40726 hits to this page in January 2006 - thank you!
Issue 164
(OBP-379)
Sunday 5th February
2006
next update week ending
17th February 2006
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002
Visit the "OXFORD BUS PAGE" Archive 1998 - 2002
If
you wish to be included on a mailing list where I will advise of any mid-week
news please let me know
malcolmhc@aol.com
Changes to local fleets feature this week with a fleet list for Carousel and pictures of their new Renault Agoro buses which have just entered service.
Stagecoach announce changes to their South Oxfordshire and Bicester networks and new Tridents are expected any day now.
Oxford Bus have repainted some Tridents back to red again and this has resulted in the appearance of 6xx Volvos on Park & Ride services. For the company's Airline service they have now introduced "ON Line" booking facilities. The company is also promoting its concern about Air Quality and you are directed to a link on their web site which makes interesting reading - http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/air/index.html
Arriva has launched a new concept in "the wycombe connxion" which is featured under the operators heading.
I received a number of replies to the two articles in last week's editorial concerning cyclists and DDA compliant vehicles.
Derek Doling has been busy with his scanner and provided more photos from the '60s of Thames Valley and South Midland and this weekly diet has prompted some of you to submit your own pictures from earlier days.
DDA compliant coaches - (Disability Discrimination Act)
I had interesting responses to last week's piece about DDA, one correspondent writing "Interesting piece on DDA accessibility rules which will lead to a 100% accessible coach fleet for all operators by 2020 (five years later than the cut off date for the conversion of buses) to DDA specification.
Clearly this has a cost implication which will be passed onto passengers and many operators I fear have already realised that operating DDA compliant buses on some routes will not be economic even with second hand vehicles and are more likely to withdraw from operating such services. This will force local authorities to offer tendered services and the cost of providing these services with DDA buses will then fall onto the tax payer so bus operators will not suffer. However unless the Government considers making a DDA grant available to convert or purchase a new DDA coach, the cost will fall onto the operators and many I fear will have to reduce their size or cease trading.
I am for the accessibility of all "turn up and go" services like local bus routes and express coach services which allow people the freedom to make a journey on the spur of the moment like an able bodied passenger can do. Local bus journeys after all are often made frequently by people with little forward planning, and DDA accessibility means that disabled people will be able to access the service in the same manner without having to pre-book or take a limited selection of services. However some coach service routes like the less frequent National Express services or perhaps the Stagecoach X5 would still need to be book ahead only because coaches like the Green Line Van Hool you have featured on your page will only accommodate one wheelchair user at a time, and it could be possible that disabled passengers would be left behind at stops if a wheelchair user was already on board the vehicle.
I have to wonder if this required level of service extends to private hire coaches too? People rarely decide on the spur of the moment to take an excursion or holiday, you have to book in advance and a niche of specialist operators with accessible coaches exist to cater for this market, often with vehicles which can adapt to carry more than the one wheelchair place offered by the current coaches being introduced in the UK.
I certainly do not think it is fair to impose such regulations on a industry without making some form of grant scheme possible to adapt. The DDA will have shot itself in the foot if it forces coach and bus operators to close or massively increase their prices to cover the cost of DDA vehicles."
Do readers have any further thoughts?
For reference more can read at this link : - http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2005/ria/dda-2005-final.pdf
Cyclists and safety
Following last week's item Richard
Griffin writes regarding cycling - he is a regular rider, often for long
distances - and he says "First
of all, congratulations on another splendid issue of the OCBP News page.
Now, we all agree that many bicycle-users, particularly in Oxford, behave in a
fashion which does the image of cycling no good at all.
However, in my capacity as a car-driver, lifelong cyclist and former bus/coach
driver, I claim to have a response to your question, "Why when a cycle lane is
provided do cyclists still use the road?".
The answer is in the question; the cycle lane is not a valid alternative to the
road.
Cycle lanes and paths are almost always more dangerous than the roads they
replace. The creation of a cycle lane/path makes the situation *worse* for most
cyclists most of the time, whether or not they use it.
In a bid to promote cycling, to meet government targets, and to be seen to be
"doing something good for cyclists", local councils squander inordinate sums of
money creating so-called cycle facilities.
These appear to be designed by people who have never ridden a bicycle in their
adult lives, and to have been created purely as a means to fob cyclists off with
a "safe" option. They generally consist of some white lines and bike symbols
painted on an existing pavement, maybe some green surfacing laid, and
occasionally the installation of some concrete "rumble-strip" paving stones
(what ARE those supposed to be for?).
