Friday 31 December 2004

All of Dec 2004

Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Earthquake
Yesterday I heard a brief item on the radio about an earthquake in the Indian Ocean that had caused some damage and loss of life from the resultant Tidal Waves.
I didn't think a great deal about it at the time. Earthquakes are fairly common and the Indian Ocean is a long way away.
Now as the size of the disaster starts to become apparent. There can not be a person on the planet who does not know about this.
I feel I should write something but I really just don't know what.


Saturday, December 25, 2004
Stagecoach Half Price Offer.
Explorer Offer Between Friday 24th December 2004 and Tuesday 4th January 2005 Adult Explorer tickets will cost just £3.00 instead of the normal £6.00.
That's it!
You weren't expecting more were you?


Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Tip of the Day (1)
If you are the driver of a bus with 20 people on board and you have sparks coming from the engine and you can not turn the engine off then don't sit about wondering what to do.
Instead, Turn to your passengers and ask the quietly and calmly would they, merely as a sort of better to be safe than sorry sort of thing, mind getting off the bus. When they are off the bus, then you can sit about wondering what to do.
You may feel a bit of a prick when the bus doesn't explode in a roar of flame but not as big a prick as you would feel trying to answer such questions as, "Didn't you used to be a bus driver?"
P.S. The bus didn't, in the end, burst in to flames, with or without a roar.


Wednesday, December 15, 2004
If you are a Police Office in Torquay Please Read
Fleet Walk in Torquay is a Pedestrianised Street but buses and some other vehicles are allowed to drive down it. However lots of other people drive down and park there illegally. Please Devon and cornwall Police read the following and have a bright idea.
From The Herald Express
Monday 13 Dec o4.
POLICE BLITZ ON ROAD ROGUES
A blitz on motorists abusing a one-way road system in Kingsteignton netted 15 offenders in one three-hour police operation - and all those nabbed were local. Officers lay in wait for transgressors openly flouting the one-way and access-only restrictions in operation in Golvers Hill and Fore Street.The watchful eye of the law focused on the culprits last Tuesday after concerns were raised by parish councillors and local residents.


Director of Operations.
Well on Tuesday Mr Stevens, who is the Operations Director for the company, came down to Torquay to address drivers. He was coming to give a talk on where the company is going and to answer question put to him by the drivers at the meeting.
He is in effect the 2nd most important person in the company. So I rushed home from work, had my diner and rushed down to the Torquay Rugby Club with my pen and trusty notebook so I could report back to my readers on our company's expectations for the future.
Well I wish I could report that Mr Stevens was full of optimism, that the company is about to embark on a series of expansion programs that will secure all our futures, with big fat rises for the drivers and the shareholders.
But I can't.
I would like to have been at least able to report that things were running smoothly and though no big fat pay rises were foreseeable in the near future things did at lest seem secure and that none of us would be looking for work 3 days before Christmas.
But I can't.
Fortunately I can't report that we are about to go bust and Christmas is cancelled; though that may be the case for all I know.
In fact the only thing I can report is the fact that I was not allowed into the meeting. I am not in the Union and this was a Union meeting. So even though I had made the effort top get to the meeting I was refused admission by the senior union official present and could not listen while the Director of Operations explained which way the company was going. No Union business was held but only union members could attend. And 20 of them did. Out of 200.


Monday, December 13, 2004
Pre Christmas Farce.
Usually it is pantomime at Christmas but with us it is Farce; an expensive farce at that.
The Company decided to expand their bus routes into Plymouth and registered a new route with the Traffic Commission 6 weeks ago as per the rules. The Traffic Commission had no problem so Timetables were printed, newspaper and radio ads were placed, drivers were route learned, buses had stickers stuck on the sides to show the new routes, timetables were fixed to bus stops new flags were put up with the route number, 152, boldly displayed and this morning the drivers chosen to drive on the new route on the first day all proudly turned up for work and it is probable that passengers stood at bus stops waiting for them to turn up with their new destination blinds optimistically proclaiming Plymouth City Centre. Well the drivers sat around doing nothing all day and I hope the passengers didn't do the same because the bus didn't run. What's more it will never run.
An other bus company objected because part of our route followed part of one of their routes and it was decided by some one to withdraw the service before it had even turned a wheel.


Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Jury's Corner and the Burst Water Main.
WELL AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF CALM ON THE ROADS WITH REGARD TO ROAD WORKS TO DAY WE HIT A VERY LARGE BRICK WALL. WE HAD BEEN PROMISED WEEKS OF MISERY WITH KINGS ASH IN PAIGNTON BEING DUG UP AND THE FIRST WEEK SLOWED US DOWN A BIT BUT NOW WE BARELY NOTICE IT. JW GLENDINNINGS COMPANY RESURFACED THE ROAD AT LAY WELL ON THE WAY DOWN TO BRIXHAM AND THEY WERE EXCELLENT. A MAN AT EACH END CONTROLLING THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS MADE SURE THE TRAFFIC FLOWED SMOOTHLY AND DELAYS WERE NEVER MORE THAN 5 MINS AND THE WORK WAS COMPLETED VERY QUICKLY.
THIS MORNING A WATER MAIN WENT BANG AND THE ROAD DIGGERS MOVED IN AND EVERY THING ELSE STOPPED. EXTRA TRAVELLING TIME TO AND FROM NEWTON OF 45 MINS WERE EXPERIENCED ALL DAY AND AT THE EVENING RUSH HOUR IT TOOK ME 2 HOURS TO DO A JOURNEY IT USUALLY TAKES 30 MINS. WHEN I GOT TO PAIGNTON AT 7:15 ON THE WAY TO BRIXHAM I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT HOME EATING MY DINNER. THE BUS BEHIND ME WAS DUE OUT OF BRIXHAM AT 6:10 AND HE STILL HAD TO GET TO BRIXHAM, AN OTHER 20 MINS AWAY. WHAT THE REST OF THE NIGHT ENDED UP LIKE I DON'T KNOW.
AND THE ROAD WORKS ARE STILL THERE; waiting for us tomorrow!!!!


Sunday, December 05, 2004
Happy Campers
BLOKE IN HIS 50'S GOT ON THE BUS IN TORQUAY AND SAID, "PAIGNTON" NOW A SINGLE TO PAIGNTON IS £1.75 BUT A RETURN IS £2.75 SO IF HE WAS COMING BACK IT IS CHEAPER TO GET A RETURN SO I SAID, "SINGLE OR RETURN?" AS I ALWAYS DO.
HE SAID, "TO THIS DUMP. I'VE SEEM ENOUGH OF TORQUAY THANK YOU." ALWAYS ONE TO DEFEND MY HOME TOWN I TOLD HIM THAT TORQUAY WAS BEAUTIFUL. "YOU'VE BEEN READING TOO MANY BROCHURES MATE." AND STOMPED OF DOWN THE BUS.
YOU CAN'T WIN THEM ALL!


Thursday, December 02, 2004
A Tale of Two Passengers
PASSENGER ONE :-
WAS IN TORQUAY AND HAD BEEN TOLD TO GET A NUMBER 12 WHICH RAN EVERY 10 MINS AND TOOK 5 MINS TO GET TO TORQUAY RAIL STATION WHERE HE WAS TO CATCH A TRAIN TO NEWTON ABBOT TO CATCH A CONNECTION TO SHEFFIELD. HE HAD 40 MINS. HE WAS ALSO ON CRUTCHES. HE SAW A NUMBER 12 AND BY THE TIME HE HAD HOBBLED UP TO THE STOP IT HAD GONE. NO PROBLEM, WAIT 10 MINS, 5 MINS TO STATION STILL GOT 25 MINS. WHEN HE GOT ON THE BUS HE WAS TOLD ' SORRY MATE THIS BUS IS GOING TO NEWTON. YOU WANT THE BUS TO BRIXHAM. ROUND THE CORNER OVER THE ROAD AND 2ND BUS STOP DOWN.' WHILE WAITING FOR THE LIGHTS ON THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING TO CHANGE THE BRIXHAM BUS WENT BY. STILL NO PROBLEM, AN OTHER TEN MINS WAIT, 5 MINS TO STATION 10 MINS TO SPARE. NEXT BUS CAME PAID HIS FARE,£1.00 AND ASKED THE DRIVER TO GIVE HIM A SHOUT WHEN THEY GOT TO THE STATION. DRIVER PROMISED FAITHFULLY TO GIVE HIM A SHOUT. DRIVER FORGOT AND ONLY REMEMBERED WHEN THE BUS STOPPED AT LIVERMEAD CLIFF HOTEL 3/4 MILE PAST STATION AND MAN ON CRUTCHES SAID, 'ARE WE THERE YET.?' DRIVER USED RADIO TO SEE IF THERE WAS A NEARBY BUS GOING THE OTHER WAY. NO CHANCE; NEXT BUS WAS STILL IN PAIGNTON 15 MINS AWAY. THAT WOULD BE TOO LATE.
SO DRIVER TURNED HIS BUS AROUND AND TOOK THE PASSENGER BACK TO THE RAIL STATION. HE DID A LEFT HAND REVERSE INTO A SIDE ROAD. REMEMBER ON YOUR DRIVING TEST DOING A LEFT HAND REVERSE, QUIET ROAD, SMALL CAR, PLENTY OF TIME. THINK ABOUT DOING IT IN A 30 FOOT LONG, 8 FOOT WIDE BUS ON THE BUSIEST ROAD IN THE BAY AND TIME RUNNING OUT. THE PASSENGER CAUGHT HIS TRAIN AND THE BUS GOT BACK ON TIME EVENTUALLY.
PASSENGER TWO :-
GOT ON A 12 IN PAIGNTON BUS STATION WITH A RETURN TICKET FOR PRESTON SHELTER WHICH IS 8 MINS AWAY AT A LITTLE BEFORE MIDDAY. WHEN THE BUS GOT TO VICTORIA PARK IT TURNED LEFT AT THE MILK BOTTLE. IT SHOULD HAVE GONE STRAIGHT ON. PRESTON SHELTER IS A 15 MIN WALK FROM HERE. THE BUS CONTINUED UPTO THE RING ROAD AND FOLLOWED THE DIVERSION USED WHEN THE SEA FRONT IS CLOSED. THE NEXT STOP IS IN TORQUAY 30 MINS LATER. PRESTON IS HALF WAY TO TORQUAY. THE PASSENGER THEN HAD TO GET A 12 GOING BACK TO PAIGNTON WHICH WAS ABLE TO DROP HER IN EUGENE RD PRESTON WHERE SHE WANTED TO BE. THE WHOLE TRIP HAD TAKEN ALMOST AN HOUR AND A HALF INSTEAD OF 8 MINS BECAUSE THE DRIVER OF THE BUS SHE BOARDED IN THE FIRST PLACE HAD NOT TOLD HER THAT THE BUS WASN'T GOING TO PRESTON SHELTER AS THERE HAD BEEN A CRASH AT THE GAS WORKS AND THE ROAD HAD BEEN CLOSED BY THE POLICE.
PASSENGERS SOME TIMES REALLY HAVE REASONS TO REMEMBER THEIR BUS TRIPS.

Tuesday 30 November 2004

November 2004

Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Police at Work on Paignton Bus Station.
Monday 28th November 2004 2:00pm
Four men walked through the bus station. Suddenly two police officers appeared giving chase. They stopped and questioned the men and then searched them. The men were then handcuffed and taken to a police van that had arrived during the search. One of the other drivers said he though they had been shop lifting but it could have been a drug bust. C


Going into Brixham
As you drive down new road into brixham there is a bend to the right, not very sharp, no real need to slow down a great deal. On the left there are a few shops, a doctor's surgery and....... A dentist's surgery. On the right is a forty foot high wall.
So far no problem, on both sides of the road there are double yellow lines which in the uk mean no waiting at any time; except in torbay. Here traffic wardens use a common sense approach to work. They don't do any. And everyone knows this and they park almost any where. I haven't seen anyone park against the wall yet but the day will come. I have however seen thousands of cars (not all at the same time) parked outside the shops and the surgeries.
To pass these idiots means going on the wrong side of the road on a blind bend and i usually pray to the god of blind bends whilst i am on the wrong side of the road. The prayers are simple, blow the horn repeatedly. Note the highway code says i should give audible warning of approach in this situation.
Well the other day the company got a nice letter from the dentist. In it he noted the problem with the blind bend and it's dangers but also pointed out that bus horns are very loud and in the surgery they were totally unexpected. Should, he went on, be drilling in the mouth of an elderly person this unexpectedness could cause the patient to jump with predictable consequences.
Now he felt he could get away with charging for an extra filling now and then but trying to sell the idea that tongue piercing was cool for the over seventy's; especially when done with a dentist drill, was pushing his luck a little too far.
So i expect i will have to pray to the blind bend god silently from now on and hope that i don't make the patients jump with the unexpected sound of a very loud crash.


Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Monitoring Road Works
COURTS FINE UTILITY FIRMS
FROM THE HERALD EXPRESS
23 November 2004
Fines and costs totalling £18,281.92 have been imposed by magistrates on utility companies for offences in relation to roadworks in Devon.Gas company Transco was fined a total of £3,700 and ordered to pay a total of £4980.67 in costs for 10 offences including being fined £1,300 plus costs of £3,185 for three offences. South West Water was fined a total of £1,100 plus £1,658.75 for five offences.Devon County Council environment councillor David Morrish said: "With the appointment of a street works enforcement officer, the county is now in the strongest position ever to investigate offences and bring them to the notice of the courts."We currently have many cases pending and can assure the utility companies that we will not rest until they take responsibility for their actions. Our message to the utility companies is get it right or face the consequences."
torbay council should take note and appoint their own street works enforcement officer. many of the road works in torbay ( many run by firms mentioned above) have serious defects in traffic management. many a motorist has sat at temporary traffic lights in a queue of vehicles stretching as far as the eye can see for up to 15 mins only to get through the road works and discover that there are only 3 cars waiting on the otherside of the road works. Traffic management is not a science that has reached the west country yet.


Thursday, November 18, 2004
Right Time, Wrong Place.
Wednesday 17 november 04
Work rest day
I put my name down to work a rest day and got duty 3510 which is a coast duty. It is know as a coast duty as you drive up the coast to exeter and back two or three times. At our end there is the 85 from torquay harbour and the 85a from newton abbot. Both end up in exeter. As the duty started in the middle of the day i had to take over a bus from an other driver and i looked at the running board which started with the line, "travel passenger on service 12 bus". Usually when taking over a live bus we drive a shuttle bus which is much better than travelling on a service bus which take 3 times as long.
Well i got to newton and went to the 85a bus in sherbourne road. The driver said no he wasn't coming off and i looked at my running board more carefully and released that i should have been in torquay, 35 mins away to take over an 85 in 10 mins.
Hari kari was definitely an option.
Instead i rang control and told them i was in newton and i should have been in torquay. Now this has happened before though not to me. They got on the radio and told the driver coming off in torquay and he, one richard boston, a hero, agreed to drive the bus to exeter while i went back to the depot, got a spare bus and chased after him. I caught him up in exminster, which saved him the chore of going all the way into exeter.
Now richard didn't have to do what he did, he could have left all the people waiting for me and just brought the bus back to the depot and gone home. But that would have meant a lot of people waiting an hour for the next bus and like many of our drivers richard didn't want that to happen. Well done richard and thank you. Me, i'm dead upset that i could make such a stupid mistake.


Tuesday, November 16, 2004
South Devon College
No, I am not writing about the possible lack of buses to south Devon college when they move in September. I am talking about a bus that goes to the College which shouldn't.
Between 18:00 and 19:00 the number of 12's on the road falls from 17 to 8 as the service changes from a 10 minute service to a 20 minute service. some of the buses get to Brixham or Newton and run dead back to the depot. Two go from Newton to Paignton and one (at 18:01) goes only to the depot. However One, the 18:21 from Newton runs to Torquay Harbour and then dead back to the depot arriving there at 19:05. Some drivers, not all, don't go to the Harbour.
They only put South Devon College up on the destination blind and then return to the depot from the College. this saves them about 15 minutes. It also means that anyone wanting to go to the Harbour has to wait an extra 17 minutes for the next bus which does go to the Harbour.
No buses are at present scheduled to terminate at South Devon College.
So if you are waiting for a bus some where between Newton and torquay between 18:21 and 18:50 and a bus comes along with South Devon College on the destination Blind, get on and insist that the driver takes you to the harbour.


A Little more on the 34 route
NO ATTEMPT TO FIND A SOLUTION
From Herald Express13 November 2004
I would like to reassure Danny Ferguson (Your View, November 10) that I fully understand that, if bus drivers are being threatened physically, then action has to be taken to protect their safety.The main concern I have is that no effort seems to have been made to bring together Stagecoach, the council, the police and other agencies to discuss this problem.If they had been brought together then a solution may have been found, which would not have deprived* people of their 34 bus service.I look forward to working with Stagecoach and the police to find a solution to this problem.Cllr GORDON JENNINGSWatcombe WardTorquay
*Comment. The people have not been deprived of the 34 Service, just a small section of it. Which shows that people, not only councillors, will shamelessly manipulate facts for their own ends. Desfordave


Friday, November 12, 2004
Torbay Council V RMT Union and Stagecoach.
Torbay council's comments on changes to be made to the 31 and 34 routes.
below is the rmt union's response
SQUARING UP FOR BATTLE OF THE BAY BUS ROUTES BY GLENN PRICE
Torquay herald Express
28 October 2004
The fight is on to save one of Torquay's established bus routes.Councillors say they are outraged by Stagecoach's decision to alter the 34 service covering East and West Pafford Avenue and Willow Avenue on the Watcombe estate. They believe that by changing the route to incorporate Halstead Road, many people in Watcombe will be cut off from key destinations in Torquay.Cllr Steve Darling said: "This would disadvantage many people on the estate, and we have asked Stagecoach to reconsider their actions. Their proposals will be particularly hard on older residents and those who may be disabled, who will find it difficult climbing the hill from Fore Street in Barton to their homes on the estate. We won't roll over. The fight will continue."Stagecoach said one of the main reasons for the change is because of incidents of violence against its drivers and vehicles.Chris Hilditch, Stagecoach managing director, said: "We've had a lot of trouble up there - buses stoned and residents blocking drivers' routes with badly parked cars. The drivers don't like going there. So we think the change is a vast improvement."However, Cllr Gordon Jennings disputed this, saying that Stagecoach's decision was based on financial gain, not fears of antisocial behaviour.He added: "We've got policemen who are willing to go on the buses. They're keen to look at the issue and approach any offending youngsters. But Stagecoach isn't interested. We have been in touch with the sergeant who covers that area and, while he is aware of isolated incidents, he is not aware of Stagecoach informing the police of endemic antisocial behaviour."Stagecoach said the new 34 route would provide diversity and improvements to passengers, bringing more advantages than drawbacks.It will be linked with the 31 services to form a circular service which will join Barton and Hele with St Marychurch. However, the new services will no longer serve Shirburn Road, Studley Road and Watcombe estate.Mr Hilditch added: "With this route we're tying Watcombe and Barton. This will give a service to Halstead Road, so passengers will have a link with St Marychurch. Also, people in town will be able to get to Watcombe or Barton more quickly, with waits only being seven and a half minutes instead of 20 minutes. It gives customers more options and a better service. Not many people will be disadvantaged - a few will. We're giving the best service we can."We're trying to keep the customer base we've got while generating more customers. The councillors have an issue, but I think that when they really think about it they'll see this is for the better. It's a commercial bus service, no public money is put into it. We'll look at how the change goes, but I don't think we'll reconsider in the near future."



Thursday, November 11, 2004
RMT Respond to Torbay Council
SAFETY BEHIND SERVICE WITHDRAWAL From Readers Letters, the herald express. 10 November 2004
I feel it my duty to respond to the article about the loss of the 34 service through the Watcombe estate (Herald, Oct 28).Councillor Gordon Jennings claims Stagecoach have withdrawn the service purely on a financial gain. I beg to differ. The service was withdrawn for safety reasons because of the amount of trouble drivers had to contend with on a regular basis.Drivers were being threatened and robbed. Threats and intimidation became the norm.It was particularly bad in the evenings with youths throwing missiles at the buses. This was endangering the same members of the public that councillors represent.Two years ago we stopped the buses taking their lay over time at Willow Avenue, because of the trouble drivers had to contend with. Things have got no better since this was implemented.The last straw was the assault and robbery of a driver by a gang of youths. As for the police volunteering to travel around on the buses, we can't even get them to attend a robbery within a reasonable time, never mind travel on the buses.We used to meet the police on a regular basis to discuss hot spots, which included Watcombe estate, but alas this does not happen any more.As my members' representative, my union has a duty of care towards its members, as does Stagecoach. That's why this decision was taken, not for financial gain as intimated.I trust the decent law- abiding residents of Watcombe estate understand the reason why this has happened.DANNY FERGUSONRMT Senior Staff Representative & Health and Safety Representative Regent Close,Torquay



South Devon College
From an item in the Herald Express
South Devon College Principal Heather Maxwell disputed recent claims that the new site in Paignton would be inaccessible by public transport.Stagecoach boss Chris Hilditch feared students would be unable to get to the new Long Road site.But Ms Maxwell said: "I don't want people to think it's going to be difficult to get to. I know a regular bus service and the site is only four miles from Torquay."She added the college had been approached by a number of private transport organisations and said potential transport schemes were in the pipeline.
Well I am glad that's sorted out

Friday, November 05, 2004
Still Getting the Blame
BUS BLACKSPOT SOLUTION SOUGHT
From the Herald ExpressBY ABI PARKES11:00 - 01 November 2004
A solution to bridge the Bay's public transport blackspots is being investigated by Torbay Council.They believe a new quality bus partnership could be the way forward in getting better coverage and services for the public. Currently Stagecoach carries 97 per cent of the resort's bus passengers and will only operate commercially viable routes.Some services were cut and streamlined last year following strike action by drivers.The rest of this news item can be read by clicking here but abi parkes of the Herald Express seems to live on a different planet than the rest of us.



Monday, November 01, 2004
31 and 34
I stopped at castle circus going up union street heading for newton this evening when a lady boarded the bus and asked why she had been waiting for 1 hr 45 mins for a 31 and why had 2 thirty fours gone past her. The 34 should not go up union street past castle circus. It would appear that not only did the passengers not know any thing about the new route but some of the drivers didn't either. Lack of route learning is my guess. Will they get any? Latter, in abbey road i was called a ******** by some one who had been waiting a long time.
It can only get better; i hope.

Sunday 31 October 2004

October 2004

Sunday, October 31, 2004
British Summer Time.
Date saturday 30 october 2004
Time 7:00pm
Place in front of the tv
The cat jumps on my lap and starts head butting me in the guts.
Why? It's time for his supper. He does this every night at 7:00.
Date sunday 31 october 2004
Time 7:00pm
Place in front of tv
The cat is fast asleep. Off his food? No chance. He is the greediest cat we have ever had. No, he still thinks it's 6:00pm. And it is. 6:00 pm british summer time. As i type this it is 11:17pm gmt but my body feels like it is an hour later. I have been to australia a few times and i recognise jet lag when i feel it.
Twice a year we change the clocks for no better reason than the fact that we have done it for the last 100 years. Come on mr blair, you can goto war in a far away place just because your american lover asked you to, can't you get rid of this twice yearly change in time. Have a referendum and let the people decide.
Click on "ring the bell" and type yes to get rid of this twice yearly jet lag, type no to keep it and type "i love chris hilditch" if you are mad.

No One Knows Anything About The New 31 and 34 Routes.
I travelled on a 34 to day, saturday and spoke to the passengers re the changes taking place on sunday 31 oct 04 (tomorrow). None of them knew anything about it except for one person; the driver and he was not too sure what was happening.


Thursday, October 28, 2004
Changes to the 31 and 34 Routes
On sunday 31 october the 31 and 34 routes will be combined to make a circular route. The 31 will go up to barton as it does now but will return via watcombe and the 34 will go up to watcombe as it does now but return via barton. Whilst the 34 used to go into the watcombe estate to willow avenue neither of these routes will go onto the estate. I haven't walked round the watcombe estate for nearly 50 years but i would say the longest walk to the bus stop from any where on the estate would be 15 mins. Fine if you are fit and well but old and carrying a few days shopping, not so fine.




Closed Sea Front and The Diversion
Wednesday 27 october 2004
Well to day we had a spring high tide, a deep depression and gale force south east winds. In the morning the sea front was closed and the buses diverted over the "long" diversion via the ring road. This adds between 5 and 10 mins on to the journey time. If the roads are quiet this can be quickly made up.
At about 16:30 the sea front, as expected was closed. I went along at 16:00 and the waves were already coming over onto the road. When i got back to torquay an hour later we were being sent on the "short" diversion behind the grand hotel and along whetridge lane. One hour after leaving torquay i got to paignton. It usually takes 20 mins. The problem wasn't in the diversion but getting to it. The traffic lights at falkland rd were still working even though almost no traffic except the diverted traffic was using the junction. We were also faced with rush hour traffic along roads not really wide enough for deckers. Hopefully some one will have noted the problems and will have some plan for when the sea front is next closed.
One passenger when he saw all the traffic wanted to get off the bus and walk along the front. I explained that i could only open the doors at bus stops. Had I opened the doors and let him walk along the front he would never have been seen again. They were very, very big waves.


