Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 09:55 29 Mar 2024
* Bus plunges off South Africa bridge, killing 45
* Easter getaway begins with flood alerts in place
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 02/06/24 - Summer Timetable starts
17/08/24 - Bus to Imber
27/09/25 - 200 years of passenger trains

On this day
29th Mar (1913)
Foundation of National Union or Railwaymen (*)

Train RunningCancelled
09:00 Gatwick Airport to Reading
09:46 Westbury to Swindon
09:54 Bedwyn to Newbury
10:22 Newbury to Bedwyn
10:55 Bedwyn to Newbury
11:05 Swindon to Westbury
11:29 Newbury to Bedwyn
11:57 Bedwyn to Newbury
12:17 Westbury to Swindon
12:52 Bedwyn to Newbury
13:15 Swindon to Westbury
14:19 Westbury to Swindon
15:14 Swindon to Westbury
16:23 Westbury to Swindon
17:36 Swindon to Westbury
18:37 Westbury to Swindon
20:13 Swindon to Westbury
21:16 Westbury to Swindon
22:30 Swindon to Westbury
Short Run
06:37 Plymouth to London Paddington
07:03 London Paddington to Paignton
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
09:45 Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
Delayed
05:03 Penzance to London Paddington
06:05 Penzance to London Paddington
07:10 Penzance to London Paddington
08:03 London Paddington to Penzance
08:15 Penzance to London Paddington
09:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
10:04 London Paddington to Penzance
11:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
PollsOpen and recent polls
Closed 2024-03-25 Easter Escape - to where?
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
March 29, 2024, 09:56:01 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[149] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[64] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[59] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[58] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
[52] Return of the BRUTE?
[36] 2024 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury...
 
News: A forum for passengers ... with input from rail professionals welcomed too
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: 1 ... 7 8 [9] 10 11 ... 63
  Print  
Author Topic: MetroBus  (Read 236549 times)
Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5190


There are some who call me... Tim


View Profile
« Reply #120 on: August 10, 2017, 14:09:45 »

The nice new cycle track that's in the same place as the nice old cycle track, the one that used to connect with the Pill Path along the river and the path out towards Long Ashton but now doesn't. At least, not directly. However, there is an amusing road sign at the start of the guided section the other end of the bridge, saying "Car trap".

No, you're referring to the nice old cycle track. The nice new one goes under the Cumberland Road bridge (hence my use of the phrase 'under the bridge' ) and emerges more or less opposite the entrance to Underfall Yard. Here's how it looked on Google Street View in April 2017:

https://goo.gl/maps/yUHQBUZd1fq
Logged

Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
johnneyw
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 2257


From station to station, back to Bristol city....


View Profile
« Reply #121 on: August 21, 2017, 21:22:14 »

The more I hear about this Metrobust thing......

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/strip-bristol-river-bank-cost-348042
Logged
Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5190


There are some who call me... Tim


View Profile
« Reply #122 on: August 21, 2017, 22:52:08 »


Interesting to see how George Ferguson's efforts to save us from having buses run through a museum are portrayed as a cockup...
Logged

Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
johnneyw
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 2257


From station to station, back to Bristol city....


View Profile
« Reply #123 on: August 21, 2017, 23:06:37 »


Interesting to see how George Ferguson's efforts to save us from having buses run through a museum are portrayed as a cockup...

Indeed, it is one of the few redeeming factors of this shambles. I have my reservations about his time in office but that decision was a correct one. The consequential execution of the revised route has been very much in the standard Metrobust mould though.
Logged
Bmblbzzz
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4256


View Profile
« Reply #124 on: August 21, 2017, 23:18:13 »

Run through which museum? But if Bathurst Basin bridge is too narrow, how could anyone have though the buses could run over Prince St Bridge. In fact, how could anyone have thought that anyway?
Logged

Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.
Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5190


There are some who call me... Tim


View Profile
« Reply #125 on: August 21, 2017, 23:31:27 »

Run through which museum?

The M Shed complex.

But if Bathurst Basin bridge is too narrow, how could anyone have though the buses could run over Prince St Bridge. In fact, how could anyone have thought that anyway?