The result is a bumpy, inferior surface, frequently strewn with broken glass
(puncture-fodder), dustbins, lamp-posts and other hazards. Severe ramps or
bumps in a bike path can -- and do -- get a bike two-wheels airborne when riding
at *normal* speeds. And such is the woeful design that it can be physically
impossible to get a bike through the obstacle course as painted, or even to work
out how the designer (!) intended the facility to be used.
The cycle-path rider has often to travel no faster than walking-pace because of
pedestrians who understandably don't read signage when walking on `their'
pavement. At every side-road the cyclist has to stop and give way to turning
traffic; or, worse, the road markings say the turning traffic must give way to
the bike: Cyclists, assume this right of way at your peril! And best of all,
paths frequently stop altogether as in Headington (with a pathetic sign saying
"Cyclists Dismount" -- to which I think "Motorists Get Out And Push"!) whenever
a big junction appears, where real benefit might come from a well-designed cycle
path.
To sum up: I, as a cyclist, am expected to use a bumpy, puncture-causing
obstacle course on which I have to give way every few seconds, can only travel
slowly, and risk being hit by turning traffic that doesn't expect to see you
there. And if should I exercise my understandable right NOT to use this
hazardous facility, i.e. to ride on the road as normal, I get abused by people
who think it's OK to endanger my life because I'm "wrong" for not using the
cycle path.
So to all you fellow drivers out there, next time you see a cyclist not using a
cycle path -- it probably isn't ignorance nor bloody-mindedness, it's probably
that they want just the same as you: to get from A to B as quickly and as
safely as possible. And that almost certainly means riding on the road."
Richard does
have valid points and as someone has worked in Holland and seen the Dutch
approach to cycling and the tracks provided I must say we do have a long way to
go in the U.K.
Driving on the Motorway
Following on from last week's item on rile 198 of the Highway Code, I would like to air another thought.
Why do motorists using the motorways seem to have a belief that they cannot use the inside lane. They often join the motorway and get into the middle lane which is where they stay come hell or highwater!
I do feel that this style of driving adds to the congestion on motorways and often seems to make the widening to four lanes a fruitless exercise.
When one used to drive on two or three carriageway roads before the age of the motorway signs indicated KEEP TO THE NEARSIDE LANE EXCEPT WHEN OVERTAKING.
Maybe our government should look at using such signs now.
High Wycombe's new bus station
Work is in process on the new bus station which is scheduled to open in July. The area around Newlands Bus Station is presently full of road works and a revised layout is being prepared.
This view was taken from Newlands Car Park, 2nd floor and the bus station will
be to front of the steel work I believe.
The present bus station seems to have less activity but that maybe an illusion.
Here we see things last Saturday.
I intend to take regular pictures of the work on the new bus station which will make an interesting comparison in the years to come.
An interesting opportunity to ride on a Routemaster - 19th February
Peter Cartwright has written to advise of a "running day" in High Wycombe saying "Please see the attached timetable for 19 February. We are hoping to produce a commemorative leaflet/booklet at no more than £2 which will help towards the cost of the day. It is hoped that both RML2440 and RML2412 will be in operation together with any other vehicles that might turn up."
A foretaste of things to come, RML2440 in Newlands last Saturday
Special
Service to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Routemasters
introduced onto route 363 on 21 February 1966 from High Wycombe Garage (HE)
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363 to Totteridge |
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Sunday 19 February 2006 ONLY |
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HOLTSPUR North Drive |
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12.59 |
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Beaconsfield Saracen's Head |
13.03 |
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Beaconsfield Station |
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13.07 |
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Knotty Green Red Lion |
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13.10 |
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Penn Post Office |
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13.18 |
14.38 |
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Hazlemere Cross Roads |
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13.26 |
14.46 |
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Terriers Cross Roads |
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A |
13.30 |
14.50 |
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High Wycombe Easton Street |
11.39 |
13.39 |
B |
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Cricket Ground |
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11.43 |
13.43 |
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Bowerdean Cross Roads |
11.45 |
13.45 |
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TOTTERIDGE Tyzack Road |
11.53 |
13.53 |
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A - Departs High Wycombe Bus Station at 11.37 B - Arrives High Wycombe Bus Station at 15.00 |
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363 to Holtspur |
Sunday 19 February 2006 ONLY |
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TOTTERIDGE Tyzack Road |
11.58 |
13.58 |
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Bowerdean Cross Roads |
12.05 |
14.05 |
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Cricket Ground |
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12.07 |
14.07 |
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High Wycombe Crendon St |
12.11 |
14.11 |
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Terriers Cross Roads |
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12.21 |
14.21 |
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Hazlemere Cross Roads |
12.25 |
14.25 |
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Penn Post Office |
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12.33 |
14.33 |
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Knotty Green Red Lion |
12.41 |
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Beaconsfield Station |
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12.44 |
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Beaconsfield Saracen's Head |
12.48 |
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HOLTSPUR North Drive |
12.52 |
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305 to West Wycombe |
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Sunday 19 February 2006 ONLY |
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HIGH WYCOMBE Bus Station |
15.16 |
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WEST WYCOMBE Swan |
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15.26 |
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WEST WYCOMBE Swan |
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15.32 |
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HIGH WYCOMBE Bus Station |
15.42 |
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Please note this service will not operate in the event of adverse weather - e.g. snow & ice due to the VERY steep hills on this route.
