(06 Jan 2019, 11:07 am)Cobalt271 wrote A recent acquisition for PCL is Neoplan Euroliner YR52ZHY. Was parked up in the usual place for his dumped coaches in Alnwick with a school service sticker in the window.

Where in Alnwick are PCL parking their vehicles now?

Thanks

Charles

(06 Jan 2019, 12:01 pm)Charles41 wrote Where in Alnwick are PCL parking their vehicles now?

Thanks

Charles

Usually at the Rontec services when they're not at the outstation in Wooler. The School coaches get dumped on the industrial estate opposite. Failing that they get parked outside Drivers' houses.

I've heard that since PCL have had a run in with the Traffic Commissioner they have lost the 470/473 NCC contracts. I must stress this is mere speculation but the source of info is good.

(10 Jan 2019, 8:53 am)Cobalt271 wrote I've heard that since PCL have had a run in with the Traffic Commissioner they have lost the 470/473 NCC contracts. I must stress this is mere speculation but the source of info is good.

Have they lost the contracts with immediate effect or will a new operator take over from next week? Anyways I think a suitable replacement for PCL would be Borders Buses just interworking of the 267/464.

(10 Jan 2019, 9:53 am)S830OFT wrote Have they lost the contracts with immediate effect or will a new operator take over from next week? Anyways I think a suitable replacement for PCL would be Borders Buses just interworking of the 267/464.

No it's not with immediate effect. As I understand it the Council has issued them 90 days notice and asked for tenders to be submitted.

(10 Jan 2019, 11:24 am)Cobalt271 wrote No it's not with immediate effect. As I understand it the Council has issued them 90 days notice and asked for tenders to be submitted.

Well that Northumberland County Council is dodgy, it has been alleged that they gave the contracts out on a basis of the lowest bid which is likely the reason behind why the 15 is so terrible at operating and how local residents tend to no longer trust this service. Think it is time Nexus expanded out of Tyne and Wear.

(10 Jan 2019, 8:53 am)Cobalt271 wrote I've heard that since PCL have had a run in with the Traffic Commissioner they have lost the 470/473 NCC contracts. I must stress this is mere speculation but the source of info is good.

I think pcl should just lose their license to operate with the stuff I have heard they do. These contracts (the services I know as I don't use pcl but what I heard and pearsonal expirience as I got put off bu the driver's appauiling attitude towards me and my friend I don't want to use them) without futher ado routes and suggested contractor

T1- Arriva ashington depot (dart or solo) revised to hourly

T1A/B/C- Arriva blyth depot each route runs off a 2 each revised to hourly per service

S1/2  Arriva ashington depot (no changes dart or solo allocated 

15/16 Arriva ashington depor(omnicity allocated)

470/473 border buses as previously suggested

882 gne (using optare solo srs)

The rest I don't know.

(10 Jan 2019, 9:24 pm)GNE6312 wrote I think pcl should just lose their license to operate with the stuff I have heard they do. These contracts (the services I know as I don't use pcl but what I heard and pearsonal expirience as I got put off bu the driver's appauiling attitude towards me and my friend I don't want to use them) without futher ado routes and suggested contractor

T1- Arriva ashington depot (dart or solo) revised to hourly

T1A/B/C- Arriva blyth depot each route runs off a 2 each revised to hourly per service

S1/2  Arriva ashington depot (no changes dart or solo allocated 

15/16 Arriva ashington depor(omnicity allocated)

470/473 border buses as previously suggested

882 gne (using optare solo srs)

The rest I don't know.

My suggestion of potential operators would be:
T1/A/B/C - Arriva Blyth - Each Journey would run off and onto the 2 adding 1 more bus to the PVR.

M1/A1 - These are commercial services, as such I can't have a say.

S1/S2: Withdrawn, Arriva to extend the 44 back to Morpeth under the hourly frequency.

15/16: Travelsure with a Optare Solo

815/882/885: Phoenix Coaches interworking with the 808.

