Buses & trams for school summer holidays

[Andy C]

From Sunday 20th July, First are launching new weekend services to the Peak District, improvements to their Peak District Explorer ticket, a family day ticket and a website suggesting ideas of where to take the kids by bus this summer.

 

In the Peak District the regular bus 272 from Sheffield to Castleton is joined by new summer weekend services 240 to Bakewell and 244 to Ladybower. The First Day Peak Explorer ticket is accepted on these routes along with all First buses in Sheffield for £5.50 adult, £2.70 child or £15 for a group ticket (up to 5 passengers).

 

Within South Yorkshire a family day ticket on First buses is available for £8.50 (up to 2 adults, 3 children) and ideas of places to go on the bus can be found at http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/summer/s_york.html. For kids travelling without the parents there are also child day and child week tickets available.

 

Meanwhile Stagecoach have also launched a family Dayrider, valid on any Stagecoach bus in South and West Yorkshire along with Supertram costing £8.50 for up to 2 adults and 3 children, they also have some suggested destinations on their website - http://www.stagecoachbus.com/familyday.aspx

 

Within Sheffield Stagecoach offer bus & tram Dayriders for £4 adults and £2.30 children for those not travelling in a family group, with weekly Megariders priced at £13.50 adult and £6 child.

 

For those travelling further afield with Stagecoach, a day Explorer at £5.80 for adults and £3.90 for children is available on any Stagecoach bus in South & West Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Gainsborough plus Supertram. Longer distance buses from Sheffield include the X17 to Matlock via Chesterfield, 53 to Mansfield via Bolsover and 265 to Barnsley.

 

Also still available is the Travelmaster range of tickets accepted by all bus, train and tram operators in South Yorkshire, a day ticket for all is £7.50 adult and £3.60 child. See http://www.sytravelmaster.com.

 

A family deal is also available for the Park & Ride facilities at Nunnery Square and Halfway evenings and weekends, this includes all day car parking and a days unlimited travel on the tram for up to 2 adults and 2 children. This costs £4.50 on weekday evenings (after 6pm) and £6.50 Saturday and Sunday anytime.

[Aleksandr]

I've heard that the number 51 bus service is being reduced in frequency during the summer holidays from six buses a day to just three, and they'll all come at once with the full one stopping to pick up passengers and the two empty buses driving straight past each stop. So very little change from the normal service really.

[Andy C]

most amusing....

 

There are a number of buses changing from 20th July but the 51 isn't one of them... details: http://www.travelsouthyorkshire.com/futurechanges/

[Aleksandr]

most amusing....

 

There are a number of buses changing from 20th July but the 51 isn't one of them... details: http://www.travelsouthyorkshire.com/futurechanges/

The 51 route is much more of a serious problem than 'amusing'. It really is the worst route in Sheffield and quite shameful. I suspect it may be the worst in the UK if not the world. It's incredibly unreliable with buses failing to arrive, impossible to tell whether the ones that do turn up are early or late and massive gaps of well over 45 minutes between buses that are supposed to run every 10 minutes with, as I mentioned, several turning up at once and only the full one stopping. It's a joke, a scandal and a disgrace.

 

No matter who complains, how vociferously and how frequently, nothing is ever done to improve the 51. Our councillors have lead totally ineffective campaigns, making me wonder whether they might be in on it!

[Andy C]

Unfortunately councillors are to keen on demonstrating they aren't anti car to introduce any measures that would make buses more reliable - most issues buses have involves traffic congestion or parked cars.

[Guest busdriver1]

The 51 route is much more of a serious problem than 'amusing'. It really is the worst route in Sheffield and quite shameful. I suspect it may be the worst in the UK if not the world. It's incredibly unreliable with buses failing to arrive, impossible to tell whether the ones that do turn up are early or late and massive gaps of well over 45 minutes between buses that are supposed to run every 10 minutes with, as I mentioned, several turning up at once and only the full one stopping. It's a joke, a scandal and a disgrace.

 

No matter who complains, how vociferously and how frequently, nothing is ever done to improve the 51. Our councillors have lead totally ineffective campaigns, making me wonder whether they might be in on it!

 

Really? FACTS show otherwise. Increased patronage and reliability but lets not allow facts to spoil a good rant.

[vizzbucks]

If we are moaning about the 51 route, let me have my say as a bus driver.

