

You're reading too much into this.

Let's start with the Hitchin - Stevenage corridor - the Stagecoach service is half hourly but avoids Wymondley, so goes on the bypass, serving pretty much nothing between Stevenage and Hitchin. Its main use is to link the villages south of Shefford with Stevenage, something some of them have had intermittently over the years. There isn't a massive amount of traffic between Stevenage and Hitchin town centres.

The Arriva service is a bit historic from the old London Transport protected area - for many years London Country ran into Hitchin from Stevenage (300/303) but United Counties couldn't run from Hitchin or points further out into Stevenage. United Counties did have the Luton - Hitchin - Letchworth corridor though, so for many years their services (92-99) ran along there. It wasn't until the 1980s that a regular Luton - Hitchin - Stevenage service came into being as part of the much longer Green Line / United Counties 750 which ran Waltham Cross - Hertford - Stevenage - Hitchin - Luton - Hemel Hempstead, which wasn't registered commercially at deregulation and was progressively curtailed to become a Luton - Stevenage service.

As all the services came under one operator, Arriva chose to split things - so the Luton - Hitchin services then ran onto Stevenage rather than to Hitchin / beyond.

So what you now have is services from west of Hitchin (Luton basically) head to Stevenage, services from north of Hitchin now continue through to Stevenage (bearing in mind Stevenage has the main hospital in the area) and services from the north/east (so Letchworth and Baldock) terminate in Hitchin. Letchworth has a direct bus to Stevenage already which avoids Hitchin and both Letchworth and Baldock have a regular train service to Stevenage.

The reality is Stevenage is more of a traffic destination than Hitchin is - this is more about linking places beyond Hitchin with Stevenage, not about the Hitchin - Stevenage corridor.

The Arriva X1 - we need to see the route - if they're going to Luton & Dunstable hospital then heading up the M1 then yes, it's trying to compete with Stagecoach MK1. If, on the other hand it's going along the busway and through Dunstable then up the A5, I'd contend it isnt. Especially as when it enters MK on the south side it'll probably serve Bletchley, where the MK1 serves Kingston.

 

[SteveHFC]

With the X1, I wonder if the fact it's been registered with Central Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, as well as Milton Keynes and Luton Councils means it will be one that runs along the busway and then up the A5. Be interesting to see how it enters MK - whether it runs into Bletchley, or runs direct up the A5 to the MK station and then to the city centre. Will also be interesting to see if it is a limited stop - as I believe the MK1 still is between Luton and MK, or all stops.

 

[NorthOxonian]

With the X1, I wonder if the fact it's been registered with Central Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, as well as Milton Keynes and Luton Councils means it will be one that runs along the busway and then up the A5. Be interesting to see how it enters MK - whether it runs into Bletchley, or runs direct up the A5 to the MK station and then to the city centre. Will also be interesting to see if it is a limited stop - as I believe the MK1 still is between Luton and MK, or all stops.

Is there a requirement for busway services to start with a letter (it does seem like all of them do now, regardless of operator)? Obviously X1 is far from a rare route number and is used by many expresses nowhere near Luton, but it would potentially mean a busway based route could fit?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Is there a requirement for busway services to start with a letter (it does seem like all of them do now, regardless of operator)? Obviously X1 is far from a rare route number and is used by many expresses nowhere near Luton, but it would potentially mean a busway based route could fit?

No, there isn't. The busways in Leeds don't have letters generally, and nor do Ipswich or Crawley.

It's just that busways tend to be "special" and that lends itself to branding.

 

[MedwayValiant]

With the X1, I wonder if the fact it's been registered with Central Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, as well as Milton Keynes and Luton Councils means it will be one that runs along the busway and then up the A5. Be interesting to see how it enters MK - whether it runs into Bletchley, or runs direct up the A5 to the MK station and then to the city centre. Will also be interesting to see if it is a limited stop - as I believe the MK1 still is between Luton and MK, or all stops.

If it is indeed to go A5, it might perhaps stop in Hockliffe, which village currently has a very infrequent service operated with rear entry minibuses which the layperson might take for ambulances.

