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All across the Great Western territory => Buses and other ways to travel => Topic started by: anthony215 on December 07, 2010, 10:57:53



Title: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: anthony215 on December 07, 2010, 10:57:53

Looks like they are operating a trial service this weekend:

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/aboard-bus-free-trips-round-city-centre/article-2976678-detail/article.html


I wish them luck and hopefully it will work out.

Here is their website which contains further infromation:

http://www.freebus.org.uk/info.html




Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: anthony215 on December 11, 2010, 11:20:59
Seems  like the trial is doing well:

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Freeing-city-s-travel-network/article-2994334-detail/article.html

Wonder  if we will  see any reponse from First?


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: standclearplease on December 11, 2010, 22:18:53
Seems  like the trial is doing well:

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Freeing-city-s-travel-network/article-2994334-detail/article.html

Wonder  if we will  see any reponse from First?

Free bus travel, charming bus drivers and more of the fabric deodoriser. 


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: Brucey on December 11, 2010, 22:40:31
Ignore this reply.  The cider has gone to my head.  Today is the 11th, so I won't be trying this service tomorrow  ;D :D ::)


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: JayMac on May 14, 2011, 05:53:41
It would appear that this project is still very much alive. FreeBus Bristol plan to start a 6 month trial Saturday service from next month.

A volunteers meeting (open to all) will be held at Hamilton House, Stokes Croft, Bristol on Wednesday 18th May, 7pm.

http://www.freebus.org.uk/index.html
 


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: anthony215 on May 23, 2011, 15:56:58
They are using a 46 seater single decker service starting this weekend. Operates from 1am til 6pm.

 i wonder if this will be low floor or maybe a vintage  bus would be nice, wonder who suplying the bus maybe north somerset coaches perhaps?


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: ChrisB on May 23, 2011, 16:48:00
1am?


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: anthony215 on May 23, 2011, 17:08:05
sorrt forgot the 0, i meant 10am


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: JayMac on May 23, 2011, 18:01:28
They are using a 46 seater single decker service starting this weekend. Operates from 10am til 6pm.

This weekend? Their website has the start day listed as Saturday June 11th.


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on May 23, 2011, 18:23:27
From the Bristol Evening Post (http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Free-bus-service-road/article-3582862-detail/article.html):

Quote
Free bus service to take to road in Bristol from next month

A free bus service which was trialled in Bristol city centre last year will run regularly from next month.

The weekend service will run in a loop around the city centre every half-an-hour from June 11 after volunteers raised thousands of pounds to turn their ambitious plans into a reality.

Not-for-profit charitable organisation FreeBus has netted ^6,310 towards the project ^ securing a regular free bus service for at least six months.

Passengers will be able to hop on the 46-capacity single-decker bus without charge at Bristol Temple Meads, Cabot Circus, Broadmead and the Centre.
 
The service has been made permanent following a successful pilot weekend held in December last year, when dozens of passengers took advantage of free transport.

Jack Phillips, chairman of FreeBus, said the service would run between 10am and 6pm, starting at Bristol Temple Meads. He said: "We are absolutely delighted. The fact that this is being launched is an indication of how much support Bristol residents have shown for the project. We've been successful at fundraising and hopefully once it is up and running we will be able to raise quite a bit more and launch some other routes around Bristol."

He said the bus would initially be stopping at four stops, but a stop in Victoria Street could be added.

Gus Hoyt, spokesman for FreeBus, which has eight directors and 650 members, said: "There will be 15 volunteers helping us on the launch weekend, which is more than enough. There is a bank of about 60 of them on our books. The vehicle and the drivers will all be subcontracted."

Mr Hoyt, a city councillor representing Ashley ward, said the organisation had initially set itself a fundraising target of ^10,000 before it emerged that a much lower amount would be needed to get the project off the ground.

He said: "The ^10,000 was required for the route we had planned when we first started. The original route was going to go around Easton, St Paul's and Stoke's Croft. We realised that we needed an amount closer to ^3,000 to do the city centre service for the first six months. We also found out that the first bus company we had spoken to had given us a much higher quote."

Mr Hoyt said the service could be expanded to serve other parts of the city. He said: "If we can show that the project has worked and can fund itself, we will get funding to start serving some of the Bristol communities."

For more information, visit www.freebus.org.uk.


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: JayMac on June 06, 2011, 22:02:58
From the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-13667625):

Quote
Bristol free bus scheme plans weekend start

A free-to-use bus service which has been funded by local residents is to launch in Bristol on Saturday.

The service, which ran a free trial in December, will initially run on a loop between Bristol Temple Meads railway station and the city centre.

Passengers can use the service for free but are encouraged to make donations.

Chair Jack Phillips said: "FreeBus provides a different funding model. Our growing membership means we can expand and start bidding for other routes."

Last week, Bristol City Council announced large cuts to the publicly-subsidised bus services in the city.

The ^2m of cuts could see services such as the school yellow buses and off-peak bus services axed.

Park and ride bus fees may also rise.