 

I'd like to thank the moron who was taking pot shots with an air rifle up east bank road last month, who managed to shoot straight through my cab window and straight into my arm, resulting in the pellet being embedded right next to the bone.

 

And he also shot a cyclist about 15 minutes later, who i met at the hospital, and i'm sure he would like to thank you too.

 

But i'd like to thank my passengers at the time who didn't moan or complain when i stopped my bus and they had to get off a short time later, as the pain kicked in and it wasn't safe for me to carry on driving, especially to the guy who offered to phone his wife and get her to bring the car to take me to hospital (which i didn't need as i flagged down a cop car)

 

This resulted in all my bus being taken out of service (at approx 2230) and leaving only 2 buses running that night, leaving passengers stranded at stops for longer.

 

So, there are many reasons buses are late / missing, i know mine was extreme, but it happens. Bus drivers don't want to be late, it makes our job harder, but through various events during our trips (ie badly parked cars, traffic volume etc) it's unavoidable, especially lately, with all the roads being dug up, resurfaced, resulting in various diversions, sometimes without the bus company knowing, they close roads, leaving a bus stranded as there is nowhere to turn.

[Aleksandr]

If we are moaning about the 51 route, let me have my say as a bus driver.

 

I'd like to thank the moron who was taking pot shots with an air rifle up east bank road last month, who managed to shoot straight through my cab window and straight into my arm, resulting in the pellet being embedded right next to the bone.

 

And he also shot a cyclist about 15 minutes later, who i met at the hospital, and i'm sure he would like to thank you too.

 

But i'd like to thank my passengers at the time who didn't moan or complain when i stopped my bus and they had to get off a short time later, as the pain kicked in and it wasn't safe for me to carry on driving, especially to the guy who offered to phone his wife and get her to bring the car to take me to hospital (which i didn't need as i flagged down a cop car)

 

This resulted in all my bus being taken out of service (at approx 2230) and leaving only 2 buses running that night, leaving passengers stranded at stops for longer.

 

So, there are many reasons buses are late / missing, i know mine was extreme, but it happens. Bus drivers don't want to be late, it makes our job harder, but through various events during our trips (ie badly parked cars, traffic volume etc) it's unavoidable, especially lately, with all the roads being dug up, resurfaced, resulting in various diversions, sometimes without the bus company knowing, they close roads, leaving a bus stranded as there is nowhere to turn.

I think it's terrible that this happened and I hope you make a full and rapid recovery. But that is, as you say, extreme even for that end of town. Such events, fortunately, do not happen often enough to explain the poor state of the 51 route.

 

---------- Post added 20-07-2014 at 15:57 ----------

 

Really? FACTS show otherwise. Increased patronage and reliability but lets not allow facts to spoil a good rant.

Quote your sources. No one who uses, or tries to use, the 51 is aware of an increase in patronage or an improvement in reliability. I have attended public meetings on this matter. I do not believe that you have any evidence.

[Guest busdriver1]

 

[/color]Quote your sources. No one who uses, or tries to use, the 51 is aware of an increase in patronage or an improvement in reliability. I have attended public meetings on this matter. I do not believe that you have any evidence.

 

If you dont believe me thats your look out. I do not do rumour or hearsay, I do facts.

 

---------- Post added 21-07-2014 at 00:22 ----------

 

 

No matter who complains, how vociferously and how frequently, nothing is ever done to improve the 51. Our councillors have lead totally ineffective campaigns, making me wonder whether they might be in on it!

 

Services are monitored and any shortfalls are recorded accurately. The facts do not back up what is being alleged. There are some who have difficulty with the concept of a bus being run to a timetable and not on demand.

Not saying they run perfectly but the facts do not tally with the allegations.

[Aleksandr]

If you dont believe me thats your look out. I do not do rumour or hearsay, I do facts.

 

---------- Post added 21-07-2014 at 00:22 ----------

 

 

Services are monitored and any shortfalls are recorded accurately. The facts do not back up what is being alleged. There are some who have difficulty with the concept of a bus being run to a timetable and not on demand.

Not saying they run perfectly but the facts do not tally with the allegations.

That's outrageous! So a bus is supposed to turn up at 17:06 with another every 10 minutes and none turns up until 17:53 and you call that running to a timetable? You don't deal in facts. I don't believe you because I see what happens on that route every working day and often at weekends! No one's asking for buses on demand, but we do demand that you stick to the timetable and not sit at the terminus with your mates gassing away when you should be half-way past town!