Like the press-cuttings thread for bus operations in the North East; this is the thread to post interesting news items from other parts of the country. Discussion welcome.

Source: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/b...rm-5431595

Jobs saved as famous bus firm gears up for takeover

2 Aug 2013 11:07


Finglands, the Manchester-based bus firm is set to be bought by FirstGroup in a£50,000 deal, which will see all its 100 staff transfer to the new owners.



The end of an era is approaching for commuters as one of Manchester’s most famous bus firms looks set to be taken over.

Finglands, which was established in 1907 and has been running services across the city for decades, is set to be swallowed up by First Manchester.

The deal would see the firm’s white buses with beige, orange and brown stripes taken off the streets of Manchester.

The company operates a number of commercial bus routes and school contracts in the south and east of the city.

As part of the £50,000 deal, First Manchester will take over Finglands’ existing routes and acquire the lease of its depot on Wilmslow Road in Rusholme.

All of the 100 staff in Finglands’ bus operation would also have their employment transferred to FirstGroup as part of the deal, which needs to be ratified by the Office Fair Trading.

Finglands’ fleet of 41 buses would not be included in the purchase and bosses at Finglands’ owners East Yorkshire Motor Services group have indicated they would be used elsewhere.

First Manchester currently operates around 700 buses and employs 2,000 staff.

Over the last year the firm has cut fares on many routes by up to 30pc and saw an eight percent rise in passenger numbers in the three months between April and June this year.

In Finglands’ last filed accounts, it made a loss of £266,000 and bosses at the company said the sale was aimed at securing jobs. The firm is currently in consultation with 14 staff regarding the future of its coach business, which is separate from the bus operation.

Peter Harris, finance director at East Yorkshire Motor Services, which acquired Finglands in 1992, said: “It is no secret we have made a loss for the last few years. This is an ideal opportunity for us to work with First and secure as many jobs as possible.”

Dave Alexander, regional managing director for First in the north of England, said: “This acquisition demonstrates our commitment to Greater Manchester and represents an excellent opportunity to further grow bus passenger volumes.”

chris.slater@men-news.co.uk

A potential bus war? Or will we see First give up the Wilmslow Road corridor and discretely return to North Manchester while Stagecoach return to the south?

The thing that grabbed me initially, was the low value of the deal. However, when you take into account the depot lease, non-transfer of vehicles, the £50k adds up (makes sense).

However, why would First take that gamble? Why would they take over a load of routes, that haven't been able to make a profit?

My final query - is the EYMS Peter Harris the same Peter Harris of Go North East fame?

Coach on fire in West Yorkshire www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-23738987

A little bit further than Yorkshire or Manchester, but sticking it in here, rather than create a new thread just for this.

www.metro.co.uk/2013/08/18/extraordinary-video-of-bus-driver-cutting-his-nails-while-at-the-wheel-gets-him-sacked-3928441/

The title of the video is probably self explanatory, but copied the text just incase :p

Nailing the art of driving while giving yourself
a manicure is neither big nor clever,
particularly for a Singaporean bus driver who
was fired after being filmed doing just that.

A shocked passenger on the bus – which was
hurtling down the motorway at the time –
whipped out their mobile phone to record the
driver’s incredible lack of attention to the road. The 24-second ‘clipping’ was reportedly taken on bus 858 from Singapore’s Changi Airport. The driver, who hasn’t been identified, was
dismissed by his employers as a result of the video.
‘We have investigated the incident and have taken appropriate disciplinary action against the bus captain. He was dismissed immediately,’ said a spokesman for bus operator SMRT.
‘We would like to stress that passenger safety is our priority, and our bus captains are constantly reminded and encouraged to observe safe driving habits while on the roads.’

If it isn't in drivers in the Far East cutting their toenails, it is their colleagues in Paraguay nailing themselves to a cross...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23874911

Bumpy ride for New Bus for London route roll-out

It has been a bumpy introduction for the New Bus for London.

