Sheffield Goes Green?

[BigAl1 143]

I do not usually catch buses through town so today having caught the 82 in both directions I was very surprised that both buses stopped in town for about 5 minutes and the Diesel engines left running on both. I understand why the wait but can not for the life of me understand why the drivers are allowed to keep their engines running ( perhaps in mid winter when the heating is required)

 

I wonder if you multiply it up just how much pollution is being caused unnecessarily let alone extra usage of fuel but perhaps our council don’t care and heaven forbid the PTE stipulates that engines are turned off in their contacts during catch up time

[Guest busdriver1]

7 hours ago, BigAl1 said:

 

I wonder if you multiply it up just how much pollution is being caused unnecessarily let alone extra usage of fuel but perhaps our council don’t care and heaven forbid the PTE stipulates that engines are turned off in their contacts during catch up time

Fuel use will be minimal, a diesel ticking over uses hardly anything. There are next to  no contracts apart from a vanishing few,  freeing up money for fact finding missions..

First buses are set to cut out after 2 minutes, stagecoach rely on the drivers doing it

Edited September 1, 2021 by busdriver1

[Packitin 0]

I was stood on the top of fargate this afternoon and the smell from the generators from the attractions was disgusting. Plus after walking through the fumes my daughter had a asthma attack. 

[Bargepole23 337]

16 hours ago, BigAl1 said:

I do not usually catch buses through town so today having caught the 82 in both directions I was very surprised that both buses stopped in town for about 5 minutes and the Diesel engines left running on both. I understand why the wait but can not for the life of me understand why the drivers are allowed to keep their engines running ( perhaps in mid winter when the heating is required)

 

I wonder if you multiply it up just how much pollution is being caused unnecessarily let alone extra usage of fuel but perhaps our council don’t care and heaven forbid the PTE stipulates that engines are turned off in their contacts during catch up time

Do the council need to tell bus companies that their drivers should not be sat for extended periods with the engine running?

 

Why is it not the responsibility of the driver to have a bit of social responsibility and for that to be enforced by their employer, be that First or Stagecoach or whichever. This isn't difficult stuff.

[BigAl1 143]

14 hours ago, busdriver1 said:

Fuel use will be minimal, a diesel ticking over uses hardly anything. There are next to  no contracts apart from a vanishing few,  freeing up money for fact finding missions..

First buses are set to cut out after 2 minutes, stagecoach rely on the drivers doing it

On the outward trip the engine did indeed cut out after a couple of minutes but the driver turned it straight back on and we carried on waiting

 

On the inward trip the engine did not cut out

 

The fact the the fuel usage is minimal perhaps explains why the bus companies are more than happy turn a blind eye and allow this whilst shouting about their green credentials elsewhere.  It does however make a mockery of council campaigns to stop idling near schools and hospitals and yet ignore all these buses

2 minutes ago, Bargepole23 said:

Do the council need to tell bus companies that their drivers should not be sat for extended periods with the engine running?

 

Why is it not the responsibility of the driver to have a bit of social responsibility and for that to be enforced by their employer, be that First or Stagecoach or whichever. This isn't difficult stuff.

In theory no but on the other hand they could enforce it and issue fines to offenders - they have to powers apparently to do so outside schools even if they don't bother actually enforcing it

[Guest busdriver1]

3 minutes ago, BigAl1 said:

On the outward trip the engine did indeed cut out after a couple of minutes but the driver turned it straight back on and we carried on waiting

 

On the inward trip the engine did not cut out

 

The fact the the fuel usage is minimal perhaps explains why the bus companies are more than happy turn a blind eye and allow this whilst shouting about their green credentials elsewhere.  It does however make a mockery of council campaigns to stop idling near schools and hospitals and yet ignore all these buses

Perhaps if you were to contact the relevant company they could then look into it as I doubt they will be on here. They actually do take this seriously but cant be everywhere.

[BigAl1 143]

23 hours ago, busdriver1 said:

Perhaps if you were to contact the relevant company they could then look into it as I doubt they will be on here. They actually do take this seriously but cant be everywhere.

it was First Bus

 

I do not have the time, bus number etc

[geared 308]

Why just target buses tho?  You'll see infinity more people doing it with their private cars, the net effect will be far greater than one or two buses.

 

Does the council have the power to pass an 'no idling' law across the entire city centre area?

[Mr Bloke 1,445]

4 minutes ago, geared said:

Why just target buses tho?  You'll see infinity more people doing it with their private cars, the net effect will be far greater than one or two buses.

 

Does the council have the power to pass an 'no idling' law across the entire city centre area?

Hmmm...

... maybe they could start at the Town Hall?

[hauxwell 243]

 I have seen signs in the Sheffield bus stations asking drivers to turn the engines off if they have to wait until it’s there time to leave the station.  This is a few years ago tho.  

 

I’ve never seen sings in the bus stations in the Newcastle and Gateshead area where I live.  
Some of the older smaller buses up here use to vibrate when the engine was running, which wasn’t very pleasant when you had to sit for over five minutes waiting until it was time for the bus to leave. They have now got rid of most of the older buses and replaced them with electric ones, so hopefully in the not to distant future it won’t be a problem.
 

 

 

 

 

[Anna B 1,414]

The Council want to ban cars from the city centre. Fair enough, if they provide an alternative. What about big park and ride carparks on the outskirts, and free electric shuttle buses that can go into predestrianised areas to take people into the centre? Similar to what they have at big theme parks, (and they manage to transfer thousands of people a day quite satisfactorily.)  Independent rickshaws might also be an option to work alongside, even bikes.

[hauxwell 243]

35 minutes ago, Anna B said:

Independent rickshaws might also be an option to work alongside, even bikes.

These electric scooters seem to be popular up here.  
 

https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/citylife-news/transport/e-scooter-trial-launches-