Rotala Management - Questions & Answers

[Cedric]

Hi @Simon Dunn
Thanks for your last reply

1) When are more MAN Plaxton Centro's going to be transferred to Kidderminster? Because the V and X reg SLF Darts have a horrible burning smell especially when they are operating the 2L or X3 for some reason?

2) Why is a MPD Dart allocated to the 4A in Kidderminster? Because the service always leaves full and standing. Also I don't think it is right for a 70+ year old woman to stand all the way to Fairfield all the time.

3) What is the plan for 30704 KX57 OVS and 30805 KX08 HMY are they ever going to go back into service?

4) What improvements will there be to the 2L in September as I have heard you have won the contract to run the service again? Will there be some better buses on the 2L route from September like some MAN or Volvo engined Plaxton Centro's?

reece
What you have said about the V And X reg dart  I have been  on a few of these 0n the 2L and X3   and never have come across  what you have described.

[Reece]

reece
What you have said about the V And X reg dart  I have been  on a few of these 0n the 2L and X3   and never have come across  what you have described.

@Cedric Well you have clearly not been on one on a very hot day then!

[Cedric]

@Cedric Well you have clearly not been on one on a very hot day then!

sorry Reece  I have been on the  on a very hot day I use the 2l  a lot .
I catch the last 2L  most Saturday . and  in your post about the 4A
to save the 70+ old lady standing  why not  stand (if you can.by
that I mean  if you have something wrong with you health wise
that  you are unable to do so) and give her your seat.

[Reece]

sorry Reece  I have been on the  on a very hot day I use the 2l  a lot .

@Cedric Well I usually catch the last 2L of the day at 18:15 from Kidderminster Town Hall so by that point these V and X reg Darts are starting to overheat because they have been working the 2L all day and when the bus is empty you notice the burning smell more especially on 30383 and 30637!!

[JPC]

Hi Simon

A bit of chat regarding the 88 service between Solihull & Balsall Common (taking into account I am NOT a user of this service)......

Has there been any adverse effect on the usage of service 88 since Johnsons extended their 87 service from Balsall Common to Solihull on April 26th last?
Has Diamond or Centro put the 88 service under review because of this?

Here is a few route suggestions for the 88 for the purpose of offering useful (or onward) destinations in both directions....
1) Towards Balsall Common run as current to Holly Lane then left turn Balsall St right turn Station Rd continuing straight through to the roundabout by Berkswell Station. The reverse of that for the return journey.
2) Something more radical, avoid Balsall Common altogether and divert to Kenilworth Town instead, as current route to Table Oak Lane then continue to Meer End hamlet, left turn Meer End Rd (A4177), right turn onto (A452) Kenilworth Road continue on Birmingham Rd and Clinton Lane to Kenilworth town centre. Granted this will add about 5 miles / 12 minutes to a return journey but splitting from the 82 rota and recasting a less frequent timetable as a offset might work.

That's all for now

[Simon Dunn]

Hi @Simon Dunn
Thanks for your last reply

1) When are more MAN Plaxton Centro's going to be transferred to Kidderminster? Because the V and X reg SLF Darts have a horrible burning smell especially when they are operating the 2L or X3 for some reason?

2) Why is a MPD Dart allocated to the 4A in Kidderminster? Because the service always leaves full and standing. Also I don't think it is right for a 70+ year old woman to stand all the way to Fairfield all the time.

3) What is the plan for 30704 KX57 OVS and 30805 KX08 HMY are they ever going to go back into service?

4) What improvements will there be to the 2L in September as I have heard you have won the contract to run the service again? Will there be some better buses on the 2L route from September like some MAN or Volvo engined Plaxton Centro's?

Reece,

1.  This is work in progress, as you will have seen more MAN's have been entering service

2.  We have reviewed the ticket machine date, and there is no journey that has ever carried even half that number.  The average loads is in single digits, which is why we use a MPD

3.  They should be near completion

4.  The service will start from the Bus Station, and there is a regular service between Kidderminster and the estates.

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon

A bit of chat regarding the 88 service between Solihull & Balsall Common (taking into account I am NOT a user of this service)......

Has there been any adverse effect on the usage of service 88 since Johnsons extended their 87 service from Balsall Common to Solihull on April 26th last?
Has Diamond or Centro put the 88 service under review because of this?

Here is a few route suggestions for the 88 for the purpose of offering useful (or onward) destinations in both directions....
1) Towards Balsall Common run as current to Holly Lane then left turn Balsall St right turn Station Rd continuing straight through to the roundabout by Berkswell Station. The reverse of that for the return journey.
2) Something more radical, avoid Balsall Common altogether and divert to Kenilworth Town instead, as current route to Table Oak Lane then continue to Meer End hamlet, left turn Meer End Rd (A4177), right turn onto (A452) Kenilworth Road continue on Birmingham Rd and Clinton Lane to Kenilworth town centre. Granted this will add about 5 miles / 12 minutes to a return journey but splitting from the 82 rota and recasting a less frequent timetable as a offset might work.

That's all for now

JPC,

This service is a Centro tender, Kenilworth is over the border and I doubt Centro would be keen on not serving Balsall Common either.

The 88 cycles with the 82 as there is not enough time for the 82 to cycle on its own. To add yet more time will = a PVR increase.

So will there be sufficient passengers travelling to/from Kenilworth to justify adding a commercial variation to a tendered service that costs a PVR?




Simon

[Reece]

sorry Reece  I have been on the  on a very hot day I use the 2l  a lot .
I catch the last 2L  most Saturday . and  in your post about the 4A
to save the 70+ old lady standing  why not  stand (if you can.by
that I mean  if you have something wrong with you health wise
that  you are unable to do so) and give her your seat.

@Cedric I was standing as well thank you very much!!!!

[the trainbasher]

Simon,

Have diamond got anywhere with installing Real Time on their fleet so people can get live data instead of having to guesstimate how long their bus would be (would be useful especially for those who rely on the bus to commute like myself)

Tom

[domino.99]

Simon,

May I ask what the buses for evening 81's come off of please.

Cheers Dom

[StourportSam]

Simon,

Have diamond got anywhere with installing Real Time on their fleet so people can get live data instead of having to guesstimate how long their bus would be (would be useful especially for those who rely on the bus to commute like myself)

Tom

I think Simon has said in the past this software is installed on buses and used by Diamond but not yet reliable enough to roll out for the public to use.

[the trainbasher]

@Dom the 2015, 2215 ex wolverhampton on evenings comes off the 226

[4747]

@Dom the 2015, 2215 ex wolverhampton on evenings comes off the 226

Edit

the other journeys come off the 25a/c I believe

[Trident 4194]

Why did the driver of 30861 not stop in Halesowen bus station at the correct stand, he unloaded at the 002 stand briefly then continued to Hayley green

[StourportSam]

Hi Simon,

Are you able to say if the following vehicles are likely to re-enter service please?

20572
20652
30382
30901

Also would like to say what a welcome addition the various Centros are to the Kidderminster fleet. Using them on the 3 service has really helped to upgrade it. The fact they are considerably newer than some of your vehicles has I think improved some people's opinion of Diamond locally.

Many Thanks
Sam