Wessex

[fleetline6477]

The Bath Uni 17 is coming off next week too, UoB service is the replacement

http://www.wessexbus.com/news/UniversityofBathServiceChangesJuly2017_606.html

Suggestions that Wessex have won a version of the cancelled First 18 on tender, also Severnside have cancelled their service routes in this area which will also presumably be re-tendered.

August's Buses fleet news reports Stagecoach are opening a North Bristol depot as they have won more tendered work in South Glos, possibly Severnside routes. Maybe they'll also bid to run some the MetroBus routes!

[Cedric]

UoB is only a short term replacement

Cancelled (Short notice)
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Avonmouth Station to Avonmouth Station via Avonmouth Industrial Area
Service number: SNF
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 31 Jul 2017

PH1066711/136 Cancelled
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: University of Bath, Bus Station to University of Bath, Bus Station via city centre and Lower Oldfield Park
Service number: UoB
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 22 Sep 2017

PH1066711/138 Registered
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Southmead Hospital to Avonmouth, Mclaren Road via westbury on Trym
Service number: 11 (11A)
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017

PH1066711/137 Registered
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Southmead Hospital to Emersons Green, Sainsburys via Frenchay Hospital
Service number: 10
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017

PD1006165 SI Licence surrendered WEF 17 July 2017 WESSEX BUS LTD Director(s): SIMON LEE DUNN, KIM TAYLOR, ANTONY CHARLES GOOZEE BIRMINGHAM COACH, CROSS QUAYS BUSINESS PARK, HALLBRIDGE WAY, TIVIDALE, OLDBURY, B69 3HW   

[winston]

PD1006165 SI Licence surrendered WEF 17 July 2017 WESSEX BUS LTD Director(s): SIMON LEE DUNN, KIM TAYLOR, ANTONY CHARLES GOOZEE BIRMINGHAM COACH, CROSS QUAYS BUSINESS PARK, HALLBRIDGE WAY, TIVIDALE, OLDBURY, B69 3HW

Not sure what the above relates to as, the Bristol & Bath Wessex Bus Ltd license is PH1066711

[MW]

Is http://www.wessexbus.com up to date on the route list?

I always thought Wessex was a bigger operation. According to that link, they only run 17 routes plus a UOB service. According to the fleet list, they have 77 buses allocated.

77 buses seems like a lot for 17 routes which most have a PVR of 2. Am I missing something here? Or have they basically got a scrapyard down there?

[StourportSam]

Is http://www.wessexbus.com up to date on the route list?

I always thought Wessex was a bigger operation. According to that link, they only run 17 routes plus a UOB service. According to the fleet list, they have 77 buses allocated.

77 buses seems like a lot for 17 routes which most have a PVR of 2. Am I missing something here? Or have they basically got a scrapyard down there?

From what I have seen on here a fair chunk of routes have been lost or scrapped recently.

[winston]

Most of the 62 / 13 plate Volvo B7RLE's have moved to Hallmark Heathrow for new Surrey CC routes from early Sept. Wessex Routes 505/506 etc were transferred to CTPlus from early Sept, fleet moves will not be showing yet. The last Bath Uni route UOB comes off later in Sept.

20815, 20911 & 30006 are currently parked up at Tividale
30005 is/was parked up at Kidderminster

[MW]

Thanks for that Winston,

So it's downsizing then.

Bit of a long shot, but can anyone help fill in the vehicle allocations. Not sure if we've got anyone on here who knows.

Avonmouth 3A
Avonmouth 3C
Avonmouth 3X
Avonmouth 3B
Avonmouth 51 - Volvo / Gemini's & VDL / Gemini's - 40205 & 40625/6 are branded for the 51
Avonmouth 508
Avonmouth 513
Avonmouth 514
Avonmouth 625
Avonmouth SNF - Cancelled from 31st July - 20915 was branded for it
Avonmouth 10 - MPD's & E200's
Avonmouth 10A - MPD's & E200's
Avonmouth 11
Avonmouth 11A
Avonmouth - Bicester Shuttles - Solo SR's - 20916 is painted in Bicester Village Shuttle livery
Keynsham   UOB - B7RLE's Plaxton - Cancelled from 22nd Sept
Keynsham   12
Keynsham   20A - Solo SR's 20401-3
Keynsham   20C - Solo SR's 20401-3
Keynsham   42

@MW I've filled in a few blanks mainly from obs posted or flickr photo's / service updates

[winston]

The Wessex business has shrunk considerably over the past few years, not necessarily by choice. First Bristol have been competing hard with Wessex & have got back in with the Uni's, and have now pushed Wessex off all Bristol & Bath Uni routes. Bristol / South Gloucestershire CC have cut funding & tendered routes, plus 4 tendered routes have recently been lost to CT Plus i.e. 505/6, 511 & 512 from early Sept. Also, Stagecoach has increased it's presence in South Gloucester with a number of tender wins, some of which Wessex used to operate, they also now have an outstation at SGBC's Patchway Depot.

