Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Bus News

[Trainman40083]

I literally just noticed this, I checked and it doesn't appear to have MOT (not like that would stop it), but it might not of updated yet on the government website, but it does have tax so it might be out? I am thinking it might just be the ticket machine though

I wonder if the MOT system is live or updates overnight. I have noticed before, when my car has had a service and MOT, that I have not been able to do the tax until the following day..Maybe RA coach 82 will be next

 

[bringiton]

The manager of Notts and Derby told me he was expecting 471 and 474.

maybe so then

I wonder if the MOT system is live or updates overnight. I have noticed before, when my car has had a service and MOT, that I have not been able to do the tax until the following day..Maybe RA coach 82 will be next

well, it says it can take up to 10 days to update, I have seen it where its updated pretty quickly, and a few times where its taken a bit of time. Hopefully 82 is next, we could do with another coach, 827 earlier felt so slow going down a52 to derby

 

[Trainman40083]

maybe so then

well, it says it can take up to 10 days to update, I have seen it where its updated pretty quickly, and a few times where its taken a bit of time. Hopefully 82 is next, we could do with another coach, 827 earlier felt so slow going down a52 to derby

Well, 82 had moved from B garage to A garage. Wonder if more than 3 coaches are out today. At the end of the day, a Versa is only a long, slightly different Optare Solo. Still think they could manage with Solos on RA during the day

 

[joieman]

Will they ever go cashless because I rarely see people using cash now on these, it’s good with NCT as it reduces dwell time at the bus stop. And with the way TB timetables are I wonder!

I hope not, I use cash for bus fares almost all the time these days.

Potential passengers just use other modes, or claim for a taxi. I heard the other day that refunds had exceeded £160k in a year .

This is obviously not going to be sustainable. They'll bankrupt themselves if they don't get their act together.

 

[bringiton]

Well, 82 had moved from B garage to A garage. Wonder if more than 3 coaches are out today. At the end of the day, a Versa is only a long, slightly different Optare Solo. Still think they could manage with Solos on RA during the day

I dunno which garages are which. I do know there's a red arrow coach on a maintenance pit and 86 has moved from outside since this morning. I don't know where the others are. I got 83 into Notts earlier; 87 is out, 80 has just come back out and 84 has gone off. If 80 didn't go off for a while and 84 was on then there would be 4 out. I definitely think a Solo could manage on RA, especially since when I get on mid day it tends to be 10 people at most; very rarely is it full unless there's a cancelled one before, or more. There also seems to be 4 buses on Red Arrow at the moment - definitely a shame with how few buses are on it. It shows as well though with 6.2 having no service today as well. I get that 6.3 does a very similar route but it still should have a service.

Turns out 84 is out; it just mis-tracked. So it's still a five bus service.

 

[Trainman40083]

I dunno which garages are which. I do know there's a red arrow coach on a maintenance pit and 86 has moved from outside since this morning. I don't know where the others are. I got 83 into Notts earlier; 87 is out, 80 has just come back out and 84 has gone off. If 80 didn't go off for a while and 84 was on then there would be 4 out. I definitely think a Solo could manage on RA, especially since when I get on mid day it tends to be 10 people at most; very rarely is it full unless there's a cancelled one before, or more. There also seems to be 4 buses on Red Arrow at the moment - definitely a shame with how few buses are on it. It shows as well though with 6.2 having no service today as well. I get that 6.3 does a very similar route but it still should have a service.

Turns out 84 is out; it just mis-tracked. So it's still a five bus service.

5 out of 9 vehicles out. Must be a good day. A d 4 of them are coaches

 

[bringiton]

5 out of 9 vehicles out. Must be a good day. A d 4 of them are coaches

Yeah, think they will be glad that they have fixed some more coaches so that they don't need as many spares for it.

I'm assuming 499 isn't returning to Notts+Derby, but when I got on it on Thursday it still had the card in the window saying it was on loan just turned upside down.

 

[Trainman40083]

I hope not, I use cash for bus fares almost all the time these days.


This is obviously not going to be sustainable. They'll bankrupt themselves if they don't get their act together.

