Diamond Bus - Discussion

[PM]

Rotala are too focused on vehicle age. For instance, these darts are newer than the R...YRP ones yet these buses were fantastic-reliable, no rattles, comfy and they go and replace them with vehicles like solos that are on paper better yet are worse for passengers-is rotala a business being run for an office with no knowledge of what is actually going on down on the ground??

The problem with the R...YRP vehicles is that they don't have ramps for wheel chair access like newer buses do. Must admit the older darts are good in terms of comfort especially the refurbished ones such as V391SVV. The solo's aren't bad buses if used on the correct services which are an ideal allocation for them but putting them on the 4 and 301 two key services isn't brilliant. Good to see some of the 52 ex yourbus darts back with diamond there good buses with a good re trim apart from the poles inside where the purple is peeling off and showing the yellow/orange underneath.

The thing is do buses really need those wheelchair ramps. When was the last time anyone saw them being used-instead they just collect dirt just for one person a year to use them. Most wheelchairs can get on anyway

[Tony]

Rotala are too focused on vehicle age. For instance, these darts are newer than the R...YRP ones yet these buses were fantastic-reliable, no rattles, comfy and they go and replace them with vehicles like solos that are on paper better yet are worse for passengers-is rotala a business being run for an office with no knowledge of what is actually going on down on the ground??

The problem with the R...YRP vehicles is that they don't have ramps for wheel chair access like newer buses do. Must admit the older darts are good in terms of comfort especially the refurbished ones such as V391SVV. The solo's aren't bad buses if used on the correct services which are an ideal allocation for them but putting them on the 4 and 301 two key services isn't brilliant. Good to see some of the 52 ex yourbus darts back with diamond there good buses with a good re trim apart from the poles inside where the purple is peeling off and showing the yellow/orange underneath.

The thing is do buses really need those wheelchair ramps. When was the last time anyone saw them being used-instead they just collect dirt just for one person a year to use them. Most wheelchairs can get on anyway

Another 'sod the disabled because I like old buses' quote.

What happens if someone gets on in the City Centre with bus level with the kerb, but then needs to get off on a road like the Alum Rock Road with loads of illegal parking and the bus cannot get into the kerb. Is the wheelchair user supposed to drop down over 20cm risking going face first into the tarmac,... or just stay on the bus until it can next get into the kerb a long away away from where they are going?

[PM]

Rotala are too focused on vehicle age. For instance, these darts are newer than the R...YRP ones yet these buses were fantastic-reliable, no rattles, comfy and they go and replace them with vehicles like solos that are on paper better yet are worse for passengers-is rotala a business being run for an office with no knowledge of what is actually going on down on the ground??

The problem with the R...YRP vehicles is that they don't have ramps for wheel chair access like newer buses do. Must admit the older darts are good in terms of comfort especially the refurbished ones such as V391SVV. The solo's aren't bad buses if used on the correct services which are an ideal allocation for them but putting them on the 4 and 301 two key services isn't brilliant. Good to see some of the 52 ex yourbus darts back with diamond there good buses with a good re trim apart from the poles inside where the purple is peeling off and showing the yellow/orange underneath.

The thing is do buses really need those wheelchair ramps. When was the last time anyone saw them being used-instead they just collect dirt just for one person a year to use them. Most wheelchairs can get on anyway

Another 'sod the disabled because I like old buses' quote.

What happens if someone gets on in the City Centre with bus level with the kerb, but then needs to get off on a road like the Alum Rock Road with loads of illegal parking and the bus cannot get into the kerb. Is the wheelchair user supposed to drop down over 20cm risking going face first into the tarmac,... or just stay on the bus until it can next get into the kerb a long away away from where they are going?

Yes disabled access is important but seriously most wheelchair users find the ramps extemely difficult as they have a dip where the ramp cover has been so actually they arent really a good solution-the london style pull out ramps seem better to be honest.