Finally, any new commercial services that Wessex have introduced to replace lost work i.e. theOne, One2 & 90 have been met by First running additional short journey's or flooding the route with buses / matching Wessex cheaper fares (in the case of the 90), as soon as Wessex withdrew their 90, First cut their 90 back to it's original timetable. I.e First doubled their frequency from every 12 mins to every 6 mins one week after Wessex started on the route.

[MW]

The Wessex business has shrunk considerably over the past few years, not necessarily by choice. First Bristol have been competing hard with Wessex & have got back in with the Uni's, and have now pushed Wessex off all Bristol & Bath Uni routes. Bristol / South Gloucestershire CC have cut funding & tendered routes, plus 4 tendered routes have recently been lost to CT Plus i.e. 505/6, 511 & 512 from early Sept. Also, Stagecoach has increased it's presence in South Gloucester with a number of tender wins, some of which Wessex used to operate, they also now have an outstation at SGBC's Patchway Depot.

Finally, any new commercial services that Wessex have introduced to replace lost work i.e. theOne, One2 & 90 have been met by First running additional short journey's or flooding the route with buses / matching Wessex cheaper fares (in the case of the 90), as soon as Wessex withdrew their 90, First cut their 90 back to it's original timetable. I.e First doubled their frequency from every 12 mins to every 6 mins one week after Wessex started on the route.

Yeah it very much seems like they're being pushed out of Wessex.

Thanks for your help Winston.

[j789]

The Wessex business has shrunk considerably over the past few years, not necessarily by choice. First Bristol have been competing hard with Wessex & have got back in with the Uni's, and have now pushed Wessex off all Bristol & Bath Uni routes. Bristol / South Gloucestershire CC have cut funding & tendered routes, plus 4 tendered routes have recently been lost to CT Plus i.e. 505/6, 511 & 512 from early Sept. Also, Stagecoach has increased it's presence in South Gloucester with a number of tender wins, some of which Wessex used to operate, they also now have an outstation at SGBC's Patchway Depot.

Finally, any new commercial services that Wessex have introduced to replace lost work i.e. theOne, One2 & 90 have been met by First running additional short journey's or flooding the route with buses / matching Wessex cheaper fares (in the case of the 90), as soon as Wessex withdrew their 90, First cut their 90 back to it's original timetable. I.e First doubled their frequency from every 12 mins to every 6 mins one week after Wessex started on the route.

You can't expect the current operator to just lie down and let the newbie steal their passengers, particularly on routes well established so First had every right to do that. Equally, clearly the route was ok with the 12 minute frequency previously and I doubt the extra competition added many extra passengers to it to make it worthwhile so why would they stay at a 6 min frequency and lose money?
I wish these companies would be imaginative and start their own routes rather than just copy others, you can hardly say this method of competition is successful in the long term for significant growth.

[winston]

You can't expect the current operator to just lie down and let the newbie steal their passengers, particularly on routes well established so First had every right to do that. Equally, clearly the route was ok with the 12 minute frequency previously and I doubt the extra competition added many extra passengers to it to make it worthwhile so why would they stay at a 6 min frequency and lose money?
I wish these companies would be imaginative and start their own routes rather than just copy others, you can hardly say this method of competition is successful in the long term for significant growth.

Oh, you mean like First Bristol's route 48A which was a direct copy of the established Wessex 13 or route UWE which was a direct copy of Wessex's X14 via the M32.

Had First not pushed Wessex off UWE work in the first place, Wessex wouldn't have looked elsewhere to replace the lost work. Incidentally it was First that snubbed the Uni work & allowed Wessex in to UWE in the first place. 

[j789]

Oh, you mean like First Bristol's route 48A which was a direct copy of the established Wessex 13 or route UWE which was a direct copy of Wessex's X14 via the M32.