Since June, there have been issues with heating, a serious collision and one passenger badly injured falling off the back of the hop-on hop-off platform.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-24524054

Travelling Museum of British Invention bus to tour Scotland

A bus fitted with 100 of the UK's most important inventions, discoveries and innovations is to tour Scotland.

The jet engine, radar, penicillin and Hawk-Eye ball tracking technology are among the things being showcased.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-ed...e-24521289

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24614134

Landmark case for wheelchair user in Leeds.

(01 Nov 2013, 9:24 pm)Andreos1 wrote www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24614134

Landmark case for wheelchair user in Leeds.

I think it'll lead to the wheelchair bays having side seats removed by operators, and operators limiting a buggy to the buggy space. I know I've sat on buses before where drivers have tried to get mothers with buggies o move, and they've point blank refused. Catch 22 for the driver as if (s)he doesn't shift them (s)he's in trouble, but if he stops for too long to try and get them to move then (s)he's also in trouble.

(01 Nov 2013, 9:53 pm)aureolin wrote I think it'll lead to the wheelchair bays having side seats removed by operators, and operators limiting a buggy to the buggy space. I know I've sat on buses before where drivers have tried to get mothers with buggies o move, and they've point blank refused. Catch 22 for the driver as if (s)he doesn't shift them (s)he's in trouble, but if he stops for too long to try and get them to move then (s)he's also in trouble.

First are now lodging an appeal against the ruling. This initial ruling goes against what was the test case, the one brought against Arriva in Darlington which ruled that the 'first come first serve' outline and the 'request to move but cannot enforce making people move' is within the DDA law.

Lancashire bus services cuts proposed

Cuts to bus services in Lancashire are being proposed by the county council.

Lancashire County Council (LCC) plans to save £3.8m over the next two years by withdrawing subsidies which enable evening and Sunday services to operate.

The authority said it would focus on "maintaining daytime services" and invest an extra £500,000 in community transport.

A consultation period on the plans, which would affect 72 services from May if approved, is under way.

'Most vulnerable'
Transdev, which operates numerous bus services in Lancashire, is yet to comment.

LCC said the proposals are part of the budget for 2014 as it seeks to save £300m over the next four years due to central government funding cuts.

County councillor John Fillis, cabinet member for highways and transport, said the authority spends £8m on subsidising a fifth of the county's bus services which are not commercially viable.

Mr Fillis said: "This proposal would maintain the bulk of that spending, while saving £1.8m next year and £2m a year after that, by focusing on subsidising routes during the day when they are most used by people going about their business."

He said: "I'm fully aware that the withdrawal of any bus service would have an impact upon the people who use it.

"These are proposals at this stage and no decision will be taken without carefully considering the results of this consultation."

He said subsidies would continue to 103 daytime services although this would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis when its current contract expires to ensure it "remains sustainable".

He said plans for an additional £500,000 investment in community transport such as dial-a-ride services was to "safeguard the most vulnerable members of our society" which was the authority's top priority.

The consultation period ends on 10 January with the 2014 budget decided at a full county council meeting on 20 February.

Meanwhile, a £40m scheme, the Pennine Reach Project, to improve bus journeys in East Lancashire was approved by the transport minister Norman Baker in October.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lan...e-25345635

New tech helps drivers avoid bikes by using audio alert

Some of the newest and most innovative technology being developed in the UK is coming from companies who are being supported by a partnership of universities.

They are traditionally a place for learning, researching, developing and for some, socialising well in to the early hours. But one group of universities thinks more should be on offer than just an academic curriculum and guidance.

An initiative between Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Sussex and Surrey universities is focusing on enterprise and is helping start-up tech companies gain access to funding.

Three companies currently taking part are developing new and innovative products to answer problems ranging from cycling safety on the roads and security in the home to how to make musical instruments more interesting.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25316837

Stagecoach looks to US for expansion

Transport firm Stagecoach has reported a small rise in half-year profits and said there was "significant potential" to expand in the US.

The company made pre-tax profits of £98.5m to 31 October compared with £96.9m in 2012.

The Perth-based group said its megabus services in the UK, mainland Europe and the US had "an exciting future ahead" as people got "back on board the bus".

