The government cuts have caused chaos for public transport.

BUS services in the UK have been cut rapidly this year, in a time when a new government has forced huge spending cuts on local authorities, yet at the same time trying to promote the use of public transport.

As usual, Exeter is my case study. When I was at school just a few years ago, living the other side of the river (approximately 3 miles away) I caught a designated school bus. Another school, slightly further away, also had three school buses to various parts of the city. The takeup of these services weren’t massive, but with consideration could have been merged into one service. In the first part of this year, Devon County Council, as a result in funding being taken away from them, announced that all but one school bus service would be scrapped at Easter. True to their word, and despite hefty campaigns, the funding for these services were cut. In a twist however, dominant bus company Stagecoach opted to continue to run the service on a commercial basis until the end of the Summer term. Though, as predicted this service will cease for good because it has proven to be un-viable.

School bus services weren’t the only cuts made to bus services, and no doubt there will be more. Sticking with Exeter, the once hourly express X38 service has had journies cut making it just two hourly. This situation is repeated around the country on rural routes and some urban routes. Bus companies can only do so much with commercially run services. If routes are loss-making, no-one can argue with the bus company for pulling it. Without entering into politics too much, if the government wants to make all these savings, people will suffer as we have already seen in the few months of these changes. It’s their mess, and they simply have to deal with it.

So, to end with, I finish with the question I started. How will public transport improve? Who knows? Because the way things are going, more and more services are simply going to be axed with no replacements.

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8 Solo SRs for Western Greyhound

POSSIBLY the first major company in Devon and Cornwall, have invested in the highly critical Optare Solo SR model.
with the Solo model.

The Optare Solo is renowned as one of Optares most successful product, which unveiled the SR variant in 2007. Companies have been slow to take up the new version, with many larger companies, such as Stagecoach, and previously Western Greyhound, sticking

The company has 8 of the SR M995 models, all 11 plated and have been brought for town routes down in Cornwall costing the company £1 million.

Western Greyhound have significantly improved their fleet from the once exclusive use of small Mercedes Varios and Volvo Olympians/East lancs to introduce low floor vehicles ahead of the upcoming DDA deadlines.

The last major investment by Western Greyhound was normal Optare Solos last year. What’s clear though, is Western Greyhound are going places, and it is likely that we will see significant new investment from them in the future.

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We currently offer three fleetlists for 2 of the bigger companies and another localised one. Though i’m looking to expand what we offer to users.

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In light with competition from First, rather than counter compete, they’ve simply withdrew the route.

Understandably, this has caused an outcry among users of the route and Torbay bus routes has set up a petition. I’d urge anyone who is affected by the withdrawal visit Torbay bus routes and sign the petition!

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Thumbnail image:  Some rights reserved by Steven’s Bus & Coach Photos