emesde Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) Recently got back from luxembourg. They have in the last 3 years or so built a super tram system that goes from the airport via the main business area into centre of the city. It is being extended now the other side of the city. Ordinary busses and trains always busy with a good cross section of people. Electronic signage at most stops to tell you how long to next bus etc. Oh yes all busses, trams, and trains are free to use for all. It's a small town and still has plenty of cars but it has worked to reduce road congestion. Just saying. Edited May 22, 2022 by emesde Spelling 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTeapot Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 There is a finite number of people who need to use the bus. You need to get people who don't to use them. You do this in part by making buses convenient. Reducing services means people taking the car and more idiotic 'the buses are always empty' takes from stupids. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Mexico Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 13 hours ago, Numbnuts said: I went down to Pt Erin on the bus yesterday at 12 ish midday and back at 3 ish. Before leaving I looked up the times of buses , as per new timetable , and amazed that there is 4 each way every hour. Clearly far to many as buses I travelled on were a quarter full and single deckers . Surely the sensible thing to do would be have two a hour and maybe make them double deckers. Problem solved , Bill is in the post Mr Longworth !! Well you obviously don't use the buses very often, because the south buses been four an hour for at least four years. Before that they were three an hour (as they still are on Sundays) and before that two. And yet I'd say that the buses are fuller now than they've ever been, despite there being twice as many. If they are frequent and reliable people will come to use them more. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nellie Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 To avoid opening a new thread, I'll use this one to mention that the MER and SMR are also closing in rapidly on an operational crisis, with the number of serviceable trams heading towards the bare minimum, and many laid up with long term defects. The SMR has only three (from six) which is just enough to run the basic service, but won't be enough to for any enhancements at TT. The MER has eight (from fourteen) which includes one which is only for special occasions, and only one of the four high capacity 'winter saloons' can be used. Daily service needs five trams, but it is good practice to rotate those used for weather and maintenance. It is usual practice to start the season with a full fleet, as they tend to develop defects as the summer progresses, and the situation they have now might happen by September, not May. They then fix them over the following winter. I know that the MER is not a critical part of our infrastructure, but it is a key part of the tourism offering. Millions are being spent on the track, and overhead, each winter, but if they can't keep the rolling stock serviceable, what is the point. Another example of Longworth and his army of managers failing the tax payer and the tourism sector. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Non-Believer Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 1 minute ago, Nellie said: To avoid opening a new thread, I'll use this one to mention that the MER and SMR are also closing in rapidly on an operational crisis, with the number of serviceable trams heading towards the bare minimum, and many laid up with long term defects. The SMR has only three (from six) which is just enough to run the basic service, but won't be enough to for any enhancements at TT. The MER has eight (from fourteen) which includes one which is only for special occasions, and only one of the four high capacity 'winter saloons' can be used. Daily service needs five trams, but it is good practice to rotate those used for weather and maintenance. It is usual practice to start the season with a full fleet, as they tend to develop defects as the summer progresses, and the situation they have now might happen by September, not May. They then fix them over the following winter. I know that the MER is not a critical part of our infrastructure, but it is a key part of the tourism offering. Millions are being spent on the track, and overhead, each winter, but if they can't keep the rolling stock serviceable, what is the point. Another example of Longworth and his army of managers failing the tax payer and the tourism sector. The question would be then, Why has the fleet not been overhauled over the winter period and made ready for the coming season? Is this Covid related (again)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
De nada Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 2 minutes ago, Non-Believer said: The question would be then, Why has the fleet not been overhauled over the winter period and made ready for the coming season? Is this Covid related (again)? Covid seems to be a damn fine excuse for incompetence... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTF Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 1 hour ago, Happier diner said: C) appropriate D) free to the end user Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finlo Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 25 minutes ago, Non-Believer said: The question would be then, Why has the fleet not been overhauled over the winter period and made ready for the coming season? Is this Covid related (again)? At a guess managers aren't much use at hands on stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banker Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 4 minutes ago, WTF said: D) free to the end user Buses already lose £5.5m pa , how would you propose the extra £5m from income be financed? Cutting benefits or putting up taxes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbnuts Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) 2 hours ago, TheTeapot said: Question. Are people more likely to use the bus services if they are a) frequent? b) rare? People use the buses , like I did on Friday , based on time suits them best. Having 4 buses a hour to Pt Erin gives you too much choice and TBH any of the 4 would have suited. So the use is diluted because of choice. If you had 2 a hour majority would still use the service just arrive a bit later or earlier than planned. Edited May 22, 2022 by Numbnuts 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbnuts Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 1 hour ago, Roger Mexico said: Well you obviously don't use the buses very often, because the south buses been four an hour for at least four years. Before that they were three an hour (as they still are on Sundays) and before that two. And yet I'd say that the buses are fuller now than they've ever been, despite there being twice as many. If they are frequent and reliable people will come to use them more. No I dont use the buses often . But thats not my point is it. The buses , on a Friday , that I travelled on , despite cancellations on that service that afternoon were less than 25% full and single deckers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happier diner Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 1 hour ago, Roger Mexico said: Well you obviously don't use the buses very often, because the south buses been four an hour for at least four years. Before that they were three an hour (as they still are on Sundays) and before that two. And yet I'd say that the buses are fuller now than they've ever been, despite there being twice as many. If they are frequent and reliable people will come to use them more. I generally agree but there are some times when 4 per hour is too much. I have seen the odd bus empty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManxTaxPayer Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 3 minutes ago, Happier diner said: I have seen the odd bus empty. What conclusion can be drawn from that one wonders? It must surely be but a snapshot in time, form the time allocated to that particular journey? I'm assuming the vehicle doesn't remain stationary, and I'm also assuming you don't follow the vehicle for the whole route just to be sure. Do you do that? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happier diner Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 24 minutes ago, ManxTaxPayer said: What conclusion can be drawn from that one wonders? It must surely be but a snapshot in time, form the time allocated to that particular journey? I'm assuming the vehicle doesn't remain stationary, and I'm also assuming you don't follow the vehicle for the whole route just to be sure. Do you do that? Ha Ha. Fair point. It was going up new castletown road by anagh coar. I think there are times like very early morning, mid morning to mid afternoon weekdays when 3 per hour would be appropriate. The 4 an hour is handy but maybe costs a little more than it could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VikingRaider Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 2 hours ago, Nellie said: The MER has eight (from fourteen) which includes one which is only for special occasions, and only one of the four high capacity 'winter saloons' can be used. Daily service needs five trams, but it is good practice to rotate those used for weather and maintenance. Absolute nonsense ... of the 14 only 3 have not been used for passenger service so far this year ... #16 (which Longworth tried to wreck and is due out soon), #20 (which is waiting for new wheels and also due out soon) and #33 (which is perfectly okay but normally used as a works car). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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