A Fare Deal For Transport In Sheffield

[Bucketta 10]

Everyone misses the fundamental problem with public transport. Because it hasn't been state owned for ages the only concerns of the operators are profit. This means that, shamefully, I can drive my knackered old 2 litre car into the city centre, park at an ncp and drive home again at a fraction of the cost of a bus or taxi. Trains and trams aren't even an option. Oh, and not only is it cheaper to drive but it also takes me from my door to my destination with getting wet, changing transport route several times, getting chewing gum stuck to my pants and having to put up with the obligatory freak. Admittedly, when my car is broken I AM the freak on the bus but that's by the by.

 

PS Does someone want to tell the bus drivers of Woodseats the bus lane is time controlled and undertaking and shoving in is just as / more anoying and dangerous for a bus!

 

Sorry, guys, I hate public transport.

 

Oh yeah, and why are bus drivers pathologically miserable b##s? When I have been forced to use said things early in the morning I'm not interested that he hasn't got change 'cos he's only just started!!! Have they not heard of 'floats'??? Can we have all bus drivers forced to have a tattoo on their forehead saying 'BUS DRIVER' so when they go to do their shopping and only have a twenty pound note the checkout assistant can suck their teeth and say 'sorry mate, no change, you'll have toi get out of the shop and come back when you haver the right change' !!!

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!

Rant over.

[Captain_Scarlet 10]

Originally posted by Bucketta

Oh yeah, and why are bus drivers pathologically miserable b##s? When I have been forced to use said things early in the morning I'm not interested that he hasn't got change 'cos he's only just started!!! Have they not heard of 'floats'???

 

YOu have a very good point, it's not us that have to please them, but them please us, we are the customers, so they should like our a***, not the opposite, or i can take a golf club and MAKE the driver understand my point of view

 

Regards,

Greg

[max 13]

Originally posted by Gregsd

we are the customers, so they should like our a***, not the opposite,

 

Are you sure you're not confusing them with the Bottom Inspectorate?

[purplepippa 11]

Trams: love 'em!! they should be extended *everywhere* but the first places should be the Hallamshire and Northern General Hospitals.

 

They are clean and (except for rush hour) not crowded and just generally pleasant.

 

Buses: could be better. could be cleaner for a start. bendy buses were definitely cool.

 

as for someone saying that bus drivers are miserable, yeah some of them are, but i would be too if that was my job and people were being rude to me too all day.

 

incidentally i got on a bus yesterday and a man was singing his heart out on there. he was very happy and the more people laughed the more encouraged he was. it really cheered up my day!

 

Cars: don't like them unless they are totally necessary (ie disability or someone living somewhere with no / inadequate public transport).

 

General: Public transport should be cheaper, cleaner and more regular.

[Andy 10]

Sheffield's Transport Masterplan, by Andy

 

1. We need an organisation to oversee public transport, like Transport for London do in, er, London. This organisation would specify bus timetables, service levels and fares. If a bus operator wasn't up to standard, they would be kicked off and someone else brought in.

 

2. Bring back conductors on the busiest routes - this would make the buses more customer-friendly (look at how little vandelism occurs on the trams). It would also make the buses faster, because the driver wouldn't have to sell tickets and give change.

 

3. Reduce the number of tickets - make it easier for people to understand what they need to pay, so they can have the right money ready. Introduce daily tickets that can be bought cheaply (say £2) and used on any public transport. Have them sold through shops and machines as well as on buses (to save the driver's time).

 

4. Tram extentions - fine, but first they need more trams on the existing routes - at rush hour the Meadowhall route is packed. We need trams every 5 minutes on that line please. Then extend the tram to the hospitals, take the Herdings Park line up to Low Edges and whatever else would be useful.

 

5. Trains - this has already been covered by someone else, but we need more local railway stations and fast, reliable services.

 

6. Park and Ride - we need more of these on the edges of the city. They should be free (just pay for tram/bus ticket), staffed and easily accessable.

