Double decker buses ditched from No 4 route only months after replacing ftrs (From York Press)

"... double deckers lining up in the village sometimes made it “look like a bus depot”". A selection of buses, ready to run: do you want a bus service or not?

And the caption to the picture is wrong: that 4 yr-old bus hasn't been 'scrapped' - it's been transferred to a different route,

Who is charge of transportation at York council?

anti-rant wrote:
Who is charge of transportation at York council?

Irrelevant; the buses are run by First in the interest of its shareholders, not by the city council.

It's not like there's a choice in this, you can't fit a double decker under Leeman road bridge. There's no doubt however that the change to standard length buses on University Road has given First's drivers less ability to block roads by sheer idleness and lack of awareness of their surroundings so I for one don't care how tall the replacement is, just don't give them long ones on this route again.

when I was a kid in the 70's in Osbaldwick there where only double decker buses that run through the village.How did we ever manage then?

my_two_peneth wrote:
when I was a kid in the 70's in Osbaldwick there where only double decker buses that run through the village.How did we ever manage then?

Guess the trees grew! They do you know, when your back is turned.

York’s biggest bus operator, First, said the double deckers can no longer be used on the Number 4 service because a route change means vehicles now have to pass under a low railway bridge in Leeman Road.

According to the map for the revised no.4 service, it goes nowhere near the Leeman Road tunnel.

But, if you read the stuff about the service changes, the 4 turns into a 5 sometimes, in Acomb. Does this mean a bus will get to Acomb via Tadcaster Road and come back as a 5 via LeemanRoad?
The no.5 service on the other hand does.

Not at all clear.

oldgoat wrote:

York’s biggest bus operator, First, said the double deckers can no longer be used on the Number 4 service because a route change means vehicles now have to pass under a low railway bridge in Leeman Road.

According to the map for the revised no.4 service, it goes nowhere near the Leeman Road tunnel.

But, if you read the stuff about the service changes, the 4 turns into a 5 sometimes, in Acomb. Does this mean a bus will get to Acomb via Tadcaster Road and come back as a 5 via LeemanRoad?
The no.5 service on the other hand does.

Not at all clear.

Broadly you are right.....other than next week, when there will be a day time road closure on Askham Lane (Foxwood Lane to Cornlands Road) which will disrupt bus services.

The main issue emerging with the new single decker number 4 service in Acomb/Dringhouses is lack of peak hour capacity. The jury is still out on whether reliability will improve (the achillies heel of the double deck service)

The vehicles used on the service need to be modernised.

Oaklands Resident wrote:

oldgoat wrote:

York’s biggest bus operator, First, said the double deckers can no longer be used on the Number 4 service because a route change means vehicles now have to pass under a low railway bridge in Leeman Road.

According to the map for the revised no.4 service, it goes nowhere near the Leeman Road tunnel.

But, if you read the stuff about the service changes, the 4 turns into a 5 sometimes, in Acomb. Does this mean a bus will get to Acomb via Tadcaster Road and come back as a 5 via LeemanRoad?
The no.5 service on the other hand does.

Not at all clear.

Broadly you are right.....other than next week, when there will be a day time road closure on Askham Lane (Foxwood Lane to Cornlands Road) which will disrupt bus services.

The main issue emerging with the new single decker number 4 service in Acomb/Dringhouses is lack of peak hour capacity. The jury is still out on whether reliability will improve (the achillies heel of the double deck service)

The vehicles used on the service need to be modernised.

It doesn't say where you get the bus when there is a road closure next week when there is a road closure on Askham Lane if you normally use that bus stop.

Pete the Brickie wrote:
It's not like there's a choice in this, you can't fit a double decker under Leeman road bridge. There's no doubt however that the change to standard length buses on University Road has given First's drivers less ability to block roads by sheer idleness and lack of awareness of their surroundings so I for one don't care how tall the replacement is, just don't give them long ones on this route again.

Pete the Brickie says...
10:31am Wed 17 Oct 12
It's not like there's a choice in this, you can't fit a double decker under Leeman road bridge.

I seem to remember somebody tried it a few years back.

Surely if First hadn't changed the route then the buses would still be running the old way.

