Couldn't find it but as it is relevant to this thread too - thought I'd post it here instead.
There's been comment about the poor headway between services at certain locations. What's that saying about waiting for a bus and then two come along together?
Anyway, I started looking at one or two of the timetables relating to services that are 'potentially' being culled in July.
I've previously mentioned the small section of Portobello Road in Birtley that has the 25 and 82 more or less running in pairs during both the daytime and also the evening timetables.
The 82 also runs in the shadow of the 50 and 2 in Washington.
Rather than look at all four services and the headway between them, they're getting rid of two of them.
Ive just checked out the 28 and 78 timetable westbound from Chester and eastbound in to Chester. Specifically around the Grange Villa/Pelton Fell areas.
It goes without saying, that it's going to be pretty hard fitting in an hourly service in amongst a service that runs twice an hour.
Rather than see what happens now the 78 is being sent back to its original route via Pelaw Bank - it seems they're taking the easy option and getting rid of the 28.
The 28 also ran in competition with the B1 for a chunk of last year. Wonder if that had any impact?
Then there's the 55. Rumoured to have faced the axe not too long ago, poor planning saw it sneaking behind the X1 on the southern portion of its route.
A quick fix fairly recently, saw the headway evened out slightly. But again, despite that fix and there being no time to evaluate - it's rumoured to be going again.
Don't forget, the Peterlee - Durham services haven't long seen the axe too. Damaged due to the unbalanced timetables versus the X35 perhaps?
It's not just me is it? Is it just a coincidence that poor planning has resulted in potential for these services to be removed? Villages cut off and people potentially isolated because of the total lack of joined up thinking?
Incompetence or deliberately making these decisions? Not sure we will definitely know the answer as to why these things happen. We can just judge and form opinions.
I'd love to know the sign-off and approval process though.
'aye, we've re-jigged a load of routes. Saving some money along the way. What's that? You want to use some of the savings for painting? Sounds like a plan bonny lad. Nah, you don't want to look at the timetables - just stick your signature there and I'll get these off to VOSA and the printers'.
And repeat. Ad infinitum.
I've stopped looking at timetables for now. If anyone else wants to look at the list of services affected by the changes and the timetables - feel free. There may be more out there!