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[Gerryo]

I used to use this 406 service a lot, but it was very unreliable even though very useful.

I also notice that in the Panshanger area over the last 10 or so years we have gone from 5 bus routes through the area to 1. Considering the amount of Housing in Panshanger there must be a justification for more than 1 service. Arriva, as has been said previously are only interested in maintaining shareholders returns and the service suffers. At the moment the local bus stop is covered in posters about the information available all surrounding the single schedule, its service that is required not propaganda. The other point to note is that since we're down to 1 bus it has become unreliable for time.

[ReneF]

Question IS, are the buses being run to assist the general public, OR for the convenience of the Bus Companies?
I know they have to make a profit so if buses are under used then why not use a smaller bus! DON'T remove the service altogether.
Surely the 300 could be slightly re-routed to take in Birchwood and the QE2 Hospital, or the 301 could come to the Hopfields before continuing along it's usual route.
I have no complaints with the 300/301 service, so I would opt for a re-routed Birchwood to QE2 Hospital. Could this be a future option???
Something needs to be done very quickly because I'm sure this must be affecting a lot of elderly people who don't have access to a computer and the Forum, so cannot add their opinion here.

[adamedwardsteather]

Sadly the 406 was being made to make money.  Bus companies can stop routes with only 6 weeks notice if not profitable and can also compete along profitable routes to destroy each other as has wastefully happened in Manchester, Glasgow and many other cities.  UNO, as they are first and foremost a support to the University, may be able to help. 
 
However, perhaps there is room for a new entreprenurial company to take this on.  ShappsBus sounds good to me!
 
Adam

[Gerryo]

However, perhaps there is room for a new entreprenurial company to take this on.  ShappsBus sounds good to me!
 
Adam

Are you waiting to be taken for a ride 

[jonmorris]

There must be a better way to run these things. HCC should subsidise services, but also monitor in a lot more depth to ensure they're not being taken for a ride.

HCC said they wanted to fit all buses with GPS, to allow real time service information, driver location, time monitoring (late or early running) and providing DDA compliance by giving audible/visual onboard information (next stop: ... etc). If they did this, they could at least check all buses were running, and on time.

They could then have some sort of accounting system that monitors the revenue from each service. There are also systems to count passenger numbers (numbers boarding/alighting or even weight) so the bus company couldn't plead poverty, get a subsidy and then rake in the cash on top. Monitoring passenger numbers in an indisputable way would also stop operators from being able to fiddle things to show high or low demand (counting on more people with passes to get revenue, or not issuing tickets to claim a service is underused).

I don't fully know, obviously, how it works today but - like I've said about a lot of things - technology can solve these problems. It just needs suitable investment and someone knowing what they're doing.

For now, HCC might just like to send out some inspectors once in a while. They might then spot the services being run badly (e.g. early running), or not at all (shortcutting) - in some places and realise that this can discourage people from using the buses in the first place. End result; no service despite the fact that more people would have used a reliable service.

[ReneF]

Sadly the 406 was being made to make money.  Bus companies can stop routes with only 6 weeks notice if not profitable and can also compete along profitable routes to destroy each other as has wastefully happened in Manchester, Glasgow and many other cities.  UNO, as they are first and foremost a support to the University, may be able to help. 
 
However, perhaps there is room for a new entreprenurial company to take this on.  ShappsBus sounds good to me!
 
Adam

ShappsBus Co.??  What a brilliant idea!!   You can bet your life that the service would be good.  Run to schedule, clean & tidy, warm, and run the full seven days! 
Hope Mr Shapps is listening................................       

[Shelagh]

I live in Panshanger and travel to work in WGC. I'm lucky because I start work at 8 and finish at 4.30, so missing the worst of the rush hour. But, since the withdrawal of the 406 (and 407), I've certainly noticed the difference. The 401, which I catch just after 7.30am, used to be a reasonably pleasant journey. As you'd expect at that time in the morning, there was plenty of room. Now the bus is pretty well full when it gets to my stop, and there are often people having to stand.

A week ago today the bus didn't turn up so I waited for the one 30 minutes later. Unfortunately, that one didn't turn up either. So after standing in the cold and rain for 50 minutes I walked to work and, after leaving home about 7.30am, I arrived at work at 9am.