Simple solution tell First to sling their hook and get a company to replace them who care about the town they are serving and not profit profit profit

Can anyone tell me the nearest bus stop when there is a road closure next week in Askham Lane?

YES IT SEEMS TOTALLY STRANGE THAT THE DOUBLE DECKERS HAVE BEEN MOVED OFF NUMBER 4S BUT IT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ROUTE DOUBLE DECKERS DONT QUITE FIT UNDER LEEMAN ROAD BRIDGE . YOU COMPLIAN ABOUT ANYTHING THE DRIVER HAVE TO BEAR THE BURNT OF YOUR ANGER .
I WAS A BUS DRIVER FOR MANY YEARS I WORKED AT FIRST AND IT WAS ALL HAILED SOMETHING OF THE FUTURE WHEN THE FTR CAME TO YORK . HOW FUNNY IS IT THE THE COUNCIL WHERE GIVEN MONEY TO REDO THE ROADS IN YORK SO WE COULD DRIVE THE FTRS . NOW LOOK LABOUR HAS SAID WE DONT WANT THEM HANG ON THERE ARE STILL MORE BENDIES ON PARK AND RIDE SO IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY SAY THEY CAUSED CONGESTION . WHAT A LOAD OF BULL .
YORK CITY COUNCILNEVER GOT THE BUS PRIORITY RIGHT BUS LANES WHERE NEVER POLICED THE **** UP LIES IN THERE COURT NOT FIRST IF YOU DONT USE BUSES DONT COMPLIAN THE ROUTES ARE MADE UP OUT OF YORK AS THERE IS NO CONTROL IN YORK ITS ALL DONE VIA LEEDS NOW . ITS NO BIG DEAL ON ROUTES CHANGING IT DOES HAPPEN FROM TIME TO TIME AND EVERYONE WAS GIVEN NOTICE OF THE CHANGES . ALSO REMEBER IF YOU WANT A BUS TO STOP STICK YOUR HAND OUT AS MOST STOP ARE MUTLI BUS STOPS IT HELPS THE DRIVERS AND STOPS THE NEGATIVE COMPLAINTS DONT HELP WHERE DID THE OLD IF YOU WANT A BUS PUT YOUR HAND OUT IT SEEMS DRIVERS HAVE TO BE MIND READERS

Hepworth wrote:
Surely if First hadn't changed the route then the buses would still be running the old way. Simple solution tell First to sling their hook and get a company to replace them who care about the town they are serving and not profit profit profit

There aint many compaines that aint share holder based as the council put pay to that when they changed routes last year And york pullman got forced out that was one of only a few that dont have big boys in control I worked at York Pullman a small family firm we started of small with the route no one else wanted tried to make a difference we gave a bus service at the uni but people still chose the 4 i am glad to say though York pullman still have there coach trade its the old phrase use it or lose it .

Let's bear in mind the facts that First ran double deckers on the no.4 route at weekends for about 2 years, and York Pullman / Unibus has been running double deckers on part of the route for ages.

Double deckers are the best choice for York, as they are relatively compact and manoeuvrable compared to bendy buses of whatever type.

So all this talk about tree branches etc is a smoke screen, designed to confuse. We should ask what (and whose) is really the agenda here?

Change the no.4 to a bus suitable for the no.5 service is a case of teh tail wagging the dog. Rather, the no.5 could run on the no.4 service as and when required.

Hepworth has correctly identified Worst's motivations. As we discovered on a recent trip to North America, Worst's business model is to invest its profits from subsidised trains and buses which it runs in the UK, in school buses etc. in the USA.

oldgoat wrote:

York’s biggest bus operator, First, said the double deckers can no longer be used on the Number 4 service because a route change means vehicles now have to pass under a low railway bridge in Leeman Road.