Some other events in 2006:
Special trip
over route 347 from Hemel Hempstead to Uxbridge on 19 March marking the 40th
anniversary of RML type vehicles starting on that route from Garston & Hemel
Hempstead garages.
Bus Running Days as follows:
Sunday 14 May - Slough/Windsor
Sunday 25 June - Hemel Hempstead
Sunday 1 October – Amersham organised by Amersham & District Motorbus Society
Quarterly Video Newsletter
I am in the process of working on a quarterly video newsletter which will be available on DVD, probably in the middle of March. Please let me know those of you are interested in receiving a copy. There will be a charge of £10 plus postage and packing, about £2. The content will reflect what is going on in the area covered by this page with the chance to really get the feel of how the area is developing. I would also appreciate receiving your thoughts on what you would like to be included? E-mail me at malcolmhc@aol.com
Again my thanks to all my contributors, both old and new. Keep the historical
info and older
pictures coming but don't forget the modern stuff.
Malcolm Crowe - Sunday 5th February 2006
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002 to date
News of the local companies – 5th February 2006
Much has been going at Arriva with the introduction of the revised timetables on 30th January 2006. One of the main features is that the "wycombe connxion" has been born. A number of services indicated in the brochure below will operate on a half hourly basis during the main part of the day giving a variety of connections in Wycombe bus station.
A special livery has been introduced and so far a Volvo B6 - 3127 - has been given this branding.
The four faces of 3127 showing
the branding applied. One feels that something more could have been done with
the rear of the bus.
Nigel Peach writes "I was interested to read on your midweek update that Arriva 3127 now sports a new livery. I caught sight of it this afternoon (Sat 4th). It looks smart - it looks as though it is route branded, but as I was driving, it was difficult to see it close enough! This bus has been in Wycombe since new, and, in recent years has sported an all over ad for a garage in Little Chalfont. It has also spent quite a lot of time out of service! If it is branded for route 74, then it replaces its twin, 3126 which previously had branding for this route, and is now in a cannibalised state at the depot following a severe fire."
Within the changes made on the 30th, a revised route pattern saw the elimination of the 339 to Lane End and the 301 to Flackwell Heath, these routes being replaced by a new through route numbered 30.
The linking of routes is interesting since over the years the popularity of such linkings has become less due to traffic congestion and subsequent poor performance. The developments shown in High Wycombe seem to buck that trend whereas in Oxford the Oxford Bus Company has split the Kidlington-Barton route due to reliability of a cross town route.
Robert Searby writes "Arriva
has changed the times of lots of routes around High Wycombe. As noted by your
page on 23 January there is a deliberate attempt to have the main routes leaving
HW at 15 and 45, including the 74, 317, 323/324, 328/329 and 362.
The timetable for the 328/329 is much simpler than it used to be with a regular
service from early until early evening. I do mean early, as the first bus is now
05.15 from High Wycombe to Reading (M-F), this previously ran empty and there is
an extra early evening 328 from Reading to HW which was also previously empty.
Some of the longer gaps, eg Henley to Marlow 08.35 to 09.26 and 15.53 to 16.40,
have been plugged by this regular timetable. The variant via Lancaster Road in
Wycombe has gone. I think there is one later journey to and from Reading on a
Sunday.
I am sure there will be downsides with reliability as peak hour extra running
and recovery time has been lost. Under the old timetable the 07.00 from High
Wycombe arrived at Reading at 08.33 with 34 minutes allowed from Sonning, now it
leaves HW at 07.15 and arrives at Reading at 08.35 with just 17 minutes allowed
from Sonning. The departure (before and after) is at 08.45. Then there was an
08.45 arrival in Reading on the 329, convenient for commuters, which didn't
leave Reading until 09.17. Now it arrives at 09.00 (in theory) with less
turnround time. Maybe the bus lanes have made Reading traffic better but I doubt
that this is achievable.