There are two observations I have there. The more people that avoid Mango, means the bus company has less money in the bank. I recall in the days of the Mango card, they had 100,000 active cards. Now I was an infrequent user, no more than 3 days a week, and I always had a balance of between £20 and £30, in their account. Now times that by 100,000 users , many of which would use the bus every day for work etc, weekly, monthly caps etc and that adds up to serious money "cash in hand". Could play nicely with that on the money markets for a few months. The end of the Mango card, even with the app will have dented that balance. The £2 fare, for those who will not cap, would dent that balance even more. It could seriously dent cash flow. Add in more cash handling charges, and the physical handling, banking etc, add in delays at bus stops..... Add in those passengers that no longer had loyalty to TB. I presume people know that a Mango app user pays £2 single fare (except RA). So less frequent passengers may well use cash instead of the app. Now if your cash flow suffers, can you afford to buy parts when you need them unexpectedly? As for sustainable, hmm, the no quibble money back guarantee and the "we will happily pay your taxi fare" is fine when virtually all of their buses run. At the moment, that isn't happening. One taxi fare might take up all the bus revenue.

Yeah, think they will be glad that they have fixed some more coaches so that they don't need as many spares for it.

I'm assuming 499 isn't returning to Notts+Derby, but when I got on it on Thursday it still had the card in the window saying it was on loan just turned upside down.

Yes, if you need few spares for Red Arrow, so many other routes can have them. 499 has gone to Langley Mill and is on 34 group today. I would think the use of 471/474 by Notts and Derby, means they don't need it at Derby. Share the joy.

 

[bringiton]

Yes, if you need few spares for Red Arrow, so many other routes can have them. 499 has gone to Langley Mill and is on 34 group today. I would think the use of 471/474 by Notts and Derby, means they don't need it at Derby. Share the joy.

I know notts+derby have a vehicle shortage but with the versa's and the new enviros I would of thought that they wouldn't need to have any more Trent vehicles on loan, unless they are being spares or brought?

 

[Trainman40083]

I know notts+derby have a vehicle shortage but with the versa's and the new enviros I would of thought that they wouldn't need to have any more Trent vehicles on loan, unless they are being spares or brought?

Well, I think 20 is off with no MOT. Think Geminis 29 and 30 are off (29 went off for engine work). Some of the ex Nottingham Scanias didn't sound very healthy, but they could not get their hands on more Lothian Geminis (926 batch) to replace them. I would think at some point, Trentbarton will want Versas 823/826 back to overhaul, paint them red to replace Solos. I think Notts and Derby keep winning more contract work. Now 3 Rolls Royce services. Of course, one of the Welsh Enviros with seat belts may well have released 73/74 for overhaul, repaint into black as a generic Wellglade spare coach, that can be used on Red Arrow. That might well mean 817/846/847 can do the work they were designed for.

 

[bringiton]

Well, I think 20 is off with no MOT. Think Geminis 29 and 30 are off (29 went off for engine work). Some of the ex Nottingham Scanias didn't sound very healthy, but they could not get their hands on more Lothian Geminis (926 batch) to replace them. I would think at some point, Trentbarton will want Versas 823/826 back to overhaul, paint them red to replace Solos. I think Notts and Derby keep winning more contract work. Now 3 Rolls Royce services. Of course, one of the Welsh Enviros with seat belts may well have released 73/74 for overhaul, repaint into black as a generic Wellglade spare coach, that can be used on Red Arrow. That might well mean 817/846/847 can do the work they were designed for.

True, I guess the new MMC's might help take some pressure off the engineers as there will be less older busses doing work freeing time for them to do overhauls at Langley, and fix notts+derby busses at meadow road. With the workload they have I am surprised they have the amount of busses on the road that they do.

 

[Trainman40083]

True, I guess the new MMC's might help take some pressure off the engineers as there will be less older busses doing work freeing time for them to do overhauls at Langley, and fix notts+derby busses at meadow road. With the workload they have I am surprised they have the amount of busses on the road that they do.

I wonder if the new Enviro 200MMCs will be more reliable than the existing ones. Hey, I just looked how the Mickleover service (serving the main hospital) was running. Well the 15.24 left Derby, then the 16.12....amd that is a ten minute service. A guy I know lives up that way, and said how bad the traffic was when he took his wife to work at the Royal by car... Clearly they no longer trust the bus. Where I live two of the four buses were working until after about 09.30. And these are fairly modern Enviro 200MMCs. I am actually surprised all the buses fit into Meadow Road. Must be cosy when they all come in. But of reliability is poor, I guess they employ reactive maintenance rather than proactive maintenance. Still, that keeps CWT Recovery busy. I wonder what the most reliable bus is? I could list many it won't be.

