Cannock Garage

[Bob]

Not really theres not that many less seats plus theres Darts and Cadets regularly used on 825 again a sign of how far things have  declined

[BusMan Greg]

The streetlite's would have probably copped better around the great Haywood area. There again the pulsars don't do to bad

[Westy]

Any news re the Kevin Chapman situation yet?

[Bob]

I was looking at some videos on Youtube of various Streets####s, the general consensus seems to be theyre pretty dreadful. Slow noisy jerky screaming struggle to get up any inclines, all of which id agree with. Why are they so popular with bus companies??

[Straightlines]

I was looking at some videos on Youtube of various Streets####s, the general consensus seems to be theyre pretty dreadful. Slow noisy jerky screaming struggle to get up any inclines, all of which id agree with. Why are they so popular with bus companies??

Because they are a lightweight bus that has a reasonable MPG?

The days of heavyweight single deckers appear to be over, at least for now...

[Bob]

Pretty horrible for passengers then, comfort out the window. Even a rattling National sounded better than these heaps!

[Westy]

Any news re the Kevin Chapman situation yet?

Received an email from Kevin Chapman, re the Arriva Cannock situation :

The below can be published on the forum:

On Tuesday I attended an meeting with Simon Mathieson at the Cannock garage of Arriva, who is now the Area Managing Director for Arriva Midlands covering Shropshire, Staffordshire, TfWM (the West Midlands County) and Telford and Wrekin. 
Simon was formally a manager with National Express West Midlands and has spent the last few years overseeing the Leicester operations for Arriva.

There was agreement that the services operated by Cannock garage needed improvement – however major changes like new buses cannot be made overnight.  I also shared a report about a mystery shopping exercise about the Cannock routes which
did reveal some good things, but plenty of areas where the operation could be better.   Simon has only recently come into the post and is getting to grips with the issues.


Some short term fixes that can be delivered are:


Put some effort into the Pye Greens – branding with dedicated vehicles and drivers, marketing, building a local connection.  Some of the drivers were good and there was good banter (interaction in corporate
speak) with the passengers.  (Simon has also said the Pulsars rather than the more ancient Darts and Solos should be the usual bus).Sort out Cannock Bus Station and put some better information in there.Change the terminus for the 70 in Wolverhampton so instead of terminating at the Uni it penetrates into the shopping centre.
Organising a bus users surgery in Cannock/Hednesford over June/July.   Get the managers out of their offices talking to the public.   Find out what they think of the network.


Some matters were discussed which I hope members will understand are sensitive and are not be shared on a public forum.

Also, some issues involving the county council were discussed around publicity of the bus network and the Staffs U16 Card and Simon will be taking these to the authority.

Simon and I have agreed to keep in liaison about the operation and I will be watching and monitoring the operation with close interest over the coming months, as I realise many members of this forum do.    There is a commitment for a bus
users surgery and as soon as there is a date set it will be publicised.

If anyone wishes to discuss Arriva further with me (or indeed any other issues about the West Midlands bus network from a user perspective) they can message me via the contact form on
http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/west_midlands_local_group

Kevin Chapman
Chair,  West Midlands Campaign for Better Transport

Make of that what you will. Obviously there is some stuff he cannot share for confendeniality reasons.

At least Simon is known to us, from his days at NX & when he used to come on the forum.

[BusMan Greg]

I think they should concentrate on supplying bus services to area's with no form of public transport. Instead of being more concerned with the competition between other operators.

[Bob]

I cant see them upgrading the Pye Greens, tried and failed. Miserably. What could they do with the 1 and 2? Best thing could be to drop the Sapphire, get rid of the crappy Streets####s, which have never been up to the job and stick something like Solos on the 2. Full size bus wasted on a dead route.

[Bob]

Maybe getting rid of the joke of an operation ( whats left ) in Stafford might be an idea

[Westy]

I think they should concentrate on supplying bus services to area's with no form of public transport. Instead of being more concerned with the competition between other operators.

Unless Staffs County Council, with or without central Government help, cough up more money, it's very doubtful that would happen.

The continual issue of how to serve the western part of Norton Canes, which as people remember, did have a decent service at one point, with the old Wmt 345, now down to one or two Arriva 3c's per day, is a good example.

If there's no passengers, you can see why services are withdrawn.

(Then again, throwing stacks of buses all down one road, doesnt always help! Service between Walsall, Leamore & Bloxwich anyone! Its all very well giving us a frequent service, but whats the point of empty buses? Ive suggested on a few occasions what to do with the one route, but no one seems to want to give me an answer why not!)

[Grinder]

Not sure what is meant by the  'joke' of an operation in Stafford which provides 4 services an hour between the town centre and 3 of the main estates (Parkside, MossPit and Highfields), a half hourly to a third (Doxey), half hourly (from Telford garage) to Rickerscote and about 3 an hour to Baswich (1B + 825) plus the 2 Cannock services.  If the 'joke' operation is the fact that the services don't run in the evenings and on a Sunday makes sense.  Agreed that the services are nowhere near as prolific as in the good old days but neither is the numbers using the buses.

[Bob]

The Stafford operation cant be making any money? Zero investment in it for years. Apart from the telford operated services youve got at best 10 year old knackers rattling about half empty

[Dutsey]

The continual issue of how to serve the western part of Norton Canes, which as people remember, did have a decent service at one point, with the old Wmt 345, now down to one or two Arriva 3c's per day, is a good example.

I am sure a faster service through to Walsall would be a success - run it down lime lane like the old 345 through Pelsall. Why would people in Norton want to travel through to Brownhills, Clayhanger - you could make that journey 10 to 15 mins quicker

[Tony]

The Stafford operation cant be making any money? Zero investment in it for years. Apart from the telford operated services youve got at best 10 year old knackers rattling about half empty

The 59 route in Wolverhampton has got 15 year old buses 'rattling around it' and hasn't had any investment for years, even the branded vehicles weren't all refurbished before branding. It doesn't mean it doesn't make any money