Newsbot Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 A review into the Isle of Man's bus service could mean major changes to services and ease congestion. Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/...man/7668488.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moghrey Mie Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 A review into the Isle of Man's bus service could mean major changes to services and ease congestion. Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/...man/7668488.stm Another MHK stating the bleeding obvious. 'The Isle of Man has developed a lot since the last review.' Just get on with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Langweilig Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 WTF is this MHK on about? I used the IOM transport buses extensively last time I was on the island. I have to say I was very pleased with the service. I was able to get a bus from Lord Street out to Peel at 8.40am on a Sunday morning and for the princely sum of two quid. Why is there an instruction that prioritises sitting on the top deck of a double decker? To honour the ancient Norse God of sitting on top of things? As for other routes to Castletown, Port Erin, Port St. Mary and even Cregneash and the Sound, all very well served, even taking in Noble's Hospital and Ronaldsway. IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT! The only congestion I experienced was the bus route past the post office at Union Mills towards the hospital. That road is a little toooo narrow for buses and there's traffic calming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 The main intertown routes are generally well served - bus-only lanes would considerably reduce journey times at rush hour but it is difficult to see how these can be fitted into the existing road network but there are buses midday where there are very few passengers + some portions of routes (eg the Hope loop on the douglas/peel run) where there are few passengers (tho it must provide a valuable social service), possibly the increased population of Foxdale would warrant a better service. My own gripe is that there is no bus to connect with the 7.30am Liverpool boat but I suspect there would not be that many on it but taxi costs are prohibitive - late night buses have been considerably improved - about 10years ago there was no bus connection to Kk Michael from the airport after about 4.45pm as I once found to my considerable cost. I have no experience of local Douglas routes except that the buses seem very regular, I guess the reorganisation over the last few years reflects the changing population density, the buses around Peel might well need some changes to reflect the large and not well served Ballawattleworth estate, possibly a similar scheme to the Ramsey skipper service to connect them to the shops at Peel, but I guess the current population is generally young and run 2 or more cars - the local Peel/Dalby services must be running at a considerable loss but again they provide a very necessary social service Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesultanofsheight Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 This report is bullshit - lets consider the obvious here. Except at peak times before 9:00am most buses are less than half full and those people that are on them tend to be retired so they are travelling for free. I bet revenue per see is very low as most fares during the day are pensioners. If you want to stop conjestion just operate the damn buses for free and see how many people start using them, and see how many cars it takes off the road. Your not going to lose that much revenue to do it. Frankly this consultants report is a waste of paper as it ignores the glaring frigging obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 my own estimate is that non-peak (ie after 9am + before 5pm) are about 50% farepaying customers - probably more farepayers during tourist season. Double decker buses are operated off peak because they are needed during peak periods and there would be no savings (once capital cost is included) in parking them and replacing them with single deckers hence they will always run at a lower loading. I suspect the need to run school services must preclude the provision of more peak hour services - however Sheffield some years ago showed that low cost public transport could significantly reduce car use but to cope with peak hour loads the cost is high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triskelion Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 I'm not really convinced that havng free buses would really help all that much. Half the Island's population can travel into Douglas for a pound (67p if they get one of those 12-journey tickets), or for free depending on their status. Maybe if they had a combined parking/bus ticket? Eg., if I lived in Andreas, parked by car in Ramsey for the day, I should then be able to get the bus to work in Douglas for free, or parking at the Cooil or Onchan or wherever - This would mean those poorly served by buses (due to living in a low-density area) would be better-inclined and better-able to use buses, without losing so much of the conveinance of driving. Hopefully they will scrap the 11 services, which go to Abbeylands for no apparent reason. A bus that serves the early ferry, particularly in the summer, could be a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 I'm not really convinced that havng free buses would really help all that much. Half the Island's population can travel into Douglas for a pound (67p if they get one