Without getting bogged down in details of exact timings on particular routes, things were pretty static for a good while until Mr Eggleton arrived in 2014 and did a network review. This commenced rather frequent rounds of further cuts until Covid arrived. The cuts have now recommenced. The First reduction averages something like 10% of fleet per year.
The figures are based on an original analysis of the whole PMT network not just Stoke-on-Trent or the Stoke/Newcastle urban area, way back when.
The analysis is done on a comparable basis though, so routes outside the area (eg Leek locals) continue to be counted.
An official fleet list dated March 1982 has PMT with 234 vehicles.
Date | First Potteries vehicles | comment | Others |
August 2002 | 194 | launch of 'Overground' network | 43 |
May 2003 | 163 | retrenchment following failure of 'Overground' | 48 |
September 2004 | 154 | Licence reduction following Traffic Commissioner's Inquiry | 56 |
September 2008 | 157 | | 66 |
September 2009 | 154 | | 66 |
September 2010 | 155 | | 68 |
May 2011 | 155 | | 68 |
April 2012 | 152 | | 69 |
September 2012 | 152 | | 80 |
April 2013 | 153 | | 81 |
July 2013 | 153 | | 87 |
April 2014 | 159 | | 67 |
| | | |
July 2014 | 145 | network review | 67 |
September 2014 | 145 | | 79 |
November 2014 | 145 | | 83 |
December 2014 | 147 | | 83 |
February 2015 | 146 | | 75 |
March 2015 | 145 | | 74 |
April 2015 | 143 | | |
May 2015 | 143 | | 74 |
June 2015 | 143 | | 55 |
July 2015 | 140 | | 54 |
September 2015 | 124 | network review | 54 |
January 2016 | 124 | | |
February 2016 | 121 | | 51 |
March 2016 | 121 | | 50 |
July 2016 | 114 | Keele summer reductions, otherwise 119 | 50 |
September 2016 | 118 | | |
January 2017 | 118 | | 49 |
April 2017 | 103 | network review | 49 |
September 2017 | 103 | | 49 |
November 2017 | 101 | | 52 |
December 2017 | 100 | | 52 |
April 2018 | 101 | | 47 |
January 2019 | 98 | | 47 |
June 2019 | 94 | includes 2 peak extra | 47 |
September 2019 | 94 | includes 3 peak extra | 48 |
January 2020 | 94 | includes 3 peak extra | 48 |
Covid - multiple revisions | as low as 30 | | as low as 19 |
January 2023 | 73 | | 48 |
Does anyone see the +quote referred to on the old thread?
Anyhow
@Thin man said
All is very quiet on the BSIP even though there was an updated version published in March. I don't think much of it - yet more capital spend on hardware rather than restored / improved services that people might find attractive and use. Remember the real-time display outside Stoke-on-Trent station showing 'system under test' for year after year until they finally turned it off? Part of the problem is the rules for BSIP though, no restoring of withdrawn services, got to be shiny, new and exciting instead.
Service decline is outside the hands of the council. If First (or anyone else) decides to deregister journeys, a full route or their entire network, there is nothing the council can do about it. They may be able to persuade someone else to register the removed services commercially or put them out to tender. Clue: When last reported Stoke-on-Trent part subsidised a single service (the 24), that using developer contributions.
First requires £45 per hour from any bus it runs (source: the BSIP, Local Transport Plan or report to the council on same, old prices pre recent inflationary pressures though).
There is little political support, or widespread public support, for improved public transport in Stoke-on-Trent, save where any money sourced can be used to builds roads disguised as bus improvements (BSIP, Newport Lane, £7.5m).
Remember, those that run the city that shortly will have 1 bus route running after 2000, a handful of routes on Sunday running at an hourly frequency, and most weekday routes running on 30 minute frequencies, thinks that level of use will support the operation of a tram/light rail network!
A deep cynic may say that someone at First just doesn't want to work early mornings, evenings or Sundays! Such an approach would certainly aid driver recruitment / retention.