613: Renumbered service 690 and will operate as normal between Hexham and Whittonstall, although will extend to Consett via Shotley Bridge. This service will continue to operate Tuesdays only.

689 Tuesday Journeys withdrawn and those will now operate as service 690.

267/464: Merged with 470/473 to form a combined service between Berwick and Alnwick via Wooler.

Hopefully if PCL was to collapse, hopefully similar suitable measures could be put in place.

NCC are now in the process of re-tendering the routes, PCL end running the contracts at the end of the next school half term on the back of the hearing.

(10 Jan 2019, 3:11 pm)S830OFT wrote Well that Northumberland County Council is dodgy, it has been alleged that they gave the contracts out on a basis of the lowest bid which is likely the reason behind why the 15 is so terrible at operating and how local residents tend to no longer trust this service. Think it is time Nexus expanded out of Tyne and Wear.

That's how the majority of councils and PTE's across the country give out tendered contracts - lowest bid wins. It's only until recently (the past two years is it?) that Nexus now take other factors into consideration in deciding the bid-winning operators - which is why the likes of Go North East have picked up vast amounts of school and passenger service contracts in recent years.

Would be good to see Glen Valley get the Wooler routes back or possibly Borders Buses which could create new travel opportunities as they already operate Berwick to Wooler. 

Just to clarify is it just the 470 and 473 that PCL are losing or is it also the 15.

(11 Jan 2019, 9:58 am)Pulsar wrote Would be good to see Glen Valley get the Wooler routes back or possibly Borders Buses which could create new travel opportunities as they already operate Berwick to Wooler. 

Just to clarify is it just the 470 and 473 that PCL are losing or is it also the 15.

I've heard PCL can only run 5 services now with restrictions placed on their O-licence so I think the 15 will still remain theirs. I've also heard GVT have sold all their Solos now so I'm not sure how interested they will be to try and win the 470/473 back.

(11 Jan 2019, 9:44 am)RBZ 5459 wrote That's how the majority of councils and PTE's across the country give out tendered contracts - lowest bid wins. It's only until recently (the past two years is it?) that Nexus now take other factors into consideration in deciding the bid-winning operators - which is why the likes of Go North East have picked up vast amounts of school and passenger service contracts in recent years.

Usually there's a percentage weighting, cost vs quality, with cost normally always being the higher percentage.

This kind of tender evaluation isn't new at Nexus (I'd say it's been done like this for 5+ years at least), but is more uncommon for Durham County Council and Northumberland.

Each contract is different. The Nexus contracts being renewed in March 2019 have a 90% cost vs 10% quality weighting. For a fully conforming bid, the elements of quality include providing a Euro 6, Hybrid, electric or gas-powered bus (5%) or a low-carbon emission bus (full 10%).

Miscellaneous Works contracts, including the scholars services you mention, never include quality as a weighting. These tenders are awarded based wholly on the lowest annualised price. Ultimately if the patronage is quite low on 'normal' services, it'd be pointless for the local authority to include quality as a weighting, as they'd potentially be paying out more for a service which hardly anyone uses in the first place.

According to NCC, there's no service on 470/473 due to a fire at the Wooler yard, with replacement vehicles being sourced on loan.

(31 Jan 2019, 3:06 pm)S830OFT wrote That's really strange because the owners previous company 'Kimberley Coaches' had a arson attack in the depot which contributed to the demise of that company. I'm not trying to suggest it has any relation to what has happened here but very strange...

I agree with you.
Seems odd, verry odd

According to this PCL offer a Family Ticket priced at £10.
https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Northu...-Sized.pdf

That's really strange! I saw the MPD on the 473 yesterday afternoon.

(02 Feb 2019, 9:19 am)Cobalt271 wrote That's really strange! I saw the MPD on the 473 yesterday afternoon.

Has it been confirmed which vehicles caught fire? I would imagine it would have been the V1210s.

