(02 Oct 2023, 7:32 am)DeltaMan wrote [ -> ]It's entirely possible. The council simply won't pay them for what they've not done and divert that money to the greatly reduced service level. There is a chance NCC may even make a saving!
I'd believe it when I see it.
Huge opportunity for these private operators to whack up their charges to NCC. Particularly at this short notice.
Drivers wages, increased fuel costs, maybe even additional insurance... No doubt there's been some sort of time/cost associated with route familiarisation too.
Then there's the associated admin costs.
A logistical nightmare.
Services 335/351/359 now operating this morning, unadvertised presumably to prevent the abuse for picking 3 of their quietest services to run.
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Tbf imo if any of the route should run it should be the 309/307/335/351/352/353/354/355/359, to build customer confience in the new comerical risk they took on
(03 Oct 2023, 7:35 am)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]Tbf imo if any of the route should run it should be the 309/307/335/351/352/353/354/355/359, to build customer confience in the new comerical risk they took on
They're running the 3 routes they are as they're contracted services and there's penalities for not doing so.
(03 Oct 2023, 7:35 am)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]Tbf imo if any of the route should run it should be the 309/307/335/351/352/353/354/355/359, to build customer confience in the new comerical risk they took on
Aside from Storx pointing out that the 335/351/359 are contracted, the rest of those routes you've listed are either fully or partially covered by either an Arriva or Stagecoach service, or the TWM.
There are other areas of GNEs network that, if resource allowed, would be prioritised over them running a 309.
(02 Oct 2023, 3:43 pm)Bazza wrote [ -> ]This got me thinking.
Perhaps GNE / Go Ahead are happy to let the strike run and then hope to break it, They then will have a workforce that is cheaper with poorer conditions of service than the other two large operators, and they can underbid them for the franchises.
During the strike, they will not be paying wages of those on strike, and don’t have the running costs of providing commercial services (obviously with the exception of fixed costs)but are still receiving some income from the contracts they are running.
They will certainly be losing money, but apparently they are anyway, and does public perception of the company matter come franchising? The travelling public won’t care who is running the buses then as long as the fares are cheaper and the service is better.
Any routes won from other operators would likely lead to staff being TUPE’d over, maybe easing any staffing issues.
I'm not sure why you would? If you can't get people to work for you (and stay!) on the current pay and conditions, what hope have you got by further drumming them into the ground?
I think it'll depend on who is running the NEMCA and issuing contracts, on whether public perception will matter or not. Remember, in North of Tyne, they operate a 'Good Work Pledge'. I somehow don't think you'd qualify with a track record that a certain MD has, unless ideas are sharply bucked up...
I suppose we also have no idea who would bid for any potential franchising contract (it could attract other operators into the fore)
GNE have informed Nexus that they are unable to cover some school runs for the rest of the week
(03 Oct 2023, 10:06 am)NL62WVW wrote [ -> ]GNE have informed Nexus that they are unable to cover some school runs for the rest of the week
Wonder if they might lose the contracts for those specific services
(01 Oct 2023, 3:27 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]They're asking people on Social Media to contact them directly, rather than making a blanket statement about what they intend to do.
According to their Ticket Refund Policy, they reserve the right to refuse a refund:
This pretty much echoes consumer law, and whilst I'm by no means an expert on it, they'd class industrial action as an unforeseen circumstance. Even though they're completely at liberty to prevent the dispute.
That being said, it'd be extremely poor of them to not refund days lost to customers, and I imagine it'd cause even more reputational damage than they've already done to themselves.
On this, although GNE appear to have gone to radio silence on Social Media this week, I noticed two tweets pointing customers to this claim form:
https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/ticket-claim
Looking at the refund table, it appears that if you purchased your weekly ticket on Monday 25th September, they're only going to refund 1 day of travel, despite 2 days of no buses in that period. It seems to be the policy that they'll sell you short by a day's travel, unless you purchased on the day before the strike.
Call me a cynic, but I can see why they're not openly posting that information on Social Media...
If you have purchased a week or monthly ticket on the app and haven't activated it you can claim a refund too
(03 Oct 2023, 10:15 am)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]Wonder if they might lose the contracts for those specific services
It would be an absolute shame if they lost the contracts and had to reduce the workforce.
(03 Oct 2023, 2:10 pm)streetdeckfan wrote [ -> ]It would be an absolute shame if they lost the contracts and had to reduce the workforce.
lol, reduce the workforce, they can't get enough drivers through the door as it is.
(03 Oct 2023, 10:06 am)NL62WVW wrote [ -> ]GNE have informed Nexus that they are unable to cover some school runs for the rest of the week
No sign of Featham leaping to his feet to help out? Other Managing Directors would
Some school run haven't ran
Gne "ill run service routes even though I said I'd run school runs instead"
The H hasn't run at all today but somehow had enough to provide some school runs and then provide the full 351/359/335 rota. Funny ain't it
Turns out having 2 less deckers between Durham and Bishop results in capacity issues at peak time.
I suppose it's an excuse to spend more time in Spoons!
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(03 Oct 2023, 2:36 pm)DeltaMan wrote [ -> ]No sign of Featham leaping to his feet to help out? Other Managing Directors would
The last one may have done, but I doubt it and anyway, would have just done it so he could take a photo and stick it on X
(03 Oct 2023, 2:36 pm)DeltaMan wrote [ -> ]No sign of Featham leaping to his feet to help out? Other Managing Directors would
Time the Go Ahead Group ended their employ of Feetham. The man is poison.
Really need to strike a deal but I ain't optimistic. The X12 has been ludicrously chocka block, the road works in Durham doesn't do the route any justice.
(03 Oct 2023, 7:14 pm)itsadam wrote [ -> ]Really need to strike a deal but I ain't optimistic. The X12 has been ludicrously chocka block, the road works in Durham doesn't do the route any justice.
The X12 was unreliable for the 8 years I lived on it. Its always needed better resourcing, but never had more than a half arsed effort... I bet the max branding is still listing Plawsworth!
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