Trivia: More than one operator on town services

[RustySpoons]

Are there any examples in the UK of a town/local service operated by more than one operator? Not necessarily a competing operator, but two (or more) operators running a local service, either on the same route or a taking a different route but reaching the same destination within the same town.

 

[Ianigsy]

The 965 in Otley (West Yorkshire) is operated by Connexions during the week up until early evening, then by Transdev as an extension of the Bradford-Airport-Otley A3.

 

[JonathanH]

In Sheffield, the 120 from Halfway to Fulwood is run by both Stagecoach and First, although other than on Sunday, only the central part between Crystal Peaks and Ranmoor is run by both operators.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Are there any examples in the UK of a town/local service operated by more than one operator? Not necessarily a competing operator, but two (or more) operators running a local service, either on the same route or a taking a different route but reaching the same destination within the same town.

Marlborough town service in Wiltshire is operated by Salisbury Reds, and Swindon Bus Co, though they are both parts of Go South Coast. Also in Wiltshire, Faresaver operates the Devizes - Chippenham service but Stagecoach operate a sole journey from Devizes to Bromham (12 mins journey) on a Saturday late pm.

I'd suggest that Sheffield and Merseyside have quite a few with the partnership agreements there

 

[Deerfold]

Are there any examples in the UK of a town/local service operated by more than one operator? Not necessarily a competing operator, but two (or more) operators running a local service, either on the same route or a taking a different route but reaching the same destination within the same town.

In Oxford Stagecoach's 1 and Oxford Bus Company's 5 are basically the same route and generally run alternately taking almost all the same tickets (some wider area tickets are only valid on one operator).

 

[urbophile]

The 82 and 86 bus routes in Liverpool are run by both Stagecoach and Arriva. They have different terminating points but much the greater part of the route is common. Hopefully reintegration of local transport will cure this nonsense. [to clarify, both companies run buses on both routes)

 

[dgl]

Between Weymouth and Dorchester there's the regular number 10 service run by First Wessex (up to every 15mins) but there's also the subsidised number 5 run by Go Ahead/Damory that takes a different longer route that only has about 5 runs a day and is primarily there to serve villages to the East of Weymouth. Both end up in Dorchester though the number 10 service ends at the start of Poundbury.

 

[pjnathanail]

Within Bury St Edmunds there is overlap between the Mulleys Motorways and Stephensons of Essex town services. Both networks were introduced back when First still had a depot in the town and ran their own town services as well, although since then Mulleys have substantially expanded their network (mainly following First’s withdrawal).

 

[Lloyds siding]

the 53 service in Liverpool is run by Arriva and Stagecoach, they used to alternate every 5-6 minutes, but now they run together in pairs, and despite the timetable saying every 10 minutes (sometimes less), I seem to be waiting 20 minutes for them these days.

 

[richw]

Plymouth

City centre to George park and ride site

1A stagecoach

34 and 42 Plymouth citybus (possibly others too)

City centre to Elburton

4/4b stagecoach
5/5a Plymouth citybus

All take different routes between the City centre and the destinations on the outskirts

Stagecoach and Citybus compliment each other in Plymouth with little competition. I believe an enhanced partnership has been formed with the city council.

 

[LAIRA]

Plymouth

City centre to George park and ride site

1A stagecoach

34 and 42 Plymouth citybus (possibly others too)

City centre to Elburton

4/4b stagecoach
5/5a Plymouth citybus

All take different routes between the City centre and the destinations on the outskirts

Stagecoach and Citybus compliment each other in Plymouth with little competition. I believe an enhanced partnership has been formed with the city council.

Plymouth to Saltash is also run by both companies. Living just the Plymouth side of the bridge I note both companies running together on a regular basis. Sundays are worst when Stagecoach run every half an hour and TFC run every hour but at the same times as one of the Stagecoach journeys.

 

[stevieinselby]

In Ripon, the RS2 town service is run by the council, except for a couple of peak-time (weekday only) journeys that are run by Dales & District.

 

[P Binnersley]

Stagecoach operate the 51 service from Coventry Pool Meadow bus station to University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire taking 80 minutes on a "scenic" tour of west and north Coventry. The direct National Express Coventry No. 17 between the same points takes 27 minutes.

Two very different routes serving different markets that only share the last half mile into the hospital.

 

[Flange Squeal]

The 81 is a half-hourly town circular service in Woking runs between the town centre and a loop of the Barnsbury housing estate. The base Monday to Saturday service is a standalone Surrey County Council contract, however the first two weekday morning trips are actually part of a different council contract for the Woking to Guildford routes 462/463.