of those 12-journey tickets), or for free depending on their status. Maybe if they had a combined parking/bus ticket? Eg., if I lived in Andreas, parked by car in Ramsey for the day, I should then be able to get the bus to work in Douglas for free, or parking at the Cooil or Onchan or wherever - This would mean those poorly served by buses (due to living in a low-density area) would be better-inclined and better-able to use buses, without losing so much of the conveinance of driving. Hopefully they will scrap the 11 services, which go to Abbeylands for no apparent reason. A bus that serves the early ferry, particularly in the summer, could be a good idea. no one is going to get in their car, drive to the bus, get on the bus, then walk from the bus to work when you might as well just drive to work. Daft idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 no one is going to get in their car, drive to the bus, get on the bus, then walk from the bus to work when you might as well just drive to work. Daft idea. Not currently, but they may if cars were banned from town centres, parking was much more limited and expensive or fuel becomes so expensive that public transport becomes much more cost effective vs private cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 People do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah 01 Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 'If you want to stop conjestion just operate the damn buses for free and see how many people start using them, and see how many cars it takes off the road. Your not going to lose that much revenue to do it.' Got it in one; the price of bus fares have to come down if commuters (and families) are to be prised out of their cars. Return bus fare for mum, dad and the 2 kids from Ballasalla to Douglas is £12 - it's an no brainer to jump in the car. And try to get from anywhere in the west or north direct to the south and the airport - nigh on impossible! Pricing cars off the road isn't the answer - a frequent, reliable and comprehensive bus service is. The decision not to invest in upgrading the Douglas - Pt Erin line into a fully useable railcar commuting system was also short sighted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Pricing cars off the road isn't the answer Can you explain why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monasqueen Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 they may if cars were banned from town centres, parking was much more limited and expensive or fuel becomes so expensive that public transport becomes much more cost effective vs private cars. Bearing in mind that most parking in Douglas is time restricted (if free) or expensive, getting a bus into town is already more cost effective if there is only one person in the car (and often even for 2 people). Yet people continue to use their own vehicle because it is more convenient for them, or because they do not want to travel with the plebs. If you had a proper bus station in Douglas, with covered accommodation for people to wait in, somewhere to get a cup of tea/coffee whiel you are waiting, and public conveniences, a few more people might use the services. The open bus stops round the car park that used to be a proper bus station are a joke. Which leads me to.... Why did the old bus station have to be demolished if nothing else was going to be done with the site for years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcCann Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 I have only got the bus to work on the rare occasion that my car has been in the garage or I have left it at work after drinking the night before. Every time I have found it to be a horrible experience, freezing cold, uncomfortable seats that at 6 foot tall I cannot fit my legs in and a crappy inconvenient timetable (no Douglas to Ramsey bus that arrives in Ramsey at around 9am) Fortunately I am within walking distance to work now so it isn't an issue but should it become one again in the future I would never choose a bus (free or otherwise) over a car. And I don't know anyone who would Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Bearing in mind that most parking in Douglas is time restricted (if free) or expensive, getting a bus into town is already more cost effective if there is only one person in the car (and often even for 2 people). Yet people continue to use their own vehicle because it is more convenient for them, or because they do not want to travel with the plebs. 'more cost effective' is a sliding scale isnt' it? Currently it's probably about half the price for a single person to get the bus into town from onchan pay and display and go shopping for two hours. Would cost a family of four more to go by bus than car, which is bent, but there you go. If the cost of parking were more, and the convenience was less because parking was further away from the shops then the bus would be even more cost effective. If you had a proper bus station in Douglas, with covered accommodation for people to wait in, somewhere to get a cup of tea/coffee whiel you are waiting, and public conveniences, a few more people might use the services. The open bus stops round the car park that used to be a proper bus station are a joke. Which leads me to.... Why did the old bus station have to be demolished if nothing else was going to be done with the site for years? I agree here, it was crazy to reduce the facilities here by taking away the shelter and the shop rather than improve them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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