According to the map for the revised no.4 service, it goes nowhere near the Leeman Road tunnel. But, if you read the stuff about the service changes, the 4 turns into a 5 sometimes, in Acomb. Does this mean a bus will get to Acomb via Tadcaster Road and come back as a 5 via LeemanRoad? The no.5 service on the other hand does. Not at all clear.

yes the number 4 ends at foxwood lane where it changes to a number 5 to strensal this gose via leeman road on the 5 journey the 4 still uses tadcaster road vice versa the 5 coming back from strensal gose via leeman road to foxwood lane then changes to a 4 hope that helps

Sorry but some of the comments on here and from those interviewed are pathetic.
First like any other business has a responsibility to its owners. That responsibility is to return a profit. That also applies to smaller companies like York pullman who make money for their directors. If any of us think there is any other reason for running a bus then they are in cloud cuckoo land. The company name is First not worst, when childish name calling is resorted to there is no need to read on - it has been written by a child.
First have put deckers on as the council surprise surprise have changed their minds, again. First have invested a large amount of money into the development and purchase of FTR vehicles just to have them thrown back in their faces by political decisions. At great inconvenience to other operating areas, double deck buses were transferred to York.
Now people are scared of low branches hitting the buses and others are complaining about the possibility of trees being cut back.
Single deckers it is then.
I feel sorry for First in York, no matter what they do they can not win.
If it was me, I would take all the decent buses out and fill the place with 20 - 25 year old bangers and give the people of York the service they obviously deserve.
Maybe then they would have something to winge and whine about

Bring back the lovely little hopper buses, they used to literaly fly over the speed bumps, sit at the back for the ride of your life.. lol

Before Cllr James Alexander started poking his nose into the running of the FTRs we had a first class service and a first class bus. However yet something else he and his cronies have turned to dust just like many other election promises one of which was "improve bus services"

Boadicea wrote:
Can anyone tell me the nearest bus stop when there is a road closure next week in Askham Lane?

Foxwood Lane shops.

Following is from the local LibDem web site. Reproduced from information provided by First (although they still seem to think that the number 4 is running through Cornlands Road - in reality it is a number 5 by then!).

BUS SERVICE INFORMATION

The following revised arrangements to take place during closure of Askham Lane from Monday 22nd to Friday 26th October between 9:15am and 4pm only.

Buses will only be diverted during the hours that the works are taking place. Outside of working hours, buses will follow normal lines of route.

Route 4 – All buses from the city centre will run direct to Foxwood Lane shops from Thanet Road and vice versa. Buses on route 4 (sic) will not serve Cornlands Road for the duration of the works. Buses will pick up from outside the shops on the north side of Foxwood Lane.

Route 5 – All buses from the city centre will run from Tudor Road via Gale Lane to Foxwood Lane Shops. Buses on route 5 will not serve Cornlands Road for the duration of the works. Buses will pick up from outside the shops on the north side of Foxwood Lane.

Route 24 – Not directly affected.

Route 26 – All buses from the city centre will operate as normal as far as St Stephen’s Road but then turn right onto Cornlands Road, Gale Lane and Foxwood Lane onto normal line of route from Bellhouse Way and vice versa. Buses on route 26 will not serve Cornlands Road west of its junction with St Stephen’s Road, Askham Lane or Foxwood Lane Shops for the duration of the works.

YORKSHIRE PUDDIN wrote:
YES IT SEEMS TOTALLY STRANGE THAT THE DOUBLE DECKERS HAVE BEEN MOVED OFF NUMBER 4S BUT IT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ROUTE DOUBLE DECKERS DONT QUITE FIT UNDER LEEMAN ROAD BRIDGE . YOU COMPLIAN ABOUT ANYTHING THE DRIVER HAVE TO BEAR THE BURNT OF YOUR ANGER . I WAS A BUS DRIVER FOR MANY YEARS I WORKED AT FIRST AND IT WAS ALL HAILED SOMETHING OF THE FUTURE WHEN THE FTR CAME TO YORK . HOW FUNNY IS IT THE THE COUNCIL WHERE GIVEN MONEY TO REDO THE ROADS IN YORK SO WE COULD DRIVE THE FTRS . NOW LOOK LABOUR HAS SAID WE DONT WANT THEM HANG ON THERE ARE STILL MORE BENDIES ON PARK AND RIDE SO IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY SAY THEY CAUSED CONGESTION . WHAT A LOAD OF BULL . YORK CITY COUNCILNEVER GOT THE BUS PRIORITY RIGHT BUS LANES WHERE NEVER POLICED THE **** UP LIES IN THERE COURT NOT FIRST IF YOU DONT USE BUSES DONT COMPLIAN THE ROUTES ARE MADE UP OUT OF YORK AS THERE IS NO CONTROL IN YORK ITS ALL DONE VIA LEEDS NOW . ITS NO BIG DEAL ON ROUTES CHANGING IT DOES HAPPEN FROM TIME TO TIME AND EVERYONE WAS GIVEN NOTICE OF THE CHANGES . ALSO REMEBER IF YOU WANT A BUS TO STOP STICK YOUR HAND OUT AS MOST STOP ARE MUTLI BUS STOPS IT HELPS THE DRIVERS AND STOPS THE NEGATIVE COMPLAINTS DONT HELP WHERE DID THE OLD IF YOU WANT A BUS PUT YOUR HAND OUT IT SEEMS DRIVERS HAVE TO BE MIND READERS

