First Bus - Leicester

[Glenfieldmathk1]

Noticed on bus times today, 38, 14/A & 22B have all moved to the "cancelled" section.
I'm guessing the 22B hasn't been a success For First and has been "re tendered" probably back to Centrebus? (First have had to let Centrebus customers use Centrebus tickets on this route).
I guess 14/A may be split as 14 has been a lot busier since Arriva cancelled? (14/15??)
Plus registration still says Sunningdale Road which isn't the case anymore.. so maybe that's just to update?
38/A - not sure? 

Be interesting to see if anyone has any other ideas / thoughts..
Surprised they've not decided to run the 88E all day on Sunday's (30 mins).. notice a lot of people asking for more buses down there (since Arriva cancelled 87).

[markcf83]

According to the Leicester buses website the infrastructure at Abbey Lane plus the first 20 electric buses should be in place by March 2023... we shall see!
details - https://www.leicesterbuses.co.uk/planned-projects

Which of the electric buses will be in place by this time? 

[SSmith09]

Noticed on bus times today, 38, 14/A & 22B have all moved to the "cancelled" section.
I'm guessing the 22B hasn't been a success For First and has been "re tendered" probably back to Centrebus? (First have had to let Centrebus customers use Centrebus tickets on this route).
I guess 14/A may be split as 14 has been a lot busier since Arriva cancelled? (14/15??)
Plus registration still says Sunningdale Road which isn't the case anymore.. so maybe that's just to update?
38/A - not sure?

Be interesting to see if anyone has any other ideas / thoughts..
Surprised they've not decided to run the 88E all day on Sunday's (30 mins).. notice a lot of people asking for more buses down there (since Arriva cancelled 87).

They're not cancelled the dvsa website has them down as variations to service 

Agree with the 88E - Eyres Monsell need more Sunday buses at one stage the 88/88a were every 20 mins each on Sundays now they're hourly if you're lucky 

[Glenfieldmathk1]

They're not cancelled the dvsa website has them down as variations to service

Agree with the 88E - Eyres Monsell need more Sunday buses at one stage the 88/88a were every 20 mins each on Sundays now they're hourly if you're lucky

Indeed.. bus times website has them under the wrong section.

[Glenfieldmathk1]

Looks like BHX3 is still operating. So still requirement for 4 buses on those routes. Strange that they sent the 3 E400's away?

[SSmith09]

Looks like BHX3 is still operating. So still requirement for 4 buses on those routes. Strange that they sent the 3 E400's away?

Wonder if it's still operating until after christmas to help with demands of amazon.

33718 seems to spend most of its time on the 14's nowadays

the September service changes reduced the PVR of Leicester depot by around 7/8 buses which meant the 3 E400's were sent where needed rarther than being sat idle plus four of the saffron buses have gone to be converted into driver trainers which accounts for the reduced vehicle requirements

[Glenfieldmathk1]

According to bus times a frequent fourteens E400 went to Birmingham Airport today. Is this to a new Amazon Warehouse and could this be a new Amazon Route potentially? 
Or maybe we may get a First Route direct from Leicester to Birmingham (probably not! Haha).

[xmj-signal]

Noticed on bus times today, 38, 14/A & 22B have all moved to the "cancelled" section.
I'm guessing the 22B hasn't been a success For First and has been "re tendered" probably back to Centrebus? (First have had to let Centrebus customers use Centrebus tickets on this route).
I guess 14/A may be split as 14 has been a lot busier since Arriva cancelled? (14/15??)
Plus registration still says Sunningdale Road which isn't the case anymore.. so maybe that's just to update?
38/A - not sure?

Be interesting to see if anyone has any other ideas / thoughts..
Surprised they've not decided to run the 88E all day on Sunday's (30 mins).. notice a lot of people asking for more buses down there (since Arriva cancelled 87).

Changes to timetables from 3rd January 2023 now shown on the First Leicester website:

Service 14, 14A (City Centre - New Parks - Kirby Frith 14 / Beaumont Centre 14A)
A new Monday to Friday timetable will operate to improve the reliability of the service.  There are no changes to the daytime frequency and buses will continue to operate every 6 minutes along Aikman Avenue/Fosse Road North.

Service 38, 38A (City Centre - Netherhall/Thurnby Lodge) 
A new Monday to Friday timetable will operate to improve the reliability of the service.  There are no changes to the daytime frequency and buses will continue to operate every 7/8 minutes along Uppingham Road/Humberstone Road. 

Service 22B (City Centre - Birstall)
As a result from customer feedback, the last outbound journey from the Haymarket Bus Station towards Birstall will now depart at 1745 from Saturday 7th January 2023.

Mike T.

[SSmith09]

Works have started at Abbey Lane in preparation for the first of the 68 Wright GB Kite ELV's due from March 2023.

https://www.route-one.net/news/first-leicester-starts-work-on-electric-bus-infrastructure

[Fin W]

anyone know what's up with 69381?

[SSmith09]

anyone know what's up with 69381?

it had a blown engine last September and went to Worcester to be fixed and came back for about a week then disappeared again.

two of the streetdecks has been off for quite a while too. 35172 since October and 35171 since 18th December

on the other hand Streetlite 63355 is back in use after an extended period away for repairs at cummins

[Glenfieldmathk1]

it had a blown engine last September and went to Worcester to be fixed and came back for about a week then disappeared again.

two of the streetdecks has been off for quite a while too. 35172 since October and 35171 since 18th December

on the other hand Streetlite 63355 is back in use after an extended period away for repairs at cummins

35171 was last used on Amazon shuttles. These streetdeck engines don't seem to like the motorway's! Maybe that's where it is?

On 13 today was 35169 - this bus equally didn't sound to healthy and seemed to not have any power. A journey from city to Glenfield took a very long time. I'd say this has probably had it too.. I took the 1320 which is supposed to arrive in Glenfield (one stop) at 1341 - but it arrived about 1355! Sounded almost like it was changing gear too early.

[SSmith09]

two of the streetdecks have been off for quite a while too. 35172 since October and 35171 since 18th December

update: 35171 and 35172 have been parked up aside the depot with metal fencing on them for a fair few weeks

[Glenfieldmathk1]

update: 35171 and 35172 have been parked up aside the depot with metal fencing on them for a fair few weeks

These two both have 22 branding don't they?
If the information posted on a Facebook group for Centrebus is correct.. (yes Facebook, so may not be).. First are passing 22 to Centrebus (as part of the Leicester buses).. and Centrebus are passing 54A to first.
From reading it seems the new First 54/54A could be fully electric single decker. Add to that the removal of 22, and it makes sense all the electric single deckers arriving.. with a much lower DD fleet required (leaving only 14 a full DD output, and 2/3 for 4, 1/2 for 13, and 2/3 for 74.. plus Amazon shuttles and 13W - although if 54 does change to single it's likely 13W would be as it's inter-worked)..

Off topic, but worth putting here: Centrebus plan to run the revised 22 with single deckers every 10mins. (With Birstall kept served every 30). Could this also see 22B passed to Centrebus on Sat? Centrebus apparently also taking "Hop" means that even with them passing on 54A there's no actual fleet reduction.

Anyway, all exciting times ahead maybe. Hmm..

[LazyGuy222]

Downgrading the 22 to single deckers would be a colossal wreck of a decision. I use it everyday and the buses I get are always full. Given the number of school students that use the route, just single deckers isn't going to be functional.

I know for a fact that most users of the 22 use First's service over Centrebus's and probably wouldn't be happy if this is true.