As a result, the current main Monday to Saturday service is operated by Safeguard Coaches, with the first two weekday morning trips being operated by White Bus. A single school day morning journey also diverts over almost the entire route 81 as well, currently also operated by White Bus as route 73. A year or so ago, the contracts were in different hands and you had White Bus on the first two weekday morning trips, Falcon Coaches on the 73 journey, and Stagecoach South operating the main route 81 service.

A number of years ago (early 2010s), three county council contacts covered the 81 number itself. In addition to the main one and the 462/463 one covering the two weekday morning trips, you also had a Sunday service operated as part of a lager combined contract also covering Sunday services on some other routes. At that time you had Arriva operating the first two weekday 81 trips, Countryliner operating the main Mon-Sat 81, and Abellio Surrey operating the Sunday 81. Not bad for a route only requiring one bus for a circuit lasting just over 20 minutes!

 

[James101]

First Potteries and D&G both run separate services 7 & 7A in Stoke. There can’t be many examples of ‘old fashioned’ competition left? I.e. same route and number, competing for passengers?

 

[JD2168]

Sheffield
Stagecoach 7 from Ecclesfield to Crystal Peaks & First 8 from Ecclesfield to Birley are the same route between Ecclesfield & Manor Top.
83 Chapeltown - Fulwood & 86 Chapeltown - Lowedges are run by Stagecoach Mon - Sat but in the evenings & Sunday are run by First between City & Chapeltown on each route only.
25 Bradway to Woodhouse is run by First daytimes but in the evenings is run by First between City & Woodhouse only.
First 24 & Stagecoach 25 are the same route between Manor Park & Meadowhead Roundabout via City Centre both running Woodhouse Village to Lowedges/Bradway.
1 First run a couple of evening journeys Mon - Sat between City & High Green. The remaining Mon - Sat service is Stagecoach. On Sunday First extend the 1A to High Green from Chapeltown to replace the 1. The 1 & 1A are the same route between Chapeltown & Hemsworth except for Ecclesfield where Stagecoach run via Morrisons & First serve the Village centre.
The Stagecoach 52 & First 52A run the same route between Crookes & Handsworth/Ballifield. After Handsworth towards Woodhouse/Woodhouse Station the only other bit they share is around the Badger Estate where to get to City Centre you have to catch First 52A on one side of the road & Stagecoach 52 on the opposite side of the road.
First & Hulleys of Baslow both run journeys on 272 between Sheffield & Castleton via the same route.
First 76 & Stagecoach 25, 43A & 86 all run between Sheffield & Lowedges, Grennel Mower but run via different routes.
First 75 & Stagecoach 1 both run between Sheffield & Jordanthorpe/Batemoor but run via different routes.
First X1/X10/X78 all run between Sheffield & Rotherham via Meadowhall via different routes, so do Stagecoach 137 between Sheffield & Rotherham via Grimesthorpe, Meadowhall, Blackburn & Kimberworth.
First run the 41 between City & Dyke Vale Road on Mon - Fri daytimes in-between School Runs, other journeys on Mon - Fri daytime & on Saturday are run by TM Travel. in the evening's & Sunday TM Travel run the 42 covering the same route but extending to Woodhouse.

Doncaster:
X4 Doncaster to Airport is run by David Goodfellow on Mon - Sat, in the evening & Sun is run by First. First also run a 57A (357A from April) between Doncaster & Airport in evening & Sunday but via a different route via Cantley.
84A Barnby Dun to Lindholme is run by David Goodfellow on Mon - Sat but First run a couple of return journeys on a Sunday.
First run X78 (X3 from April) between Doncaster & Sheffield via Rotherham & Meadowhall, it shares the same route as Stagecoach 221 between Doncaster & Conisbrough, Lord Conyers Pub which also goes to Rotherham. The X78 takes the direct route via Hooton Roberts, Thrybergh & Dalton taking around 45-50 minutes from Doncaster to Rotherham whilst the Stagecoach 221 takes around 1 hour & 30 minutes going via Mexborough, Swinton & Rawmarsh.

Doncaster/Scunthorpe:
Hornsby's run the 399 between Doncaster & Scunthorpe (full route) on Mon Fri with Stagecoach running between Westwoodside & Scunthorpe. On Saturdays Stagecoach run the full route between Doncaster & Scunthorpe with Hornsby's not running.

