Stagecoach Bus Strike & Tram Services Cut

[Michael_N 36]

Not looking like it's going to be the best few weeks ahead, as Stagecoach buses look to be going on strike from Saturday 27th November, at the same time that Stagecoach Supertram look to be "reducing the frequency of its services by up to 50%" from Sunday 28th November. 

 

Information regarding the Stagecoach bus strike - https://www.stagecoachbus.com/service-updates/serviceupdatesarticle?SituationId=ID-23/11/2021-14:46:04:790

Information regarding the Supertram service cuts - https://www.stagecoachbus.com/news/yorkshire/2021/november-2021/supertram-service-changes-from-28-november

Sheffield tram service to be reduced by 50% due to driver shortage

[Annie Bynnol 612]

Exaggeration

 

"Summary of services from 28 November

BLUE and YELLOW route Monday to Saturday every 20 minutes from start of service, peak/daytime frequency every 12 minutes, evening frequency every 30 minutes. Sunday every 20 minutes until evening frequency reduces to every 30 minutes. Combined Monday to Saturday daytime frequency between Hillsborough and City every 6 minutes and 15 minutes in the evenings

PURPLE route hourly all day every day except Sunday daytime, which has a frequency of every 30 minutes until evening frequency reduces back to hourly

TRAM TRAIN no changes to the current timetable"

[butlers 260]

Maybe they could borrow Birminghams tram drivers( not really) but as far as I know thier entire fleet of trams has been withdrawn for likely weeks to fix serious faults

[Resident 1,185]

Good luck to em. 

They were all essential key workers during covid but met minimal praise. Many bus operators suspended normal terms and conditions in the guise of 'emergency operations' & now the company bosses are fighting to not return those normal conditions because it saves them money. They also don't want to pay drivers what they're worth & make out to the public that this is all about drivers wanting more money. 

Well it is true that driver's want DECENT pay but they also want those T&Cs back that made the job worth doing. But telling the public that won't put the company in a favourable light & won't garner public support. 
 

[Andy C 86]

22 hours ago, Annie Bynnol said:

Exaggeration

 

"Summary of services from 28 November

BLUE and YELLOW route Monday to Saturday every 20 minutes from start of service, peak/daytime frequency every 12 minutes, evening frequency every 30 minutes. Sunday every 20 minutes until evening frequency reduces to every 30 minutes. Combined Monday to Saturday daytime frequency between Hillsborough and City every 6 minutes and 15 minutes in the evenings

PURPLE route hourly all day every day except Sunday daytime, which has a frequency of every 30 minutes until evening frequency reduces back to hourly

TRAM TRAIN no changes to the current timetable"

Indeed, very misleading headline that is ALMOST true for Herdings but nowhere else.

 

Supertram like the whole transport industry nationally is suffering staff shortages, the timetable changes are a combination of moving staff to focus on improving services where demand requires it whilst at less popular times reducing frequencies to the level that can be delivered reliability with the staff available. This is something the bus operators have already done.

 

Lets look closer at the new timetable...

 

Blue route is being improved to run every 12 minutes Mon-Sat daytime (currently every 15 minutes) matching the Yellow route. So more trams when most people need them.  There are also some minor improvements to the times of first and last trams in some cases.

 

Tram Train is unchanged and continues to run half hourly all day every day. The evening service is now better than pre-covid.

 

Evening services on Blue and Yellow routes reduced from every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes, although  some sections of the network are served by more than one route and on the City-Hillsborough  corridor the times will be coordinated to have a tram every 15 minutes.

 

Purple route is reduced to hourly, with the exception of Sunday daytime when it is still half hourly and early morning on weekdays where the current earliest tram from Herdings is retained and is extended beyond Cathedral to  Malin Bridge.

 

Yellow route trams at the times that used to be rush hour are currently increased to every 10 minutes, with many still working from home this is reduced to every 12 minutes so maintaining the same times each hour throughout the daytime.

