Arriva X31

[Bob]

There's still absolutely nothing on the Arriva site or Network WM site about whether the route is finishing on Sept 2nd! Its disgusting, what will they do announce it a week beforehand?!

[Discodave]

knowing arriva they will just take it off then announce it just typical of them this is

[Bob]

We're now a month away and still nothing, and it still isnt listed as going on the 2nd Sept on the network  wm service changes page, or the arriva site. Talk about crap, its still listed on vosa as finishing :-/

[andy]

Well they could well be waiting for the council to award an emergency tender until they can make a more permanent arrangement. These can be organised at extremely short notice. Arriva won't want to announce withdrawal if they're not completely sure it's coming off. You can bet your life an emergency tender will come with timetable changes, and they're just awaiting the details from the authorities before they can publish them.

Also, shockingly, bus operators don't have any obligation to publicise service withdrawals, all they have to do is give the correct amount of notice to cancel and register the cancellation with VOSA. As long as they operate properly up to the date of cancellation, they are in the clear. It is actually the local authority's responsibility to publicise. Obviously most operators do it themselves in order to look after customers.

[Bob]

The tender its on now is an emergency 3 month one. Im hoping they hang on to a route of some sort but ditch the motorway section its ridiculous took 90 min to get back to cannock on the 3.30 one 2 wks ago and it was 25 min late in the first place. Its impossible to run a reliable service on the M6 i dont know what the bloodyhell they were thinking of

[Discodave]

whoever timetabled it was a moron but like most arriva timetables its all done at leicester who know sod all about the areas except there own give the garages the control who know

[PM]

Thats one thing to be said for go ahead/rotala/national express/stagecoach-their decisions are not made miles away by someone in an office in essex or leicester like with first group. They realise that decisions should be made locally.

[Discodave]

thats why they are a sucess in there areas and Arriva are shit in theirs unless head office is there like liverpool,Wales,Newcastle (arriva group head office in Sunderland)

[PM]

I agree. They should learn from NBC and the USSR that local management is necessary and anything else doesnt work-I actually consider First a bit like the USSR-lots of silly commands coming out of one centralised head office.

[Stu]

bob,

Have you ever actually contacted Arriva directly about this?

[Bob]

yes and their customer service team havent a F****n clue whats happening! its due to end in bloody 15/16 days time and they still dont know, no announcement on the service updates on their website nothing for the 2nd Sept changes on the NWM site, apparently theres a meeting with Centro/Staffs this week, whether they'll come to an agreement i dont know. I hope its kept on, even at only the busy times it would still be handy esp with the bloody disgusting private profiteering train fare hikes announced today, if ever there was an argument for renationalisation!!!

[Tony]

yes and their customer service team havent a F****n clue whats happening! its due to end in bloody 15/16 days time and they still dont know, no announcement on the service updates on their website nothing for the 2nd Sept changes on the NWM site, apparently theres a meeting with Centro/Staffs this week, whether they'll come to an agreement i dont know. I hope its kept on, even at only the busy times it would still be handy esp with the bloody disgusting private profiteering train fare hikes announced today, if ever there was an argument for renationalisation!!!

Err haven't you noticed it is the government that decides the fare rises? somehow I don't think they would be cheaper nationalised

[Bob]

Apparently the privatised rail system actually costs the taxpayer more in subsidy than BR did tony! I think if there was a nationwide poll a majority would agree that rail privatisation hasnt worked and would back renationalisation. Even Thatcher described it as a 'privatisation too far'!

[Tony]

Apparently the privatised rail system actually costs the taxpayer more in subsidy than BR did tony! I think if there was a nationwide poll a majority would agree that rail privatisation hasnt worked and would back renationalisation. Even Thatcher described it as a 'privatisation too far'!

Oh true, and I wouldn't be against it either, I just don't think the fares would be any lower

[Bob]

I certainly dont think the service/fares could be any worse or fragmented than the mess we have now. The same with buses, previously, there were publicly owned monopolies run in the public interest, privatisation & deregulation were supposed to bring choice & competition, in towns like Stafford/Cannock etc where is it? public monopolies have been replaced with private.