Wednesday, October 27, 2004
How to Cause Chaos in the Bay.
These few wooden carvings at the side of the Newton Road don't look much but every car driver that drove past slowed down to have a look. The result was a delay of upto 10 minutes in each direction. As the number 12 drives past every ten minutes in each direction it didn't take long for buses to be running up to 45 mins late. Add to this the problems we were having in Paignton with extra traffic in the town because of the road works on Kings Ash and chaos was in charge.
It got so bad that at one time I was passing Torre Station heading for Brixham with 2 other twelve's travelling with me and 4 number twelve's went past heading for Newton. At the same time a driver reported on the radio that he was in Preston and there were 3 buses travelling towards Newton all together. There are 17 twelve's out during the day and here we had 10 of them in 3 groups. Later the 19:01 from Newton ran on time but the next bus, the 19:21 did not leave until 19:50. Not a good day to be waiting for a bus. Still only 15 weeks and 3 days to go before the road works are completed.


Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Three Things Heard On The Radio.
Three things heard on the radio yesterday.
The first just irritates me a little. It goes like this.
Controller, "would all 12 drivers check their buses for lost property please. We are looking for a mobile phone/ bag of shopping/ wallet/ golf clubs/ pair of crutches/etc."
Now i have no problem with trying to reunite lost prorerty with the looser of said property. This is well and good. But there are 17 buses out there with the number 12 on the front, back and side. The chances are that it isn't on your bus and you are just coming into union street where you will drop 20 passengers off and pick up 30 more and union street is not the place to hang about looking for lost property. A little more detail such as when and where the looser got off the bus and which direction the bus was going in, were they upstairs or down. This little extra information will save 14 or 15 bus drivers hopelessly searching their bus for something that is not there.
The second item went on all day and went like this,
Driver, " i am running 25 minutes late."
Major road works at kings ash on the ring road sent hundreds of extra cars through paignton yesterday and delays of 25 and 30 minutes were common. Part of the problem was that in other parts of the bay there wasn't much extra traffic so passengers waiting a long time for a bus didn't understand why. Only 16 more weeks. I hope it will be worth it.
The third item annoyed me a great deal. In the midst of all this chaos at 5:00 pm at the height of rush hour, it went like this.
Controller, " papa one. That bus is required for servicing. The engineers will meet you on cary parade with a change of bus." (cary parade is in the centre of torquay.)
Driver," but i have 60 passengers on the bus and most of them have been waiting ages for a bus and you want me to ask them to change buses at this time of night."
Contoller," this is an engineering instruction. You must change buses."
This happens all the time. Engineering want a bus for servicing so they take it. No consideration for the passengers already on the bus. No, they get thrown off the bus in the middle of their journey for no good reason. Engineering could just as easily take a bus to the terminus at newton or brixham and change the bus over while there is no one on it. This professional approach however either has not occurred to them or it is just not matcho enough for them.
To make matters even worse, when engineering had slung all the passengers off the bus they then drove it up fleet walk. We have enough problems with vehicles driving illegally in fleet walk without our own engineering department doing it as well.


Friday, October 22, 2004
The new 31/34 Route.
I had a look at the new 31/34 timetable to day. The new routes will be two circular routes. The 31 going up through hele to barton and back via walcombe and plainmoor. The 34 will go up through plainmoor and marychurch to watcombe and back to town via barton and hele. Watcombe estate has been missed out, either to save time or to avoid the problems on the estate such as parked cars etc.
This change has been carried out to save operating costs. As i don't drive these routes and it is some years since i have done so i will have to wait and see what the drivers and passengers think of them.
On paper i can see how they work and to some extent i can not see why this change wasn't done sooner.
We will have to wait and see.


Tuesday, October 19, 2004
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thanks



Paying in for the Last Time.
THIS IS REG, PAYING IN FOR THE LAST TIME.
REG IS LEAVING US AS HE HAS REACHED RETIREMENT AGE.
REG IS WELL LIKED BY OTHER DRIVERS AND BY HIS PASSENGERS AND BY THE CONTROLLERS AND ALWAYS ENJOYED THE JOB.
REG DOESN'T WANT TO LEAVE .
THE COMPANY DON'T WANT REG TO LEAVE, IT WILL COST £3 500.00 TO TRAIN HIS REPLACEMENT.
TONY BLAIR DOESN'T WANT REG TO LEAVE, HE WILL HAVE TO PAY HIM HIS OLD AGE PENSION AND WILL LOOSE THE INCOME TAX REG WAS PAYING AS A WORKER. I AM SURE IF GOD WERE TO BE ASKED SHE WOULD SAY SHE WOULD LIKE REG TO CARRY ON.
SO WHY IS REG LEAVING, ILL HEALTH? NO, REG IS VERY FIT. A RETIREMENT HOME ON THE COSTA, NO, REG HAS A NICE HOME HERE.
SO WHY IS HE GOING? WHO IS FORCING HIM TO GO? WHO IS PUSHING HIM OUT INTO THE EMPTY VOID OF RETIREMENT? FROM THE HIS £14 300 WAGE AS A BUS DRIVER TO £4 100 OLD AGE PENSION. OVER NIGHT.
THE RMT UNION. THAT CHAMPION OF WORKERS RIGHTS THAT'S WHO. WHY HAVE THE UNION WHO HAVE FOUGHT SO HARD TO IMPROVE OUR PAY AND CONDITIONS VETOED REG'S DESIRE TO CONTINUE WORKING?
IF YOU KNOW THEN PLEASE RING THE BELL BELOW AND TELL US ALL. WE REALY WANT TO KNOW.


Saturday, October 16, 2004
Roadworks Ahead
I have just read an item in the local paper the Torquay "Herald Express" in which warns of "Roadwork Misery Looming"
£1M is to be spent improving Kings Ash Road in Paignton. The road works will last more than 3 months and are expected to cause major disruption. Kings Ash Road is not on the Twelve Route but it is on the Ring Road and drivers will look for other ways to get across town and there is only one other way and that is along the Twelve Route.
So expect reports of long delays over the next 3 months.


Friday, October 15, 2004
Not Good Passengers.
Most passengers, 99.9%, ARE OK. they GET ON THE BUS AND PAY THEIR FARE AND GET OFF AT THEIR DESTINATION NO PROBLEM.
NOW AND THEN THERE ARE PASSENGERS THAT CAUSE SLIGHT PROBLEMS,
LITTLE OLD LADIES WHO SEARCH THROUGH THEIR PURSES FOR THE RIGHT MONEY SAYING "I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ALL YOUR CHANGE DRIVER." WHEN YOU HAVE A TON OF CHANGE BUT ARE RUNNING LATE.
mums WITH PRAMS SLIGHTLY BIGGER THAN THE moon buggy WHO ALWAYS WANT TO GET ON WHEN THE BUS IS 3/4 FULL.
HOLIDAY MAKERS WHO DON'T USE A BUS BACK HOME AND GET ON AND ASK FOR 4 RETURNS TO BRIXHAM AND APOLOGISE FOR ONLY HAVING A FIVER. (THE FARE IS £14.00). THEN THEY SAY I WANT TO GO TO BRIXHAM NOT BUY IT.
THESE SORT OF PASSENGERS ARE RUN OF THE MILL AND ARE EASILY DEALT WITH.
THEN THERE ARE THE ONES LIKE I HAD YESTERDAY. I PULLED INTO PAIGNTON 3 MINS EARLY AND SWITCHED THE ENGINE OFF. A FEW PEOPLE GOT ON AND A MAN DETACHED HIMSELF FROM A GROUP OF 4 AND ASKED HOW LONG BEFORE I WENT. 3 MINS WAS THE ANSWER. HE RETURNED TO THE GROUP AND CONTINUED TALKING. 3 MINS LATER I STARTED THE ENGINE, SWITCHED ON THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS, SWITCHED ON THE HEADLIGHTS, SELECTED REVERSE, AND CLOSED THE DOORS. ALL THIS GOT NO RESPONSE FROM THE MAN TALKING SO I FIGURED THAT HE WAS GOING TO CONTINUE TALKING AND CATCH THE NEXT BUS. ONE LAST LOOK AT HIM. STILL NO MOVE TOWARDS THE BUS SO I REVERSED OF THE STAND. AS I DROVE AWAY HE SPAT ON THE WINDSCREEN OF THE BUS. SUCH A NICE PERSON.
THE OTHER NON PASSENGER WAS WAITING AT THE grand HOTEL AND TO MAKE SURE I SAW HER SHE TOOK TWO STEPS INTO THE ROAD AND PUT OUT HER HAND. NO PROBLEM SO FAR. I LIKE PEOPLE TO MAKE THEIR INTENTIONS CLEAR. I INDICATED LEFT AND TURNED INTO THE BUS LAY-BY. SHE WAS SO DETERMINED THAT I WOULD STOP THAT SHE REMAINED STANDING IN MY PATH FORCING ME TO BRAKE HARDER THAN I SHOULD. SHE SEEMED SURPRISED WHEN I REFUSED TO LET HER ON THE BUS BUT AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED NO ONE ENDANGERS THE BUS AND TRAVELS ON IT.
AS I SAY MOST PASSENGERS ARE FINE, NOW AND THEN ONE OR TWO ARE NOT.


Low Floor Buses on the 31 Route.
THE COMPANY LEASED SOME LOW FLOOR BUSES IN THE HOPE THAT IF PASSENGER NUMBERS WENT UP ENOUGH THEY WOULD BUY THEM. sadly THE NUMBERS DID GO UP BUT ONLY SLIGHTLY AND THEY ARE GOING AT THE END OF THE MONTH.


Sunday, October 10, 2004
'CRISIS' FEARS ON COLLEGE BUS LINK
South Devon College IS THE CLOSEST TORBAY WILL GET TO A UNIVERSITY.
IN RECENT YEARS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS HAS GROWN AND NOW THEY HAVE SOLD THE SITE THEY OCCUPY, WHICH IS ON THE 12 ROUTE. TO BE ANY WHERE IN TORBAY YOU HAVE TO BE ON THE 12 ROUTE.
THEY ARE MOVING TO A PLACE ON THE RINGROAD WHERE NORTEL USED TO BE BEFORE THEY FAILED. IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE AND NOT ON A BUS ROUTE.
NOW STAGECOACH SAY THAT THEY WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY IN PROVIDING A BUS SERVICE FOR THE STUDENTS. HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF POPULAR. the BROWN SMELLY STUFF IS DEFIANTLY HITTING THE FAN AT THIS VERY MOMENT.


Saturday, October 09, 2004
Waiting for a bus that doesn't come.
TO DAY WHILE I WAS ON MY BREAK AT PAIGNTON A DRIVER CAME IN FOR HIS BREAK. HE EXPRESSED SORROW FOR THE DRIVER OF THE NEXT BUS TO BRIXHAM. AS I WAS THAT DRIVER I ASKED HIM WHY. HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD BROUGHT A NUMBER 12 FROM NEWTON ABBOT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO BRIXHAM AT 19:05 BUT THERE WAS NO DRIVER TO TAKE OVER FROM HIM AND HE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO PUT UP PAIGNTON ONLY.
MY BUS WAS DUE TO LEAVE AT 19:25 WHICH WOULD MEAN PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 40 MINUTES ON THE BUS STATION FOR A BUS FOR BRIXHAM. IT WOULD ALSO MEAN THAT OTHER PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN WAITING ALL ALONG THE ROUTE FOR UP TO 40 MINS FOR A BUS. AT LEAST IT WASN'T RAINING.
AS EXPECTED I WAS ASKED BY SEVERAL UPSET PEOPLE WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE BUS IN FRONT. ALL I COULD SAY WAS THE DRIVER HAD NOT TURNED IN FOR WORK AND IF IT WAS ANY CONSOLATION THE MISSING BUS THAT THEY HAD BEEN WAITING FOR WAS ALSO THE ONE I WOULD HAVE BEEN CATCHING TO GO HOME AND THAT I TOO WOULD HAVE TO WAIT AN EXTRA 20 MINUTES TO GET HOME.
TWO OR THREE PASSENGERS THOUGHT THIS WAS FUNNY. ONE EVEN OBSERVED THAT I WOULD KNOW HOW IT FELT TO STAND AROUND HOPING AGAINST HOPE THAT THE BUS WOULD ONE DAY TURN UP. AT LEAST I KNEW IT WASN'T COMING AND STAYED IN THE OFFICE AND HAD A CUP OF COFFEE.