I'm not going to pretend that there are thousands of people in Hockliffe crying out for the regular bus service that they've not had for a decade or so - but even if there are two, it's good PR at basically no cost.

 

[espicer]

I would have thought that competing with anyone was the last thing Arriva need to be doing now!

Going abroad for three weeks now but I looked in at Wycombe depot yesterday. Only two Citaros in the naughty area, 3920 has been there for a while- wouldn’t be surprised if this was withdrawn- and 3015. All others have been out today. Several Versas here though, they only seem able to get about 4 (of 9) out each day. Deckers all out except 4212 and 5457. Streetlite 2326 had been off for weeks but I don’t know where it is.

Nearer to a full service on 800/850 recently except the 07.30 from Reading which has not run for ages. Leaves a big gap into Wycombe. Still some missing journeys on 2/12. Maybe some stability ahead of the closedown.

LAX - Luton Airport Express?? Nothing to do with Rachel Stevens either

This looks like Stagecoach are looking to nibble at Arriva (as is often their way). I'm sure that Arriva wouldn't want the need to compete but if you leave the door ajar...

I expect Arriva to be professional and have an orderly exit. Working with Carousel and ensuring that the drivers/staff can migrate across seamlessly will help both parties.

Have a good break

I was thinking 'Luton Airport Express', but I don't think that would be the case because that's the name that East Midlands Railway use for their London to Corby services so doubt they would have the same name. I think the only thing Stagecoach need to do with the MK1 (as a daily user myself) is improve the frequency a bit - although I do think the LAX is a fair idea as more buses to the airport is good, but I don't see the point in it serving Wigmore as every time I have been round that way on the MK1 I have never seen anyone get on or off.

With the X1, I wonder if the fact it's been registered with Central Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, as well as Milton Keynes and Luton Councils means it will be one that runs along the busway and then up the A5. Be interesting to see how it enters MK - whether it runs into Bletchley, or runs direct up the A5 to the MK station and then to the city centre. Will also be interesting to see if it is a limited stop - as I believe the MK1 still is between Luton and MK, or all stops.

I think the X1 route will be interesting to see. Of course, this is purely speculation. I think it will probably go down the Busway then come off by Hatters Way Retail Park like the Z, then either follow the A505 down to the M1 then up and through some other way into Milton Keynes which is basically what the MK1 does. I think it's better off going down Hatters Way and then down the A505 to Dunstable then up the A5 into Bletchley then through to Milton Keynes from there like the X31 used to do. I'm surprised we can't see the route for the X1 yet as we can for the LAX route, but we shall see what happens when it comes into service.

If it is indeed to go A5, it might perhaps stop in Hockliffe, which village currently has a very infrequent service operated with rear entry minibuses which the layperson might take for ambulances.

I'm not going to pretend that there are thousands of people in Hockliffe crying out for the regular bus service that they've not had for a decade or so - but even if there are two, it's good PR at basically no cost.

Totally agree with you with Hockliffe, Hockliffe only has dial-a-ride buses serving that area, of course due to low demand for buses, but I think stopping it by the crossroads would be beneficial for people living there as not everyone has a car. I'm pretty sure that this would essentially be bringing back the X31 apart from it going on Dallow Road, which now has a fairly decent bus service with the 17/17A, but either way, so many areas need bus services back and even a sole bus stop would be beneficial.

With the X1, I wonder if the fact it's been registered with Central Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, as well as Milton Keynes and Luton Councils means it will be one that runs along the busway and then up the A5. Be interesting to see how it enters MK - whether it runs into Bletchley, or runs direct up the A5 to the MK station and then to the city centre. Will also be interesting to see if it is a limited stop - as I believe the MK1 still is between Luton and MK, or all stops.

The MK1 is limited stop between Luton and MK. Also, the X1 will probably be limited stop as well, buses with the X prefix normally are limited stop. Otherwise if it will serve all stops they might as well just bring back Route 70.

Is there a requirement for busway services to start with a letter (it does seem like all of them do now, regardless of operator)? Obviously X1 is far from a rare route number and is used by many expresses nowhere near Luton, but it would potentially mean a busway based route could fit?