Last night the 17.15 from Wycombe was at least 20 minutes late between Marlow &
Henley while this morning the 07.45 from Reading was also 20 minutes late
leaving Henley, with the next 329 less than 5 minutes behind. I am sure
timekeeping will suffer. It would appear that the service is now run with 6
buses straight through, although of course it may not be that simple.
There have been more Olympians recently, particularly on the 328. Yesterday I
saw two different ones on 328 workings and this morning there was one on the
06.45 from Reading to Wycombe. Interesting because this appears to arrive at
Reading as a 329 and I have not seen a double decker on the 329 route into
Reading for some years. The local press some months back said a particular
schools journey couldn't have a double decker due to low trees, presumably on
the southern end of the 329. So maybe this has changed. But still a majority of
the B10Bs on the route. Incidentally these seem to be found dead at the roadside
or on the back of a tow truck more than any other buses I have ever seen, I can
recall at least 4 between Marlow and Henley in my daily travels over the last
2-3 years, including 2 this winter."
Well this is a factual report from Robert and raises some interesting points.
30 minutes in pictures at Newlands Bus Station last Saturday
Olympian 5144 and Trident 5432
work the new service 30 last Saturday
Last Saturday saw buses on
wrong routes compared to their branding.
Above we have 3865 working the 31 for which it is branded, however 3821 was off
the 33 and working the 31.
Volvo 3854 was working the 326 instead of the 328/329 for which it is branded.
The Aylesbury route had two ex
Wycombe Bus vehicles, being 3834, ex OBC dual door Dart and SLF 3823, unbranded.
Sunday morning saw red route branded Dart SLF 3825 on the 342 to Stokenchurch.
The 33 route had a variety of buses rostered on Saturday including some double
decks.
Trident 5422 was one such bus completely devoid of any destination or route
number except the nearside 38 carried since before it arrived at High Wycombe.
The 326 also had a variety of buses in use as did the 345.
The 32 to Thame usually has a
Solo in use, this being the case on Saturday.
U9 London spare Dart MPD 3482 was working the 317.
Unusually a Vario worked the 340 to Radnage last Saturday.
Glenn Knight was at Luton Airport on Monday the 30th January and took pictures
of two Volvo Olympians Northern Counties
5151 S151 KNK & 5150 S150 KNK from Watford on the 321.
Vikki Lee writes from Kidlington to say that she saw an Arriva Trident working the 280 in Oxford last week. This is an elusive working as so far no one has come up with a picture of a Trident on the 280.
Mark Lyons sent a few pictures including the one below of a new decker working TfL routes.
Martin Oxenham, the Operations Manager has provided some interesting information on this company including a fleet list. They also have new timetables for Line 4 and these and the new livery are the work of Best Impressions and Ray Stenning.
Pictureview of Carousel - February 2006
The new Renault Agoro now working on Line 4.
Pictures by Gavin Francis, Nigel Peach and Malcolm Crowe
A selection of the double deckers now working for
Carousel, note the application of camera equipment on the Olmypians.
The single deck fleet in action, many of which now
carry the new livery/
The latest repaint is D480 seen here being
prepared for service in the workshops last week.
If you need a Routemaster for that wedding
Carousel can oblige.
A demonstrator joins the fleet for one month
An Enviro 300 has joined the fleet for one month
and heralds the arrival of a number of demonstrators over the coming months.
An Enviro 400 decker is expected in a few weeks time. It would appear that the
days of the Metrobus are now numbered.
Current fleet list
To the surprise of many three Tridents are once again being repainted red. The first two 103 and 105 took to the road last week.
Of interest is the retention of
the super rear which due to the lack of rear destination equipment could cause
some confusion in town
and the use of revised fleet name styles. Pictures by Gavin Francis
The foregoing loss of three Tridents for Park & ride has seen Volvo B10Bs working the 300 and 400 routes.
636 is seen working a 400 service
- picture by Gavin Francis.
First in Berkshire
I am advised that First are retaliating to Arriva on the Wycombe-Slough route from 1 April with an enhanced hourly service on route 74 - 5 minutes in front of Arriva leaving Wycombe at 10 mins past each hour. That means 3 buses per hour between High Wycombe & Slough Mon - Sat daytime!!