 

[bringiton]

I wonder if the new Enviro 200MMCs will be more reliable than the existing ones. Hey, I just looked how the Mickleover service (serving the main hospital) was running. Well the 15.24 left Derby, then the 16.12....amd that is a ten minute service. A guy I know lives up that way, and said how bad the traffic was when he took his wife to work at the Royal by car... Clearly they no longer trust the bus. Where I live two of the four buses were working until after about 09.30. And these are fairly modern Enviro 200MMCs. I am actually surprised all the buses fit into Meadow Road. Must be cosy when they all come in. But of reliability is poor, I guess they employ reactive maintenance rather than proactive maintenance. Still, that keeps CWT Recovery busy. I wonder what the most reliable bus is? I could list many it won't be.

Yeah, but it'll be a while before they start to get the Trentbarton effect... right? I know the mmc's at meadow are quite bad atm, and they have 1 spare mmc for it. I get they only have 2 routes at the moment with MMC's but I still think it could have more. The depot already looks cosy any time of the day.
You also say about the hospital, I saw the other day that there's going to be a temporary park and ride for the hospital. I assume N+D will have the route, however it could be anyone. But just shows N+D might end up profiting from trents losses, even if it is temporary service.

 

[Trainman40083]

Yeah, but it'll be a while before they start to get the Trentbarton effect... right? I know the mmc's at meadow are quite bad atm, and they have 1 spare mmc for it. I get they only have 2 routes at the moment with MMC's but I still think it could have more. The depot already looks cosy any time of the day.
You also say about the hospital, I saw the other day that there's going to be a temporary park and ride for the hospital. I assume N+D will have the route, however it could be anyone. But just shows N+D might end up profiting from trents losses, even if it is temporary service.

Is the spare MMC , 269 which is off the road again? Yes, temporary park and ride for the hospital. Will cause chaos at the entrance to the Kingsway Retail Park. Hey, you'll like this. A friend went to Sainsbury's there, and spoke to a member of staff she knew. She commented about how quiet it was. The staff member said "Yes, most of our customers go to Aldi or Lidl now". So I asked 10 people I knew who once shopped there, asking why they stopped. Every single one of them said "Fear of getting stuck in the car park". So why did Sainsbury's think otherwise? Of course, no buses to most of these retail parks. Time was people shopped in Derby.

 

[bringiton]

Is the spare MMC , 269 which is off the road again?

Yeah its been off since march, suppose to be coming back soon apparently

Yes, temporary park and ride for the hospital. Will cause chaos at the entrance to the Kingsway Retail Park. Hey, you'll like this. A friend went to Sainsbury's there, and spoke to a member of staff she knew. She commented about how quiet it was. The staff member said "Yes, most of our customers go to Aldi or Lidl now". So I asked 10 people I knew who once shopped there, asking why they stopped. Every single one of them said "Fear of getting stuck in the car park". So why did Sainsbury's think otherwise? Of course, no buses to most of these retail parks. Time was people shopped in Derby.

Doesn't surprise me, it'll be bad for people who actually want to go there to shop and not need the hospital and would just discourage people from going out. I think people also forget there is a hospital bus already which could get them there. I was looking earlier and was wondering why there's no park and rides in derby, when there's a few in Nottingham and they look like they are quite busy but I don't really pay attention to how full they tend to be.

 

[edwin_m]

I was looking earlier and was wondering why there's no park and rides in derby, when there's a few in Nottingham and they look like they are quite busy but I don't really pay attention to how full they tend to be.

I'd suggest two reasons, at least one of which is on-topic:

• Derby has relatively fast and uncongested roads right into the centre from some directions, when driving into the centre of Nottingham from any direction involves longish stretches on busy urban roads.
• Nottingham City Council have been strongly supportive of public transport, going as far as sticking their neck out with the workplace parking levy. Derby seems much more equivocal.