 

Timetables: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/news/yorkshire/2020/june/st-current-timetables

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by Andy C

[Andy C 86]

4 hours ago, Resident said:

Good luck to em. 

They were all essential key workers during covid but met minimal praise. Many bus operators suspended normal terms and conditions in the guise of 'emergency operations' & now the company bosses are fighting to not return those normal conditions because it saves them money. They also don't want to pay drivers what they're worth & make out to the public that this is all about drivers wanting more money. 

Well it is true that driver's want DECENT pay but they also want those T&Cs back that made the job worth doing. But telling the public that won't put the company in a favourable light & won't garner public support. 
 

Just to mention that it is Stageecoach Yorkshire Buses from Sheffield Holbrook, Sheffield Ecclesfield, Rotherham Rawmarsh and Barnsley depots that are involved in the strike.

 

Chesterfield depot is not involved in the strike (they've already agreed a deal and didn't go ahead with their strike) so the 43, 44, 50, 50a, 65, 80, 80a and X17 will still run. Also unaffected are routes 53/53a which is run by Stagecoach East Midlands from Mansfield depot rather than Stagecoach Yorkshire.

 

Supertram also not affected as it isn't a bus company and of course other bus operators like First, Powells, TM Travel and Hulleys will still run.

 

Keep an eye on https://www.stagecoachbus.com/ or https://twitter.com/stagecoachyrks for updates.

 

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by Andy C

[Guest busdriver1]

1 hour ago, Andy C said:

Just to mention that it is Stageecoach Yorkshire Buses from Sheffield Holbrook, Sheffield Ecclesfield, Rotherham Rawmarsh and Barnsley depots that are involved in the strike.

 

Chesterfield depot is not involved in the strike (they've already agreed a deal and didn't go ahead with their strike) so the 43, 44, 50, 50a, 65, 80, 80a and X17 will still run. Also unaffected are routes 53/53a which is run by Stagecoach East Midlands from Mansfield depot rather than Stagecoach Yorkshire.

 

Supertram also not affected as it isn't a bus company and of course other bus operators like First, Powells, TM Travel and Hulleys will still run.

 

Keep an eye on https://www.stagecoachbus.com/ or https://twitter.com/stagecoachyrks for updates.

 

 

I think you will find that the 19 (Worksop - Rotherham)  is already reduced as well as drivers are leaving faster then they can replace them and they only have 1 driver trainer so there is a massive backlog of staff waiting start dates for training and experienced drivers wont touch them. A pal of mine is in the queue and plans to leave straight away after passing his test  to go coach driving.

[Resident 1,185]

19 minutes ago, busdriver1 said:

I think you will find that the 19 (Worksop - Rotherham)  is already reduced as well as drivers are leaving faster then they can replace them and they only have 1 driver trainer so there is a massive backlog of staff waiting start dates for training and experienced drivers wont touch them. A pal of mine is in the queue and plans to leave straight away after passing his test  to go coach driving.

Are Stagecoach not holding drivers to a timed bond for training? 

I know at First if you leave within the first 2 years you have to pay the training costs back

[Guest busdriver1]

42 minutes ago, Resident said:

Are Stagecoach not holding drivers to a timed bond for training? 

I know at First if you leave within the first 2 years you have to pay the training costs back

They try but its not legally enforceable. They used to take you to the small claims court but after losing so many cases on the basis that it was trade training so exempt from claw backs they now sell the debt on to a debt collection agency who will drop the case if you tell them it is under contest. The contract you are made to sign is invalid as it gets signed under duress ( if you dont sign you dont get the job).

[dave_the_m 61]

2 minutes ago, busdriver1 said:

The contract you are made to sign is invalid as it gets signed under duress ( if you dont sign you dont get the job).

That doesn't count as duress.

[bassett one 450]

how many folk out of work? we need training schemes asap and let people work and earn money instead of the dole.

[Guest busdriver1]

11 hours ago, dave_the_m said:

That doesn't count as duress.

Courts think it does. On MANY occasions