Do you feel better now thats off your chest?

LibDem - Thank you for the information.
Good thing its only for a week, lets hope it isn't any longer.

YORKSHIRE PUDDIN wrote:
YES IT SEEMS TOTALLY STRANGE THAT THE DOUBLE DECKERS HAVE BEEN MOVED OFF NUMBER 4S BUT IT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ROUTE DOUBLE DECKERS DONT QUITE FIT UNDER LEEMAN ROAD BRIDGE . YOU COMPLIAN ABOUT ANYTHING THE DRIVER HAVE TO BEAR THE BURNT OF YOUR ANGER .
I WAS A BUS DRIVER FOR MANY YEARS I WORKED AT FIRST AND IT WAS ALL HAILED SOMETHING OF THE FUTURE WHEN THE FTR CAME TO YORK . HOW FUNNY IS IT THE THE COUNCIL WHERE GIVEN MONEY TO REDO THE ROADS IN YORK SO WE COULD DRIVE THE FTRS . NOW LOOK LABOUR HAS SAID WE DONT WANT THEM HANG ON THERE ARE STILL MORE BENDIES ON PARK AND RIDE SO IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY SAY THEY CAUSED CONGESTION . WHAT A LOAD OF BULL .
YORK CITY COUNCILNEVER GOT THE BUS PRIORITY RIGHT BUS LANES WHERE NEVER POLICED THE **** UP LIES IN THERE COURT NOT FIRST IF YOU DONT USE BUSES DONT COMPLIAN THE ROUTES ARE MADE UP OUT OF YORK AS THERE IS NO CONTROL IN YORK ITS ALL DONE VIA LEEDS NOW . ITS NO BIG DEAL ON ROUTES CHANGING IT DOES HAPPEN FROM TIME TO TIME AND EVERYONE WAS GIVEN NOTICE OF THE CHANGES . ALSO REMEBER IF YOU WANT A BUS TO STOP STICK YOUR HAND OUT AS MOST STOP ARE MUTLI BUS STOPS IT HELPS THE DRIVERS AND STOPS THE NEGATIVE COMPLAINTS DONT HELP WHERE DID THE OLD IF YOU WANT A BUS PUT YOUR HAND OUT IT SEEMS DRIVERS HAVE TO BE MIND READERS

I rest my case about First mainly employing rude, badly trained oafs to drive their buses.

Bit insensitive to talk of double decker buses being ditched just one day after one carrying 56 school pupils did just that in Dorchester. http://www.bbc.co.uk
/news/uk-england-dor
set-19959936

Sawday2 wrote:
Bit insensitive to talk of double decker buses being ditched just one day after one carrying 56 school pupils did just that in Dorchester. http://www.bbc.co.uk

/news/uk-england-dor

set-19959936

As a regular user of the York bus network find it interesting that First have introduced a new route to York - a very long route that crosses the city twice (nos 4 and 5 coupled together). How they expect this to run to time I would dearly like to know. Turning now to the FTR - these can hardly be described as a sucess with only York, Leeds and Swansea ever getting any. Yorks have gone and Leeds route 4 has also lost its FTR buses. What is really need is the return of customer hosts at least in the rush hours if not all day(which i used to call conductors when I was younger). There must surely be some fit early retirees who would love a part time job on the buses.

