Wednesfield Garage

[Westy]

First public mention today in the E & S of the Wednesfield issues.

@Westy
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/transport-news/2017/03/04/bus-operator-arriva-hold-talks-over-future-of-services-run-from-wednesfield-depot/

[Stu]

First public mention today in the E & S of the Wednesfield issues.

@Westy
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/transport-news/2017/03/04/bus-operator-arriva-hold-talks-over-future-of-services-run-from-wednesfield-depot/

Bus operator Arriva has refused to confirm reports services run from its Wednesfield depot are to be 'transferred' to rival firm Diamond

They lost the TfWM contracts, the services are not just being 'transferred'. Could the E&S not do a little research before publishing this article? Oh wait, its the E&S! :D

[Pete50492]

They lost the TfWM contracts, the services are not just being 'transferred'. Could the E&S not do a little research before publishing this article? Oh wait, its the E&S! :D

Typical of the lazy standard of journalism these days....don't let the facts ruin your story!

[Grinder]

A lot of their stories are short on real facts and as for the photos accompanying them, I'm not surprised the one they used was of a long sold Arriva vehicle.  As you said sloppy. 

[Daveheggerty]

I gave the Express and star the story as I attended the meeting on 2/3/17.
Express and star can only print what they
Know to be true and as they
Couldn't verify it with Arriva and Diamond they couldn't really publish a lot more. However, they will after viewing the video of the meeting I have just sent them in which mr cheveroux read out a company statement specifying that 15 drivers will be relocated to Tamworth, 14 drivers to Telford, 2 drivers to Cannock and the other 50
Staff would be tupe transferred to diamond in Tipton.
Personal manager was quite clear that no redundancies will be made as a tupe transfer is taking place. Anyone refusing to go to diamond will be in effect resigning and as such will have made themselves unemployed.

Arriva walk away from Wednesfield costing themselves nowt.!!
I

[Bob]

Hopefully cannock next 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

[Solo1]

How many drivers are moving to tividale is it 50 drivers if so where the administration staff cleaners engineers going

[Daveheggerty]

2 engineers places with arriva, all other staff including drivers, cleaners, shuttle drivers and admin get tupe to diamond.
In statement it said if too many drivers opt to move to Cannock, Tamworth and Telford, the companies selection procedure would be used to select staff which includes 3 key elements, length of service, conduct and sickness/punctuality and two other factors , accident record another, both to be discussed with the union.  Basically Arriva will take the cream and Diamond will get whatever's left. Know doubt diamond will further whittle down the numbers once they have the transferred staff with them.

[Bob]

I'm surprised there's only 2 drivers spaces at cannock considering it's proximity to Wednesfield compared with Tamworth /Telford

[winston]

I'm surprised there's only 2 drivers spaces at cannock considering it's proximity to Wednesfield compared with Tamworth /Telford

Do those driver number suggest that the remaining Arriva Centro contracts will now also be moving to Diamond at the same time?

With just 35/35A & X35 moving to Tamworth
10 to Telford.

Simon originally confirmed on here that Diamond needed an additional 35 drivers, not 50 now being quoted as moving across

[Daveheggerty]

Yes, it was confirmed that the 20% contracts arriva had until October 2017 are moving to diamond as well on 23/04/17. That's how arriva were able to negotiate the tupe transfer.

[winston]

Yes, it was confirmed that the 20% contracts arriva had until October 2017 are moving to diamond as well on 23/04/17. That's how arriva were able to negotiate the tupe transfer.

Nice chunk of extra work for Diamond then with those won on tender & those transferring from Arriva. Arriva manage to exit Wednesfield with drastically reduced costs.

Diamond may well need some additional buses then, as the 229 & 326 both need more than one bus each

[Kevin]

With so much work and staff simply transferring over to Diamond, are they having some buses as well? If so, shall we take bets now on how long we'll see Diamond buses still in Arriva livery? Lol

[Will]

With so much work and staff simply transferring over to Diamond, are they having some buses as well? If so, shall we take bets now on how long we'll see Diamond buses still in Arriva livery? Lol

That's a good point when Diamond took over Kidderminster from First three 54-reg Darts that were included in the sale (30930,VX54MUC); (30931,VX54MUO); (30932,VX54MUP) were being used in service still in First livery for around 6 months for 2 of those the last of those buses was painted during mid-2014 ::) so going back to your question I do wonder that myself how long will they be riding still in Arriva livery for

[winston]

That's a good point when Diamond took over Kidderminster from First three 54-reg Darts that were included in the sale (30930,VX54MUC); (30931,VX54MUO); (30932,VX54MUP) were being used in service still in First livery for around 6 months for 2 of those the last of those buses was painted during mid-2014 ::) so going back to your question I do wonder that myself how long will they be riding still in Arriva livery for

Diamond have already purchased 11 x Optare Solo's for the newly won tendered work, they may well only need additional buses for taking on the Arriva contracts that are still to run.

They may well source their extra vehicles or loan some of Arriva's short term, they still have 7 weeks to source & prep vehicles.

This isn't an acquisition by Rotala, like the First KR & RH business was, a large chunk of the work was won on tender.