Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 21:15 28 Mar 2024
* Bus plunges off South Africa bridge, killing 45
- Easter getaways hit by travel disruption
- Where Baltimore bridge investigation goes now
- How do I renew my UK passport and what is the 10-year rule?
- Family anger at sentence on fatal crash driver, 19
- Easter travel warning as millions set to hit roads
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
28th Mar (1988)
Formal end to carrying coffins by BR (link)

Train RunningCancelled
18:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
18:36 London Paddington to Plymouth
19:33 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill
19:35 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington
19:59 Gatwick Airport to Reading
20:20 Reading to Shalford
20:49 Newbury to Bedwyn
20:54 Reading to Gatwick Airport
20:56 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington
21:16 Bedwyn to Newbury
21:30 Shalford to Reading
21:53 Newbury to Bedwyn
22:25 Bedwyn to Newbury
22:30 Gatwick Airport to Reading
22:47 Newbury to Bedwyn
Short Run
16:03 London Paddington to Penzance
17:03 London Paddington to Penzance
17:30 London Paddington to Taunton
17:36 London Paddington to Plymouth
18:03 London Paddington to Penzance
19:04 Paignton to London Paddington
20:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
20:11 Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads
20:42 Bedwyn to London Paddington
21:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
23:04 Reading to Bedwyn
23:17 Bedwyn to Reading
Delayed
16:15 Penzance to London Paddington
Additional 17:26 Castle Cary to Penzance
19:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
23:45 London Paddington to Penzance
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 28, 2024, 21:15:23 *
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
[118] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[116] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[89] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[46] Return of the BRUTE?
[38] If not HS2 to Manchester, how will traffic be carried?
[28] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
 
News: A forum for passengers ... with input from rail professionals welcomed too
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1] 2
  Print  
Author Topic: Bristol Free bus service trial this weekend.  (Read 10381 times)
anthony215
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1260


View Profile Email
« 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


Logged
anthony215
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1260


View Profile Email
« Reply #1 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?
Logged
standclearplease
Full Member
***
Posts: 86


View Profile
« Reply #2 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. 
Logged
Brucey
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 2260


View Profile WWW
« Reply #3 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  Grin Cheesy Roll Eyes
« Last Edit: December 11, 2010, 22:46:07 by Brucey » Logged
JayMac
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 18894



View Profile
« Reply #4 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
 
Logged

"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

- Sir Terry Pratchett.
anthony215
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1260


View Profile Email
« Reply #5 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?
Logged
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 12334


View Profile Email
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2011, 16:48:00 »

1am?
Logged
anthony215
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1260


View Profile Email
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2011, 17:08:05 »

sorrt forgot the 0, i meant 10am
Logged
JayMac
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 18894



View Profile
« Reply #8 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.
Logged

"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

- Sir Terry Pratchett.
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 17865


I am not railway staff


View Profile Email
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2011, 18:23:27 »

From the Bristol Evening Post:

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.
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.
JayMac
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 18894



View Profile
« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2011, 22:02:58 »

From the BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

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.
Logged

"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

- Sir Terry Pratchett.
NSCoaches
Newbie
*
Posts: 8



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #11 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.
Logged
Andrew1939 from West Oxon
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 535


View Profile Email
« Reply #12 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(resolve) who, in any case, would not have the resources to monitor such private hire.
Logged
anthony215
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1260


View Profile Email
« Reply #13 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
Logged
matt473
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 374


View Profile Email
« Reply #14 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
Logged
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] 2
  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