So, First take the FTR's off the 4. They put Double Deckers on, people dont like it when they hit trees. Single deckers it is then! Atleast you have a bus to take you on your journey rather that walking in the pouring rain... Rather be on a single decker that in the pouring rain...

businspector wrote:
Sorry but some of the comments on here and from those interviewed are pathetic.
First like any other business has a responsibility to its owners. That responsibility is to return a profit. That also applies to smaller companies like York pullman who make money for their directors. If any of us think there is any other reason for running a bus then they are in cloud cuckoo land. The company name is First not worst, when childish name calling is resorted to there is no need to read on - it has been written by a child.
First have put deckers on as the council surprise surprise have changed their minds, again. First have invested a large amount of money into the development and purchase of FTR vehicles just to have them thrown back in their faces by political decisions. At great inconvenience to other operating areas, double deck buses were transferred to York.
Now people are scared of low branches hitting the buses and others are complaining about the possibility of trees being cut back.
Single deckers it is then.
I feel sorry for First in York, no matter what they do they can not win.
If it was me, I would take all the decent buses out and fill the place with 20 - 25 year old bangers and give the people of York the service they obviously deserve.
Maybe then they would have something to winge and whine about

Worst is Private Eyes name for First, If anything was pathetic it was the No.5 service prior to the changes, the jury is still out on current service, with no buses for an hour and the 3 buses in convoy not being uncommon. As for the FTRs they were just to big and cumbersome for York even the Park & Ride bendy-buses are far more manoeuvrable than FTRs and liked more by First's drivers. First in trying to make more profit made their services less reliable, which reduced passenger numbers thereby being self defeating, and getting themselves a bad name into the bargain then you wonder why people 'winge and whine'.

I like the concept that it is better to be on a bus rather than walk in the pouring rain. - that is optimism - with a city like York and its traffic problems nice to see a response based on the principal that buses run to time. I must add that in my opinion the First group York drivers are very good - what with poor driving by visitors to York and visitors using the buses unsure where they go and when to get off

YORKSHIRE PUDDIN wrote:
YES IT SEEMS TOTALLY STRANGE THAT THE DOUBLE DECKERS HAVE BEEN MOVED OFF NUMBER 4S BUT IT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ROUTE DOUBLE DECKERS DONT QUITE FIT UNDER LEEMAN ROAD BRIDGE . YOU COMPLIAN ABOUT ANYTHING THE DRIVER HAVE TO BEAR THE BURNT OF YOUR ANGER .
I WAS A BUS DRIVER FOR MANY YEARS I WORKED AT FIRST AND IT WAS ALL HAILED SOMETHING OF THE FUTURE WHEN THE FTR CAME TO YORK . HOW FUNNY IS IT THE THE COUNCIL WHERE GIVEN MONEY TO REDO THE ROADS IN YORK SO WE COULD DRIVE THE FTRS . NOW LOOK LABOUR HAS SAID WE DONT WANT THEM HANG ON THERE ARE STILL MORE BENDIES ON PARK AND RIDE SO IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY SAY THEY CAUSED CONGESTION . WHAT A LOAD OF BULL .
YORK CITY COUNCILNEVER GOT THE BUS PRIORITY RIGHT BUS LANES WHERE NEVER POLICED THE **** UP LIES IN THERE COURT NOT FIRST IF YOU DONT USE BUSES DONT COMPLIAN THE ROUTES ARE MADE UP OUT OF YORK AS THERE IS NO CONTROL IN YORK ITS ALL DONE VIA LEEDS NOW . ITS NO BIG DEAL ON ROUTES CHANGING IT DOES HAPPEN FROM TIME TO TIME AND EVERYONE WAS GIVEN NOTICE OF THE CHANGES . ALSO REMEBER IF YOU WANT A BUS TO STOP STICK YOUR HAND OUT AS MOST STOP ARE MUTLI BUS STOPS IT HELPS THE DRIVERS AND STOPS THE NEGATIVE COMPLAINTS DONT HELP WHERE DID THE OLD IF YOU WANT A BUS PUT YOUR HAND OUT IT SEEMS DRIVERS HAVE TO BE MIND READERS

