Most Buses Will Have A Reduced Bus Timetable From 25/1

[Annie Bynnol 612]

The Government has instructed public transport in England  to reduce service levels on buses and trains.

 

Accordingly First in South Yorkshire, nearly all buses will follow a Saturday service. First timetables here, 

Stagecoach are also changing timetables here.

 

Train operators have/are/will change timetables. Tickets booked in advance will be honoured.

[Janus 28]

I've just spoke with travel line service. I was told it is basically going to be like a Saturday service, so not too bad.

 

 

Edited January 20, 2021 by Janus

[RollingJ 2,001]

Well @enntee, from my admittedly  limited observations, even at what you would call 'busy' times, you are lucky to see any passengers on the three services which go past my window, so I'm guessing  that is unlikely to be a problem.

[Guest busdriver1]

5 hours ago, enntee said:

Unless current timetables are running empty buses/trams, I can only see this resulting in increased contact risk.

There are areas that have more people than others that are exempt from lockdown. There is much higher bus use in those areas.

[bagger 10]

The 120 is often busy. I get on it as I work at the Hallamshire hospital. I do hope they don't reduce this route by much as it just makes things even riskier. 

[Annie Bynnol 612]

40 minutes ago, bagger said:

The 120 is often busy. I get on it as I work at the Hallamshire hospital. I do hope they don't reduce this route by much as it just makes things even riskier. 

The First mention that their 120 and 52a  services are enhanced Saturday services.

Stagecoach are also changing timetables . See links in post #1

[Jeffrey Shaw 90]

There's also an all-operator website at TSY: https://mytsy.travelsouthyorkshire.com/login/?returnurl=%2f

[Resident 1,185]

8 hours ago, Jeffrey Shaw said:

There's also an all-operator website at TSY: https://mytsy.travelsouthyorkshire.com/login/?returnurl=%2f

Which is often wrong in my experience, as are the so-called 'customer service' staff within the interchanges. 

[Annie Bynnol 612]

6 hours ago, Resident said:

Which is often wrong in my experience, as are the so-called 'customer service' staff within the interchanges. 

The 52 timetable issued by Stagecoach and appear on  TSY are the same PDF.

There is no difference between the 52a First timetable and the 52a timetable that appears  on TSY.

 

 

[sheffbag 227]

Cant really blame them, across Yorkshire and the Humber the number of journeys using a smartcard is between 20-25% of pre lockdown levels. No point running empty buses which cost money. 

[Guest busdriver1]

1 hour ago, sheffbag said:

Cant really blame them, across Yorkshire and the Humber the number of journeys using a smartcard is between 20-25% of pre lockdown levels. No point running empty buses which cost money. 

How much of that is down to covid 19 and how much is down to the general decline in the use of smartcards?

 

Certainly the only major operator that uses smart cards for their own products is Stagecoach with First and Arriva switching away from them and have both removed the facility to load a card "on bus".

There are also massive regional variations. Nottinghamshire have staff  going onto buses checking on the necessity of travel being made and issuing fines to people making non essential journeys in that area. As a result bus use in Nottinghamshire is down to about 10% of pre covid levels.  South Yorkshire do not check and bus use is comparatively higher. I believe West Yorkshire are now using covid officers so would expect bus patronage to fall in that area as a result. I would not use smart cards as an indication, but would look at overall bus patronage. That is down to between 10 and 40 % of precovid levels depending on operator and area.

[RollingJ 2,001]

43 minutes ago, busdriver1 said:

How much of that is down to covid 19 and how much is down to the general decline in the use of smartcards?

 

Certainly the only major operator that uses smart cards for their own products is Stagecoach with First and Arriva switching away from them and have both removed the facility to load a card "on bus".

 

I'm curious, why are they switching away from 'smartcards', having invested heavily into the technology and equipment to use them? Seems a retrograde step - to me.