When the Busway in Luton opened, all the routes had letter prefixes, probably due to it being 'special' as TheGrandWazoo said. It seems that the other routes are just following along with that tradition which is good to see.

 

[Edvid]

I do think the LAX is a fair idea as more buses to the airport is good, but I don't see the point in it serving Wigmore as every time I have been round that way on the MK1 I have never seen anyone get on or off.
[...]
I'm surprised we can't see the route for the X1 yet as we can for the LAX route, but we shall see what happens when it comes into service.
[...]
Also, the X1 will probably be limited stop as well, buses with the X prefix normally are limited stop.

As a Wigmore resident (near ASDA) the LAX will be handy for me whether I'm heading to town or the airport, though it is true the vast majority of MK1 passengers use it north and west of the town centre; perhaps it's another BSIP initiative. As for the X1, it is definitely registered as limited stop and the associated timetable / route will probably be published about 3 weeks prior to service.

 

[espicer]

As a Wigmore resident (near ASDA) the LAX will be handy for me whether I'm heading to town or the airport, though it is true the vast majority of MK1 passengers use it north and west of the town centre; perhaps it's another BSIP initiative. As for the X1, it is definitely registered as limited stop and the associated timetable / route will probably be published about 3 weeks prior to service.

Yeah, I think the MK1 is helpful for Wigmore residents since they withdrew the 19. The 17/17A is now so confusing I never know where to get it from in town to go one way up towards Jansel House, then I end up going the long way round! Just a shame that not many people get on the MK1 from Wigmore; it seems like that when I'm on it at least. I am one of those who uses it North of Luton and it does tend to fill up a lot at Luton going to either Milton Keynes or Bedford, it's a good bus route but the frequency needs to be improved in my opinion.

Good to see the X1 is a limited stop. There's no point calling it X1 if it's going to stop everywhere. I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes as would be interesting to try it. It takes too long to get to MK by bus, even on the MK1, so hopefully the X1 will speed things up a bit. I think Arriva will probably need a few more buses though!

 

[derbybusdepot]

Looking at the timetables, the LAX and MK1 services combined will offer a 30 minute frequency between Luton interchange and Luton Airport. Obviously hoping to tap into this market more.

I have used MK1 for this journey just a handful of times, and it has been lightly loaded. The Arriva A service between the same points is always well used, but is frequent, runs 24 hours a day and uses the bus way.

 

[arrivamatt]

Lots of interesting theories on our new X1 service thus far, but no-one has got it spot on just yet! To be clear, the X1 is very much a limited stop service in both Milton Keynes and Luton.

More information will be released soon on web, social and in print. Hopefully most will be surprised about the exciting offering - it's a much different proposition to the rest of the network. We've plenty of marketing activity planned from launch through to the Autumn.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Lots of interesting theories on our new X1 service thus far, but no-one has got it spot on just yet! To be clear, the X1 is very much a limited stop service in both Milton Keynes and Luton.

At least the theories haven't extended to The Great Reset, and the World Economic Forum Sounds interesting so now you've whetted appetites, it'll be good to see what the finally product actually looks like.

 

[espicer]

Lots of interesting theories on our new X1 service thus far, but no-one has got it spot on just yet! To be clear, the X1 is very much a limited stop service in both Milton Keynes and Luton.

More information will be released soon on web, social and in print. Hopefully most will be surprised about the exciting offering - it's a much different proposition to the rest of the network. We've plenty of marketing activity planned from launch through to the Autumn.

I think that all of us will be surprised about this route if none of our theories are correct! I'm looking forward to this now and to trying it out.

 

[A0]

With the X1, I wonder if the fact it's been registered with Central Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, as well as Milton Keynes and Luton Councils means it will be one that runs along the busway and then up the A5. Be interesting to see how it enters MK - whether it runs into Bletchley, or runs direct up the A5 to the MK station and then to the city centre. Will also be interesting to see if it is a limited stop - as I believe the MK1 still is between Luton and MK, or all stops.

Lots of interesting theories on our new X1 service thus far, but no-one has got it spot on just yet! To be clear, the X1 is very much a limited stop service in both Milton Keynes and Luton.