I'm not an expert on mental health, but you could do a bit of googling to see who was in charge of transport in Bristol when the MetroBus bid was submitted. Sept 9 2011 is the key date, incidentally - that'll be just over a year before George Ferguson came to office, if anyone cares about facts anymore.
Logged

Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
martyjon
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1941


View Profile
« Reply #126 on: August 21, 2017, 23:34:30 »

When I was a child to get to my aunts in Blagdon the bus departed from Prince Street. I remember when we sat at the front of the bus looking through the window into the drivers cab a notice on the duty card holder in the cab of newer buses which said 'THIS BUS IS n FOOT 6 INCHES WIDE DO NOT USE PRINCE STREET BRIDGE WITH THIS BUS'. There were iron billets positioned vertically each side of the bridge on the approaches to it to stop vehicles wider than the bridge carriageways attempting to cross the bridge. Those billets are still there to this day although they are painted white with red bands of paint around them.

When I heard that this was the intended route of Metrobust at its inception I thought to myself, never, the bridge isn't wide enough for todays modern buses.

After a repair job estimated to take 3 months the bridge reopened earlier in the summer after that 3 month repair job lasting 2 1/2 years, mind you the bridge looks lovely with its cream and brown paintwork and its operational as well having been on the bridge the Thursday before last when the klaxon started as we were crossing it so we sat in the area by the tea / coffee stall on the Prince Street side of the bridge, had a tea and let my two great nieces, 4 1/2 and 2 in two weeks time. watch the bridge open and close, according to my 4 1/2 year old the spectacle was amazing.
Logged
TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6435


The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!


View Profile
« Reply #127 on: August 22, 2017, 19:53:23 »

The more I hear about this Metrobust thing......

..... the more I feel vindicated.
Logged

Now, please!
Bmblbzzz
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4256


View Profile
« Reply #128 on: August 22, 2017, 20:01:49 »

The nice new cycle track that's in the same place as the nice old cycle track, the one that used to connect with the Pill Path along the river and the path out towards Long Ashton but now doesn't. At least, not directly. However, there is an amusing road sign at the start of the guided section the other end of the bridge, saying "Car trap".

No, you're referring to the nice old cycle track. The nice new one goes under the Cumberland Road bridge (hence my use of the phrase 'under the bridge' ) and emerges more or less opposite the entrance to Underfall Yard. Here's how it looked on Google Street View in April 2017:

https://goo.gl/maps/yUHQBUZd1fq
I wasn't aware of that at all, so it's good to be alerted to it.
Logged

Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.
simonw
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 589


View Profile Email
« Reply #129 on: September 10, 2017, 13:53:34 »

And as Metrobus build draws to an end ... rumours of more routes.

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/bristol-one-step-closer-four-448460

So, as the plan stands as

  • Ashton Vale - Temple Meads
  • North Fringe - Hengrove
  • South Bristol Link
  • Cribbs Patchway Metrobus Extension
  • Keynsham
  • Yate
  • Thornbury
  • Bristol Orbital

The first three are nearly done, how much longer, and chaos for the next five?
Logged
TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6435


The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!


View Profile
« Reply #130 on: September 11, 2017, 19:53:48 »

And as Metrobus build draws to an end ... rumours of more routes.

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/bristol-one-step-closer-four-448460

So, as the plan stands as

  • Ashton Vale - Temple Meads
  • North Fringe - Hengrove
  • South Bristol Link
  • Cribbs Patchway Metrobus Extension
  • Keynsham
  • Yate
  • Thornbury
  • Bristol Orbital

The first three are nearly done, how much longer, and chaos for the next five?

"Bristol Orbital" has, like a lot of the MetroBust propaganda, something of the space cadet about it.

Where else in the world but the West of England would you see plans for the expansion of something that hasn't even been built as yet? Especially when the first three routes are three years late and costing the local councils an extra £50 million that they don't have? Then there is the question of why routes - Keynsham and Yate - should be built in competition with the railways. Plus what route will the Clevedon service follow that the existing bus service doesn't follow already?

Hopefully, this time DafT will spot the dodgy business cases for the routes, and won't be put off by a chancellor needing a cheap "good news" story to throw into an austerity budget.
Logged

Now, please!
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 17865


I am not railway staff


View Profile Email
« Reply #131 on: September 27, 2017, 19:23:37 »

From the Bristol Post:

Quote
Bristol MetroBus ‘likely’ to be delayed until 2018 because ticket machines are not ready

The new MetroBus service was originally set to launch in the autumn

The launch of Bristol's £230million MetroBus project is ‘likely’ to be delayed until 2018, transport bosses have admitted.

The bus service – which was due to launch this autumn – has been pushed back due to delays in the production of 'iPoint' ticket machines.

First approved in 2006, the MetroBus scheme has caused major disruption in Bristol and has been the cause of constant complaints. Even Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees has hinted that he wishes the rapid transport system hadn’t been given the go-ahead.

