(13 Sep 2021, 10:32 am)James101 wrote Transport authorities aren't perfect, as you say Nexus' ability to hold GCT to account for their contract failings isn't ideal. But at least it's something, so many non-PTE areas have zero supported services and zero timetable information provision.
Bus services in Stafford raises another worrying point in deregulated bus market. Arriva had a monopoly on the Stafford & Cannock network, quite similar to Stagecoach with Hartlepool. Despite not having any competition they still couldn't make the depot work and sold the operations to D&G bus, who quickly offloaded the Stafford network to smaller independent Select Bus of Penkridge. Clearly the town isn't attractive bus territory - what happens if Select can't make it work with their low-cost operation and fleet of elderly buses? Does a borough of 120'000 people simply have to go without a local bus network?
Aye definitely no arguments there.
Mind I can't comment much about Stafford but I do know it's been a basketcase down there for years. It's certainly an interesting area though and I really don't know what they could do. I know First Potteries has always been the dumping ground for First's old buses aswell with their 04 Omnicity's and 54 plate Gemini's. Noticed they've seemto have got some Streetlites recently though guessing from the Manchester sale to GNW.
Just had a little look around and it seems there's something very wrong with Staffordshire in general, seen Uttoxeter a town of 19k doesn't have a single evening or Sunday service at all and Leek has a horrific service aswell with noticeable missing links to local places like Macclesfield. Congleton in Cheshire seems just as bad so it's not unique to Staffordshire. Not sure what you realistically could do though as the council or someone gives the PTE money then it's just going to be a passing the buck across. Wonder if the local rail service has had an impact as 3 of them are on railway lines and pretty decent ones really, similar to Hartlepool and whether if there was some form of integrating ticketing between the two could make a big difference as it's non existent atm.
Makes you appreciate the big 3 up here regardless of whether we don't like them being painted pink, the bus is 10 year old or they recently turned WiFi off to save money.
Weirdly Buxton 12 mile away has a really good bus service connecting all the local towns and also a train service direct to Manchester aswell.