Had First not pushed Wessex off UWE work in the first place, Wessex wouldn't have looked elsewhere to replace the lost work. Incidentally it was First that snubbed the Uni work & allowed Wessex in to UWE in the first place.

Done as a response to Wessex competing on First's own routes. I think you will find Wessex made the first move in this particular competition and this was a response to that. Also, First got caught out in Redditch by Diamond which created the current mess there so will not let that happen again. Look what happened when Diamond tried to come into Worcester, much more of a fight was put up.

[winston]

Done as a response to Wessex competing on First's own routes. I think you will find Wessex made the first move in this particular competition and this was a response to that. Also, First got caught out in Redditch by Diamond which created the current mess there so will not let that happen again. Look what happened when Diamond tried to come into Worcester, much more of a fight was put up.

First made the initial moves by trying to win the contract for the UWE package of services, which I believe they did, then Wessex took the services on commercially, First previously ditched the UWE work. Wessex only ever operated contracted services prior to this point, the next moves again by First involved taking tendered services commercial i.e. the Yate area services 82, 84 & X27.  It wasn't until First started competing with the UWE services, that Wessex introduced their first commercial service competing with directly with First Bristol i.e. namely TheOne.

First only got caught out in Redditch as they provided a poor service / charged higher fares and constantly cut the network & frequencies. Diamond also provided newer vehicles than First did in Redditch.

Had First not managed (controlled) Worcester bus station, things may have worked out differently.

[j789]

First made the initial moves by trying to win the contract for the UWE package of services, which I believe they did, then Wessex took the services on commercially, First previously ditched the UWE work. Wessex only ever operated contracted services prior to this point, the next moves again by First involved taking tendered services commercial i.e. the Yate area services 82, 84 & X27.  It wasn't until First started competing with the UWE services, that Wessex introduced their first commercial service competing with directly with First Bristol i.e. namely TheOne.

First only got caught out in Redditch as they provided a poor service / charged higher fares and constantly cut the network & frequencies. Diamond also provided newer vehicles than First did in Redditch.

Had First not managed (controlled) Worcester bus station, things may have worked out differently.

As an employee who witnessed the diamond competition in Worcester first hand I can tell you that it was nothing to do with controlling the bus station. Diamond completely messed up and ended up losing all their Worcester contracts, even the 39! Not a sign of a well run unit! I certainly would not say first we're perfect by any stretch and there are many areas where they could improve both for passengers and their staff but I would bet good money that if you asked many people in Redditch now they would welcome first back with open arms. I know a number of ex diamond drivers and the stories they tell about them would leave anyone shocked. I do not pretend that my company did every thing right, clearly they didn't but the current alternative is far from perfect too.

[winston]

As an employee who witnessed the diamond competition in Worcester first hand I can tell you that it was nothing to do with controlling the bus station. Diamond completely messed up and ended up losing all their Worcester contracts, even the 39! Not a sign of a well run unit! I certainly would not say first we're perfect by any stretch and there are many areas where they could improve both for passengers and their staff but I would bet good money that if you asked many people in Redditch now they would welcome first back with open arms. I know a number of ex diamond drivers and the stories they tell about them would leave anyone shocked. I do not pretend that my company did every thing right, clearly they didn't but the current alternative is far from perfect too.

I believe it was stated in the trade press via an interview with Scott Dunn, that Diamond had planned to expand their commercial services further in Worcester, but were blocked by Crowngate Bus Station management, I believe they also put in a complaint to the Office of fair trading regarding the matter:

Quote from Stephen Bryce posted on Midlandred.net:

Based on the original specs provided by WCC we were loosing money on some tenders which is why by mutual agreement we terminated them and were allowed to retender for them.

Becasue of the way it is managed it is impossible to compete commercially in the Crowngate Bus Station but now we have a profitable business which keeps our foot in the door until the lease for the bus station runs out in October 2011, and then hopefully the Bus Station will then be managed by an impartial 3rd party.

Regarding Redditch drivers out of the 46 full time drivers employed 34 of them have over 2 years service with Diamond and its predessors. No matter what area you look at there are always drivers who float around various bus companies.

Some of the new faces you have seen are Tividale drivers on loan to cover a couple of unlucky drivers who have had accidents out of work preventing them from working for a few weeks.[/i]

http://www.midlandred.net/cgi-bin/forum/Blah.pl?m-1273629371/s-30/