Barnsley:
Globe run the 94A between Barnsley & Cawthorne alongside the 94 on Mon - Sat but Stagecoach run the 94A on evening & Sunday between Barnsley & Cawthorne. Oddly Globe run a 96C on Sunday between Barnsley & Wakefield which runs via Cawthorne.
Stagecoach run the 219/219A/219E & X19 between Barnsley & Doncaster, same as Globe Coaches X20. The only bit that is the same is between Barnsley & Stairfoot roundabout where they split. The 219/219A/219E take around 1 hour & 45 minutes, the X19 takes about 45-50 minutes whilst the X20 takes at least one hour.
Globe coaches with 7 & Stagecoach with the 22X & 218/218A all run between Rotherham & Barnsley following the same route between Stairfoot Roundabout & Barnsley. From there to Rotherham they take very different routes: the 7 via Hoyland & Greasbrough taking around 55 minutes, the 22X via Wombwell, Wath, Manvers & Rawmarsh taking just over 1 hour & the 218/218A take the longest, around 1 hour & 55 minutes via Darfield, Goldthorpe, Mexborough, Swinton & Rawmarsh.

 

[Dai Corner]

In Monmouth, Monmouthshire Council operate one journey on each of the W3 and W4 town services, the rest being done by Phil Anslow Coaches. This may change on 1 April due to retendering.

 

[richw]

Plymouth to Saltash is also run by both companies. Living just the Plymouth side of the bridge I note both companies running together on a regular basis. Sundays are worst when Stagecoach run every half an hour and TFC run every hour but at the same times as one of the Stagecoach journeys.

Weekdays with the 2/2A combined to every 15 mins it’s inevitable that they’re going to be close in time to a 10/11/12 which have a combined 30 min frequency between Plymouth and Saltash.
I’ve noticed the 10 is struggling for punctuality in recent weeks, assume there is roadworks somewhere down towards Looe.

 

[mlambeuk]

York to Skelton number 19 is operated by York Pullman weekdays and Transdev Saturdays.

 

[Statto]

Quite a few Arriva & Stagecoach quality bus partnerships on Merseyside, 53, 82, 86 already mentioned also

14 Liverpool - Croxteth operated by Stagecoach & Arriva, although Stagecoach have some 14s (numbered 14A, 14B, 14C, 14X) that extend from Croxteth to & from Kirkby, Knowsley Industrial Estate or Knowsley Village

 

[LT02 NVV]

I don’t know if these would count or not, but First Glasgow Services that have other companies take over certain services (as they are contracted by SPT to do so):

M11 (M11 Day services by First Glasgow, 11 Late Evening/Night services West Coast Motors for SPT)
31 (Day services by First Glasgow, Late Evening/Night services and Sunday services by Stuart’s Coaches)
46 (Day services by First Glasgow, Late Evening/Night services by JMB Travel)
64 (Day services by First Glasgow, 164 services as well as Late Evening/Night services and Sunday services by McGills)
81 (Day services by First Glasgow, 81A/81B services as well as Late Evening/Night services by McGills)
206 (Day services by First Glasgow, Late Evening/Night services and Early Morning/Late Sunday services by McColls)
208 (Day services by First Glasgow, Late Evening/Night services by McColls)
226 (Day services by First Glasgow, Late Evening/Night services by JMB Travel)
227 (Day services by First Glasgow, Sunday services by JMB Travel)

 

[duncombec]

Seaford town service 120 is mostly operated by Cuckmere Buses, but the Saturday afternoon service is provided under tender by Compass Bus.

 

[DunsBus]

Going back to pre-deregulation days, Eastern Scottish and United shared the town services in Berwick-upon-Tweed.

 

[507021]

Merseyside: 10A, 14, 53, 82, 86, 471/472.
Chester: 14/14A, 15/15A.

All are operated by Arriva and Stagecoach.

 

[SSmith2009]

Leicester - Service 20 (City Centre to Blackmore Drive) Mon-Sat is operated by Centrebus which runs via Leicester Royal Infirmary but Sunday services are operated by Vectare which follow a different route via Braunstone Gate.

 

[Kite159]

Reading with the 22 'pink' route run by Reading Buses Monday to Saturday and as a 40C ran by Thames Travel on Sundays. Both start in the town centre and end up in Caversham

 

[RustySpoons]

Interesting reading, thanks!

Happens a lot more than I thought it would!

 

[kkong]

In Aberdeen, First route 12 (Torry - Heathryfold) has similar end points to Stagecoach route 59 (Balnagask - Northfield).

 

[henairs]

In Yeovil we have 3 regular operators on our town routes.
First Buses of Somerset work the cross town 51 service whilst South West Coaches work the 11 on the western side of town and lastly Somerset County Council work the 68 which serves eastern side of town plus a link to Yeovil junction rail station around 2 miles from bus station.

 

[SCH117X]

In York also the daytime East Yorkshire service 12 to Foxwood (running across city centre from Monks Cross) is linked with Connexions service 13 to Haxby (running across city centre from Copmanthorpe) as Transdev service 14