[Lickszz 10]

Some excellent points Andy and many which ought to be considered.

[MrH 11]

I think bus drivers shoudl be given much more small change as a float when they start their shifts. How many times have you been refused entry to a bus because the driver had no change left. The answer "I used all my small change on the last bus journey" doesn't seem to wash, somehow!

[Bootlegger 10]

I use public transport quite regularly (tram 3x per week), and would use it a lot more, if it were more reliable and less expensive. Example......i had a bit of work in Doncaster, so i thought i'd use the train and bus. It took TWO and a HALF hours from Sheffield. I think the fare in total was around £10. Trains were late, buses late........It would have taken me 30 - 40 mins in the car and been cheaper. I find it disgusting that the car driver is getting taxed so much when the alternative is a shoddy public transport system.....there is simply no incentive to use overpriced/unreliable public transport .

[mikey 10]

Originally posted by Andy

Sheffield's Transport Masterplan, by Andy

 

1. We need an organisation to oversee public transport, like Transport for London do in, er, London. This organisation would specify bus timetables, service levels and fares. If a bus operator wasn't up to standard, they would be kicked off and someone else brought in.

 

Bit like the old days then SYPTE?

Originally posted by Andy

Sheffield's Transport Masterplan, by Andy

 

2. Bring back conductors on the busiest routes - this would make the buses more customer-friendly (look at how little vandelism occurs on the trams). It would also make the buses faster, because the driver wouldn't have to sell tickets and give change.

 

Bit like the old days then?

Originally posted by Andy

Sheffield's Transport Masterplan, by Andy

 

3. Reduce the number of tickets - make it easier for people to understand what they need to pay, so they can have the right money ready.

Yep just like the old days

 

Originally posted by Andy

Sheffield's Transport Masterplan, by Andy

 

4. Tram extentions - fine, but first they need more trams on the existing routes - at rush hour the Meadowhall route is packed. We need trams every 5 minutes on that line please. Then extend the tram to the hospitals, take the Herdings Park line up to Low Edges and whatever else would be useful.

 

Yep just like the old days, trams ran everywhere.

Originally posted by Andy

Sheffield's Transport Masterplan, by Andy

5. Trains - this has already been covered by someone else, but we need more local railway stations and fast, reliable services.

Yep just like the old days

Originally posted by Andy

Sheffield's Transport Masterplan, by Andy

6. Park and Ride - we need more of these on the edges of the city. They should be free (just pay for tram/bus ticket), staffed and easily accessable.

 

Agreed, park and rides are the enabler for people to use public transport.

[Sidla 10]

I think you should be able to get generic transport tickets. For example it's £1 to Meadowhall on the train, yet £2 on the tram. I don't know how much the bus is. Also it would be good if you could go to Meadowhall on the train and come back on a tram or bus using the same ticket.

[Hippy 10]

Hi folks (first post on the forum, although I've been reading it for a while).

 

I've had to join in on the transport thing.

 

Two words - CONGESTION CHARGING.

 

Whether we like it or not, it's on it's way - that's for sure.

 

Also I got a note through my letterbox the other day from some people who are campaining to stop the supertram coming up to Millhouses, Totley etc.

 

WHY?

 

This is an excellent idea (as long as they don't touch the park).

[mikey 10]

Originally posted by Hippy

Hi folks (first post on the forum, although I've been reading it for a while).

Also I got a note through my letterbox the other day from some people who are campaining to stop the supertram coming up to Millhouses, Totley etc.

 

WHY?

 

This is an excellent idea (as long as they don't touch the park).

 

Hi Hippy welcome to the forum, hope this is not your first and last post.

 

You point about the tram extensions to Millhouses Totley etc, the reason some people are compalining is that it does touch the park, it will have to run through the bottom end of the park near the cricket pitch as the bridge nr Sainsbury's is not big enough, after that bridge it will run along side the train tracks, which all seems pretty logical to me as it will not disrupt the roads to much.