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: NSCoaches on June 11, 2011, 15:52:52
We were asked to quote for operating this with a heritage bus... bearing in mind the cost of Fuel, Insurance, proper maintenance, wages and registration costs, a proper quote was given, and we never heard back.

Interesting the request for "donations" to travel on a "free bus" - the Traffic Commissioners will certainly not view the operator of the service in good light for running an illegal (unregistered) bus service as it is operating for Hire & Reward.


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: Andrew1939 from West Oxon on June 11, 2011, 18:39:47
If the donations should be given to the coach operator then I think it would fall into problems with the Traffic Commissioners.

However if the donations are given to the organisers the this would be a very different matter and, I think, beyond the control of the Traffic Commissioners.

Many organisations (and individuals) hire coaches and the charge their members and friends for travel on the hired coach and this is beyond the scope of the TCs who, in any case, would not have the resources to monitor such private hire.


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: anthony215 on June 13, 2011, 10:13:40
found this:

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Free-bus-service-just-ticket/story-12759652-detail/story.html

looking at the livery of the vehicles itself, i would say its either been hired from faresaver or wessex connect.

I do hope that it prooves a sucess, first do need a bit of competition in bristol


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: matt473 on June 13, 2011, 13:21:07
Wessex Connect running it by the looks of things. Would not be surprised if this goes tits up but they realise viability of competition to First and run a cheaper service on their own. Can't see it being a major success though unless they run a peak service M-F to cater for commuters from the station. Though how it would fund itself is still a mystery as I can't see people willingly donating to use a service. Why not just get plusbus or reutrn on 8/9 which isn't all that expensive


Title: Re: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.
Post by: JayMac on June 29, 2011, 15:22:20
Just discovered that the story of Bristol's FreeBus launch has made it to the national press.

From the guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jun/10/free-bus-service-bristol):

Quote
Citizens' bus service provides a free ride

The first surprise for passengers boarding the F1 bus outside Temple Meads station in Bristol on Saturday morning will be the sight of a good old-fashioned conductor. The second will be that he won't be demanding a fare.

This is FreeBus, a regular bus service funded entirely by residents. It will ferry passengers between the train station and the city centre from 10am to 6pm without troubling them for money or a travel pass.

Described as the UK's first community-funded public transport project free at the point of use, FreeBus is run and supported by a group of 700 transport activists, environmentalists and ordinary citizens.

Fed up with what they feel is a sub-standard and pricey public transport system in Bristol, they decided to raise money to launch their own non-profit service and to encourage people to use it by not charging them.

For now, FreeBus is operating only on Saturdays on a loop connecting the station with the city centre and its shopping centres, but there are plans to expand it to other days, other routes and perhaps other cities.

The chair of the group, Jack Phillips, claimed life in Bristol is blighted by buses that are expensive and slow, forcing people into cars.

"Local people have had enough, and we think they will embrace this project. This is a return to true public transport," Phillips, a master's degree student at Bristol University, said.

A trial run just before Christmas worked well. More than 30 volunteers helped, and the average number of passengers on board was 53.

Most encouragingly for the FreeBus group, the cost of running the service for the day was covered by donations from people who wanted to pay to help the scheme succeed.

"The response from passengers was tremendous," Phillips said. "Bus travel can be a dour experience in Bristol. But people loved the conductor helping people on and off, and when we explained what it was all about were very supportive."

One of the FreeBus conductors that day was Gus Hoyt, who has since been elected as a Green party councillor. He signed up because, following the general election, he feared that cuts in public transport, and many other areas, were bound to follow. They have ^ only this week Bristol city council's cabinet agreed transport cuts of ^2.2m.

"This was a very real project, something that we could grab hold of ^ a reclaiming of public transport in the city," Hoyt said. He believes FreeBus will demonstrate that citizens want to contribute to a quality public service and are prepared to try to seize power back from the politicians.

Hoyt said he does not use the buses in Bristol at the moment but walks or cycles instead, adding: "That's a quicker way of getting around."

Bristol's public transport has come in for criticism. In a report by the Campaign for Better Transport, published last year, the city was ranked 13th out of 19 cities for car dependency. FreeBus says only 13% of people use public transport to get to work.

Hoyt said the trial day was "brilliant", adding: "Passengers had huge smiles on their faces." He recalled one family from London who were thrilled to arrive in Bristol and get a free bus ride, and said: "The dad gave us a tenner as he got off." Even 14 and 15-year-olds were dipping into their pockets to donate towards the project.

FreeBus needs ^10,000 to run its Saturday service from 10am to 6pm for six months. More than ^7,000 has already been donated or pledged. If the scheme continues to succeed, the organisers will seek subsidies from the city council and try to get local businesses to help pay for the service. The bottom line is that nobody will be compelled to pay for a ride.

The project has not got its own vehicle, although hopes to invest in one in the future, but uses one owned by a "regular" bus operator in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. The driver, passengers may be glad to learn, is a professional.

FreeBus hopes its model could be used for communities across the country. So as well as getting a quick, easy and cheap lift into the centre of Bristol, passengers on board F1 may just be part of a public transport revolution.



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