Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Bus News

[Volvo142]

Arriva Derby's problem isn't lack of drivers, it's the lack of serviceable buses and the amount which break down mid-route.

 

[Pigalle]

That's interesting.

Of course TrentBarton have to make the right noises and reassure people they're doing everything they possibly can to mitigate the cancellations
but it makes me wonder if they are holding back on recruitment until October when the 'Final Settlement' expires and big decisions will have to be made.
There could be some serious cuts in service levels and no point in recruiting now if redundancies will need to be made in six months time.

Doesn’t look like it. This was today [May 7th]:

Try Drive

At our Try Drive event, we are giving you the opportunity to experience what it's like to be a bus driver. If you like the sound of being your own boss, earning over £27,000 per year on average and meeting lots of great people, this is the event for you.
We will be on hand throughout the day to take you through the application process to come and join our award winning driving team. We will also have members of our team available to answer any questions you may have and to talk to you about the role in more detail.
If you have any questions about the day, find us on social at @trentbartonland or drop us an email on [email protected]

Try Drive

At our Try Drive event, we are giving you the opportunity to experience what it's like to be a bus driver.

www.trentbarton.co.uk

 

[nctx]

I've heard Nct are cutting back Orange line services in mid June.

New Timetable starts 19th June. Cutbacks to 35 and 36. Going every 12 minutes.

 

[MCR247]

I've heard Nct are cutting back Orange line services in mid June.

New Timetable starts 19th June. Cutbacks to 35 and 36. Going every 12 minutes.

Details:

Green 8, 9​

Revised Monday to Saturday daytime timetable. Green 8 and 9 will each run hourly, providing a combined 30 minute service to Wilford Hill and Compton Acres.

Preview the new timetable here>>>

Green 11​

Revised Monday to Saturday daytime timetable with buses operating every 20 minutes.

Preview the new timetable here>>>

Lilac 24, 25, 27​

Revised Monday to Saturday daytime timetable.

Lilac 25 and 27 will each operate every 15 minutes on Monday to Saturday daytimes, providing a combined 7/8 minute frequency between City and Carlton Square.

A small number of journeys will operate to/from Westdale Lane as the 24.

Preview the new 24, 25 timetable here>>>

Preview the new 27 timetable here>>>

Orange 34, N34​

These services are suspended for the summer whilst the University of Nottingham are on vacation. These services will resume in mid-September.

Orange 35, 36​

Revised timetables on all days.

Orange 35 and 36 will each operate every 12 minutes on Monday to Saturday daytimes, providing a combined 6 minute frequency between City, QMC and Derby Road.

During Monday to Saturday evenings, each service will operate every 30 minutes and every 20 minutes on Sunday daytimes. Between City, QMC and Derby Road, the combined frequency will be every 15 minutes in the evenings and 10 minutes on Sunday daytimes.

Preview the new 35 timetable here>>>

Preview the new 36 timetable here>>>

Red 43​

Revised Sunday daytime timetable, with buses operating every 20 minutes.

Preview the new timetable here>>>

Red 44​

Revised Sunday daytime timetable for buses towards City, with buses still every 20 minutes.

Preview the new timetable here>>>

Sky Blue 45​

Revised Saturday daytime timetable, with buses every 12 minutes.

Preview the new timetable here>>>

Navy 48​

Revised Monday to Saturday daytime timetable, with buses every 20 minutes.

Preview the new timetable here>>>

Yellow 68, 69​

Revised Monday to Saturday daytime timetables on Yellow 68, 69, with buses operating every 10 minutes combined between City, Basford, Bulwell and Snape Wood.

The diversion route in Blenheim Industrial Estate will be adopted as the new route and buses will no longer serve the top of Dabell Avenue.

Preview the new timetable here>>>

Yellow 71​

On Mondays to Fridays, Yellow 71B from City at 08:25 will run 2 minutes earlier throughout.

 

[Andyh82]

You’ve omitted this bit

“The new timetables reflect driver availability and passenger levels over the summer period, ensuring we advertise a level of service that customers can rely on and matches current demand. NCT passenger numbers are currently at around 80% of their pre-pandemic levels”

Which suggests it might not be permanent?