Wow ! This is better than James Joyce or Alfred Jarry.

businspector wrote:
Sorry but some of the comments on here and from those interviewed are pathetic.
First like any other business has a responsibility to its owners. That responsibility is to return a profit. That also applies to smaller companies like York pullman who make money for their directors. If any of us think there is any other reason for running a bus then they are in cloud cuckoo land. The company name is First not worst, when childish name calling is resorted to there is no need to read on - it has been written by a child.
First have put deckers on as the council surprise surprise have changed their minds, again. First have invested a large amount of money into the development and purchase of FTR vehicles just to have them thrown back in their faces by political decisions. At great inconvenience to other operating areas, double deck buses were transferred to York.
Now people are scared of low branches hitting the buses and others are complaining about the possibility of trees being cut back.
Single deckers it is then.
I feel sorry for First in York, no matter what they do they can not win.
If it was me, I would take all the decent buses out and fill the place with 20 - 25 year old bangers and give the people of York the service they obviously deserve.
Maybe then they would have something to winge and whine about

Is there anything which, in your opinion, should not be operated for a profit ? I have yet to see any real evidence that running public services for a profit results in any improvement in the long term. The function of First is simply to make money, not run transport. There is no disgrace in this; it's just a fact. If British American Tobacco found that they could make more money selling ice-cream then they would do it, because their first obligation is to their shareholders. Please don't try to tell us that First put service before profit. They don't and they can't.

businspector wrote:
Sorry but some of the comments on here and from those interviewed are pathetic.
First like any other business has a responsibility to its owners. That responsibility is to return a profit. That also applies to smaller companies like York pullman who make money for their directors. If any of us think there is any other reason for running a bus then they are in cloud cuckoo land. The company name is First not worst, when childish name calling is resorted to there is no need to read on - it has been written by a child.
First have put deckers on as the council surprise surprise have changed their minds, again. First have invested a large amount of money into the development and purchase of FTR vehicles just to have them thrown back in their faces by political decisions. At great inconvenience to other operating areas, double deck buses were transferred to York.
Now people are scared of low branches hitting the buses and others are complaining about the possibility of trees being cut back.
Single deckers it is then.
I feel sorry for First in York, no matter what they do they can not win.
If it was me, I would take all the decent buses out and fill the place with 20 - 25 year old bangers and give the people of York the service they obviously deserve.
Maybe then they would have something to winge and whine about

I have to respond here, WirstYork have turned the bus service into a sham, alongside the council.

I don't care about trees rubbing on buses; cut the branches back then! silly councillor.

The FTR busses were never required here, so I dont care what it cost Wirst to transfer and run them, why don't they be productive and actually hold a 'customer consultation' where the people that use the **** things can have a say and then the company and the council jointly decide how which services can be run and using what parts of the fleet.

Either way they have a monopoly and need to pull their finger out while there's a customer base not too tired to stop using it.

I'Truth is that First rejoiced when it could stop running FTRs in York, as it no longer needed to employ conductors to collect the fares, and fuel costs could only be lower than for the FTR. Talk about back to the future: bus conductors were phased out decades ago almost everywhere else!

where are all these unused buses, i want to get on one mine are always full of grey brigade. the 4/5 route is much better, its more reliable and has given passengers more buses an hour so double deckers are no longer needed. first drivers are very proffesional and avoid more accidents against stupid car drivers than anyone else. first drivers are not rude in fact quite helpful and pleasant, try using them instead of moaning.

Why is that nice Mr. Pudden shouting so much! Was it something I said, or did he get out of the wrong side of his bed this morning? It is hurting my ears.

Horses for courses !!

nearlyman wrote:
Horses for courses !!

Makes a change from "Horses for verges"!

daveyboy25 wrote:
where are all these unused buses, i want to get on one mine are always full of grey brigade. the 4/5 route is much better, its more reliable and has given passengers more buses an hour so double deckers are no longer needed. first drivers are very proffesional and avoid more accidents against stupid car drivers than anyone else. first drivers are not rude in fact quite helpful and pleasant, try using them instead of moaning.

