Notices

Ever wondered where all those notices on the side of bus came from? No, neither had I. But I pulled into Paignton Bus Station yesterday and this chap in a yellow jacket approached the bus and asked me how long before I went. Usually this either means his wife is in the shop round the corner and wont be a minute, (She usually is about 5), or he wants a quick ciggy before getting on the bus. Not this time when I said two minutes. A quick spray to clean the window and quick as a flash the notice was up. Round the other side and a similar notice appeared as if by magic. I wish I could put wallpaper up like that at home, the place would be decorated in a couple of years instead of the 5 it has taken so far.

The notice is about the changes coming up for the summer Basically the 12 is a ten minute service between Newton, Torquay, Paignton and Brixham but there are lots of other changes mainly to the 12A (not going to Brixham but going toSouth Devon College, Paignton, Torquay, Babbacombe, St Marychurch and Teignmouth) the 12B is discontinued and a 12C is now running between South Devon College and St Marychurch and Teignmouth but by a different route than the 12A between College and Paignton. Catch the 12A for the Zoo, it's a good Zoo, been on telly. The other main change is to the 32 service in Torquay, it will no longer run up to Babbacombe and St Marychurch, catch the 12A or 12C from outside Debenham's on the Harbourside.

We also should have new ticket machines by the start of the summer season, some drivers have been trained how to work them and the rest of us should know how they work in the next two weeks. They are different so if you get on a bus and the driver is staring at the machine muttering nasty words under his breath please be patient, we'll get there in the end.

The balloon went up yesterday for a trial run. It has to be inspected by the Civil Aviation Authority as it is classed as an aircraft before passengers can be carried. The first passengers should be flying by the middle of the month. One or two passengers, visitors down for the Bank Holiday weekend were disappointed it wasn't up and running yet. More photos when it does start.

New Ticket Machines

An other change coming up, will we be able to cope? Of course we will, we're professional drivers, are new ticket machines. Should be arriving at the end of May just in time for the summer season. This on pictured here (thanks Cowdenbeath Driver) has all sorts of wonderful things to offer including a card reader so invalid cards don't get past us at busy times and a GPS system so control can track our every movement and know when we are running late, due usually to either traffic or road works, and offer us advice on what to do to improve the situation.

I'll keep you posted as soon as they arrive and or fitted to the buses.

Fare Changes

On Monday March 31 all our single and return tickets increase as does the Day rider. Always a confusing time as many passengers will not have read the notices on the buses which have been there for over two weeks.

Then on Tuesday the National, or should I say English, Concessionary Travel Passes come into operation. These passes, in case you have been on the Moon for the last few weeks allow the over 60s and the eligible disabled free travel after 9:30 on all local buses anywhere in England. Let me start by apologizing to a small group of people I gave incorrect information to.

When the concessionary passes came in they were for use only in the area you lived in and last summer many elderly passengers presented me, and all the other drivers with passes issued outside our area and asked if they could be used, "You will be able to from next April." was the stock reply. Some of the people who asked were from the UK but not from England. Well if you do live in the UK but not in England you can not use your pass in England, sorry but when the scheme was announced two years ago the word National was used to describe it and I assumed, as did most people, that meant the UK but the way devolution is going...........................

I am not sure exactly how many of these English Concessionary passes will be issued but it could be as many as 10 million. So far about 26 actual passes have been issued due to problems at the printers.

None so far in Torbay. To get round this problem we have been told to accept all existing passes issued in Devon and passes issued out side the area provided a cardboard Temporary Pass is also presented. Given that 10 million proper passes should have been printed and only 26 have been printed that means 9 million, nine hundred and ninety nine thousand, nine hundred and seven four temporary passes will have to be printed. Hopefully by a different printer.

I have an Around Torbay Concessionary pass but the cardboard temporary pass hasn't yet arrived and latest estimates are for about ten days. I was planning to go up to Manchester on a family visit at the weekend but the though of having to pay for my bus fares while I am there has put me off. Yes I know Stagecoach are in Manchester but my brother lives in North Manchester which is FirstBus territory.

