First Bus - Leicester

[andy1571]

Not sure if they would have put the ticket machine back in 66841 for that what I assume was a trial of the route? Or if indeed they ran the electric out to see how it went?
I do remember before BHX3 launched.. the 66841 / driver trainer was seen in Daventry testing the route.. my guess is this could have been the same?
surprised electric hasn't got its own ticket machine yet (hence not on bus times)? Maybe they are awaiting on some?

I'm not sure about what has happened since, but I happened to be on Abbey Lane early last Wednesday (22nd), and the bus tracking as 66841 was....66841

[Glenfieldmathk1]

I'm not sure about what has happened since, but I happened to be on Abbey Lane early last Wednesday (22nd), and the bus tracking as 66841 was....66841

Thanks Andy..
Indeed this is correct, as I saw it out too.. not sure why it's just doing that back and forth so early? (Drivers trained early in the morning)?
I did see a green bus the other week and pressumed it was the electric, but must of seen something else.. my apologies

[Glenfieldmathk1]

Some E200's have arrived from First BOS. These are temporary, while further E200's come to Leicester for the airport contract.. it looks like it's the old Arriva shuttles.

[winston]

The  buses from BOS are meant to be E300's

[SSmith09]

Some E200's have arrived from First BOS. These are temporary, while further E200's come to Leicester for the airport contract.. it looks like it's the old Arriva shuttles.

Yes it's the same contract for EMA 

Specified vehicles (luggage racks etc) are due soon for it

[Glenfieldmathk1]

Also noted: April 16th Service changes.
Further adjustment to 16 has been announced.. it's being extended to serve the area currently served by Centrebus 54A in Goodwood. It'll run the extended route only Mon-Sat.. keeping current route on Sunday.

[xmj-signal]

Also noted: April 16th Service changes.
Further adjustment to 16 has been announced.. it's being extended to serve the area currently served by Centrebus 54A in Goodwood. It'll run the extended route only Mon-Sat.. keeping current route on Sunday.

While I don't know the ins-and-outs of the decision to extend the 16, it does seem a bit of a 'sledgehammer to crack a nut' solution. What a convoluted route, though probably necessary if you're going to add a new terminal loop onto a route which already has a terminal loop! The 16 does have some slack in the timetables though.

Surely the easiest way to have covered the Gamel Road loop would have been for two journeys an hour on new route 15 (the Goodwood side of current route 54) to run as a 15A and follow the current Centrebus route (i.e. out along Ambassador Road rather than to the top of Wicklow Drive) then round the Gamel Road loop and back to inward on Ambassador Road. This would have required no more running time and would have been simpler to understand as it would effectively just have been a renumbering of the existing 54A. Probably wouldn't have needed much support funding either.

[Glenfieldmathk1]

While I don't know the ins-and-outs of the decision to extend the 16, it does seem a bit of a 'sledgehammer to crack a nut' solution. What a convoluted route, though probably necessary if you're going to add a new terminal loop onto a route which already has a terminal loop! The 16 does have some slack in the timetables though.

Surely the easiest way to have covered the Gamel Road loop would have been for two journeys an hour on new route 15 (the Goodwood side of current route 54) to run as a 15A and follow the current Centrebus route (i.e. out along Ambassador Road rather than to the top of Wicklow Drive) then round the Gamel Road loop and back to inward on Ambassador Road. This would have required no more running time and would have been simpler to understand as it would effectively just have been a renumbering of the existing 54A. Probably wouldn't have needed much support funding either.

I thought this too, a 15A probably would have been more simpler. But then I guess it'll just be a trial and it may change in end Aug/September (which is the next allowed change dates according to bus plan).

I said this on Facebook, and former MD liked it.. they've split the service 54 so both sides can be reviewed separately. I'm sure then come September they can review the services and adjust if necessary.