(02 Feb 2019, 9:42 am)S830OFT wrote Has it been confirmed which vehicles caught fire? I would imagine it would have been the V1210s.

Think they only have the 1 now, 1 was up for sale a little while ago and I never see both of them in Alnwick or Wooler.

I hope PCL Travel are going to part refund the students that purchased the full school year travel pass for the 470/473 or make arrangements with Glen Valley to allow the pass to be used.

PB1069957/22 Cancelled (Short notice)
PETER IAN COWELL
Route: Wooler to Alnwick
Service number: 473 ()
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 23 Feb 2019
PB1069957/20 Cancelled (Short notice)
PETER IAN COWELL
Route: Wooler Bus Station to Sainsburys, Alnwick
Service number: 470 ()
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 23 Feb 2019

The 10:00 S1 did NOT operate today because the driver thought it was acceptable to just sit in Morpeth because nobody wanted his bus. Then he tells me the M1 hasn't run for over 4 months and the council are at fault for keeping it on the board. 

I don't think the M1 has been officially cancelled, I believe the owner woke up one morning and thought what's the point in running this route.

Minibus - 470 (Standing Room Only)

Meanwhile Volkswagen LT SN56EMK is now back from Compass and was on the Saturday only Hexham to Colwell service today.

Charles

(16 Feb 2019, 10:43 am)S830OFT wrote The 10:00 S1 did NOT operate today because the driver thought it was acceptable to just sit in Morpeth because nobody wanted his bus. Then he tells me the M1 hasn't run for over 4 months and the council are at fault for keeping it on the board. 

I don't think the M1 has been officially cancelled, I believe the owner woke up one morning and thought what's the point in running this route.

Beyond a joke that like. Feel for anyone who waited for any of these services. Hopefully these services are given to another operator soon (Got Arriva in mind)

(16 Feb 2019, 4:40 pm)GNE6312 wrote Beyond a joke that like. Feel for anyone who waited for any of these services. Hopefully these services are given to another operator soon (Got Arriva in mind)

Had a incident on the 470 with driver ending up swearing at me because he didn't want to drive to Sainsbury's. PCL are honestly the most awful company ever.

(16 Feb 2019, 5:57 pm)S830OFT wrote Had a incident on the 470 with driver ending up swearing at me because he didn't want to drive to Sainsbury's. PCL are honestly the most awful company ever.

I think they've adopted a 'don't care' attitude since the result of the public inquiry and the subsequent loss of contracts. Of course the depot fire at Wooler with the severe damage of one of the Versas won't have helped.

(16 Feb 2019, 6:28 pm)Cobalt271 wrote I think they've adopted a 'don't care' attitude since the result of the public inquiry and the subsequent loss of contracts. Of course the depot fire at Wooler with the severe damage of one of the Versas won't have helped.

The driver was adamant he didn't go to Sainsbury's and when I refused to get off and referred to the timetable he said "I don't give a monkeys" and shut the engine off. Also the S1A this evening didn't run.

BU06 HRX - Vehicle I was on had NO TAX OR MOT and was on 470 today. 
https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/ViewVehicle

(16 Feb 2019, 8:43 pm)S830OFT wrote The driver was adamant he didn't go to Sainsbury's and when I refused to get off and referred to the timetable he said "I don't give a monkeys" and shut the engine off. Also the S1A this evening didn't run.

Have you contacted NCC because it shouldn’t just be the 470/473 contracts they are losing based on your reports.

(16 Feb 2019, 10:30 pm)S830OFT wrote BU06 HRX - Vehicle I was on had NO TAX OR MOT and was on 470 today. 
https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/ViewVehicle

Just been looking on the DVLA website and another one of their vehicles, GN06 UEK has had no MOT since 31st May 2016.

KX58 LJA has a SORN in place, not sure if it’s recent though as I took a photo of it on the 885 on 15th January.


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