Social distancing on buses, post Lockdown.

[ellspurs]

To encompass all the various bits in threads about how social distancing is going to work on buses for the foreseeable future.

When I was in Oxford on Tuesday, I saw a Stagecoach Oxford service 700 bus running to the hospitals. On the display at the front, it was showing "SORRY BUS FULL/DUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING".

I'm guessing the driver would have to set this manually when they feel the bus has reached its capacity.

From the NXWM timetables that went up at the end of last week, it seems that they are going to have extra buses at certain points along routes to throw into action if a set of buses get busy.

What extra resources are the drivers going to be given when they get confronted by people that don't wish to comply with the measures?

[Busboy105]

To encompass all the various bits in threads about how social distancing is going to work on buses for the foreseeable future.

When I was in Oxford on Tuesday, I saw a Stagecoach Oxford service 700 bus running to the hospitals. On the display at the front, it was showing "SORRY BUS FULL/DUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING".

I'm guessing the driver would have to set this manually when they feel the bus has reached its capacity.

From the NXWM timetables that went up at the end of last week, it seems that they are going to have extra buses at certain points along routes to throw into action if a set of buses get busy.

What extra resources are the drivers going to be given when they get confronted by people that don't wish to comply with the measures?

Maybe there will be police officers/inspectors what will be by the driver and deal with these types of people.

[mikestone]

I believe they are using passenger counting apparatus - which of course can't take into account members of a household being able to sit together.

[the trainbasher]

What's going to be interesting is what will happen on routes like the 57/10A/C where they are sometimes operated by 7×× e200s and it's the last journey (around 2/3ish) and there are more passengers than the "advisory capacity" waiting for it at Stourbridge.

How would the driver have to work that as not everyone can walk from the main road bus stop or has a car. And people are still entitled to go shopping/visit the bank or post office.

It'll be interested to see how diamond would work it on the hourly mellor routes.

[2206]

What's going to be interesting is what will happen on routes like the 57/10A/C where they are sometimes operated by 7×× e200s and it's the last journey (around 2/3ish) and there are more passengers than the "advisory capacity" waiting for it at Stourbridge.

The announcement I read from Stagecoach said they will still exceed this capacity, in regards to vulnerable passengers. In the case of last journey, they would fall into the vulnerable category I would think. So would have to be an exception I think.

Don't think it would be good leaving passengers behind on the last journey.

"Try to ensure where possible that the advisory capacity is not exceeded, however there may be some situations where full social distancing can not be maintained, particularly where vulnerable passengers could be put at risk by being left at a bus stop" - is the wording.

[karl724223]

What's going to be interesting is what will happen on routes like the 57/10A/C where they are sometimes operated by 7×× e200s and it's the last journey (around 2/3ish) and there are more passengers than the "advisory capacity" waiting for it at Stourbridge.

How would the driver have to work that as not everyone can walk from the main road bus stop or has a car. And people are still entitled to go shopping/visit the bank or post office.

It'll be interested to see how diamond would work it on the hourly mellor routes.

no fear pensnetts 10/A/C Breaking any rules or leaving anybody behind

[Kevin]

...
When I was in Oxford on Tuesday, I saw a Stagecoach Oxford service 700 bus running to the hospitals. On the display at the front, it was showing "SORRY BUS FULL/DUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING".

I'm guessing the driver would have to set this manually when they feel the bus has reached its capacity.
...

Oxfordshire drivers have been told to set the displays to this if the bus is full and radio to depot if there are any passengers left behind, although the drivers on my S4  commute back home to Banbury have told me not to worry about a potential 90 minute wait for the next one as they know I'll be boarding

[Ginger66]

social distancing won't work i.e. I usually catch the 23/24 outside the great of BCU on Harborne road heading into town some days a few people others thirty waiting,  this means if everyone stands two meters apart you could be at the next stop in line waiting for a for the bus at the original stop.   

I have walked from Edgbaston into the city centre and on a few times and it can take twenty to thirty minutes, but would not contemplate walking in the winter or the rain.   

[2206]

social distancing won't work i.e. I usually catch the 23/24 outside the great of BCU on Harborne road heading into town some days a few people others thirty waiting,  this means if everyone stands two meters apart you could be at the next stop in line waiting for a for the bus at the original stop.   

I have walked from Edgbaston into the city centre and on a few times and it can take twenty to thirty minutes, but would not contemplate walking in the winter or the rain.

There are 30 people waiting for it at that one stop at present, or there would be in normal times?
Buses seem to be fairly quiet at present from what I've seen and frequencies have recently been enhanced. So think it would mostly work for the time being - i.e. the next few weeks.

Where it won't work, is say if they go back to how busy some of them were before around peak hours I think.

[Steveminor]

social distancing won't work i.e. I usually catch the 23/24 outside the great of BCU on Harborne road heading into town some days a few people others thirty waiting,  this means if everyone stands two meters apart you could be at the next stop in line waiting for a for the bus at the original stop.   

Which is why people need to take note of the guidelines and not use public transport unless necessary.
People who only want to travel 1 or 2 stops may very well put the bus to its reduced capacity and mean someone needing to travel further cannot board.

I have walked from Edgbaston into the city centre and on a few times and it can take twenty to thirty minutes, but would not contemplate walking in the winter or the rain.

[MK]

I completely agree with you regarding the guidelines and the current situation.

Things will have to change from the 15th June though. The government is opening up non-essential retail and our Prime Minister has gone on record as encouraging people to go out and spend to help kick-start the economy. You cannot have a situation where Shopping Centres/Shopping areas in large City Centres are opening their doors, yet people are still discouraged from using public transport to get there. The idea would be absurd.
My teenage sister and all of her friends are counting down the days for the opportunity to come to Birmingham to visit Primark as the store has no online presence. They haven't been put off going out shopping & many young adults will feel the same. And with the amount of shopping these people buy, i can't see it all fitting on a pushbike.

[Steveminor]

Whilst social distancing rules remain in place it's going to be a very long wait to get into shops like primark & probably a very long wait to get on a bus there or home.

In reality I cannot see this being a flick of the switch & it all goes back to normal

[WyreForestShuttle]

Whilst social distancing rules remain in place it's going to be a very long wait to get into shops like primark & probably a very long wait to get on a bus there or home.

In reality I cannot see this being a flick of the switch & it all goes back to normal

From using buses throughout the Covid-19 pandemic due to having to undertake essential journeys on the whole I have found passengers usually exercising social distancing rules without the need of operators and government having to specify set rules whether the public can continue to exercise this long term is another matter.

[MK]

I agree, but people will be prepared to queue to get into these shops.

Nobody expects a flick of a switch. I certainly don't. I'm simply talking about the attitude of government/transport providers regarding the message that they send out.

The word/words 'essential' or 'essential journies' simply cannot be used in any sensible conversation when non essential retail opens up.

[Steveminor]

I'm sure when we get to that stage the appropriate language will be used.