Arriva take over Midland

[dayvid]

Why is it sad News?

[vinh1000]

Why is it sad News?

Decent company and who knows I dont tend to like arrivas buses some of them sound like they need a service lol
Hoping things stays same ie midlands fares for example

[andy]

Some cracking conspiracy theories here! I fear many of you will be disappointed. It was puzzling to see Arriva pay good money for Chase only to dispose of much of its West Midlands operations, I can't see them repeating that trick now that they have commenced tendered operations of their own in the area. They were also probably quite keen to rid themselves of any potential costly  future competition in Staffs as Midland were starting to put a handy little network together.

A little like Wardles, I think you will find that they will take quite a while to implement any serious changes and will just add to their tendered work, probably at slightly more realistic prices and under the Arriva name, which is already familiar to most people in the Walsall and Wolverhampton areas.

It did occur to me Dave that many of the staff must be ex Arriva but not all of them would have been sacked! They may have just gone there because of better shifts or other reasons. The main reason staff end up leaving in these takeover situations is because they can't keep hold of their cushy numbers...the same happened when Arriva acquired Frontline in Lichfield, many of the staff were ex MRN or Stevo's and moved on because they couldn't have their 55 hours a week over 5 days!! That said I am sure there are always a couple of tricky cases for both sides.

I must say I find it shocking so many people hate the Arriva livery now. I think it's smart and well applied, and that the buses look great in it. Granted, the original one wasn't up to much. It will be interesting to see how many of the Midland kit Arriva deem worthy of retaining and repainting.

[nx4737]

Sorry it's just you said in another post that apart from the VDLs and Omnicitys the rest is tat. The tridents and Omniciys will look strange in arriva livery.

They have OmniCitys already, as said... 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adogriff/4855080858/

But yeah, I stand by my previous statement, second hand Darts and Solos are tat...

[Tony]

Looking forward to seeing the Evolutions in Arriva livery - I bet they'd look really smart.

From what I have been told today I think you will be disappointed

[John]

Looking forward to seeing the Evolutions in Arriva livery - I bet they'd look really smart.

From what I have been told today I think you will be disappointed

What do you mean by that.

I'm guessing Arriva might be selling them on, not keeping them.

[Tony]

Looking forward to seeing the Evolutions in Arriva livery - I bet they'd look really smart.

From what I have been told today I think you will be disappointed

What do you mean by that.

I'm guessing Arriva might be selling them on, not keeping them.

I don't think they will be passing into Arriva ownership and they will move North to somewhere still owned by D&G. Arriva will just be left with the Darts and Solos (and maybe the tridents) passing to Arriva

[MW]

It is a shame.

[Tony]

They probably will keep the tridents as they operate on route 10.

Will arriva keep Wednesfield depot. If so will existing Midland routes all operate from there or will some that operate in areas of cannock and shropshire tranfer to closer garages. If they do keep wednesfield depot will existing tendered routes in wolverhampton still operate from hilltop.

Why wouldn't arriva get the VDL's. they could still be used on the number 9.

The VDLs operate on the route 9 but they aren't passing to Arriva, so it doesn't mean the tridents will stay just because they are on the 10!

I haven't been told anything about the depot.

Presumably because when the deal was signed between D&G and Arriva a list of assets included in the sale would have been compiled and the owners of D&G decided the price Arriva were paying wasn't enough to include the more valuable buses.

I will ask the question of what exactly is included in the sale, but I don't know if I will get an answer. It seems one side or both are reluctant to disclose details as the price paid is not being disclosed

[j_rp_wright]

I doubt  very much if Arriva would keep Midlands depot due to the extra costs running it. They will more than likely transfer routes to appropriate depots. They won't want another depot with all the facilities when there trying to close depots down and replace them with out posts.

[D10]

Maybe it is apt that next year sees the 40th anniversary of the takeover by the West Midlands PTE of Midland Red local services, and by then many of the services will be run again by one of the successors to the BMMO following this takeover and the Tender gains!

Shame they can't put the buses in Wardle red livery to keep alive the memories of both Midland and Midland Red.

[andyc225]

Any news on which routes they've actually won? Last I heard the results were to be published by today at the latest. No sign of them though.

[richie]

if their long term stratergy is to expand then it would make sense to keep the midland depot

[Discodave]

I work from the transport yard next door for BOC not K transport spoke to a driver who was at the meeting was told wednesfield was staying open as they are on a 5 year lease (no get out) at wednesfield.  Hill top only has a 1 year one

[Discodave]

Why is it sad News?

Decent company and who knows I dont tend to like arrivas buses some of them sound like they need a service lol
Hoping things stays same ie midlands fares for example

Fares are regulated in the midlands so the usual £1.90 fare like everyone else will stay maybe Arriva will introduce a West Midlands area ticket like some of the existing ones they do now they have a larger set of services in the West Midlands