Motts of Aylesbury
Seen in Wrexham last Saturday on
an away Wycombe Wanders fixture - picture by Gavin Francis
A Scania Irizar works a 737 Stansted Airport service through High Wycombe last
Saturday.
R H Transport
I think this Vario once worked
for British Airways at Heathrow. It was on 25 working last Thursday evening.
One of the latest Solo deliveries is this seemingly smaller and narrower version
than MX55WCZ.
This week sees the announcement of some significant route changes which will come into effect at the end of March.
South Oxfordshire Service Changes from 26th March 2006
Important changes are being made to Stagecoach services in South Oxfordshire from 26th March 2006 affecting routes X4/N4, 31/X31/N31, 32 and 34.
Route X4
As part of a package of bus service changes Stagecoach in Oxfordshire is saying a fond farewell to its X4 service between Abingdon and Oxford. In its place there will be a half hourly daytime service provided by routes 32 and 33 an hourly evening and Sunday service provided by route 31, and a 20 minute frequency on Friday and Saturday nights.
Route X30
A new express service between Oxford, Grove and Wantage every 30 minutes Monday - Saturday daytimes and approx every 90 minutes on Sundays. The route will operate direct from Wantage and Grove via A338, A420, Cumnor Hill, Botley Road and Oxford Rail Station to Oxford City Centre.
Modern, low floor, easy access buses with wheelchair and buggy access will operate every journey (These are the Darts now in use on the X4). One morning peak journey will continue to be operated by an Oxford Tube coach offering low floor access, more comfort and more seats.
Route 31 will offer an improved hourly frequency via Abingdon evenings and Sundays, whilst routes 32/33 will offer an hourly service via Abingdon Monday - Saturday daytimes.
Route 31/X31
New express route X30 will replace the current X31 semi-express service with a doubled frequency on a faster route via Cumnor Hill.
Routes 32/33 will replace route 31 via Abingdon during the daytime.
The frequency through East Hanney and Marcham villages is reduced to hourly, but route X30 will serve the main road past East Hanney every 30 minutes.
The evening frequency is increased to hourly, and the Sunday service will operate for a larger proportion of the day. New express journeys on route X30 are also added during Sunday daytime.
Route 32 and new Route 33
Route 32 is extended to/from Oxford to form a clockwise circular 32 and anticlockwise circular 33 along the following route:
33: As reverse
Both routes will operate hourly Monday - Saturday, combining to give a 30 minute frequency between Oxford and Abingdon.
Route 31 will provide an hourly frequency between Oxford, Abingdon, Marcham, East Hanney, Grove and Wantage evenings and Sundays.
Bicester Service Changes from 26th March 2006
Improvements are being made to Stagecoach routes 27, 28 and 29 from 26th March 2006.
The routes within Bicester will be simplified and renumbered to follow three main variations for the whole day:
27A Oxford – Bicester – Glory Farm – Launton (currently route 28/28A)
27B Oxford – Bicester – Glory Farm – Langford (currently route 27/27A)
27C Oxford – Bicester – Ambrosden – HMP Bullingdon – Arncott (currently route 29/29A)
Certain peak journeys will continue to operate via Bowmont Square. Buses will operate via Bucknell Road, Blenheim Drive, Shakespeare Drive and Middleton Stoney Road in both directions and will no longer serve Wansbeck Drive and Kingsclere Road in the mornings. Instead a temporary bus stop will be located on Middleton Stoney Road near the junction with Chalvey Road pending a review of the bus stops in the area later in the year.
Morning peak journeys will continue to be numbered X27 and will not pick up passengers after Five Mile Drive. The peak frequency is revised to operate every 15 minutes to improve reliability, but no changes are made to the overall daytime timetable.
A new hourly evening and Sunday service is introduced to Glory Farm, whilst Launton and Langford will have earlier buses in the morning peak and later journeys in the evening peak to help make it easier to travel between these areas and Oxford.
Morning peak journeys from Arncott will also benefit from the changes with a faster journey time to Oxford.
The evening frequency from Oxford will be increased to hourly and more night buses will run on Friday and Saturday nights. The Sunday evening service is however withdrawn in the light of the recent improvements to the X5.
New double deck vehicles will operate on 90% of journeys between Oxford and Bicester to offer more space for passengers to sit back and relax. Every departure will be operated by modern low floor buses to provide easy access for all.
These changes follow the recent improvements to the X5 which provides a 30 minute frequency between Oxford and Bicester every day of the week. The service also provides links for Bicester residents to Bedford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge.
Tickets are interchangeable between routes 27 and X5. Explor