I used to get the 406 home from work on Bessemer Road. Now I go into the bus station in town because there's little chance of a seat unless you do this. One day last week there were 2 buggies, a very pregnant woman holding a baby, 2 people with suitcases, a lady with a large shopping trolley, a LOT of people and an irate, stressed bus driver

It seems that the buses in Panshanger change quite often. We either have so many that they're mostly empty, or not enough. But I think this is the worst it's been, not even the 724 comes through Panshanger any more.

And I agree totally that there should be some service to the QEII. Have you seen the cost of taxis here?

[vectorworks]

We need someone to take a fresh look at bus services in the district.Arriva just modifies(or withdraws)existing services without any great thought.The basic pattern of service in WGC dates from London Transport days.UNO just seems to introduce new services without reference to existing services.
For example if Routes 406/407 were withdrawn, the 602 extended to Panshanger,re-routed via Tescos and further re-routed in South Hatfield to serve both Travellers Lane and Bishops Rise all parts served would get a much better bus service with fewer buses !
This isn't rocket science its just that no one in the bus companies can be bothered.I believe that with similar thinking that all parts of the district could be better served with,at the very least ,no extra cost.

[jonmorris]

Running one service on an ever increasing route introduces many other problems (keeping to time for one and driver work patterns), so we should be looking at that as a last resort. Who wants to travel on a bus that, literally, goes round the houses?

We need more services running, and ideally proper management of timetables to allow connections. We even need to look at smarter ticketing, such that you could travel on more than one bus for a single fare. Then, people could enjoy faster services locally (making them appealing to use) and also travel further.

That would mean a complete rethink, but surely it isn't beyond the realms of possibility?

[vectorworks]

What I am suggesting is a complete rethink.
I would rather have 3 buses an hour that go "round the houses" than only 1 an hour that doesn't.
I would rather wait only a quarter of hour for a bus that goes "round the houses' and gets me home earlier than wait 45 minutes for a bus that, though a shorter journey time, gets me home later.

[Gerryo]

. Who wants to travel on a bus that, literally, goes round the houses?

That is the whole point, if they didn't go round the houses it would probably be your house that was left out. But on the co-ordination issue I agree with other contributors the council department that gives the subsidies to the bus operators should wield more effective power over routes so that the service suits the public and not the operators.

Another area that needs more control is the regularity of service. Buses appear to suffer inadequate maintenance and this needs tighter control.

[adamedwardsteather]

The problem we then come back to is that only in London does anyone (the Mayor) have any real control over the buses.  In London all the routes are franchised and set by Transport for London.  In the rest of the UK, the councils can subsidise some loss making services or contract for some social services to run, but the majority of routes are run by companies commercially which they can change at only 6 weeks notice. 
 
UNOs main purpose is getting students to the University, with the routes as a spin off, Arriva is there to make money, so neither company has a prime mission to run a public service, just to do what's best for them, with public good a spin off if it happens.
 
I think all this discussion (and many examples elsewhere) proves that the London model ought to be applied UK wide, so we can have integrated planned provision, as happens in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Denmark, France, Spain.... etc. 
 
Adam
 
 
 

[jonmorris]

And the same model should then be applied to the railway too, effectively recreating British Rail but with private operators running a franchise under the rules laid down by a governing body.

[aracnid]

Whilst returning from shopping at Hilltop was nearly mown down by a small bus with the unusual title Centrebus on front  i decided to investigate and found that a new route was now in place.
It seems this bus runs every 1/2 hr and is from Millwards to Dunstable via WGC and Luton, But deos shorter trips between town centres and QE2Hospital.
Very confusing but it does at least offer some transport to the Shops at 1/2hr intervals.

[jonmorris]

Ah, Centrebus! A quality bus company!

If anyone saw my post the other day about the driver that stopped outside the town centre to go shopping, leaving the engine running, the doors open and passengers ON the bus, well - I saw another 366 Centrebus parked there the other day with the doors open again - engine running - and, yup, passengers on board. Guess it's a regular pitstop for the driver. When we left, the driver started eating and drinking his purchases while driving!

The driver spoke absolutely no English, which seems absurd (how does he give any advice or sell tickets?). Now I have absolutely no problem with a foreign worker being a bus driver, but I do have a problem with anyone that can't speak the language.

So, good luck to those who have to use these services instead of the more professional Arriva, and even Uno bus, operated services.