Thursday, October 07, 2004
New Information re 77 v 78
I wrote yesterday about my misgivings that the 77 route had been chosen in preference to the easier ( in my opinion ) 78 route around Buckland.I have been informed by a reliable source that Stagecoach Devon Management, The RMT Union, The Health & Safety Exec and the Local Authority had talks to decide which of the routes was to be withdrawn.It seems that the deciding factor was concern that problems could occur if there was a frost on the steep hill at Buckland Brake. It was felt that it was more dangerous for a bus to go down that hill in frosty weather than to go up it. The 77 goes up it; the 78 will shortly no longer go down it.I was also informed that the Local Authority had promised to look at the problems caused for the 77 route on the estate by parked cars.Once again it is nice to discover that some one does care about the well being of the drivers.
Posted at 00:11 by desfordaveRing the bell

Monday, October 04, 2004
Driving a 77 Round Buckland.
IN NEWTON ABBOT THERE IS AN ESTATE CALLED BUCKLAND. IT'S NOTHING LIKE TOLKIN'S BUCKLAND APART FROM THE FACT THAT BOTH ARE BUILT ON THE SIDE OF A HILL.
THERE IS ONE BUS ROUTE ROUND BUCKLAND BUT TWO BUS NUMBERS. THE 77 GOES ROUND ANTI CLOCKWISE AND THE 78 GOES THE SAME ROUTE BUT CLOCKWISE. THERE IS NO SENSIBLE REASON TO HAVE THIS ARRANGEMENT, IT TAKES MORE OR LESS THE SAME TIME TO GET FROM ANYWHERE IN BUCKLAND TO NEWTON AND NO ONE WAITS FOR ONE BUS IN PREFERENCE TO THE OTHER. from MY POINT OF VIEW AND OTHER DRIVERS I HAVE SPOKEN TO THERE IS A PREFERENCE.
AS YOU ENTER BUCKLAND THE 77 TURNS RIGHT AND CLIMBS UP A VERY STEEP HILL WITH A SHARP TURN HALF WAY UP. THE HILL IS SO STEEP IT HAS TO BE CLIMBED IN FIRST GEAR,THIS CLIMB LASTS 250 YARDS WITH LOTS OF NOISE FROM THE ENGINE TO THE ANNOYANCE OF THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE ROAD. THEN ALONG A NARROW ROAD WITH PARKED CARS ON THE LEFT. IF ANYONE ENTERS THE ROAD YOU HAVE TO PULL INTO THE LEFT IF THERE IS A SPACE OR EVEN REVERSE. IF THERE ISN'T. THEN A RIGHT TURN AND PARKED CARS AGAIN ON THE LEFT, THEN A LEFT TURN INTO A ROAD WITH CARS PARKED ON THE LEFT. AS YOU START THE TURN YOU CAN NOT SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING COMING THE OTHER WAY. IF ANYTHING IS YOU HAVE TO REVERSE. further ON THE ROAD BENDS TO THE LEFT FOR A LONG WAY WITH PARKED CARS ON THE LEFT. IF ANYTHING COMES TOWARDS YOU AT THIS POINT IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE THEN ROUND THE BEND AND THERE ARE ONLY SMALL SPACES ON THE LEFT WHICH ARE DIFFICULT TO GET IN AND OUT OF WITH THE BUS. WHEN YOU GET TO THE EXIT FROM BUCKLAND ON A 77 YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE DONE 10 LAPS IN A STOCK CAR RACE.
ON THE 78 THE PARKED CARS ARE ALMOST ALL ON THE RIGHT WITH SPACES BIG ENOUGH FOR CARS TO MOVE INTO AND ALL THE TURNS ARE IN TO ROADS YOU CAN SEE ALONG WAY DOWN SO YOU CAN EASILY STOP IF ANY ONE IS COMING. the HILL UP TO THE TOP OF THE ESTATE IS LONG AND CAN BE DONE EASILY IN 3RD GEAR WITHOUT STRAINING THE ENGINE AND EARS. when YOU EXIT BUCKLAND WHILE YOU DON'T FEEL YOU HAVE BEEN FOR A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY YOU ARE MUCH LESS STRESSED THAN THE POOR SOD ON THE 77.
AS I SAID THERE IS NO REAL NEED FOR THIS ARRANGEMENT AND THE COMPANY HAVE DECIDED TO DO AWAY WITH ONE OF THE BUSES. THERE WILL JUST AS MANY BUSES GOING ROUND BUCKLAND AS THERE EVER WERE. NOW THEY WILL ALL GO THE SAME WAY.
WHICH WAY WOULD YOU PICK? THE 77 WITH THE VERY STEEP CLIMB, THE BLIND CORNERS AND MOST OF THE TIME DRIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE OF THE PARKED CARS?
NO. WHY Not? stagecoach have. From the end of this month the 77 will be the only bus driving round buckland. I wonder if anyone in head office has ever driven a bus round buckland or did they just flip a coin to decide which bus to keep.


Letter From Head Office.
A couple of changes have been made in the last week to our fare structure. One is the removal of the student tickets and their replacement with UniRiders. Uni being short for university. Any College or university student can buy these tickets on production of a NUS card or student ID. (see last posting)
The other change is the fact that Devon County Wide tickets (half price tickets for Pensioners and Disabled) are no longer rounded down to the nearest 5p. This means we have prices like £1.37, Torquay to Paignton return or £1.67, Return Brixham to Paignton. The problem of having to give copper in change adds to the time it takes to get people on the bus and only having 4 compartments in our cash tray is causing a problem; where do you keep the copper?
Well a letter was posted on the notice board explaining this introduction of copper in our change. The fact is rounding a fare down by 2p cost the company a large sum of money over a year.
It's the letter that is the interesting item here. Often in the past the company have not bothered to inform the drivers of their thoughts behind their actions. It would indicate a change of policy here that on this occasion they have and it is to be hoped that this trend will continue. At lest we know why we have to carry copper and put up with the extra aggravation caused by this failure to round down to the nearest 5p as we have in the past. The more cynical of my colleges may just think the company are just trying to pull the wool over our eyes. maybe they

Thursday 30 September 2004

September 2004

Thursday, September 30, 2004
Holidays and after.
Back to Work.
Well I have been back at work for almost a week and as usual it feels like I have not been away. We are back on winter running times which are 10 mins shorter than summer. Add on the delays caused by some road works in Brixham and everyone has been running late all week
We have also got a few new routes, none of which I drive on so I will have to listen to other drivers to find out what they are like.
We have also got rid of student single and return fares and replaced then with UniRiders. Students can now buy a weekly ticket that they can use to travel in either Torquay or in Paignton and Brixham for £6.00. The problem for those students living in Brixham and Paignton is the South Devon College is in Torquay so they will need both tickets. £12.00 per week. The problem for the drivers is that it takes 15 key strokes to issue these two tickets. Don't get on a bus in Brixham at 08:00 on a Monday morning when 50 students are getting on the bus and buying their tickets for the week. Then the bus will get to Paignton and 40 more students will get on. Don't blame the driver if your bus is late, it's not our fault.
Posted at 23:43 by desfordaveRing the bell

Saturday, September 25, 2004
Start your engines.
"Start your engines gentlemen". Those words are heard a few minutes before the start of a Formula One Race and the last thing a racing car driver wants to hear before the end of his race is the sound of his engine dying away and stopping. From the comments I heard on a Radio Devon phone in program to day it is also the last thing many bus drivers want to hear.
The first caller was complaining that he lives near a bus terminus and he has to endure the sound of a bus engine running for upto 10 minutes while the bus driver waits time. He asked the program presenter if there was a law or a rule that we had to switch our engines off while we waited at bus stops. Another caller said there was a law that the engine had to be switched of. This is true but only if the driver leaves the bus. If he sits on the bus the Law does not require him to switch off the engine.
Our company rule is that if a driver expects to be stopped for over 2 minutes he should switch off. Some follow this rule, others don't. First, in no particular order, lets look at why we should switch off. Environment, Global Warming, Cost, Peoples' Health, Good Manners, Company Rule, and others I may think of as I type.
Emission gases damage local vegetation add to greenhouse gases and damage peoples health, not just people with illnesses that produce breathing difficulties but children, babies the elderly and even healthy people who are breathing this sh.. these gases and one day they may have breathing difficulties.Why increase the chances. Cost, well it's the company that pays for the fuel so why care about that. Wrong the passengers pay for the fuel just as they pay for almost everything. And half of what the passengers pay goes in my wages. Half of what I waste standing there for ten minutes or so is mine to waste. It comes off next years pay rise. Company Rule, well the inspectors can not be every where all the time. In Torbay alone there are nearly a thousand trips a day, most of those trips involving some waiting time. Good manners, well the drivers in those buses sitting at a terminus with the engine running probably don't know anyone in the house across the road. Reasons for not switching off? Well in winter when you switch off the engine you switch off the heater. I may think of other reasons while I type.
When I listen to the radio phone in type of program I notice that some people just ring in for something to do but some of the people have rung the wrong number. Because the radio presenter wants people to phone in he keeps repeating the phone number, it fills two hours in the afternoon schedule. In return for this, maybe he should have some one in the back room looking up the right number.



Monday, September 20, 2004
Still on Holiday
20 SEPT 04 Monday.
I WENT INTO WORK THE OTHER DAY EVEN THOUGH I STILL HAVE AN OTHER WEEK BEFORE I AM DUE BACK. NOT TO WORK BUT TO SEE THE WINTER ROTAS. THIS TIME LAST YEAR AS PART OF THE STRIKE SETTLEMENT THE 12 ROTA AND TORQUAY LOCAL ROTA HAD BEEN JOINED AT THE HIP AND I HAD 30% LOCAL WORK ON MY ROTA. I HATE LOCAL WORK. HALF HOUR TRIPS THAT SEEM (TO ME) TO GO ON FOR EVER. THE ROUND TRIP ON THE 12 TAKES
2 HOURS 50 MINS AND IS MORE MY CUP OF COFFEE. (I DON'T LIKE TEA). I SPENT THE WHOLE OF LAST WINTER ASKING CONTROLLER FROST TO CHANGE MY DUTIES WHEN EVER A LOCAL DUTY CAME UP AND I AM SURE HE WAS A LOT MORE FED UP OF THE AFFAIR THAN I WAS. HE MANAGED TO CHANGE MOST OF THE LOCALS AND OTHER CONTROLLERS ALSO HELPED REDUCE THE NUMBER OF LOCALS I DID. THANKS GENTLEMEN.
WELL THIS YEAR THERE ARE NO LOCALS ON MY ROTA, JUST TWELVES. WHICH IS A RELIEF TO ME AND TO THE CONTPOLLERS AND THR PASSENGERS ON TORQUAY LOCAL SERVICES.

Monday, September 06, 2004
Away on holiday
Well the summer season ends in 3 weeks but I will miss the end of it as I am on holiday and don't have to drive a number 12 until 26th September 04. Isn't that nice.
I may go on a bus while I am away and if I do I will file a full report.


Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Traffic Jam
click HERE TO SEE SOME PHOTOS I TOOK IN LYMINGTON ROAD. THE TRAFFIC JAM YOU CAN SEE WAS CAUSED BY A LORRY DRIVER UNLOADING IN FLEET WALK AND BLOCKING THE ROAD. FLEET WALK IS 3/4 MILE FROM LYMINGTON ROAD. WHEN THE NEW TESCO STORE OPENS IN FLEET WALK WILL SCENES LIKE THIS BECOME COMMON PLACE? LETS HOPE NOT.