Unlike traditional bus services, all passengers will be required to buy tickets from an iPoint before boarding a MetroBus. The production of the machines is therefore vital for the launch of the service.

At least 79 iPoints will need to be installed before the first MetroBus can run. Alongside tickets, the iPoints will display real-time information about upcoming services, an emergency help button and map of MetroBus stops on the route.

But the machines are still being made and have to undergo more than 120 tests before they can be rolled out.

A MetroBus spokesman said: "Once the iPoints are installed and working, MetroBus services will start. This is likely to be in the new year."

Bristol City Council cabinet member for transport, Mhairi Threlfall, said: “These innovative information points are a vital part of the way MetroBus works. Passengers must have a valid ticket before boarding the MetroBus and these iPoints can sell single journey tickets, top up and sell smartcards. All this reduces waiting time at stops, making MetroBus faster and more reliable.”

Executive member for planning transport and strategic environment at South Gloucestershire Council, Colin Hunt, added: “It is important that all the different parts of these MetroBus information points – the ticketing, the real time bus information and the journey planners – are dependable, robust and work in all weathers and temperatures. We have to get it right before we can start installing them on the streets. I have seen a mock up, and they are very impressive.”

MetroBus is a joint project between Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset councils. Originally costed at £200million, the scheme is currently running £30million over budget.


A map of the current MetroBus routes

The first phase of the scheme will see three new rapid-transit bus routes to link Cribbs Causeway, Emersons Green and Hengrove, via Bristol city centre.

The MetroBus team always planned a staggered launch of the three routes, with the Cribbs Causeway and Emersons Green services scheduled to start next year.

Although the first phase of the project is not yet complete, the West of England Combined Authority – which is made up of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset councils and Metro Mayor, Tim Bowles – have approved investigative reports for four new MetroBus routes,

The new routes up for consideration include services to Keynsham, Yate, Thornbury and an orbital route around the outskirts of Bristol.

Managing director of First West of England, James Freeman, – the company which will operate the first MetroBus route between Hengrove and Bristol city centre – said the launch should be delayed until after Christmas if the bus routes are not be ready by December. He said: "We are ready to launch. Obviously we're not the ones deciding when to start running MetroBus, but it does not make sense to launch MetroBus in December. If, for whatever reason, we can't start MetroBus in November, our advice is to wait until after Christmas and start in January.”


Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40691



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #132 on: September 27, 2017, 19:40:23 »

From the Bristol Post:

Quote
Unlike traditional bus services, all passengers will be required to buy tickets from an iPoint before boarding a MetroBus. The production of the machines is therefore vital for the launch of the service.

At least 79 iPoints will need to be installed before the first MetroBus can run


I don't get that.  The Dublin Luas was launched with free travel for the first week or two, and that encourage people to try it out and get into the habit of using it - helped lead to a rapid ramp-up of use, and helped people get use to the system in phases - riding the tram first, and working the ticket machines second ... rather than a big logjam as people  struggled with two new things at once.

Why not let people travel for free until the ticket machines are working?   Help with the uptake, and help encourage the people putting the ticket system together to get their fingers out!
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
Bmblbzzz
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4256


View Profile
« Reply #133 on: September 27, 2017, 19:59:14 »

How are the tickets to be priced? Especially, will you have to know exactly where you're going before buying a ticket or will it be a simple system, like fixed price or large zones?
Logged

Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.
Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5190


There are some who call me... Tim


View Profile
« Reply #134 on: September 27, 2017, 20:18:35 »

How are the tickets to be priced? Especially, will you have to know exactly where you're going before buying a ticket or will it be a simple system, like fixed price or large zones?

Quote

The partnership agreement sets out the maximum fare levels for a single journey that the operators can charge. These are:

Up 3 miles: Adults £1.50 Children £0.75
3 to 6 miles: Adults £2.50 Children £1.25
Over 6 miles: Adults £3.50 Children £1.75
Concessionary travelcards will be accepted on all MetroBus services.
The actual ticket prices will set by the operators and this will be announced when final negotiation have ended.

Source: https://travelwest.info/metrobus/all-you-need-to-know


So I imagine that means the fares will be:

Up 3 miles: Adults £1.50 Children £0.75
3 to 6 miles: Adults £2.50 Children £1.25
Over 6 miles: Adults £3.50 Children £1.75
Logged

Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: 1 ... 7 8 [9] 10 11 ... 63
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page