I also read that Centrebus plan is to run singles on 22/22A but again it's likely they'll keep reviewing. As it's close proximity to Broadway - they may pull a DD over from the uni route for a peak rush for example?
Although when I did go on 22 this week it didn't look that well used.. compared to 13 which was packed at 1.20 in the afternoon for example.

[SSmith09]

While I don't know the ins-and-outs of the decision to extend the 16, it does seem a bit of a 'sledgehammer to crack a nut' solution. What a convoluted route, though probably necessary if you're going to add a new terminal loop onto a route which already has a terminal loop! The 16 does have some slack in the timetables though.

Surely the easiest way to have covered the Gamel Road loop would have been for two journeys an hour on new route 15 (the Goodwood side of current route 54) to run as a 15A and follow the current Centrebus route (i.e. out along Ambassador Road rather than to the top of Wicklow Drive) then round the Gamel Road loop and back to inward on Ambassador Road. This would have required no more running time and would have been simpler to understand as it would effectively just have been a renumbering of the existing 54A. Probably wouldn't have needed much support funding either.

Ideally I'd have diverted the outbound 16 right onto Broad Avenue through the General Hospital (same as HH and 40 do) then left onto Coleman Road, right onto Green Lane Road/Wicklow Drive to do the Gamel road loop then back into General Hospital the same way via Coleman Road. 

Would save doing a double loop of Coleman Road and no stops would be missed either too.

[xmj-signal]

I thought this too, a 15A probably would have been more simpler. But then I guess it'll just be a trial and it may change in end Aug/September (which is the next allowed change dates according to bus plan).

I also read that Centrebus plan is to run singles on 22/22A but again it's likely they'll keep reviewing. As it's close proximity to Broadway - they may pull a DD over from the uni route for a peak rush for example?
Although when I did go on 22 this week it didn't look that well used.. compared to 13 which was packed at 1.20 in the afternoon for example.

The new times for route 16 are in bustimes.org (I chose 18th April as an example) and it shows that it will require an extra vehicle to extend the 16 (1 hour 25 mins City Centre to City Centre, an extra half-an-hour to get round the extension):

https://bustimes.org/services/16-city-centre-general-hospital?date=2023-04-18

Regarding the 22, I have used the route quite regularly and it's fair to say that the double deckers are probably not needed outside of peak hours/school times. If Centrebus can make sure they use full-size single deckers, it should be okay during the day but I fully expect to find Optare Solos getting on the route.

However, I have always tried to avoid school times. On one occasion when I had no choice but to travel to Evington at around 0800, the double decker was full and leaving some students at stops further along the route. When I say 'full', they were standing on the top deck and right up the stairs and I assume the lower deck was chock-a-block as well. Unless something has changed drastically over the last few months, I think Centrebus will have no choice but to either use double deckers or double-up on vehicles for those journeys.

[LazyGuy222]

As a daily user of the 22, the route is still extremely busy during the morning and afternoon/evening peak. It'll definitely cope during the day, but it 100% needs double deckers, especially on the buses at around 7/8 in the morning and all of them after 3pm. 

Agree with the comments made about the 16, ridiculous route extension and would've made far more sense to change the 15 instead. The council are making too many changes at once with these upcoming changes, and are not thinking about whether or not these "improvements" are actually improvements. 

[LazyGuy222]

The Wrightbus Electroliner demonstrator pulled into the Abbey Lane depot at around 16:15 this afternoon, displaying 36 to Leeds on the front rather oddly.

There is also a Sheffield Streetdeck in the depot, but unsure of which.

[Fin W]

The Wrightbus Electroliner demonstrator pulled into the Abbey Lane depot at around 16:15 this afternoon, displaying 36 to Leeds on the front rather oddly.
There is also a Sheffield Streetdeck in the depot, but unsure of which.

LY71 GJE back?

[SSmith09]

33696 has re-entered service after repairs following an rta in January 

[Fin W]

69376 has been spotted on training duties in Leicester, I'm not sure if it is a loan or a transfer from Olive Grove