More information will be released soon on web, social and in print. Hopefully most will be surprised about the exciting offering - it's a much different proposition to the rest of the network. We've plenty of marketing activity planned from launch through to the Autumn.

The interesting part of SteveHFC's post is the observation the registration for the route includes Bucks.

That's significant because Milton Keynes is unitary and Bucks doesn't cover MK.

So if you use the M1 to get to MK from Luton, you don't go through Bucks. In fact looking at Bucks Council's website it's not even clear if a short stretch of the A5 is in Bucks (between Woburn Rd and Little Brickhill) as it appears to be the boundary. So either the X1 is going via the A5 or it's going outside MK as part of its route.....

 

[MedwayValiant]

The A5 is strictly in Bucks for about 200 yards at the place you suggest, and is then in Bucks northbound but Milton Keynes southbound for another half a mile or so until the Little Brickhill turn. There are no stops in the Bucks section though, and no obvious reason to create one.

So if the way the registration appears on bustimes does indeed imply that it serves Buckinghamshire proper, it's not going that way! I'm not convinced by this approach though, because some random checks of other services don't all show the local authorities listed in complete alignment with the places served. Just as one example, the registration of the Stagecoach X5 as shown on bustimes does not include Milton Keynes or Oxfordshire.

 

[espicer]

The interesting part of SteveHFC's post is the observation the registration for the route includes Bucks.

That's significant because Milton Keynes is unitary and Bucks doesn't cover MK.

So if you use the M1 to get to MK from Luton, you don't go through Bucks. In fact looking at Bucks Council's website it's not even clear if a short stretch of the A5 is in Bucks (between Woburn Rd and Little Brickhill) as it appears to be the boundary. So either the X1 is going via the A5 or it's going outside MK as part of its route.....

I thought it would go up the A5 too, but as 'arrivamatt' wrote earlier, our theories were wrong, of which most were the suggestion of going up the A5. So, it seems it won't be going up the A5.

 

[A0]

I thought it would go up the A5 too, but as 'arrivamatt' wrote earlier, our theories were wrong, of which most were the suggestion of going up the A5. So, it seems it won't be going up the A5.

I don't think that's what 'arrivamatt' said:

but no-one has got it spot on just yet!

To me, that's saying various parts are right, but nobody's got all of it right.

 

[Haywain]

Just catching up with this thread, but following what others have said, it is good to see double deckers on the 321. I was on it last Saturday and they were a welcome sight. However, I was slightly confused by the service as it appeared that it was running at half-hourly intervals as per the timetable, but with another bus running a few minutes ahead (or behind). I'm curious as to what was happening.

The reality is Stevenage is more of a traffic destination than Hitchin is - this is more about linking places beyond Hitchin with Stevenage, not about the Hitchin - Stevenage corridor.

Stevenage gradually increased in importance from the early 1970s onwards with the development of the new town, in much the same way as Milton Keynes became more important. Prior to that Hitchin was a much more important destination in north Hertfordshire as the major market town.

I think the X1 route will be interesting to see.

I am intrigued by this, and as a user of trains I hope it provides a better service to MK Central than the MK1. Of late, for trips on the west coast line I have generally used the F70/77 to get to Leighton Buzzard station in preference as they are more reliable and quicker. The MK1 is great for those who want to get to the warehouses around Kingston, but not so good if you don't appreciate the faffing around! I'd also add that most bus services centred on Luton seem to have no shortage of users - I suspect that the town provides a significant part of the workforce for quite a wide area!

 

[espicer]

I am intrigued by this, and as a user of trains I hope it provides a better service to MK Central than the MK1. Of late, for trips on the west coast line I have generally used the F70/77 to get to Leighton Buzzard station in preference as they are more reliable and quicker. The MK1 is great for those who want to get to the warehouses around Kingston, but not so good if you don't appreciate the faffing around! I'd also add that most bus services centred on Luton seem to have no shortage of users - I suspect that the town provides a significant part of the workforce for quite a wide area!