 

[edwin_m]

You’ve omitted this bit

“The new timetables reflect driver availability and passenger levels over the summer period, ensuring we advertise a level of service that customers can rely on and matches current demand. NCT passenger numbers are currently at around 80% of their pre-pandemic levels”

Which suggests it might not be permanent?

I think they've given that impression but left it open for them to make some or all of these permanent depending on what happens to passenger numbers going into autumn. They're still advertising for drivers though, and the training buses are out and about.

 

[SSmith2009]

Has anyone seen the Kinchbus cancellations list for today (11th June)

Kinchbus 2, 9, 12 and sprint all have no late services this evening and lots of Skylink buses are missing throughout the whole day

Most likely because some of their drivers are apparently working on the download shuttles

 

[43055]

Has anyone seen the Kinchbus cancellations list for today (11th June)

Kinchbus 2, 9, 12 and sprint all have no late services this evening and lots of Skylink buses are missing throughout the whole day

Most likely because some of their drivers are apparently working on the download shuttles

but the download shuttles are with Notts and Derby vehicles. So have Notts and Derby have 'borrowed' drivers from Kinch/Trent?

 

[nctx]

but the download shuttles are with Notts and Derby vehicles. So have Notts and Derby have 'borrowed' drivers from Kinch/Trent?

The Kinchbus Skylink and 2 team leader is on Download shuttles . Also two of the office staff from both Kinchbus and Bartons (Nottingham). So they have dropped running a evening service on the Kinchbus 2 . To run Download services...

 

[STINT47]

Given the unreliability of the Kinch 2 for over a year now I'm amazed if anyone still relies on it for an evening out. Not running it this evening will probably not even be noticed.

 

[derbybusdepot]

Downloads make more money, and would leave more people behind if didn't run the shuttles?

Should really reduce services to a level they can cope with, or they should have the number of vehicles they can run reduced by traffic commissioner.

Given the unreliability of the Kinch 2 for over a year now I'm amazed if anyone still relies on it for an evening out. Not running it this evening will probably not even be noticed.

Many of their less frequent services are unusable now.

 

[SSmith2009]

High Peak are changing the long running TransPeak from 10th July it will now operate between Buxton and Matlock only with the exception of one AM journey from Derby to Buxton and one PM journey from Buxton back to Derby

Details here: https://www.highpeakbuses.com/service-changes/?platform=hootsuite

Also changes to 61, 185 186 and 199

 

[Nottingham59]

it will now operate between Buxton and Matlock

Would that be because people are choosing to go by train for the Derby-Matlock leg (and on from Buxton)? Or is this due to a reduction in funding from the council?

 

[SSmith2009]

Would that be because people are choosing to go by train for the Derby-Matlock leg (and on from Buxton)? Or is this due to a reduction in funding from the council?

HighPeak are claiming 'low passenger numbers' although I suspect it could be a mix of train is quicker/passengers not returning because of covid

The branded Scania Omnicity's and Scania Solar branded for it are heading to/already arrived at Chaserider in Cannock.

 

[ChrisC]

High Peak are changing the long running TransPeak from 10th July it will now operate between Buxton and Matlock only with the exception of one AM journey from Derby to Buxton and one PM journey from Buxton back to Derby.

That leaves a long section along the A6 between Belper and Cromford with very few useful buses. Ambergate is quite a large village with most of the houses along the A6 and not near the station.

 

[Deerfold]

High Peak are changing the long running TransPeak from 10th July it will now operate between Buxton and Matlock only with the exception of one AM journey from Derby to Buxton and one PM journey from Buxton back to Derby

Details here: https://www.highpeakbuses.com/service-changes/?platform=hootsuite

And a halving of the Sunday service just in time for the holiday season.

 

[Kernow Dave]

And a halving of the Sunday service just in time for the holiday season.

Do drivers not have holidays?

 

[43055]

And a halving of the Sunday service just in time for the holiday season.

The Sunday service is already halved to 2 hourly.

 

[Deerfold]

The Sunday service is already halved to 2 hourly.

So it has.

Unfortunately they haven't updated the data used by Google maps and Traveline.

Do drivers not have holidays?

Yes, but not just on Sundays.

 

[markymark2000]

So it has.

