(09 Feb 2016, 7:13 pm)Adrian wrote How do you get "make a complaint" from "dropping the operator an email"? If you were an operator running around with faulty equipment, would you not appreciate that someone has pointed it out to you? It may not have been faulty at the time the FUC was carried out, or it may in fact be intermittent. At least if you know about it, you can do something about it, before the authorities see it.

Firstly, appologies I've trimmed down your quote here for ease of reading. 
The only insight I can offer on the busy-boddying front is that I do run a business; a city-centre restaurant. There's a comparison to be made. We serve homemade beefburgers medium; as in not cooked through. It's very popular across the industry and with customers; however the media and Joe Public have picked up a misconception that this is somehow unsafe. We have worked very closely for some time with the FSA and our local council who are very happy with our processes and that we are serving 100% safe food. 
The amount of 'experts' who feel the need to let me know serving beef medium is unsafe when they have no insight into kitchen processes is staggering. These people are not complaining out of a genuine concern for public safety; they just want to be right and belittle staff. I would suggest the same applies for bus enthusiasts bothering bus operators with their minor complaints when they're more than likely already aware of it. Very few people are experts on the PSVAR regulations and are aware of every detail; I'm not. Even fewer are actually involved in their implementation and fewer still represent authorities enforcing the rules. Rules are rules; but in my own experience enforcement authorities are permitted to make justified exemptions. Who's to say this hasn't happened in the case of the bus industry? You're probably not doing an operator a favour by pointing out things you see as a bus is passing. 

I agree a 14-16 year notice is lengthy. I think my point about bus sales dealers inflating prices and bullying small operators still stands. Why would it be unsuitable to leave the 2000 legislation as applying to new vehicles only meaning non-PSVAR buses could still be operated to the end of their serviceable life? The remaining non-PSVAR buses would be minimal and would generally be low-floor buses which don't meet technical specifications. I do agree, however, no step entrance buses should still be operated. I just think the technical specifications are too harsh. 


Something new for us to debate could be would the Wright Streetlite be as numerous as it is nationwide if it was not for PSVAR? I would suggest the Enviro 200 MMC was a bit late to market for PSVAR replacements in the big companies; are the real winners here Wrightbus?