 

[bringiton]

I'd suggest two reasons, at least one of which is on-topic:

• Derby has relatively fast and uncongested roads right into the centre from some directions, when driving into the centre of Nottingham from any direction involves longish stretches on busy urban roads.
• Nottingham City Council have been strongly supportive of public transport, going as far as sticking their neck out with the workplace parking levy. Derby seems much more equivocal.

Maybe, also for Nottingham parking in the city is expensive so parking and getting the tram would probably be cheaper. Getting the bus from park and ride still costs the user to park whereas using the tram is free.

 

[Trainman40083]

Maybe, also for Nottingham parking in the city is expensive so parking and getting the tram would probably be cheaper. Getting the bus from park and ride still costs the user to park whereas using the tram is free.

You could argue Derby does still have Park and Ride. Okay, COVID and changing shopping patterns, and the then driver shortage, killed of the specific Park and Ride services. But at the Meteor Centre one could catch the H1. The Pride Park site is served by one of the Arriva 1 group Alvaston services. But, when people started working from home, it also freed up an awful lot of car park spaces in the City. Now to maintain revenue, the cost of parking actually dropped in Derby, so much so, it can be cheaper to park in the centre, than catch the bus. Now we have started to see car parks close, such as Riverside, maybe soon the Assembly Rooms and Chapel Street. Personally, I just don't shop in Derby anymore.

 

[bringiton]

You could argue Derby does still have Park and Ride. Okay, COVID and changing shopping patterns, and the then driver shortage, killed of the specific Park and Ride services. But at the Meteor Centre one could catch the H1. The Pride Park site is served by one of the Arriva 1 group Alvaston services. But, when people started working from home, it also freed up an awful lot of car park spaces in the City. Now to maintain revenue, the cost of parking actually dropped in Derby, so much so, it can be cheaper to park in the centre, than catch the bus. Now we have started to see car parks close, such as Riverside, maybe soon the Assembly Rooms and Chapel Street. Personally, I just don't shop in Derby anymore.

Yeah, depends where you park but if you go into derby all day and park in derbion car park 5 hours is £6.20. Whereas £4 pound total for busses give or take depending on how many busses you need. Depends how long you spend in derby tho and what your doing plus where you go after with if its straight home or if town didn't have what you need go meteor or pride park.

 

[Trainman40083]

Yeah, depends where you park but if you go into derby all day and park in derbion car park 5 hours is £6.20. Whereas £4 pound total for busses give or take depending on how many busses you need. Depends how long you spend in derby tho and what your doing plus where you go after with if its straight home or if town didn't have what you need go meteor or pride park.

Blimey? Park in Derbion. I park elsewhere, pay cash and pay £3.50 for four hours. But if there is two or more people, that car park looks cheap.

 

[bringiton]

Blimey? Park in Derbion. I park elsewhere, pay cash and pay £3.50 for four hours. But if there is two or more people, that car park looks cheap.

Yeah depends if you want convenience over cheapness.

 

[Trainman40083]

Yeah depends if you want convenience over cheapness.

Do people walk far from their car these days? Where I live , people drive 100 yards to the shops. In fact, I reckon I rarely see most people round here, walk anywhere, let alone, a bus stop.

 

[bringiton]

Do people walk far from their car these days? Where I live , people drive 100 yards to the shops. In fact, I reckon I rarely see most people round here, walk anywhere, let alone, a bus stop.

I walk about ten minutes to a bus stop, cuz its cheaper to get trent than arriva, but if needs be I walk a minute around the corner. I dont think many walk much, but i guess its whats convenient for the person. Also if services are every hour people aren't going to be willing to have to be at a bus stop at a very specific time whereas a car is hop in and go
I also noticed trent posted on their social medias as well as kinch about world earth day, and how a single decker removes 45 cars off the road, which is true but it would help if you had a double decker to increase that number even more, or even having full services to maximize how many cars are off the road. But they have lost peoples trust so its increasing how many cars are going back on the road.

 

[Trainman40083]

I walk about ten minutes to a bus stop, cuz its cheaper to get trent than arriva, but if needs be I walk a minute around the corner. I dont think many walk much, but i guess its whats convenient for the person. Also if services are every hour people aren't going to be willing to have to be at a bus stop at a very specific time whereas a car is hop in and go
I also noticed trent posted on their social medias as well as kinch about world earth day, and how a single decker removes 45 cars off the road, which is true but it would help if you had a double decker to increase that number even more, or even having full services to maximize how many cars are off the road. But they have lost peoples trust so its increasing how many cars are going back on the road.

