RE: Reversing the decline in passenger numbers
(13 Sep 2021, 10:42 am)tcts24 wrote I never said it was moraly right. Capitalism is simply the system inplemented by consecutive govermenments voted in by the masses or some crap like that.
From what I'm told by a friend that works within the social sector of Hartlepool Council, one of the biggest funding problems is the lack of high value housing, meaning they have a higher proportion of band A properties than most other local authority areas, this coupled with over a decade of funding cuts = less funding for what's deemed as less important sectors, such as transport.
Other areas wich may affect the bus industry in the town are the exeptionally cheap taxi's - which again, I'm told make remarkably little profit. Whether this is because of cheap fares, cometition, or maybe a lack of social travel because of the low income much of the local population has due to high unemployment.
Whatever the solution is, it won't be solved overnight by a bus company resurecting long forgotten routes that few if anybody is going to patronise.
Who says it needs to be about resurrecting long forgotten routes?
We already have a network which is stuck in the 1980's, I'm not sure an evening network needs to be like that too.
It goes without saying that there's more to increasing numbers than maintaining the status quo and potentially giving some vehicles on-board features or pleather seats.
The fare offers from GNE have introduced are a positive and is seemingly going someway in to improving numbers.
An evening service in somewhere like Hartlepool can go a long way towards improving job prospects, improving the local economy and evening adding numbers to daytime services.
If someone can't get a bus home from work, they're unlikely to get a bus to work...
(14 Sep 2021, 7:18 pm)Charles41 wrote Maybe the question should be asked are local authorities the best organisations to run local bus services. I would argue in their present state they are not. Many councils are bureaucratic, risk averse and dominated by political factions.
You need an element of private enterprise to take risks and build new markets. I'd argue the late Spirit Buses of Rothbury made a valiant attempt at this. Things took a turn for the worse when the local council awarded the service to the lowest bidder, PCL Travel.
Charles
Or these private enterprises just take the risk and stop relying on the public purse?
It's a big ask, but I'm sure they could do it. If they had anything about themselves.
'Illegitimis non carborundum'