Grey brigade ? So much for social inclusion.

Pete the Brickie wrote:
It's not like there's a choice in this, you can't fit a double decker under Leeman road bridge. There's no doubt however that the change to standard length buses on University Road has given First's drivers less ability to block roads by sheer idleness and lack of awareness of their surroundings so I for one don't care how tall the replacement is, just don't give them long ones on this route again.

Yes there's a choice. Unless the bridge has suddenly gotten lower since March, why not continue to use the old route?!

Regarding the 'put your hand out if you want a bus to stop' comment, I think there should be efforts to inform tourists of this policy. There's no culture of putting your hand out (except for taxis) in any other country that I'm aware of, so it would seem an unrealistic expectation to assume visitors will follow a policy that no one's bothered to tell them about.

so let me get this right for the number 4 service. You all didnt like the FTR because it was to big and caused more problems than they were worth so they got rid and got new double deckers. Then the new deckers were hitting trees and you didnt like that so they now have single deckers which most people now moan there isnt enough room on for buggies and people etc...So basically no matter what they do it wont be good enough. No wonder they've had enough of trying to please.

arglemcgee wrote:
Regarding the 'put your hand out if you want a bus to stop' comment, I think there should be efforts to inform tourists of this policy. There's no culture of putting your hand out (except for taxis) in any other country that I'm aware of, so it would seem an unrealistic expectation to assume visitors will follow a policy that no one's bothered to tell them about.

its not rocket science, theres a bus i want let the driver know simples

The FTRs have come to Bradford to run the Leeds - Bradford servcies.
We are delighted!

I see there's an old 1970s/80s National bus in red livery by the 659 garage on Layerthorpe - do they know something we don't ;)

^ - where's the garage with this National?

-----

Really... has the press ONLY JUST realised this? The timetable changes have been in place for a couple of weeks now (nearly), and I pointed this out on day 3 of the new routes... You can actually check back on the articles on here and you'll see my comment which says exactly what the press have said, but along the lines of "as the buses now pool with the 5 they have to use single deckers to go under the low bridges on leeman road".

In a way it's a shame this has happened after the FTR's went, otherwise we'd have had the purple slugs in Strensall - which would have been 'interesting'!

Some of the double deckers have recently been repainted (pictures on Flikr)... which to me sadly suggests that First believe York to be a depot they have no plans to sell on to a company who actually runs buses for the customers they serve.

no bus company run without profit, no business runs without profit, we live in greedy society. why do people think buses should be any different. if people had free passes for shopping you would not be able to get in the doors. does anyone actually believe that transdev are for the passengers. the reason fares are so expensive its because the companies are not making anything from the free passes, the passes do not cover day to day running of buses. any company will want profit and the more they get the more they want. look at the recent floods £3 million to clean up, why not get all the unemployed to do it for their giros

BusInspector. First (You?) run a "Service"...allegedl
y. I started using the 7am 13 in Wigginton when the new timetables started but the punctuality has slipped so badly that I will revert to the 1. If a courier service told you they would deliver in the morning but arrived after lunch would you still use them?
As somebody posted above, you have the monopoly, you don't really need to bother, do you?

Successfully getting a doubledecker from one side of the Leeman Road bridge to the other is merely a function of speed. But for all of this health and safety nonsense, it wouldn't be a problem.Even then, we might be able to pacify the HSE by insisting on permitting only short people to travel on the upper deck. Or would this not be sufficiently inclusive? On a similar note, I am very disappointed that M&S drivers travel out of the city so slowly in large trucks. Things can only get worse with blanket 20mph speed limits. The more I think about it, the more I realise that the obvious solution is to have one and a half-deckers.

what a load of rubbish !!! that deckers are getting branch strikes as deckers have been used on service 4 for years.
first stopped using Ftr's after 20.00hrs Monday - Saturday and all day on Sundays circa 2008 they were replaced with deckers, so why should they suddenly be suffering branch strikes ?
also the newer deckers are fitted with fend off bars on the top deck as so any branch strike would not matter.
once again Steve Galloway is miss-informing the public,