Trust? Protect the brand. So important, more than running services. I had a look earlier. A 6.2 service ran about 18.20 from Belper to Derby, the first 6.2 of the day! On Saturday, I saw a High Peak Trans Peak service heading out of Derby about 11.35. Nicely loaded. Train on the Matlock line, nicely loaded...

 

[bringiton]

Trust? Protect the brand. So important, more than running services. I had a look earlier. A 6.2 service ran about 18.20 from Belper to Derby, the first 6.2 of the day! On Saturday, I saw a High Peak Trans Peak service heading out of Derby about 11.35. Nicely loaded. Train on the Matlock line, nicely loaded...

Woah a 6.2... I did just check though and it went from belper to derby, so not even part of Ripley. High peak and the trains must love it. I know some people who get the train from Matlock to notts, surprised they still have it every hour if they are being busy. I get that routes from other places go through derby to notts too though making it so frequent through derby

 

[DDB]

You could argue Derby does still have Park and Ride. Okay, COVID and changing shopping patterns, and the then driver shortage, killed of the specific Park and Ride services. But at the Meteor Centre one could catch the H1. The Pride Park site is served by one of the Arriva 1 group Alvaston services. But, when people started working from home, it also freed up an awful lot of car park spaces in the City. Now to maintain revenue, the cost of parking actually dropped in Derby, so much so, it can be cheaper to park in the centre, than catch the bus. Now we have started to see car parks close, such as Riverside, maybe soon the Assembly Rooms and Chapel Street. Personally, I just don't shop in Derby anymore.

Frequency matters though. How frequent is the H1 and relevant 1 service? A tram served park and ride in Nottingham has a tram every 10 mins in the daytime which is basically turn up and go.

 

[Trainman40083]

Frequency matters though. How frequent is the H1 and relevant 1 service? A tram served park and ride in Nottingham has a tram every 10 mins in the daytime which is basically turn up and go.

I'd think the H1 is every 12 to 15 minutes on a good day. The Alvaston maybe every 20 minutes which is not that different to the old Park and Ride

 

[bringiton]

I'd think the H1 is every 12 to 15 minutes on a good day. The Alvaston maybe every 20 minutes which is not that different to the old Park and Ride

Theres the wyvern as well which should serve it, but thats only at night and I don't think the drivers go there if the trackers are right but I aint sure

 

[Trainman40083]

Woah a 6.2... I did just check though and it went from belper to derby, so not even part of Ripley. High peak and the trains must love it. I know some people who get the train from Matlock to notts, surprised they still have it every hour if they are being busy. I get that routes from other places go through derby to notts too though making it so frequent through derby

Can't enhance the trains to Matlock due to the single line from Ambergate to Matlock. But it runs reliably. I caught one the other day and people were standing. Four trains an hour from Derby to Nottingham. Time it right, you miss one the next turns up.

Theres the wyvern as well which should serve it, but thats only at night and I don't think the drivers go there if the trackers are right but I aint sure

I think an Oakwood (26?) serves the Wyvern in the morning , one way. Same in the evening. I'd have thought there might be mileage in a service to Derby from Spondon through Wyvern through Pride Park, railway station area. Give people a choice, other than the car

 

[bringiton]

Can't enhance the trains to Matlock due to the single line from Ambergate to Matlock. But it runs reliably. I caught one the other day and people were standing. Four trains an hour from Derby to Nottingham. Time it right, you miss one the next turns up.

Ah, I dont really get the train so I wouldn't know

I think an Oakwood (26?) serves the Wyvern in the morning , one way. Same in the evening.

Yeah 26/20 switch to wyvern dont really get their timetables fully sometimes.

I'd have thought there might be mileage in a service to Derby from Spondon through Wyvern through Pride Park, railway station area. Give people a choice, other than the car

I have been thinking about this a lot, the amount of miles they run empty especially since a lot of Arrivas busses start and end at points on the route not at the bus station, which makes sense but its just running empty to and from the depot.