Route 202

[fleetline6477]

From my observations of route 202 in the past there always seemed to be decent loadings on the Royales.

Is the 202 still run from Kidderminster or has it gone back to Tividale?

Now there seem to be regular reports of Primos and even Solos on regularly. Does this mean that passenger numbers have fallen? Or are Diamond really running vehicles that are too small for the route?

[Trident 4194]

From my observations of route 202 in the past there always seemed to be decent loadings on the Royales.

Is the 202 still run from Kidderminster or has it gone back to Tividale?

Now there seem to be regular reports of Primos and even Solos on regularly. Does this mean that passenger numbers have fallen? Or are Diamond really running vehicles that are too small for the route?

It's back at tividale, loading screen are generally good, primo are ideal vehicles I think

[winston]

I don't think some of the regulars are happy with the 202 service / Primo's:

http://midlandred.net/cgi-bin/forum/Blah.pl?m-1448715609/

[fleetline6477]

Reece, can you please explain this. With respect to operating the route from Kidderminster or Tividale I cannot see how a Council can determine from which depot an operator runs a route. Also what is this about a blanket ban on Diamond routes? Is the 202 currently commercial or subsidised?

[winston]

The only reason Primo's and Solo's have been allocated to the 202 is because Diamond don't won't the route running out of Tividale. The 202 was due to transfer to the Kiddy depot once again on the 26th October but WCC put a stop to this a few days before the route transferred. By putting a blanket contract renewal ban across all Worcestershire Diamond routes.

So basically Diamond are now running the 202 into the ground all because they want the route at Kidderminster and not Tividale. The passengers on the 202 deserve a better service some company like Central or Hansons needs to come in and turn around this route that once had full and standing loads in Ludlows days.

WCC have no say in where Diamond operate the 202 from, it's a commercial route.

Had it crossed your mind before posting the above rubbish, that Diamond may no longer have needed to move the 202 back to KR to free up capacity at Tividale? From the Oct 26th Tividale Pvr was down 4 due to withdrawal of commercial 56 route, then from 15th Nov down another 4 following the loss of Centro tendered 53 route to Igo.

The 142 was extended to Quinton from 26th Oct (Pvr +1) & Diamond gained the Centro tendered 303 (Pvr +1) = net loss of 6 buses worth of work

[Will]

WCC have no say in where Diamond operate the 202 from, it's a commercial route.

Had it crossed your mind before posting the above rubbish, that Diamond may no longer have needed to move the 202 back to KR to free up capacity at Tividale? From the Oct 26th Tividale Pvr was down 4 due to withdrawal of commercial 56 route, then from 15th Nov down another 4 following the loss of Centro tendered 53 route to Igo.

The 142 was extended to Quinton from 26th Oct (Pvr +1) & Diamond gained the Centro tendered 303 (Pvr +1) = net loss of 6 buses worth of work

You forgot to mention one thing @Winston which is another reason why it didn't transfer back to Kidderminster is because Kidderminster alongside Tividale & Redditch haven't got enough drivers and I've been told that by several different drivers

[winston]

You forgot to mention one thing @Winston which is another reason why it didn't transfer back to Kidderminster is because Kidderminster alongside Tividale & Redditch haven't got enough drivers and I've been told that by several different drivers

You don't need to go on what drivers say, there was another recruitment event only yesterday at Tividale, but after drivers across all three depots:
http://www.diamondbuses.com/careers/BusDrivers_27.html

[MW]

You don't need to go on what drivers say, there was another recruitment event only yesterday at Tividale, but after drivers across all three depots:
http://www.diamondbuses.com/careers/BusDrivers_27.html

There's a newspaper cutting/advert that Diamond are recruiting stuck on the one of the noticeboards at AG lol.

[StourportSam]

You don't need to go on what drivers say, there was another recruitment event only yesterday at Tividale, but after drivers across all three depots:
http://www.diamondbuses.com/careers/BusDrivers_27.html

I have not spoken to any drivers but from my casual observations when out and about using the services to get to and from work there are driver shortages. From what I have observed I would say recruitment was at its worst in September/October when several long standing drivers appeared to leave and candidates recruited were poor, this seems to have improved a lot now and punctually seems better the last two weeks or so as well with many new faces at the wheel. All casual obervations - what I am saying could be rubbish but there we are. Overall things seem to be on the up again, so well done Diamond for turning it around and best of luck.

[winston]

I have not spoken to any drivers but from my casual observations when out and about using the services to get to and from work there are driver shortages. From what I have observed I would say recruitment was at its worst in September/October when several long standing drivers appeared to leave and candidates recruited were poor, this seems to have improved a lot now and punctually seems better the last two weeks or so as well with many new faces at the wheel. All casual obervations - what I am saying could be rubbish but there we are. Overall things seem to be on the up again, so well done Diamond for turning it around and best of luck.

@StourportSam KR has had blip this year with high levels of breakdowns & driver shortages which have been in the press a couple of times, however overall the KR fleet & service levels on some routes are much better under Diamond than they were under First.

[StourportSam]

@StourportSam KR has had blip this year with high levels of breakdowns & driver shortages which have been in the press a couple of times, however overall the KR fleet & service levels on some routes are much better under Diamond than they were under First.

I would agree with you to a point, but you seem to dismiss in the above that there has been any real damage done. Speaking as someone living at one end of the number 3 route and working at the other end I can confidently say service provision has been very poor this year. Gaps of 40 minutes have not been uncommon. Another service I use regularly is the number 10 and this has been diabolical so far this year - it has been all too common for there to be much more than the 30 minute gap between services.

I understand the issues causing said problems and am patient as a result, but other bus users are not prepared to be so understanding, hence press reports and complaints.

I agree the fleet is a lot better than under First, which routes exactly have better service levels?

[winston]

I would agree with you to a point, but you seem to dismiss in the above that there has been any real damage done. Speaking as someone living at one end of the number 3 route and working at the other end I can confidently say service provision has been very poor this year. Gaps of 40 minutes have not been uncommon. Another service I use regularly is the number 10 and this has been diabolical so far this year - it has been all too common for there to be much more than the 30 minute gap between services.

I understand the issues causing said problems and am patient as a result, but other bus users are not prepared to be so understanding, hence press reports and complaints.

I agree the fleet is a lot better than under First, which routes exactly have better service levels?

I can't comment to the degree that you can, I'm only working on what is posted on here & elsewhere.

Aren't the 1 & 3 frequencies higher under Diamond than First?

Wasn't the First allocation was approx 20 buses, now Diamond KR has an allocation of 31 ish buses, admittedly some of the extra buses will be due to Droitwich routes & tendered route gains when Whittle's closed down, but that doesn't account for all.