The dreaded FIRST BUS!

[raveydavey]

From this mornings YEP:http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... Apparently, under threat from "quality bus contracts" and the possible loss of their dominance on local routes, Worst have decided that if Metro go into partnership with them they could suddenly afford to reduce their fares by almost a third!Aside from the fact that many people will assume that Worst and Metro have had a nice cozy partnership going for years, doesn't this just prove how Worst have been abusing their near monopoly in the city?This whole affair stinks, and further underlines that fact that Metro hasn't been fit for purpose for years.

[Bracken]

Scilly Billy but a Great First Great WesternMany thanks to the staff of the overnight sleeper i travelled on 14/15 July.I overlooked the arrival time which was approx 0850 a hour later on Mondays and leaving 0900 the last boarding time for the Sciillonian to the Isles of Scilly.This ship only does one crossing a day.The staff contacted the ship to make aware the situation and arranged a taxi from Penzance station to the quayside.This was excellent to see and five other people some old managed and myself were able to board the ship before sailing.This was excellent customer service but i wonder if British Rail was still around if the result would have been the same.

[Barwicker]

On at least some of the buses running on routes 2,3 & 13 a notice has appeared about the delays in North Street caused by Gas Main Repairs. One sentence in this notice reads:" Please accept ARE apology for these delays which are beyond our control"The use of the English language by First appears to be on a par with their bus operations.

[shutthatdoor]

Not quite Worstbus but, a friend of mine had a label printer and used to stick messages on the back of bus seats, especially Arriva, and they read " If you're reading this, you're probably late for work".

[majorhoundii]

I'll never criticise either First or Arriva again. The other week I had to go to Dewsbury hospital and was advised not to drive because they wanted to put some drops in my eyes. I went on the train from Morley to Dewsbury and caught the bus up to the hospital.On the way back I caught the bus back down to Dewsbury bus station and waited for the next bus to Morley. It was ten minutes late, it proceeded to Morley via Dewsbury Station, Dewsbury Moor, back to the hospital! Then White Lee, down to Bradford Road Batley to Batley bus station, back along Bradford Road, up Batley Field Hill, left across to Carliinghow Lane, up Carlinghow Lane, along Upper Batley Low Lane, Upper Batley Lane to Howden Clough, up to Bruntcliffe, right to ASDA, out of ASDA to High Street, all around the Barrett estate and finally to Morley Town Hall. It took an hour, and for all the journey after Dewsbury Moor I was the only person on the damned thing! I can't remember which company it was - some local Dewsbury coach firm. If I'd waited ten minutes I could have caught the 205 Pudsey Bus!

[p]

majorhoundii wrote: I'll never criticise either First or Arriva again. The other week I had to go to Dewsbury hospital and was advised not to drive because they wanted to put some drops in my eyes. I went on the train from Morley to Dewsbury and caught the bus up to the hospital.On the way back I caught the bus back down to Dewsbury bus station and waited for the next bus to Morley. It was ten minutes late, it proceeded to Morley via Dewsbury Station, Dewsbury Moor, back to the hospital! Then White Lee, down to Bradford Road Batley to Batley bus station, back along Bradford Road, up Batley Field Hill, left across to Carliinghow Lane, up Carlinghow Lane, along Upper Batley Low Lane, Upper Batley Lane to Howden Clough, up to Bruntcliffe, right to ASDA, out of ASDA to High Street, all around the Barrett estate and finally to Morley Town Hall. It took an hour, and for all the journey after Dewsbury Moor I was the only person on the damned thing! I can't remember which company it was - some local Dewsbury coach firm. If I'd waited ten minutes I could have caught the 205 Pudsey Bus! Close on the coach firm front (they've just re-started coaching operations after an absence of a few years) however their based in Barnsley. The route is the Metro part funded service 213 operated by Tates Travel and those who live on part of the route between Batley and Morley have until next year to use it or loose it, clearly they've not heard. Don't be quick not to be critical of Arriva because they competed with Tates on part of this route between Dewsbury and Batley carrying fresh air, they were quick to withdraw it! As a bit of history, before Tates took on the contract, the Metro funding was for the full route between Dewsbury and Morley and Arriva operated the route however in the recent North Kirklees bus review by Metro, Metro decided to cut the funded route to run Batley to Morley only and Tates won the contract and decided to run the Batley to Dewsbury section on a commercial basis possibly in the hope they'd develop the whole Morley to Dewsbury route to run commercially, judging by your experience they're struggling. As a further heads up, Tates are speculated to be competing with Arriva in the Wakefield and Dewsbury areas from January 2014. They've done such a move a year or so back although they gradually withdrew a number of competing journeys on routes such as the 195. They're always on the look out it seems for Metro contracts, so commercial expansion rumours could be true.

[Leodian]

Needing to go to Bradford today I decided to go by bus and use the Hyperlink 72 bus, which is I think a First Bus service. I've not been on one of these supposedly prestige service Hyperlink bendy buses before so I was surprised that it did not go by a more direct route. There was also a little delay due to roadworks at one point. Then the bus had a problem shortly after Dawsons Corner and passengers had to wait several minutes then get off and onto the next bus (which was another Hyperlink). I seem to recall reading that the Hyperlink buses have a tendency to break down. That run from Leeds to Bradford took just under 1 hour! I could have got a 72 to come back but I got an X6 and was back in Leeds only about 35 minutes later.

[raveydavey]

Leodian wrote: Needing to go to Bradford today I decided to go by bus and use the Hyperlink 72 bus, which is I think a First Bus service. I've not been on one of these supposedly prestige service Hyperlink bendy buses before so I was surprised that it did not go by a more direct route. There was also a little delay due to roadworks at one point. Then the bus had a problem shortly after Dawsons Corner and passengers had to wait several minutes then get off and onto the next bus (which was another Hyperlink). I seem to recall reading that the Hyperlink buses have a tendency to break down. That run from Leeds to Bradford took just under 1 hour! I could have got a 72 to come back but I got an X6 and was back in Leeds only about 35 minutes later. Its even quicker by train.... Though if you think the ftr (failed transport revolution), sorry hyperlink service takes a while, try getting on the service that links Leeds and Bradford via Greengates.

[Bracken]

Travelling to and from work on Stanningley Road it is not uncommon to see Eclipse Gemini double deck buses standing in for FTR buses.Whether they are out of service broken down or they do not have enough conductors or should i say welcome hosts i do not know.Hate the noisy row the engines make.

[simong]

We live at Dawson's Corner and could get the 72 or the 508 in either direction but it really is generally cheaper and quicker to walk to New Pudsey and get the train, on-board wifi, coffee and cuddly toys for the kids or not. I had a little bet with myself to see how long it would take before I saw the first replacement double decker and I think it was after about two months.The buses were originally commissioned for York, where they couldn't get around corners in the city centre and use on the no 4 route, where they were continually underoccuppied. My guess is that the trolleybuses will look oddly similar and in time First hope that people won't notice that the bus on the trolleybus lane has a diesel engine.