Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

Hi there reader
Do you find this message annoying?
Why not register and make a post to get rid of it?

[jonmorris]

Can anyone notice the difference between these sites?

Any idea why Uno Bus had no information up about the bad weather before or during the snowfall?

They seem to have pulled all their buses back to the depot in the last hour or so, thanks in part to the complete lack of gritting (so I guess HCC didn't get any more supplies - although my wife said people in WGC saw them out last night there).

Surely any bus operator of this size should use the website, or even things like Twitter/Facebook (my God, it's a company owned/run by the University - full of people who are on Facebook and Twitter all the time) to give the general public information. How long should I have waited at the bus stop before giving up?

Oh wait, they DO have a Twitter site. Maybe that has all the info... http://twitter.com/unobus - oh, not quite.

I am really disappointed at how bad Uno is at providing information, even more so than their constant early running!

Last February they were just as bad, although they did put up something after a number of hours.

Calling them was pointless as the person answering the phone was insisting the bus I was waiting for was running, then when I called back the very same person said they weren't - and denied having spoken to me just minutes before. The thing is, I'd called back because I saw all the buses running 'Sorry not in service' back to the depot because I was standing right opposite it on Hatfield Avenue!

A lot of blame must fall on HCC though for being totally useless once again. I think we knew about the major snow coming as far back as Sunday or Monday. What's their excuse this time?

Grant, can you please have a word with Uno and HCC to find out why this is the second year that we've been so bad at dealing with the bad weather (and informing people). I hope they weren't out gritting outside your house to try and con you into thinking otherwise!

[aracnid]

Hi i had to do the NO NO and venture out today as I  had to pick up the new prescription. Surprisingly the 366 Centre Bus from Hilltop was working (slightly late), but running so got to Hat town centre.
Saw quite a few Uno buses so presumed that I could get back to Hilltop on the 603 WRONG drivers were told not to attempt Bishops Rise as to snowy. Ignore Hilltop stay in the bus depot and town centre area only.
This was after the snowplough and gritter had cleared Bishops Rise and Northdown Road.
Yet the bus from Stevenage Garage 366 went up to Bishops Rise to Hilltop and back via Travellers Lane and South Way no major problems if he took it steady. 

[sunnyjim]

I long ago gave up expecting transport companies bothering to keep passengers informed during a disruption (think WAGN, think First Captial Connect). 

But we are in danger of sounding wimpish.  We live in towns, not the countryside.  We are not cut off.  It is perfectly possible to get around if one really wants to.

[jonmorris]

FCC has given loads of advance information, including a downloadable 20 page timetable for today - which worked very well from what I hear. In fact, very few late or cancelled trains (some notable exceptions but that's about it).

I didn't go to work today, but did venture out and the nice fresh snow was indeed easy enough to walk on. We could get about if we wanted to.

But the same applied before Christmas.

It was when it started to turn to ice that it became lethal and there were pavements where you couldn't walk safely at all - and the town centre and the bridge over the railway line (council owned) were lethal with ice.

The fun is yet to begin, but I haven't given up on expecting information just yet. I think people should complain more.

I would like to know why HCC gave all the contracts to Uno when they are just not up to running a service on the scale of the more experienced operators.

[sunnyjim]

It was when it started to turn to ice that it became lethal ...

Roads and pavements were certainly slippery but I can't see how they were lethal.  People around here generally didn't die or come anywhere near it.

[jonmorris]

No, I'd agree that they don't die - but many do end up in A&E.

I think some people are being rather pedantic on this forum of late - going by the amount of petty arguing over nothing in countless threads. When I said 'lethal', I didn't mean to suggest everyone slipping on ice would die.

However, that said, when I attempted to cross the track at Hatfield station and they hadn't de-iced the steps (a year or so ago now), I would actually that icy concrete steps are lethal. When I walked into town before Christmas, the flats there with the concrete stairs were just as bad. Yes, I could actually see the potential for someone to fall in such a way that they could actually die from serious head injuries.

Anyway, the next few days will be, erm, not nice.

[jonmorris]

Oh wait, some DO die.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/8444341.stm#

I managed to walk okay on the compacted snow today, but I am really fearful for tonight and tomorrow morning.

[sunnyjim]

No, I'd agree that they don't die - but many do end up in A&E.

I think some people are being rather pedantic on this forum of late

Apologies.  I think I have a habit of taking words at their face value.  There was no offence intended

[jonmorris]

No problem!

I did notice the pavements a lot more slippery tonight, so I am REALLY not looking forward to walking tomorrow.

A colleague at work lives in Gillingham on a narrow street that is an ice rink as it's not gritted and the traffic level is minute.. he had to walk before Christmas by holding on to all the walls and fences outside homes. Sadly, on this road which is all open plan there's nothing but low bushes.

I know I won't die if I slip, but I am bound to get lots of bruises.

[dizzy]

I havent been out yey as where i live tre road is bad,But i hope to try and get to hatfield town centre today,and hope they have gritted,in the last fall of snow i heard of 2 of my friends one in her 60,s taking a bad fall,no bones broken but she is very shook up,but i geuss they were not the only ones,the council should grit there as so many people will be trying to walk through to get to asda.

[aracnid]

The town centre has been gritted and partially cleared to walk from simmons to asda passed the banks.

[jonmorris]

As I started this thread with an attack on Uno for providing absolutely no information last week or before Christmas about the bad weather and the bus operation situation, I feel it is only fair that I post to say that they've set up a blog to give information.

http://unobus.blogspot.com/

So, fair play to them. I believe in credit where credit's due.

Now if they can just tell their drivers not to run early - however tempting it is to just get moving - leaving people to wait 30-60 minutes for the next service, I'll be a happy bunny! Step one is to correct the clocks on the ticket machines so they match the real world!