Unfortunately they haven't updated the data used by Google maps and Traveline.


Yes, but not just on Sundays.

Nor their Bus Open Data that they LEGALLY have to update.

 

[Llandudno]

Seems odd that HighPeak have decided to cull the the southern section of the TransPeak in the height of the summer, you would have thought that the summer months were the busiest time of the of the year for such a trunk route running through the National Park.

It looks to me as though they are short of drivers and this an easy, quick fix?

Perhaps it’s time for the Peak Park and neighbouring councils to get together and plan a Snowdon Sherpa style network in the National Park?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Arrival of trains at Matlock station: xx06
Departure of bus from Matlock station: xx40

Arrival of bus at Matlock station: xx25
Departure of train from Matlock station: xx15

That's not exactly ideal. "But the connections are better at Buxton"...time-wise so, but most don't serve the station! (Some do - it's on the only route between Market Place and Sylvan Park, but it does show true disregard for integration that putting it on the timetable was too much effort!)

 

[markymark2000]

Arrival of trains at Matlock station: xx06
Departure of bus from Matlock station: xx40

Arrival of bus at Matlock station: xx25
Departure of train from Matlock station: xx15

That's not exactly ideal. "But the connections are better at Buxton"...time-wise so, but most don't serve the station! (Some do - it's on the only route between Market Place and Sylvan Park, but it does show true disregard for integration that putting it on the timetable was too much effort!)

What sort of bus company do you think High Peak is? Offering train connection is something only companies with intent on growing the industry do. High Peak does not fit into that. Companies don't care about any connections or trying to grow the industry because that takes time and effort.

 

[MadMarsupial]

High Peak also cutting the Stockport to Manchester Airport leg of the 199 in the evenings so no direct bus link from the airport to Whaley Bridge, Chapel and Buxton after about 1930.

 

[Llandudno]

High Peak also cutting the Stockport to Manchester Airport leg of the 199 in the evenings so no direct bus link from the airport to Whaley Bridge, Chapel and Buxton after about 1930.

Is the 199 the only direct link from Stockport to/from the Airport?

I guess it may not be long before they bin off daytime service to the Airport as well, with all the different shift patterns at the Airport who is going to use the 199 to get to the Airport if they can’t get home!

 

[markymark2000]

Is the 199 the only direct link from Stockport to/from the Airport?

I guess it may not be long before they bin off daytime service to the Airport as well, with all the different shift patterns at the Airport who is going to use the 199 to get to the Airport if they can’t get home!

There is the Stagecoach 313 that goes around the houses. That runs hourly, last bus 22:30.

 

[Deerfold]

Is the 199 the only direct link from Stockport to/from the Airport?

I guess it may not be long before they bin off daytime service to the Airport as well, with all the different shift patterns at the Airport who is going to use the 199 to get to the Airport if they can’t get home!

If they do, expect to see the hours of operation much reduced. I can't see there being that much traffic from Buxton to Stockport at 0430.

 

[DDB]

Arrival of trains at Matlock station: xx06
Departure of bus from Matlock station: xx40

Arrival of bus at Matlock station: xx25
Departure of train from Matlock station: xx15

That's not exactly ideal. "But the connections are better at Buxton"...time-wise so, but most don't serve the station! (Some do - it's on the only route between Market Place and Sylvan Park, but it does show true disregard for integration that putting it on the timetable was too much effort!)

I could just about understand the poor connection times at the station when they were through running as they were technically in competition. Now I would have thought people getting to and from the railheads could be a significant market they can serve with no real effort given they were changing the timetable anyway. Especially as after many many years they finally started to accept the combined rail and bus Derbyshire wayfarer ticket.
To think the service used to go all the way from Manchester to Nottingham!

 

[MadMarsupial]

If they do, expect to see the hours of operation much reduced. I can't see there being that much traffic from Buxton to Stockport at 0430.

I seem to recall being told by a driver years ago that the early morning services got a subsidy from the airport ( not GMPTE ) as part of a strategy to get airport staff to use public transport.

 

[Redmike]

High Peak is an odd one as it's 50/50 centrebus and wellglade but it looks and feels 100% centrebus. Looking at the timetables I wonder if the Transpeak will interwork with the 61 to Glossop.