[Ash]

This week i saw the ramp being used on a number 12 NX Coventry trident a man got on in pool meadow using the ramp because he had a electric wheelchair and was severely disabled and the ramp was definitely needed due to gap between the bus on the stand and the bus station and the bus couldn't lower itself enough to make both the bus and the platform of the bus station completely level, even assistance from the driver was needed to help the man in the wheelchair get on.

[nitromatt1]

Has anyone noticed over the past month or two the 002's front digital display has changed from '002' to 'oo2' (letter o's rather than numbers)? What's the point in this? Just looks strange

[Sh4318]

Yes, I did notice that, yet rear and side numbers remained the same

[Ash]

The only reasoning I can give is that the service is called the double o 2 so may be having some relations to that. Also it's lost it's scrolling via destinations and shows just the one (via Halesowen). They got changed with the recent Sandwell review with them needing to change most of the service numbers and destinations on them. If you ever see a cadet or dart on the 002 it will most likely have the normal 002 as there Hanover displays.

[nitromatt1]

I've seen all sorts of destinations on the display lately; Woodgate, Weoley Castle, Merry Hill, Halesowen, seen them with a blank display too...

Not much chance of seeing anything other than the 002 branded B7RLEs on the 002 either, been months since the last time I saw anything other than that

[Ash]

On VOSA today.

PD1028090/129 - CENTRAL CONNECT LTD T/A Birmingham Motor Traction, BEACON HOUSE, LONG ACRE, ASTON, BIRMINGHAM, B7 5JJ
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Birmingham, Moor Street and Tile Cross given service number 17 effective from 01-Apr-2013.

There's literally going to be hardly anything left at Long Acre (commercial services).

[PM]

Tbf the 17 is a dead duck and did I hear theyre cancelling the 10/10H too as well??!! I think this and the loss of nat ex work is perhaps a prelude to shutting long acre. The 50 can go to redditch, as can 19 tendered service and perhaps even the 16. Other routes can be returned to tividale. Perhaps the coaching stuff can be moved elsewhere, although with the loss of nat ex work I doubt theres as much as there was.

[Ash]

If long acre was to close the 16 would probably return to Tividale along with the black diamond hybirds. Not sure what would happen to the signature services and the X30.

[PM]

If long acre was to close the 16 would probably return to Tividale along with the black diamond hybirds. Not sure what would happen to the signature services and the X30.

Sorry yes forgot the 16 will probably go back to Tividale but the X30 has tonnes of dead mileage as it is-I wouldnt be surprised if Rotala didnt bid again for this contract as theres so much dead mileage and they gave up their other coventry services. Would it be closer to run the signature stuff from redditch?

[Ash]

Well apparently according to unreliable sources such as Wikipedia that the red diamond name is no more and is now known as Diamond Worcestershire hence the blue buses that will be put into service upon takeover.

[bwsau cymru]

im really not surprised that the 17 has been axed. I have only used it in town but see it by the radleys and around and its completely dead. should of kept the 97 going as that actually seemed to carry people and if the staff actually given a dam about actually picking up passengers then I honestly believe it would make them a nice little packet, was completely mad to keep 17. what on earth is happening to diamond in the west midlands, is the new investment the start of them giving up, for example arriva is now the second biggest operator in Walsall are they gonna get over taken by arriva?
real shame clearly need scott dunn back as he seemed to do a cracking job at tivadale!!

[Ash]

im really not surprised that the 17 has been axed. I have only used it in town but see it by the radleys and around and its completely dead. should of kept the 97 going as that actually seemed to carry people and if the staff actually given a dam about actually picking up passengers then I honestly believe it would make them a nice little packet, was completely mad to keep 17. what on earth is happening to diamond in the west midlands, is the new investment the start of them giving up, for example arriva is now the second biggest operator in Walsall are they gonna get over taken by arriva?
real shame clearly need scott dunn back as he seemed to do a cracking job at tivadale!!

I thought arriva has always been bigger in Walsall, diamond main territory is around West Bromwich with in the Black Country mainly old Petes travel services.