Yeah, I have travelled on the MK1 from where I live near Bedford to Milton Keynes which took nearly 2 hours each way, although long and slow, was quite fun, and a bargain at £2. Like you say, the MK1 is great for those who want to go to the warehouses but I wouldn't get on it to MK as although it's supposed to be quicker as it goes on the motorway, it never is as there's always traffic, roadworks, or an accident on the M1.

Yes, Luton does provide a large workforce for the warehouses served by the MK1. Every time I use the bus coming home from Luton, including today, there are always so many workers going to the B&M Warehouse in Wixams. I also see a lot of workers heading to the Amazon warehouse and the other warehouses around Kingston.

Personally, as a daily user of the MK1, and I have been saying this since it commenced, Stagecoach is better off running it from Bedford to Luton Airport and then back, especially as the M1 always causes delays during rush hour. People, especially the elderly who rely on the bus timetable as they don't use bustimes.org to track the live location of the bus, are sitting at bus stops between Luton and Bedford waiting for over an hour because the bus is late through no fault of its own. Whilst Stagecoach has given it a few timetable improvements lately, they aren't that much of a help. For example, it's given a 6-minute layover at Luton Station heading towards Bedford, but today the bus I got was over 20 minutes late, completely defeating the object of a 6-minute layover. Hopefully, Arriva's new X1 service will speed things up to Milton Keynes as long as it doesn't go up the M1. Then Stagecoach will hopefully curtail the MK1 back to the Airport and change it back to the 81 as it will improve punctuality.

I feel like I have spoken about Stagecoach way too much as this is an Arriva thread, so I will end this post by saying that I am looking forward to seeing if the X1 will be a faster way of getting from Luton to Milton Keynes.

Just catching up with this thread, but following what others have said, it is good to see double deckers on the 321. I was on it last Saturday and they were a welcome sight. However, I was slightly confused by the service as it appeared that it was running at half-hourly intervals as per the timetable, but with another bus running a few minutes ahead (or behind). I'm curious as to what was happening.

This is probably due to the roadworks which I believe are in the Harpenden and St Albans areas. Also, the fact that the 321 is such a busy route on weekends probably doesn't help with punctuality either as the connections are better during weekdays between Luton and St Albans when the 721 is running.

 

[Edvid]

The MK1 X1 timetable is now up and generally scheduled to operate at an hourly frequency, taking 1h15m to run between Luton and MK Central railway stations. Sat schedule has one less early morning journey each way than Mon-Fri schedule, but otherwise near enough the same.

From the Interchange to Hatters Way Retail Park the busway is an option depending on vehicles used; thereafter it sticks with the A505 up to the White Lion and uses the A5 (including Hockliffe stops) up to Fenny Lock Roundabout (from Mount Farm Park the other way), after which it serves Stadium MK, MK Hospital and (naturally) the shopping centre en-route to MKC.

Though I've described it from a Lutonian's POV the timings suggest it'll be operated from Milton Keynes rather than Luton.

 

[Haywain]

The MK1 timetable is now up

Thoroughly confused me there - I'm guessing you mean the X1?

It's slightly disappointing that it's not using the busway to a greater extent, to have a better overall journey time, but it will be interesting to see how it goes with timekeeping and whether it provides a decent alternative to the MK1 or is just a better option for intermediate journeys.

 

[Edvid]

Yes I do. Sorry about that.

Let's hope passengers with jobs in Kingston are less prone to making that mistake than I was!

 

[espicer]

The MK1 X1 timetable is now up and generally scheduled to operate at an hourly frequency, taking 1h15m to run between Luton and MK Central railway stations. Sat schedule has one less early morning journey each way than Mon-Fri schedule, but otherwise near enough the same.

From the Interchange to Hatters Way Retail Park the busway is an option depending on vehicles used; thereafter it sticks with the A505 up to the White Lion and uses the A5 (including Hockliffe stops) up to Fenny Lock Roundabout (from Mount Farm Park the other way), after which it serves Stadium MK, MK Hospital and (naturally) the shopping centre en-route to MKC.

Though I've described it from a Lutonian's POV the timings suggest it'll be operated from Milton Keynes rather than Luton.

It looks like I was right then going down the A505 to Dunstable and then through Hockliffe up the A5. It's good to see Hockliffe getting a public bus at last.

