(01 Nov 2015, 10:19 pm)S813 FVK wrote I don't think people have waited long enough to really feel the benefit of the changes. They seem to think a bus company can do anything that they want. While the Hobson issue may be an issue to some (which is evident - even i can see where they are coming from without living there), if it works for the operator and see the services being used more than they would if routed via Hobson, I suppose there is no reason to change them again regardless of how many people complain.
I am not sure more people will use the services just because of the Hobson omission though.
Even if the changes now saves a couple of minutes, compared to the previous, on a journey of that duration - it doesn't equate to much from a passenger perspective.
If the number of people complaining on social media represent even a portion of those affected, it would make sense to reinstate the link. I am sure they could cover up the mistake, with some PR spin.
If they don't, they face the possibility of facing the same negativity and the tarnished reputation, that they have in other areas.
The damage caused following the 2006 changes and meetings with communities where the 'tough' message was put out by company representatives, didn't go down well.
The M1/X1 changes following misleading questions in a consultation a few years later, could be classed as the catalyst for Bridget Phillipson's Big Bus campaign.
Not exactly PR master classes and certainly hassle the company could do without.
I was hoping they would have learned the lessons from those similar examples in the not to distant past.