It also said the UK rail franchising programme was "moving once again".

Stagecoach along with its rail partner Virgin was caught up in the franchise debacle on the West Coast line.

Last year the Department for Transport (DfT) scrapped the award of the West Coast franchise, after mistakes were made in the bidding process.

An official report blamed a "damning failure" by the DfT, which has since revised the tendering process.

Stagecoach chairman Sir Brian Souter said: "Franchising has always been an evolving model and there are positive signs that the government has listened to the ideas of industry and other stakeholders on how it can continue to deliver for passengers and taxpayers."

The group said its rail and bus operations had performed well over the six month period but saw future growth for its megabus operations.

It said people were increasingly ditching cars in favour of travelling by bus and coach in the UK and US, where it operates about 2,800 buses and coaches, including its megabus operation linking about 100 locations.

Stagecoach chief executive, Martin Griffiths, commented: "We see significant potential to expand our presence in the US, where we already operate in 40 states.

"We are also considering opportunities to roll-out our premium day and overnight services to new locations."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-sc...s-25330238

(12 Dec 2013, 7:59 pm)Dan wrote http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-sc...s-25330238

Read something somewhere that Alexander are exploring options in the States too.
Given the common link between Stagecoach and Alexander, I have to say it was only a matter of time before this happened.

www.express.co.uk/news/uk/410749/Shocking-moment-a-woman-who-missed-a-bus-laid-on-road-to-stop-it-from-driving-off

This happened over the summer down in Devon.

www.swindontravelchoices.co.uk/news/try-the-bus-for-free.aspx

Thamesdown and Stagecoach are both taking part in this initiative in a bid to get more people using public transport.

(01 Nov 2013, 10:04 pm)Kuyoyo wrote First are now lodging an appeal against the ruling. This initial ruling goes against what was the test case, the one brought against Arriva in Darlington which ruled that the 'first come first serve' outline and the 'request to move but cannot enforce making people move' is within the DDA law.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30000162

The original case:- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24614134

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/train-timetabl...1p20h.html

Timetable changes, leads to massive increase in complaints

Bristol's 'revolutionary' electric buses.

When people complain about having a bus service...

http://m.yorkpress.co.uk/news/14777541.B...k/?ref=rss

Perfect example of NIMBY-ism

UK bus popularity increases thanks to greener, better connected services

http://www.eurotransportmagazine.com/220...ty-report/

(03 Oct 2016, 10:17 am)BusLoverMum wrote When people complain about having a bus service...

http://m.yorkpress.co.uk/news/14777541.B...k/?ref=rss

Perfect example of NIMBY-ism

Just seen this. There's complaining for the sakes of complaining, but this is on a new level. You cannot please people generally - you can never win. There will always be something to upset someone - even if there's nothing to even be upset about.

https://www.route-one.net/news/christian...executive/

David Brown has had his successor named.

German efficiency ahead? Wonder what that interprets itself as?

(22 Jul 2021, 11:04 am)Andreos1 wrote https://www.route-one.net/news/christian...executive/

David Brown has had his successor named.

German efficiency ahead? Wonder what that interprets itself as?

That worked well for Arriva and Metro...

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scott...n-24762417

Head of SPT seemingly bang to rights with regards driving a cloned car!

Unholy row erupts over Larry Landtrain taking visitors on Lindisfarne

A rare example of a petition to remove public transport from a location.

(18 Aug 2021, 3:38 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Unholy row erupts over Larry Landtrain taking visitors on Lindisfarne

A rare example of a petition to remove public transport from a location.

He doesn't look trustworthy.

(18 Aug 2021, 8:51 pm)BusLoverMum wrote He doesn't look trustworthy.

Who? Larry the Land Train or his owners?

(19 Aug 2021, 8:52 am)MurdnunoC wrote Who? Larry the Land Train or his owners?

Larry. He's in it for himself, absolutely.

https://www.passengertransport.co.uk/202...e-suburbs/

An interesting article on the need for public transport and decarbonisation within the suburbs.