43 Worcestershire tendered routes face axe

[winston]

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/10785134.88_bus_services_facing_the_chop/

[nitromatt1]

It says that Malvern is affected, I presume that's the 41/42/43 and its variations. It is bad news if that gets the chop as it can get very busy and is a lifeline for many OAPs living in more remote areas wishing to get into either Malvern or Upton

I expect the 362/363/364 (Worcester to Upton) will also be under threat. Upton would be left with only the irregular daytime 361 service if they were axed and no service to Worcester. Something needs to be done.

Also, what beats me is why they have used a picture of what I think is Halifax in the article

[the trainbasher]

* A major route due for change is the 31A and 31C Worcester Orbital to Sixways, which is ran by First Bus.
It was used 450,250 times last year, particularly for rugby fans heading to Worcester Warriors games, but is still subsidised by 50p per trip.
Under the proposals that subsidy will go, which is certain to mean some kind of changes to the service.

So even though it was used 450,250 times last year, the council cant be bothered to provide 50p/trip yet it can afford to pay its executives more that that.

Where is the justification for it. Surely they could scrap a few council managers instead?

[nitromatt1]

* A major route due for change is the 31A and 31C Worcester Orbital to Sixways, which is ran by First Bus.
It was used 450,250 times last year, particularly for rugby fans heading to Worcester Warriors games, but is still subsidised by 50p per trip.
Under the proposals that subsidy will go, which is certain to mean some kind of changes to the service.

So even though it was used 450,250 times last year, the council cant be bothered to provide 50p/trip yet it can afford to pay its executives more that that.

Where is the justification for it. Surely they could scrap a few council managers instead?

They cannot scrap the 31A/C surely,  despite being operated with Solos, SCC Darts and E200s, every bus gets busy and queues form quickly

[Liverpool Street]

* A major route due for change is the 31A and 31C Worcester Orbital to Sixways, which is ran by First Bus.
It was used 450,250 times last year, particularly for rugby fans heading to Worcester Warriors games, but is still subsidised by 50p per trip.
Under the proposals that subsidy will go, which is certain to mean some kind of changes to the service.

So even though it was used 450,250 times last year, the council cant be bothered to provide 50p/trip yet it can afford to pay its executives more that that.

Where is the justification for it. Surely they could scrap a few council managers instead?

I think your some sort of civil servant, Tom. Taking a dislikening to Council managers like that...

But remember cuts must start from the bottom, so it affects no one at the top...

[PM]

Clearly money needs to be saved but more could be saved at whitehall than locally. £3million is comparatively nothing. Having said that, even as someone who is keen on buses, why should the average taxpayer have to pay for services that are used by less than 10,000 people per year. It does seem ridiculous. Clearly for routes like the 350 it seems that cutting it would be ridiculous. Hopefully diamond can step in on a few routes and possibly first ass well. But why are firsts main services in worcester being subsidised. I don't really have much sympathy that the council have had enough of first wrecking services and then asking for subsidy. If they had made an effort to grow the market there then this would not have happened. The p and r sites are clearly unsustainable.

[Stuharris 6360]

* A major route due for change is the 31A and 31C Worcester Orbital to Sixways, which is ran by First Bus.
It was used 450,250 times last year, particularly for rugby fans heading to Worcester Warriors games, but is still subsidised by 50p per trip.
Under the proposals that subsidy will go, which is certain to mean some kind of changes to the service.

So even though it was used 450,250 times last year, the council cant be bothered to provide 50p/trip yet it can afford to pay its executives more that that.

Where is the justification for it. Surely they could scrap a few council managers instead?

So it was used by over 8000 people a week, and they are still considering the future of the service, i think some subsidised service in the West Midlands struggle to get 8000 passengers a year.

I suppose a lot of it depends on how many OAPs use it with there free passes, but i would have thought that if a service like that is under threat, i dread to think what the West Midlands will be like if Centro have to contemplate cuts like this.

[winston]

It sounds as though Woosh will also be closed down in favour out outsourcing the park & ride routes

[the trainbasher]

It sounds as though Woosh will also be closed down in favour out outsourcing the park & ride routes

Similar to what happened in Kent where KCC closed down Kent Top Travel with Stagecoach taking on most of the Canterbury/Thanet routes

[winston]

* A major route due for change is the 31A and 31C Worcester Orbital to Sixways, which is ran by First Bus.
It was used 450,250 times last year, particularly for rugby fans heading to Worcester Warriors games, but is still subsidised by 50p per trip.
Under the proposals that subsidy will go, which is certain to mean some kind of changes to the service.