Tuesday 31 August 2004

August 2004

Monday, August 30, 2004
Crashes
WELL WE HAD TWO CRASHES TO DAY, IN THE SAME PLACE. AN HOUR APART. NOT BUSES, CARS. BUT THERE IS ONLY HAS ONE MAIN ROAD IN AND OUT OF TORBAY AND WHEN IT IS BLOCKED ALL CRASHES BECOME OURS. WE ARE ALL DEEPLY INVOLVED.
BOTH CRASHES HAPPENED AT COVENTRY FARM ESTATE. JUST NORTH OF THE ROUNDABOUT. TRAFFIC APPROACHES THE ROUNDABOUT FROM THE SOUTH ON A TWO LANE DUEL CARRIAGEWAY ROAD AND FROM THE WEST ON THE TOWN BY PASS. ON LEAVING THE ROUNDABOUT THE ROAD IS TWO LANES FOR 100 YARDS BEFORE REDUCING TO ONE LANE. SOME DRIVERS TAKE MAD RISKS TO GET IN FRONT OF 1 OR 2 CARS WITH THE STUPID IDEA THAT THIS IS GOING TO GET THEM SOMEWHERE FASTER BUT ALL THEY DO IS SIT IN BUMPER TO BUMPER, 5 MPH TRAFFIC FOR THE NEXT 3 MILES. IT IS THE START OF A 3 MILE BOTTLENECK THAT IS KINGSKERSWELL.(TORBAY HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET A BY PASS FOR YEARS BUT TONY BLAIR WOULD SOONER SPEND THE MONEY ON MAKING WAR NOT BY PASSES)
WELL TO DAY SOMEONE'S RISK TAKING DIDN'T PAY OFF AND THEY ENDED UP IN MANGLED WRECK'S ON THE HIGHWAY AND TRAFFIC CAME TO A DEAD STOP. WELL IT CAME TO A HALT AFTER THE BOYS IN BLUE ARRIVED TO RESTORE ORDER. the FIRST BUS HEADING FOR Torquay MANAGED TO GET BY WITH A DELAY OF ONLY 10 MINS BEFORE THE POLICE ARRIVED. THE NEXT ONE CRAWLED TO WITH IN 4 CARS OF THE PROBLEM AND WAS ONLY 15 MINS DOWN WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED AND SIGNALLED THE SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC TO STOP. THEN FOR 10 MINS THE TRAFFIC COMING OUT OF TORQUAY WAS WAVED ON. THEN ALL TRAFFIC WAS HALTED WHILE AN AMBULANCE ARRIVED. THEN THE TRAFFIC COMING OUT OF TORQUAY WAS WAVED ON FOR A FURTHER 10 MINS.
RESULT, THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PASSENGERS ALL OVER TORBAY WONDERING WHAT STAGECOACH WERE UP TO AND WHAT KIND OF BUS SERVICE THEY WERE RUNNING.
THE PROBLEM IS THE POLICE ROUND HERE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A CLUE WHEN IT COMES TO DIRECTING TRAFFIC. WHEN I LIVED IN WEMBLEY THE POLICE THERE WERE EXPERTS AT GETTING 80 000 PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE STADIUM IN A VERY SHORT SPACE OF TIME. MAYBE WHILE WEMBLEY IS CLOSED DEVON AND CORNWALL CONSTABULARY COULD BORROW A FEW OFFICER FROM THE MET POLICE TO TEACH THEM A THING OR TWO ABOUT DIRECTING TRAFFIC.


Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Late Running Buses On a Grand Scale.
BUS COMPANY FINED FOR LATE-RUNNING SERVICES From the Torbay Herald Express
Transport watchdogs have fined Stagecoach £18,600 for its buses failing to meet punctuality standards in Exeter. And Traffic Commissioner Philip Brown has told the firm it must try harder to provide reliable services in the city. Mr Brown, the independent watchdog for public transport in the South West, has fined the company £60 for each of the 310 buses it operates in Exeter and Torbay.During the investigation, punctuality was measured for a sample group of buses in Exeter following complaints from the public and city MP Ben Bradshaw. It was revealed that only 83.7 per cent of those monitored by an independent group met the standard of arriving between a minute early and up to five minutes late. The target is 95 per cent.SOME QUESTIONS.
DID STAGECOACH KNOW THAT THEY WERE NOT MEETING THE REQUIRED TARGET BEFORE THE TRAFFIC COMMISSION TOLD THEM?
IF THEY DID, WHAT DID THEY DO TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE?
IF THEY DIDN'T, WHY DIDN'T THEY?
Posted at 22:50 by desfordave
Ring the bell Monday, August 23, 2004
Photos
23 AUG 04
while I WAS AT NEWTON ABBOT THIS MORNING I SAW A WOMAN DRIVE A BIG 4 WHEEL DRIVE OFF ROAD VEHICLE INTO THE BUS STATION AND PARK ON THE SANDYGATE STOP. Sorry I have lost this photo due to lack of memory.
NOW THE BUS STATION HAS NO ENTRY EXCEPT FOR BUSES SIGNS AT EACH END AND NO PARKING SIGNS ALL AVER THE PLACE. I HAD MY CAMERA WITH ME AND I DECIDED TO TAKE A PHOTO TO WHICH I WOULD HAVE ADDED A WITTY CAPTION SUCH AS "DRIVER SPENDS SO MUCH TIME OFF ROAD SHE HAS FORGOTTEN WHAT NO ENTRY MEANS."
WHEN I HAD TAKEN THE PHOTO I TURNED TO GO BACK TO THE BUS AND RIGHT BEHIND ME WAS AN OTHER CAR JUST DRIVING INTO THE BUS STATION. SO I TOOK A PHOTO OF THAT CAR AS WELL.
Click Here to see this photo; You can if you want but it's just a car.the DRIVER, A YOUNG WOMAN STUCK HER HEAD OUT OF THE WINDOW AND SAID SHE WAS LOOKING FOR A CAR PARK. I TOLD HER NICELY THAT SHE SHOULD NOT DRIVE THROUGH THE BUS STATION BUT REVERSE BACK AND TURN ROUND. I THEN GOT BACK ON THE BUS.
NEXT THING SHE IS ON THE BUS DEMANDING THAT I DELETE THE PHOTO. SHE HAD JUST SEEN THE NO ENTRY SIGN.
I REFUSED. SHE CALLED ME A PERVETE AND SAID I HAD NO RIGHT TO TAKE HER PHOTO. I TOLD HER SHE WAS IN A PUBLIC PLACE BREAKING THE LAW AND I COULD TAKE HER PHOTO. SHE CALLED ME A VERY RUDE NAME AND GOT TOLD OFF BY SOMEONE ON THE BUS. ANY WAY SHE STORMED OFF SAYING SHE WAS GOING TO REPORT ME TO THE POLICE. WHAT A GOOD IDEA.
the WEATHER HERE IN DEVON HAS BEEN VERY UNSETTLED ALL MONTH. UNLIKE LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD LOTS AND LOTS OF SUN.


Friday, August 20, 2004
Unauthorised Bus Stops.
To day, I got called a jobsworth, a mother....ing jobsworth. Plus one or two more or less similar nasty things by an upset passenger. To some extent I could see his point of view so I refrained from seriously headbutting him half to death.
The reason he called me all these names was because I drove past the Casino stop in Abbey Road with out stopping and he wanted to get off there. The problem is the number 12 doesn't stop at the Casino Stop, only the 32 stops there. However some drivers do stop there. The stop is handy for two hotels that cater for the older holiday maker who find it difficult to climb the hill up from Castle Circus or from the bottem of Abbey Road where the 12 does stop. The other day when I was a passenger on a 12, four elderly ladies got on in Paignton and asked for the Casino stop. The driver said the bus didn't stop there but he took pity and said he would let them off there. So he stopped and the ladies got off. So did my foul mouthed passenger from to day. He did not know the bus should not have stopped there and when I drove past to day he demanded to know why. My explanation that Torbay Council wont let us stop there fell on deaf ears but my ears got the full force of his abuse. Verbal only, fortunatly.
The reason the Coucil wont let us stop there is because Abbey Road is a two lane One way street and the stop is 150 yards from a set of traffic lights at which the 12 turns right. The Council think it is too dangerous for us to stop the bus and then pull away and change lanes to make the right turn in 150 yards. The 32 turns left at the lights, no danger there.
The council don't think pulling away from the stop at Windy Corner too dangerous; we only have to pull out of a bus lay-bye, across two lanes whilest watching for traffic coming from behind us at 40 mph, traffic emerging from a road on our left, traffic turning right across us into the road on our left and traffic coming out of a road 20 yards behind us on our right while watching the traffic lights just in front of us. The worst bus stop in Britain to pull away from. To help us the Council put up a notice saying "Please let the bus out" The notice is the size of a cornflake packet, a small cornflake packet.



CYCLISTS, BRAVE SOULS.
ARE CYCLIST MAD?
nO, I WILL REPHRASE THAT.
cYCLISTS ARE MAD.
nOW I KNOW THAT CYCLISTS ARE DOING THEIR BIT FOR GLOBAL WARMING AND WHEN I GET STUCK BEHIND ONE I KNOW THAT IT ISN'T FOR EVER. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE FOR EVER. SO I JUST FOLLOW CAREFULLY, BIDING MY TIME UNTIL I CAN SWOOP PAST AND GET ON MY WAY.
WELL TO DAY I GOT STUCK BEHIND THIS MAN ON A BIKE AND WAS THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE. I JUST FOLLOWED HIM AND HE GOT A LITTLE NERVOUS EVEN THOUGH I WAS KEEPING A STEADY DISTANCE BEHIND HIM AND NOT REVVING THE ENGINE IN HIS EAR OR PRETENDING TO KNOCK HIM OF HIS BIKE.
WHEN I FINALLY GOT PAST HIM HE MADE A GESTURE WHICH SUGGESTED THAT HE HAD JUST HAD THE WORST TWO MINS OF HIS LIFE.
A LITTLE WAY DOWN THE ROAD I STOPPED AT SOME RED LIGHTS. I WAS THE FIRST VEHICLE IN THE QUEUE AND WHAT DID OUR BRAVE CYCLIST DO? HE CAME UP ON THE OUT SIDE OF THE BUS AND PULLED ACROSS IN FRONT OF ME. THIS MEANT I NOW HAD TO EITHER PROCEED TO NEWTON AT 10MPH (16 KPH) OR, YES YOU'VE GUESSED IT, OVER TAKE HIM.
wELL IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE AND THIS TIME HE INDICATED THAT IT HAD BEEN THE WORST ONE MINUTE OF HIS LIFE.
nEXT LIGHTS, SAME AGAIN. THIS TIME A FLOCK OF HUNGRY SEAGULLS RIPPED HIM APART BEFORE I COULD OVERTAKE HIM.
IT MUST BE THE ADRENALINE RUSH THAT MAKES PEOPLE RIDE BIKES AND TOO MUCH ADRENALINE ROTS THE BRAIN CELL.



Thursday, August 19, 2004
It's a dog's life.
What ever you do;DON'T TURN ROUND.
A car cuts you up.
You flash the lights,blow the horn, suggest the driver's
parents aren't married, make a friendly guesture.
The car stops and 18 stone of solid muscle dressed all in
black gets out of the car and heads for the bus.
That how this pussy feels right now.
The photo has been moved to save memory


Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Rain, in summer, in the Bay.
IF IT RAINS IN TORBAY PLEASE DON'T GO FOR A DRIVE.
WE ONLY HAVE ONE MAIN ROAD THROUGH THE BAY. SO IF YOU ARE ON HOLIDAY AND IT'S RAINING WATCH TV, READ A BOOK, SLEEP, GO FOR A WALK IN THE RAIN BUT DON'T GET YOUR CAR OUT. IT IS BORING SITTING IN A TRAFFIC JAM. I SHOULD KNOW. because EVERY TIME IT RAINS IN THE SUMMER, PRESTON, WHICH IS BETWEEN TORQUAY AND PAIGNTON COMES TO A DEAD STOP. ALL THE TRAFFIC HAS TO GO THROUGH THE JUNCTION AT HEADLAND PARK ROAD AND TORQUAY ROAD. hUNDREDS OF CARS AN HOUR DRIVE VERY SLOWLY ALONG TORQUAY ROAD (THE MAIN ROAD THROUGH THE BAY) AND TEN CARS AN HOUR DRIVE OUT OF HEADLAND PARK ROAD. FOR SOME REASON KNOWN ONLY TO TORBAY COUNCIL BOTH ROADS GET THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME ON GREEN AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS. IT SHOULD TAKE 9 MINS FOR THE BUS TO GET FROM PAIGNTON BUS STATION TO HEADLAND PARK ROAD AND WHEN IT IS DRY IT USUALLY DOES. A BIT OF RAIN AND ALL THE HOLIDAY MAKERS SAY, "IT'S RAINING. WE'LL GO FOR A DRIVE." DON'T GO FOR A DRIVE. PLAY SCRABBLE, STRIP POKER, RUSSIAN ROULETTE, GOTO THE NEAREST PUB OR JUMP OFF BERRY HEAD. IF YOU GO FOR A DRIVE IT WILL TAKE YOU 35 MINS TO GET TO HEADLAND PARK ROAD. IF YOU GO FOR A DRIVE TAKE PEN, WRITING PAPER ENVELOPE AND STAMP AND WRITE TO TORBAY COUNCIL AND ASK WHAT THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT DOES ALL DAY.