Also, off-topic to the discussion about the X1, but does anyone know what's happened to (4772) YJ56 KFD? It transferred from Leicester to Aylesbury in April along with (4771) YJ56 KFC. It seems that 4771 was withdrawn and sent back to the Midlands, but 4772 hasn't entered service yet. Just wondering as it is a bus that I want to go on as I haven't been on a DAF DB250 engined bus since I was a kid and seeing as it is the only one nearby then I don't want to pass up on the opportunity.

 

[joieman]

It looks like I was right then going down the A505 to Dunstable and then through Hockliffe up the A5. It's good to see Hockliffe getting a public bus at last.

Also, off-topic to the discussion about the X1, but does anyone know what's happened to (4772) YJ56 KFD? It transferred from Leicester to Aylesbury in April along with (4771) YJ56 KFC. It seems that 4771 was withdrawn and sent back to the Midlands, but 4772 hasn't entered service yet. Just wondering as it is a bus that I want to go on as I haven't been on a DAF DB250 engined bus since I was a kid and seeing as it is the only one nearby then I don't want to pass up on the opportunity.

I heard 4772 has also been withdrawn. Up here in Leicester, we only have 4760/1 left.

 

[espicer]

I heard 4772 has also been withdrawn. Up here in Leicester, we only have 4760/1 left.

I presumed this to be the case because its last journey on bustimes was in Leicester in April, I'm not sure why both got transferred down here to get withdrawn though. I haven't seen any official confirmation of this being the case though, I've only seen confirmation of 4771 being withdrawn so it looks like we will have to wait and see until we get official confirmation.

From the Interchange to Hatters Way Retail Park the busway is an option depending on vehicles used; thereafter it sticks with the A505 up to the White Lion and uses the A5 (including Hockliffe stops) up to Fenny Lock Roundabout (from Mount Farm Park the other way), after which it serves Stadium MK, MK Hospital and (naturally) the shopping centre en-route to MKC.

I think if vehicles used aren't able to go on the Busway, it will have to go up Hatters Way like the route 70 did years ago. So the X1 seems to be a limited stop version of the 70, except it now going up the A5 and not serving Bletchley and now going to MK station.

 

[Deerfold]

All the stops for the X1 are visible on bustimes.org now.

X1 - Luton - Milton Keynes

Arriva Beds and Bucks

bustimes.org

 

[arrivamatt]

The eagle-eyed will have spotted that Arriva has posted a teaser video of the X1 service this afternoon, featuring one (of three) Temsa Safari coaches that we'll be employing from 21 July. Currently being prepped for service, these tidy vehicles will be branded for the time of launch; a simple and clean design across the stretch panel at this initial stage. These aren't usable on the busway, so to confirm, coaches will run directly along Hatters Way to/from Luton Interchange.

Coaches will be operated by Milton Keynes depot using a dedicated team of specially-trained drivers.

 

[joieman]

The eagle-eyed will have spotted that Arriva has posted a teaser video of the X1 service this afternoon, featuring one (of three) Temsa Safari coaches that we'll be employing from 21 July. Currently being prepped for service, these tidy vehicles will be branded for the time of launch; a simple and clean design across the stretch panel at this initial stage. These aren't usable on the busway, so to confirm, coaches will run directly along Hatters Way to/from Luton Interchange.

Coaches will be operated by Milton Keynes depot using a dedicated team of specially-trained drivers.

I assume they are Luton's old ones like the ones used on the X6 between Leicester and Coventry?

 

[Edvid]

They started life on Greenline routes (possibly based at Luton as you suggest) but the pandemic rendered them surplus to GL requirements, and they're the very same Safari HD12 quartet used on the X6 at present. Now it's clear why three of them (7101-03) recently lost the X6 branding, and the timetable fits too (15 rounders, so 5 per vehicle).

The potential combination of a coach-spec route and - if BusTimes is correct - the £2 cap could be very attractive to passengers on that general flow. Particularly if strike action by Stagecoach East drivers (Bedford garage) goes ahead this month and the X1 is the only limited-stop option on the Monday opener...