So even though it was used 450,250 times last year, the council cant be bothered to provide 50p/trip yet it can afford to pay its executives more that that.

Where is the justification for it. Surely they could scrap a few council managers instead?

They cannot scrap the 31A/C surely,  despite being operated with Solos, SCC Darts and E200s, every bus gets busy and queues form quickly

If it's that busy why does it even need subsidy? Surely it could be taken on by First commercially

[PM]

It sounds as though Woosh will also be closed down in favour out outsourcing the park & ride routes

Don't even know why it was set up to start with.
To be honest, I wouldn't worry too much as its probably just a council ploy to see how much operators will take on if they threaten to axe subsidies. They hope that first will just say ok then, we'll run it without subsidy so then the council can save money. Can't see first or diamond being that stupid, theyll just pack up. Then the council will then have to subsidise anyway as they won't want services to go.

And thats it Winston-i imagine first try to squeeze the maximum amount of money out of the council and the council has probably had enough of subsidising first's mess and so it will force first to run a proper service.

[the trainbasher]

* A major route due for change is the 31A and 31C Worcester Orbital to Sixways, which is ran by First Bus.
It was used 450,250 times last year, particularly for rugby fans heading to Worcester Warriors games, but is still subsidised by 50p per trip.
Under the proposals that subsidy will go, which is certain to mean some kind of changes to the service.

So even though it was used 450,250 times last year, the council cant be bothered to provide 50p/trip yet it can afford to pay its executives more that that.

Where is the justification for it. Surely they could scrap a few council managers instead?

They cannot scrap the 31A/C surely,  despite being operated with Solos, SCC Darts and E200s, every bus gets busy and queues form quickly

If it's that busy why does it even need subsidy? Surely it could be taken on by First commercially

Maybe some trips are not commercially viable - or alternativly OAP passes are could be heavilly used? Either way Worcs CC need to have a look at other things that could be cut...
...like OAP passes which IMO should be Off Peak only (disabled passes should be allowed 24/7 imo)

[PM]

* A major route due for change is the 31A and 31C Worcester Orbital to Sixways, which is ran by First Bus.
It was used 450,250 times last year, particularly for rugby fans heading to Worcester Warriors games, but is still subsidised by 50p per trip.
Under the proposals that subsidy will go, which is certain to mean some kind of changes to the service.

So even though it was used 450,250 times last year, the council cant be bothered to provide 50p/trip yet it can afford to pay its executives more that that.

Where is the justification for it. Surely they could scrap a few council managers instead?

They cannot scrap the 31A/C surely,  despite being operated with Solos, SCC Darts and E200s, every bus gets busy and queues form quickly

If it's that busy why does it even need subsidy? Surely it could be taken on by First commercially

Maybe some trips are not commercially viable - or alternativly OAP passes are could be heavilly used? Either way Worcs CC need to have a look at other things that could be cut...
...like OAP passes which IMO should be Off Peak only (disabled passes should be allowed 24/7 imo)

OAP passes are off peak aren't they? Thought that was the whole point.

[the trainbasher]

* A major route due for change is the 31A and 31C Worcester Orbital to Sixways, which is ran by First Bus.
It was used 450,250 times last year, particularly for rugby fans heading to Worcester Warriors games, but is still subsidised by 50p per trip.
Under the proposals that subsidy will go, which is certain to mean some kind of changes to the service.

So even though it was used 450,250 times last year, the council cant be bothered to provide 50p/trip yet it can afford to pay its executives more that that.

Where is the justification for it. Surely they could scrap a few council managers instead?

They cannot scrap the 31A/C surely,  despite being operated with Solos, SCC Darts and E200s, every bus gets busy and queues form quickly

If it's that busy why does it even need subsidy? Surely it could be taken on by First commercially

Maybe some trips are not commercially viable - or alternativly OAP passes are could be heavilly used? Either way Worcs CC need to have a look at other things that could be cut...
...like OAP passes which IMO should be Off Peak only (disabled passes should be allowed 24/7 imo)

OAP passes are off peak aren't they? Thought that was the whole point.

Off Peak as in 0930-1529/1800-EOS M-F and all day Sa/Su

[Stu]

This is where 'network review' can be effective. Can any existing commercial services be revised to cover parts of currently subsidised services?