Just to round of with an observation about ID Cards. The bus passes have the holders name and Photo and the Government have know they would need to issue 10 million of them for two years and haven't managed to get it organised. make no mistake this cock up IS down to Central Government, not local authorities or as I have suggested, the Printers ( sorry printers everywhere). They just didn't seem to understand the numbers involved.

Now ID Cards will hold much more information and 60 Million will need to be issued with safeguards built into the Card to prevent misuse. What chance do they have of issuing all of us here in the UK an ID Card some time this Century? Perhaps they should ask British Airways to run the system for them.

Changes to Bus Routes For the Summer

A few comments on the above changes, first they don't happen until May 19th so don't expect to see 12A and 12C running up the Babacombe Road just yet and second they are only for the summer season which runs until mid September. The main difference for me as a 12 driver is the fact that the 12A will now no longer run to Brixham. What happened in the summer was the holiday makers would see Brixham on the front of a 12A and get on it to go to Brixham from Torquay or Paignton but it took 20 minutes longer than the 12. Also in Brixham the holiday makers would get on the 12A to go back to Paignton and Torquay and we would have to explain the extra 20 minute journey time. Most would wait for a 12 and the 12A would pull out with only a few passengers on leaving 50 people waiting for the 12, which only ran every 15 minutes. Now only the 12 will go to Brixham and run every 10 minutes. Will make life a bit easier for the drivers and the passengers. One problem that will occur is the 12A and the 12C will now go to the Harbour and not up Fleet Street to the top of town which the 12 will continue to do. From the Harbour they will go to Babacombe and St Marychurch replacing the 32. Passengers who board a 32 at the top of town and want to go to Babacombe will have to change on the Harbour. I hope through tickets will be introduced for the fare paying passengers doing this trip or lots of time will be spend selling tickets on the 12A and 12C on the Harbour.

One 12A and one 12C per hour will continue on from Babacombe to Teignmouth so passengers who would have used the 85 to go to Teignmouth will now get either a 12A or 12C but if they wish to go beyond Teignmouth to Dawlish or Dawlish Warren (where there are lots of caravan parks) will have to change to a number 2 (formally the 85A) in Teignmouth. The bus stop area in Teignmouth is not all that big so some congestion can be expected there.

The other change that will effect us driving the 12s will be the fact that the X46 Exeter Express will not go to Paignton as often as it used to so anyone in Paignton who wishes to go to Exeter will need to get a 12/12A/12C to the Harbour and change. Hopefully a notice will be put up in Paignton explaining this and tells the passengers to tell the 12 driver they wish to go to Exeter so we can sell them an Explorer Ticket (the cheapest way to get to Exeter) otherwise we will sell a return to Torquay and then the X46 driver will sell them an Explorer ticket.

Like I say, these changes are not till May 19th.

New Newton Abbot Bus Station

Well not really new, just someone with a spade and a bit of time on their hands messing about. It wasn't working too well, mostly because there are too many buses parked in too small a space. Years ago I spent a few months in Newton. One of the rules was you didn't have your meal break in the bus station. In effect what that meant was you drove out of the station and parked somewhere legal. I used to end up 5 minutes out of town parked in a bus lay by. No toilet, no cafe to buy a coffee and no where to sit down and eat lunch except on the bus. Back in those days I used to smoke so when it was cold, wet or windy you only need one guess as to where the post lunch ciggy was consumed.


Now there doesn't seem to be time to get out of the bus station and still have the required 30 minute break so drivers not only from our company but also from Country Bus stay in the station for lunch. Result; the place gets full a lot faster than the litter bin outside MacDonald's.

So now the place has been done up and the bus stops moved about in an effect to make it look like the local authority have spent millions on the place. Trouble is it does not disguise the fact there isn't enough room. The photo showed how close I could get to the kerb given the fact that I am trying to get a 34 foot long bus in to a 35 foot long space. Shame about the grid.