(07 Jul 2014, 10:03 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote Whether it is dishonest or not, it certainly isn't giving passengers (who quite often rely on a certain service) the whole story.
The impact can be greater than it was when I turned up at Greggs one day to find my Thai Chicken Sandwich had been discontinued!
Organisations are quick to lay on the PR, spin and publicity when something new is introduced (or re-introduced).
Maybe those making decisions, need to take the rough with the smooth and highlight the cuts in just a little bit more detail - so that those who keep the business moving (drivers on the front line and passengers using the buses) aren't the ones who suffer.
When using the train and returning home via Durham station (following reductions in services stopping at Chester) there was a time I used trains which would arrive no later than 18.30 - it gave me time to get down onto North Road, jump on the 18.50 x20 and make necessary connections.
That isn't possible now.
If I wasn't a member on this forum, I would have been unaware of the specific changes and would have gone to North Road on Friday evening gone - with bags, suitcases etc, getting soaked in the process!
Unfortunately, the options available to me now, following the cuts, leave me with little choice, but to park the car in Durham, arrange a lift or sort an expensive taxi.
I won't be the only one affected - but it certainly highlights the importance of passengers being given the information.
I've made it clear that I don't agree with operators not giving specific examples of which cuts are being made, but I can see the argument from both sides. The severity of the impact isn't what really matters in this case, the point was to show that it happens in all organisations, regardless of the industry it's in.
Some bus operators are taking steps to give more specific examples when it comes to cuts - note recent comments about Northumberland changes for Arriva. This is only fairly recent though, with Kuyoyo listing all changes himself on the forum a few weeks back, for changes on Teesside. A step in the right direction though, maybe.
I'm surprised that, despite being made aware of 'minor service changes' on service 20, you'd not have the common sense to download the new timetable and check that it's still possible to make a journey that you regularly(?) used - especially as someone who has a greater knowledge/interest of the industry than the average customer, and someone who has perhaps experienced 'minor changes' being an example of service cuts in the past.
If aureolin hadn't provided the specific service changes for service X36 by comparing both timetables and then listing the changes on here, I would have done it for myself - simply because I will be using service X36 a lot from next month (when my U16 POP Card expires).