Monday, August 16, 2004
Stay Calm
A study has found that there is Prozac in the drinking water. Fair enough but now the funny bit.The Water Standards Agency has urged people to stay calm.



Saturday, August 14, 2004
God hates us.
GOD HATES US.
ON WEDNESDAYS IN THE SUMMER THERE IS A CARBOOT SALE COME GENERAL MARKET IN A FARMERS FIELD IN CHURSTON ON THE WAY TO BRIXHAM. FARMERS WILL DO ANYTHING FOR MONEY. tHIS TENDS TO SEND MORE TRAFFIC DOWN THE ONLY ROAD INTO BRIXHAM AND THE ONLY WAY OUT IS THROUGH THE JUNCTION AT WINDY CORNER.
WELL TRAFFIC, INCLUDING THE BUSES GETS HELD UP. LAST WEDNESDAY IT WAS HELD UP FOR 25 TO 30 MINS AND BUSES ENDED UP RUNNING LATE. WHO GETS THE BLAME? WE THE POOR SODDING BUS DRIVERS DO. BY THE TIME THE TWO HUNDREDTH PASSENGER GETS ON AND SAYS, "WE'VE BEEN WAITING 1/2 HOUR WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? WHAT KIND OF BUS SERVICE ARE YOU RUNNING HERE?" THE ANSWER GETS TO SOUND A BIT FLAT.
Thursday. NO MARKET AND BUSES WERE RUNNING FINE AND GOD LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THAT STAGECOACH TORQUAY WAS HAVING A GOOD DAY AND THOUGHT,"THAT'S NOT RIGHT." SO OVER Newton ABBOT THE Heavens opened and the roads were flooded and buses were running a half hour late. IN TORQUAY AND PAIGNTON THE SUN WAS SHINING SO THE ANSWER TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS RE WAITING TWO DAYS FOR A BUS SOUNDED A BIT FLAT.
FRIDAY GOD MUST HAVE BEEN IN IRAQ OR SOME WHERE HE WASN'T NEEDED AND THE BUSES RAN MORE OR LESS ON TIME BUT NO ONE SAID," WHAT A GOOD BUS SERVICE YOU HAVE HERE."

Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Day off and I nearly set the bus station on fire.
10 Aug 04
I seem to be getting into trouble a lot recently, nothing serious but still a pain.
To day I went to Cartridge World in Paignton to get some ink for the printer. They said the ink would be 1/2 hour so I decided to go to my favourite pub in Paignton. Winstons. Round the corner from the bus station. Two or three pints later I went round to the bus station to get the bus down to Cartridge World. As I had 5 mins I rolled a cig and had a quick smoke. Then I stubbed the cig out (or so I thought) and dropped the butt in the bin. No litter lout me. I got on the bus and sat down. Then an other passenger said, "Oh look, that litter bin is on fire." And sure enough smoke was billowing out. I could have let it burn the bus station down but some one would be sure to recognise me on the CCTV and I am sure burning a company bus station down would be classed as Gross Misconduct.
So I got of the bus to make a quick dash to dial 999 but Lawrence Fielding, a controller came out with a kettle of water and put the fire out. Well done Lawrence.



Monday, August 09, 2004
Running Early
To day I ran early; sort of.
The Time Table on the bus stop says leave Newton at 18:30. But the one on the running board says 18:35. Now the passengers don't care what the running board says so I ran by the Time Table. Why should people have to wait an extra 5 mins for a bus just because some one in the office has made a mistake. Now I noticed this mistake 7 weeks ago and reported it. It's only a small mistake but I had hoped something might have been done about it. I think I will give up hoping.
Any way a controller saw me leave at 18:30 and consulted his running board which is a copy of mine and reported me for running early.
I will report further developments.

Turning at Jury's Corner.
Sunday 8 Aug 04
I started from Paignton 20 mins late due to heavy traffic at the Steam Fair in Churston.
Then when I got to Scott's Bridge another driver reported trouble at Aller Brake. A car driver had a lapse of concentration and when he (or she ) looked up it was either crash into the car in front or drive onto the pavement. Driving onto the pavement (sidewalk in the USofA) ripped a front wheel off and the car ended up side on and blocking the Newton bound side of the road. within 5 mins traffic was stationary for 2 miles. Including me and 2 other buses. So I passed my 2 passengers over to Reg in one of the other buses and turned at Jury's Corner and headed for Torquay. It was 4:30pm and all the holiday makers were heading home and I was the first bus they had seen for 1/2 hour. Then 9 people got on with the wrong type of ticket. An other driver had sold them by mistake. By the time that was sorted I was well late.
The second half went smoothly.


Saturday, August 07, 2004
Running early
THOSE WHO KNOW ME WILL KNOW THAT I REGARD RUNNING EARLY AS THE WORST THING A BUS DRIVER CAN DO. well YES THERE IS LOBBING A HAND GRENADE ON TO THE TOP DECK OF THE BUS DURING A SCHOOL RUN OR telling sOME SWEET OLD LADIES THAT THE CRAZY HORSE PUB IS A NICE QUIET PLACE TO HAVE AFTERNOON TEA. bUT EVEN I DRAW THE LINE AT RUNNING EARLY. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE THE LAST BUS.
wELL ONE OF OUR DRIVERS MANAGED TO RUN 10 MINS EARLY OUT OF NEWTON ABBOT THE OTHER NIGHT FOLLOWING A MIX UP OVER SOME WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING ROAD WORKS IN TORQUAY.
fortunately AN OTHER DRIVER SAVED THE DAY. hE GOT TO nEWTON ABBOT FROM BRIXHAM AND WAS DUE TO RUN EMPTY (DEAD IN BUS TALK) BACK TO THE DEPOT. hE FOUND ALL THESE PEOPLE WAITING FOR THE BUS THAT HAD GONE AND TOOK THEm TO THEIR DESTINATIONS. wELL DONE THAT DRIVER. iF I FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DRIVER THAT RAN EARLY I WILL LET YOU KNOW.

Friday, August 06, 2004
An ordinary day
Well I went out and spent the whole day more or less on time while all a round me other drivers were hitting traffic or broken down cars or hordes of students or breaking down themselves or just running late.
It did help having the bus in front of the one in front of me off the road for a while. This means that the one in front of me has to pick up more passengers and starts to run slower and starts to do some of my work. If it gets bad enough I will be able to catch him or her up and help them.
The bus in front of the one in front of me was of the road because the engine cover had come off. A bit of brute strength and ignorance instead of reading the instructions on how to close the engine cover.
warm, sunny and dry day, the only thing that went wrong was that I spilt a cup of coffee down my leg. I had only had a small sip of it as well.


Thursday, August 05, 2004
Children and buses in Fleet Walk
To day , as usual, I drove down Fleet Walk. Fleet Walk is a semi pedestrianised section of road leading down to the harbour and is well used by holiday makers. It is also used by about 50 buses an hour during the day. People walking along Fleet Walk are some times supprised when a bus turns up, buses these days are very quiet and company rules say they must travel at less than 10 mph and have the headlights on.
The reaction of people when they see the bus varies; most see that they are in no danger ( which they are not) and just move out of the way, some panic a little and hurry out of the way. Those with small children are the ones that cause me the biggest problem. The problem is the way they treat their children when they see the bus. They tend to grab the child, drag them to the side and shout at the child for being in the road. They always blame the poor child for not looking out for the bus even when they them selves didn't see the bus coming. No one is in any danger from buses in Fleet Walk but some parents seem to want to find fault with there children's actions even though there is no fault to be found. I suppose to some extent it is a natural reaction: child appears to be in danger, shout at it for being apparently in danger so child will be more careful in future. But now the child gets upset without reason. Parents are upset without reason and everyone blames the bus.
We always drive slowly down Fleet Walk and no one has ever been hit by a bus but I think it would save dozens of unpleasant incidents a day in the summer if the council could paint warning signs in the road way or erect notices at each end of Fleet Walk saying "Buses Drive Down This Road".

Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Two miles in 45 mins
Today I started in Paignton and went first to Newton Abbot. Got there on time then headed for Brixham as usual. Got to Torquay and Paignton and on the Windy Corner no problem. Windy Corner is 2 miles from Brixham and usually takes 8 mins. Well to day it took 8 mins but there was a queue of traffic coming all the way out of Brixham to Windy Corner and I passed 5 buses heading for Windy Corner. When I loaded up in brixham I warned the passengers that the usual 20 min trip to Paignton would take 50 mins. It took an Hour.
The traffic was due to a Market in a field. People come on holiday and just want to go shopping.
I ended up getting exactly 30 mins for my meal break. I have to have 30 mins, that's the law. Buses were running late all over the place.

Monday, August 02, 200
dyslexic bus driver
From the Herald Express
RESIGN OR BE SACKED, DYSLEXIC BUS DRIVER TOLD 11:00 - 02 August 2004 A bus driver who drove in the wrong direction, ran out of petrol and left stops too early was unfairly treated because he was dyslexic, an industrial tribunal has ruled. Tom Adams, 32, claimed that he was told to "resign or be sacked" by operators Stagecoach because of his disability.He quit because he feared that he would be dismissed.An employment tribunal ruled that the firm discriminated against Mr Adams because it had not taken his needs into account, even though he had informed his employers of his condition.The hearing was told that Mr Adams had been given a final warning for using a mobile phone while driving the minibus.He had also been disciplined for failing to refuel the bus, and for leaving stops too early.Mr Adams claimed that the reason for this was because he could not understand his running card - the timetable that tells drivers when they should be leaving a stop.On one occasion, Mr Adams headed for Stoke Canon, near Exeter, instead of his home town of Crediton because of his difficulties.He told the hearing in Exeter: "When I went for the interview, I said I had dyslexia."The tribunal heard that he would often stand his bus on the wrong side of the road because he misread his card.Once he ran out of fuel going to Sidmouth in East Devon because he failed to refer to his running card, which gives details of how much petrol is left.Stagecoach Devon denied knowing that Mr Adams suffered from the condition.But the tribunal ruled unanimously that Mr Adams was treated less favourably because of his disability, and that Stagecoach had failed to discharge its duty to make reasonable adjustments.They said that although Mr Adams was "a disorganised individual, we nonetheless judge him to be a truthful person".A hearing to decide how much compensation Mr Adams is entitled to receive will be held at a later date.
I now know the Law is an Ass.
Posted at 15:35 by desfordave
the bell has been rung (1) Permalink
























Saturday 31 July 2004

July 2004

Saturday, July 24, 2004 Chris Hilditch
Thursday 22nd July 04
I was on paignton bus station waiting to take over a bus when i saw mr hildtich the managing director of stagecoach devon walking along the platform towards me. As he got close i greeted him, saying," good morning mr hilditch."
He returned no greeting and walked past me. As he passed me he turned and said," are you Mr Banks."
I agreed that i was. He said nothing and carried on walking.
I was a little upset by his lack of greeting, but not greatly surprised. He is not known as the nicest of people. I was puzzled by him knowing my name and why he had asked me to confirm it. Maybe i will find out why some day.
Then, partly due to this incident i went and waited for my bus at the wrong stop. I only noticed my mistake just in time and managed to leave only 2 mins late but mr. Hilditch was standing on the platform and must have noticed.
Later on in the day i clipped a temporary road sign and broke the lens on the nearside indicator. Not a good day.

Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Car door hits bus.
From the Torquay Herald Express 20 July 04
TOWN CENTRE TRAFFIC CHAOS AFTER BUMPA car driver was arrested following a crash involving a bus in Torquay town centre yesterday.The collision between a double decker bus and a parked car in Union Street caused traffic problems as it blocked off Torre for almost one hour. A number 12 Stagecoach bus on route to Newton Abbot collided with the open door of a stationary Ford Orion parked on Union Street by the Memorial Gardens at about midday.Police were called to the scene and the bus was left in the road while details of the collision were recorded.Nobody was injured in the collision.Following the bump, traffic was queued up through Union Street as Torre was completely unaccessible.All vehicles had to be diverted down Trematon Avenue until the bus could be moved, about one hour later.Stagecoach customer service manager Mark Whittle confirmed no passengers were hurt in the accident and said they had to be transferred on to another bus."One of our vehicles was involved in an accident on Union Street," he said."At the driver of the car's request, the police were called to the incident."There were passengers on the bus but nobody was injured. As it is a high frequency service all the passengers were transferred on to another bus. I hope they were not inconvenienced too much."It is an unfortunate incident."Damage was caused to the car door and the side of the bus, which is part the new £3 million fleet launched by Stagecoach earlier this year.
P.S.
What the story did not say was the during the arrest the car driver became so violent that Pepper Spray had to be used which effected students in a nearby park and several passers by.

Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Change of duty
Sunday 18 July 04
To day I should have been driving a number 12 as usual. Then one of the Newton Abbot drivers rang in sick. There are 3 routes in Newton on a Sunday and the 2 day drivers cover 30 trips between them. If one driver is missing on the 12 it means a 30 min gap. In Newton it can mean an hour and a half gap. we have a spare driver system to cover some one going sick. The trouble is we don't all know all the routes. To day the spare driver did not know Newton and I did. so I was volunteered. I hate local routes. by the time you have done 2 hrs and you have changed gear about 2000 times and there are still 11 trips to do and the day stretches in to infinity and none of the passengers know or care how hard I am working compared to driving a 12.
As long as the bears think they are Catholics and the pope shits in the woods I will never do Newton abbot again.
P.S. most Newton drivers wouldn't drive the number 12 if their life depended on it. they Must be insane.
................................................................

Saturday, July 17, 2004
Trip to Exeter
To day I did an 85 duty, also known as the Coast as you drive up the coast to Exeter. I like going to Exeter now and then as I can see when I go there that no matter how bad Stagecoach Torquay is there is always some where worse.
To day they lost my bus for the 2nd half of my duty. The fitters had it and when it turned up is was of I type that I had not been Type Trained on. I could have refused to drive it but there were 35 passengers waiting to get on the thing and the passengers do put bread on the table and beer in the belly. Good for them. So I drove it and now I am Type Trained on a Volvo B10.


Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Sick on Duty
SOD stands for Sick on duty.
Not something I do often, in fact to day was only the 2nd time I have SODed in 7 years. I woke up with a migraine, took some pills and the pain and visual effects went away. Now it is 20 years since I have had a migraine and I had forgotten how tired you feel for the rest of the day and I went to work instead of ringing in sick. After 2 hours at work I had had enough and got on the radio and arranged for an other driver to take my bus and I went home. Feel better now but still slightly odd.


Monday, July 12, 2004
Cars parking in bus stops.
Monday 12 July 04
When I first started driving a bus in London one of the things that got on my wick was car drivers parking on bus stops. I used to drive up behind them and flash my lights and blow my horn to get them to move. Usually they did, though some times after a little delay. Then one day an other bus driver, older and wiser, said, "Good. That's one car driver who wont park on a bus stop again. Only 27 million left to persuade." So now I just pull up along side the car, unload, load and be on my way.
Well on my way home last night on the bus there was a car on the Bus stop and the bus driver pulled up behind it and started blowing horn and flashing lights. Little old lady got out and explained to driver she had broken down. The bus now had to reverse out with some difficulty and danger into a stream of traffic. The passengers got on and off the bus which then drove away.
10 Seconds later it was overtaken by said little old lady who had her arm out the window with one finger raised. Result; one pissed off bus driver.


Sunday, July 11, 2004
Breaking Down
Saturday 10 July 04
It is always embarrassing to break down. The passengers have waited for the bus and given Stagecoach's reputation there is always a slight sense of relief that it has turned up. Then just when they think all is well and they will some be at their destination a loud alarm buzzer sounds and the bus stops and the driver turns round and says, "We have a small problem".
Most of my passengers were on the way to Brixham Carnival and the last thing they wanted to do was sit at the side of the road in a broken down bus waiting for the next one. When I broke down the buses were running every 15 mins so the next bus should have picked them up in 15 mins. Unfortunately the next bus was being driven by a new driver. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. He was also running 25 mins late and I had 50 passengers who were saying," Don't worry driver, it's not your fault the bus broke down". Finally a spare bus arrived, driven by a driver who had heard me on the radio and had given up part of his meal break to help out and my passengers went on there way.
I hate it when a bus breaks down, especially when said bus is 4 months old and has only done 18 000 miles


Thursday, July 08, 2004
More events than usual.
My normal day is usually spent driving up and down between Brixham and Newton Abbot, picking people up and drooping them of and collecting some money.
But today I also had ago at a controller because a 31 bus driver had parked his bus on the Strand (which the 31 and 34 bus drivers shouldn't do) and blocked the whole of Torquay town up. Which is why they shouldn't park there.
Then I took over a bus and the was a lady in a wheel chair on the bus and when she came to get of she started moaning the none of the drivers would get the ramp out so she could get off the bus. As I was just getting the ramp out I was not very pleased and told her that next time she needed my help it would be nicer if she was a little more pleasant in her method of asking for assistance other wise she may find herself stuck on the bus like some ancient bus passenger domed to travel between Brixham and Newton Abbot for ever.
5 mins later a bus driver going the other way informed me over the radio that some lads upstairs on my bus were up to no good. I pulled over and went upstairs and there were 4 young men spreading sandwiches all over the front windows and seats of the bus. I asked them to leave the bus and they refused so I got on the radio and asked for police assistance. Actually that was foolish of me. Last time a bus driver asked for police assistance he waited an hour for them to turn up and them gave up and drove on. However these four weren't to know this and got off and walked. One of them actually cleaned up some of the mess before he got off.
Next when I got into Newton there was an accident just in front of me involving a motorcycle. This was the forth motorcycle accident I have heard about in the last week. This blocked the road for 20 minutes. I don't suppose it did the motorcyclist any good.Later when I got to Brixham A man and a young woman got on the bus and she tried to use a school pass but she was going the wrong way, you don't go to school at 6:30pm. He, her father, then asked for a "Two pound single ticket to Paignton". When we got to Paignton he told me I had overcharged him as his daughter was only 13. He asked for the adult ticket and that is what he got. I said if he wanted a refund he should write to Stagecoach.The rest of the duty passed without incident.
Monday, July 05, 2004
British Telecom and their Telegraph Poles
A note went up in the pay-in room at work over the weekend. It seems that BT have come up with a way of increasing their profits without putting up the cost of phone calls.
They have noticed that bus companies have been attaching Bus Stop signs to some of their Telegraph Poles and NOT paying any rent. This has got to stop said a senior executive.
£100.00 per sign per year was the figure decided on by BT; or take them down. Well Stagecoach decided to take them down and get the council the put up posts for the Bus Stop Flags. Believe it or not Bus Stops and Shelters are the Local Council's problem not the bus companies. You dear council tax payer are the ones that will have to pay for posts to be erected after BT's brilliant fiscal plan fell flat. Please don't ring them and complain, send them a letter instead, leave off the stamp.
Anyway, an other note went up to day asking us (the drivers) to report any bus stop flags on BT poles so they can be removed before BT send in The bailiffs. As if we didn't have enought to do.

Sunday, July 04, 2004
Police message and bus crash.
At about 12:30 to day control sent out this police message to all the buses; Following a shop lifting incident in Teignmouth the police are looking for a young man (a discription followed). He was last seem carrying a large black bag containing stolen alcohol, whiskey, gin etc and belived to be on a bus heading for Torquay or Paignton. Please report any sightings to control. End of Message.The problem I have with this kind of broadcast is that the passengers on the bus can hear what is being said on the radio. What would happen if the person in question was on the bus and had a weapon of some sort and did not want the driver of the bus to report his presence to control?The other thing that happened to day was that there was a crash involving a bus. Buses have minor scrapes from time to time. I myself have taken 2 wing mirrors off cars in the last 3 years, I even hit a car side on last Febuary. (It did a U Turn just in front of me).In today's incident it appeared that the bus ran into the back of a car, and pushed it into the car in front of that one and into the next in line as well.I got to the scene 20 mins after the incident and there was a large dent in the front of the bus. I don't know the exact details, was anyone hurt or who's fault it was. I will report if I find out. Suprizingly we don't always get to know exactly what happened in such incidents.

Wednesday 30 June 2004

June 2004

Sunday, June 27, 2004
Torbay Half Marathon
27 June 04 SundayToday was the Torbay Half Marathon. The race starts on Paignton Sea Front and goes along the coast road to Torquay Harbour and back again.Half the road is closed and in order to get from Torquay to Paignton we had to divert from the Grand Hotel via back roads to Preston Bus Shelter.As the route is narrow and twisted the police try to make most people go over the ring road which is twice as far. This involves turning right off the sea front at Belgrave Rd and out of town for about two miles. The bus were to take the short diversion but problems cropped up.First the lights at Belgrave road normally only let 3 or 4 cars turn right at a time but there were 200 hundred cars trying to turn right and the lights should have been turned off and police should have directed traffic. But they didn't even think off doing that. It took 15 minutes to cover what normally takes 2 minutes.Next the policeman on duty at Belgrave Rd took it on himself to direct the buses over the Ring Rd. When I got there I told him that I was going the short route. He first said that the Ring Rd route had been agreed with Peter Lacy the Operations Manager at Stagecoach Torquay. The OM Torquay is John Lacy not Peter.I told him this was not so as I had been given a map, which I showed him, when I signed on showing the short route.He then said that we (the police) didn't want the buses to go the short route. I said that I was going the short route as it was the one agreed by the Senior Police Officer in charge of the event. He repeated his statement that 'We dont want buses going that way.'I asked contol and they said take the short route. So I took the short route.All went well till I got to the end of the diversion at Preston Bus Shelter. Even though there was only traffic coming off the diversion route the traffic lights were still on and only letting 3 cars through at a time so we soon had a massive tail back of traffic.The Police round here have a reputation for being lazy and lacking in all the normal policing skills and to day they went a long way to continuing that reputation.I don't know who won the race.

Sunday, June 20, 2004
Urban Foxes
A couple of weeks ago I was driving a 85 up to Exeter from Torquay and a fox ran across the road in front of me. Now I have been here in Torquay for 6 years now and this is the first fox I have seen.In London, where I lived for 10 years I saw quiet a few foxes, espectially on early or late turns. I don't go out of my way to look for wild life but if it turns up it nice to see. One night in London I was last bus, from Chiswick to Greenford at about 12:30 in the morning and I spent 20 minutes feeding my last sandwich to a passing fox and got back late to the depot and missed the staff bus home. It only took 45 minutes to walk home so I didn't mind. On Saturday I again drove an 85 from Torquay to Exeter and at the same place I again saw a fox. I am not sure if it was the same fox but this fox I will not see again as it was lying dead at the side of the road.
Some years ago in about the same area I saw a dead badger at the side of the road and seagulls flattened in the middle of the road are not unusual in Torbay. It used to be just cats in London. Seems that country wide life gets run down just like urban wide life. Sad.

Thursday, June 17, 2004
Junk in the Road
I came home from work on Sunday and the heater was still there but it had been joined by a chair. The heater has been there for 4 weeks now, left out by someone at 67. The chair came from 71( I think). I had also seen a bed and matress that had been thrown over the back garden wall by some one in 71. I know that because no one else could have dumped it there.So I rang the Council Environmental Services and they came and collected the bed, matress, chair and heater 20 mins later. Good on Torbay Environmental Services. Bad on the dumpers.we live in a nice part of the world but some people don't want it to stay that way

From the Herald Express
Here is a story taken from the Torbay Herald Express.
DOGGED DRIVER SEES OFF BOY RACER 11:00 - 07 June 2004

Imagine the scene .... a Stagecoach bus and a "boy racer" locked in a dispute in a narrow Torquay road and neither willing to give way. They meet in the middle of Sherwell Lane in Chelston.The bus driver isn't for reversing and nor is the young car driver.He decides to sit it out and lights up a cigarette in defiance.The bus driver pulls out a flask and pours himself a cup of coffee.The passengers on board are a little bemused as the traffic starts to stack up.Boy racer is joined by two mates who pull up behind. Bus driver is still non-plussed and carries on sipping.Things are in danger of turning nasty as the youngsters begin to lose patience.Astonishment turns to panic on board the bus with one woman claiming she is getting claustrophobic.Eventually, the racers give way and the bus moves on.It is almost 30 minutes since the impasse first began.Good on the bus driver.
I wasn't the driver but some times it can be fun driving a bus.

Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Democracy at work.
Does democracy work?Is it important to cast your vote?
On Thursday we had European and local elections. Labour and Tories got stuffed in the European Elections. Tories don't like Europe but know we are in for good and should move forward slowly and give up as little power to Europe as possible, Labour really don't care but Tony Blair sees him self as a world leader and wants to get the UK in no matter what, so long as he does not loose power doing it and so he can play a central role in Europe. That's Tony playing the cental role, not the UK. Tony does not care about the UK, Tony only cares about Tony. The 2 parties that made gains were the LibDems (a small gain 2%) and the UKIP, 18%.These two parties have compleatly different views about Europe. The LibDems want to move to The United States of Europe with all speed and can not understand why every one else does not have this view. The UKIP want to leave Europe as soon as posible. Next week would be a good time.Not all the people that voted for the UKIP would want to leave Europe but they are using this vote to say to Tony and to Europe that the idea of 1956 and a Common Market may not have been a bad idea but lets not get to close to the US of E.In the local elections 20% of existing Labour councillors lost their right to call themselves Councillor because Tony took the country to war. A protest vote. This means in both Local and European elections people have got MEPs and councillors representing them that they did not want just because the only time they can make them selves heard is by the protest vote.Well, does democracy work?

Thursday, June 10, 2004
Well the pay deal has been finalised. We are to get 3.5% this year and 3.5% or RPI plus 0.5% next year and sick pay will be at 93% of pay. The Union are going round saying that is a good deal so I guess it must be. It will mean about £7.50 increase a week (net).

Sunday 30 May 2004

May 2004

Sunday, May 30, 2004
Looking for Nessie.
I watched Globetreker this evening on Discovery TV. It was fron Scotland and one of the people on the show was some guy who had moved up to Loch Ness and was living there in an old van. He made some money selling Nessie models he makes and spent his time scaning the loch for the monster. He was on a TV program 9 years ago when he first moved up there.Now he is asked 60 times a day if he has seen the monster. "No." he anwsers. Easy to just say no,easier than saying yes and have to tell 60 people a day what it looked like and all the atttendent details. He admitted that even if he had seen Nessie he would probably still say no.So he's been there at the side of the Loch in an old van for 9 years following his ambition to find the Loch Ness Monster. And if he sees it, what then? Will he go home? Will he just carry on watching and carry on denying that he has seen the beast. Maybe his real ambition was to just drop out and he used poor Nessie as an excuse.Does he really want to see her?

Thursday, May 27, 2004
Bus Drivers are Human
I went into Brixham this morning. I had come down from Newton Abbot which is 12 miles or so from Brixham. It takes 92 mins to drive a bus along the route and I will have stopped 30 or more times to pick up and drop of about 60 to 80 passengers. I will have been involved in may be 10 queues of slow moving traffic and at least 3 car drivers will have done something to try and upset me and several pedestrians will have walked out in front of me with out looking.When I got to Brixham the bus in front of me was just about to leave. He, or she, runs 10 mins ahead of me so I now have 10 mins Stand Time. Time for a short rest. Not a chance. Some old guy tries to get on the bus even though I tell him I am going to the toilet and will be 5 mins. He wants to go to Paignton and can not see why he can't go now. he gets nasty saying I was being rude. I explain that the bus does not go for 10 mins and I am having 5 mins away from the bus if you don't mind. The sun is shining and its warm and dry. It's not as if it is cold and wet.When I get back to the bus I hear him say to his wife that all bus drivers are lazy bastards. He then asks me for 2 singles to Paignton. £4.00.Now he was over 60 and a holiday maker. I usually explain to over sixties holiday makers about our £3.00 explorer ticket for the over sixties. Did he get this example of my charm? What do you think?When we got to Paignton he asked, without any grace, where to bus to Babbacombe went from. Hopefully he will get singles again for £2.00 each and his day out will cost £16.00 in bus fares for himself and wife instead of what it should have cost. £6.00 for two Explorers.Being nice pays; usually.

Change over day.
Sunday 23 May 04
Today at work was change over day. We changed from the winter time table to summer. What this means is there are more buses out there for the holiday makers and the foreign language students who come to Torquay every summer to learn English. The services that need more buses are the number 12 and the open top buses.
The problem to day was with the open tops. They go from St Marychurch by Meatfoot Beach, Torquay Harbour, Paignton and then either to Brixham or the Zoo. Good Zoo at Paignton, been seen on BBC TV.
Last year they did not go by Meatfoot Beach for some reason best known to the Boss. Well no one bothered to cut the trees down. Not the whole tree, just the bit sticking in the road that threatened to rip the passengers faces to pieces. So we could not go that way and it is the nicest part of the route since that nice Mr Hilditch took the part down to Kingswear out. That was the best part. Mr Hilditch found out that because of problems with the time table drivers had 20 minutes rest time in Kingswear and he soon put a stop to that. We don't go there any more and Mr Hilditch is happy and it is always a good idea to keep the boss happy even if the passengers don't get to Kingswear and Dartmouth.

Saturday, May 22, 2004
Good Day.
Yesterday I went in the canteen at Paignton for my break and the news was on the TV. Most news these days and for as far back as I can remember is either bad or depressing.However there were 2 items which cheered me up no end. The first discribed how Dictator Blair, sorry Prime Minister Blair is coming under increasing pressure from all sides concerning his starting a war. You know the one in Iraq. He has been told to get British troops out of Ireland, sorry Iraq as soon as posible and to stop seeing his American Lover(That nice Mr. Bush).Tony should have tried to make him self in to a great Prime Minister of the Uk, working hard to improve the future of the people he was elected to rule. But what did he do? He became a war lord.Are the problems of Law and Order, Education, the National Health Service and Public Transport so hard to solve that he had to have a war to distract us from the fact that his government isn't even trying to find solutions to these problem. Did Iraq presented a problem more important than pensioners unable to pay their council tax bills or what people would say about his U Turn on a European Union Referemdem. Maggie had a war. It came at a good time for her and got her elected for a 3rd term. But that war was forced on her. Anthony Eden had his war, unforced. and look what happened to him. North Korea has WMD. Are we going to goto war with them?Take the Q from the end of IRAQ and you get IRA. We had the IRA for 40 years, will I be celabrating my 100th birthday and saying"Thank God we are finally out of Iraq"? Second item of news was that the Basking Sharks are back.Second biggest fish in the world and they swim just of the coast here in Torquay. Isn't that nice of them?
10 facts about basking sharks
The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is the second largest fish in the world, after the Indo-Pacific whale shark (Rhincodon typus).
They may reach 12m in length, and weigh up to 7 tonnes.
They may take 12-20 years to reach sexual maturity.
Gestation may take 18 months - 3 years.
Females give birth to 5-6 live young (pups) at a time.
Pups are believed to be 1.5m at birth.
They feed only on tiny zooplankton.
Basking sharks are found in most temperate waters of the world.
Basking sharks appear in the waters around the western coasts of Britain each spring from May onwards.
The basking shark is the biggest wild animal to regularly visit Britain.

Sunday, May 16, 2004
Not a good day
Sunday 16 May 04
I started in Paignton to day. I knew the day was going to be one of those days. I got on my bus, loaded the passengers, had a look round for any one running up at the last minute, no, closed the doors and started to reverse.
I don't know where they came from but suddenly two people were banging on the door. Now once we have started reverse we can not stop and pick them up. Company rules for everyone's safety.
In Brixham I left 2 minutes late and the same thing happened while I was at the lights. Still can not pick them up.
Further down the road at Windy Corner some one was standing behind the bus shelter and only appeared with her arm out as I was driving past. I had only been out 30 minutes and I had upset 5 people. Now I don't like upsetting people like this but I am not going to put myself and others at risk by stopping when it is not safe.
The rest of the day went on like this. In one incident a car ( Reg Number VW04FUN just in case you are reading this) over took me just after a two lane road had narrowed to one lane, forcing him self between me and oncoming traffic, missing both by inches. After the car got past me it spent the next 2 miles travelling in front of me in a queue of traffic at 15 mph. In the car the drivers wife and child. Testerone makes potential killers of some people.
Later a passenger boarded the bus in Torquay, complained I was late and asked for a single to Windy Corner. I issued the ticket and asked for the fare, £2.05. She said "Oh no it's only a pound. I have an OAP pass." See then spent almost 2 minutes finding it.
The frustration of a day like this tends to make me forget the first two rules of stress free bus driving.
1 Be nice to the passengers
2 Never worry about what other road users do.

Friday, May 14, 2004
Summer Rotas.
At this time of year we start getting ready for the summer season and an increase in the number of holiday makers, Grokels as they are known locally.This means changes in the 12 service and the start of the Open Top bus service between St Marychurch in the north of the bay and Brixham in the south. The new rotas came out to day and were awaited with some trepidation by the drivers.One good thing from my point of view is that I don't have any Torquay Locals to do this summer.I dislike Torquay Locals. Not the people but the routes,some of the go up and down 12 times a day driving manual gear box buses that are well past their 'trip to the scrap yard date.'The 12 service has new automatic buses and 3 trips a day max. Much easier. Some drivers like Torquay Locals but I don't.

Monday, May 10, 2004
Torquay Locals
To day was one of those days which I dislike. I usually enjoy my job but for some unknown reason 3 times every 4 weeks I have to drive Torquay locals instead of the 12 I normally drive.Sometimes I can swop but today I couldn't and drove 31 s and 32 s.I hate Torquay Locals.

Saturday, May 08, 2004
New Route; 12D
To day I drove the 12D which is a new route for me.It runs from Paignton Bus Station through Torquay and up to St Marychurch. Very quiet route,I carried only 87 people compared with 300 on my usual route (12). I would not like to do 12D s all the time, the bordom would drive me bonkers. It is one of the Managing Director's ideas and I can not understand why it has lasted so long carrying so few people. Routes that attract this small amount of revenue usually only last if there are no other buses along the route but this one has the 12 and the 32 covering the route. Maybe the boss does not like to admit that one of his ideas isn't working even if it is costing the company money.I did not take enough today to cover my wages.

85A Drivers
I placed the following notice on the staff notice board to day.The company had changed the fare but had not bothered to tell the drivers and they were having problems as they had no idea why the fare had changed. No one looks after the small detail at our place.Mind you they somethimes don't look after anything at our place.
85A DRIVERS
Please note:
The correct Devon County Wide return fare between
Teignmouth Triangle (54)
and
Newton Abbot (16)
is £1.75.
It had been coming up £1.65 but this was a mistake and has been corrected.
Please apologise for any inconvenience caused.
If anyone complains tell them
to write to that nice Mr Hilditch.
This notice is not a union notice and in no way represents company policy but it is factually correct.

Friday, May 07, 2004
Mass meeting re pay talks.
Well on Tuesday the MD Mr Hilditch agreed to the union demands re 3.5% plus an upgrading of our sick pay but then, after consultation with head officechanged his mind about the sick pay.
The amount of money involve here is about £30 000.
So next time you get on a bus and the driver snarls at you it may be that he works for some one like our Boss.
It may be that the driver just hates you. Who Knows?


Wednesday, May 05, 2004
The Union and Proxy Voting.
Thursday evening there will be a mass union meeting to discuss and vote on the latest pay offer. Some drivers will be unable to attend as they will be working. The Union have very kindly decided to allow them a proxy vote at the meeting. However the have not said what the pay offer is. How can you decide to accept or reject something is you don't know what you are voting to accept or reject? Well it seems that if you have a proxy vote, it will be added to the majority vote of those drivers attending.
Is this the RMT's idea of how democracy works or is it the RMT's idea of fooling all the people all the time into thinking they have a say in what the Union does?


Tuesday, May 04, 2004
Pay Talks
The day after tomorrow, Thursday, is pay talks day. They have been going on since March already. A day here, a day there but as we should start on our new pay rates from the first complete week in May this should be the final pay talk.
Last year we went on strike over pay. Chris Hilditch the MD wanted us to give up our paid meal breaks. This would have meant that we could start work at 7am and end at 7pm with an unpaid break of 4 hours in the middle and so only be paid for 8 hrs. This is the way for a bus company to use the least number of drivers to cover the busy times in the morning and early evening but it would mean going out at 6:30 am and getting home at 7:30 pm for less than £200.00 per week. No Chance.
We were on strike for 9 days over a five week period and kept our paid breaks and got an average rise of 40p per hour. There is still bitterness and resentment amoung the drivers towards the Managing Drirector.
Anyway this year he offered us 20p and hour with several strings; give up our meal breaks for one. We, the Union that is said give us 25p per hour no strings. He said he would do some working out and see if the company could offord it. Two week ago he still had not worked out what 700 drivers times by 25p/hr times by 40hr/week times 52 weeks per year is. Well after 30 seconds on my calculator I could tell him the increase in the wage bill would come to £364 000. The offer he made would cost £291 200 a difference of £72 800. I expect he will come up with the money.
PS The owners of the company just gave themselves a bonus of £250 000 000. (In case you think I
mis-counted the zeros I will write that in words.
One Quarter of A Billion Pounds.