I do like trucks with 'Select' registrations which match the company name. W30PAR was actually registered in July 2008 and looks very smart, as this fleet always does.
Snap on Sunday: Open top Top ATK164W 
Just a photo I took on Friday which I thought I would share today.
I came across this poster in a bus shelter on Embankment Road yesterday and was intrigued to read the line at the top:
I must admit I am not quite so sure that this will be the case. If you look at the bottom of this post you will see the twitter Facebook feeds for Citybus and First and see the problems they having yesterday, and this was just down to the preparations for the main road works that start next week!
First lets have a quick map so we can see where the problems will occur... 
At the moment traffic from Plympton / A38 comes off Embankment Road (4) and then goes into Gdynia Way (5) and heads into the city which takes it underneath the Heles Terrace junction (1). When Gdynia Way is closed there will be two lanes from Embankment Road (4) with one lane for Plymstock traffic turning left into Heles Terrace (2) and one lane heading straight up Embankment Road where it will then switch back to the other carriage way (6). This section is currently one way taking traffic out of the City. You can see below that the white lines have already been added to Embankment Road for two way working.
Now in theory this should not be too much of a problem as traffic is already pretty much single lane to Plymstock and single lane into Gdynia Way and indeed single lane down Embankment Road heading out of the City. The Plymstock bound traffic from the City Centre should be diverted away from the area so this should help a bit as well.
So what is my worry?
This is the view looking towards Plymstock yesterday (taken at point 7 on the map) you can see the queue of traffic goes way down the road and onto Laira Bridge itself.
All of this traffic is waiting for the lights on Heles Terrace (1)
At the moment these lights are geared up for the volume of traffic that turns right here with just a few buses and local traffic coming off Heles Terrace and trying to turn right into Laira Bridge Road. None of this really affects City bound traffic as it passes below the junction along Gdynia Way. I recall sitting on a 50 heading towards town once when Gdynia Way was closed due to flooding when all City bound traffic was coming off Heles Terrace and trying to turn right (1) where the lights were allowing three or fours cars through at a time giving priority to traffic coming down Laira Bridge Road towards Plymstock and then from Plymstock turning right. Without the Plymstock bound traffic coming down Laira Bridge Road it wouldn't be quite so bad but City bound traffic will still have to wait for outward bound traffic from Heles Terrace at the lights (2)
Traffic coming out of the City will also have to wait for this traffic, as it already does, but will have the additional problem of buses stopping.
At the moment traffic can get passed the buses at this stop, but this wont be possible when the road is two way. There is a further stop on Embankment Road (just up from point 4) which will also halt traffic behind it, which will affect all traffic from the City and Plymstock.
You can see the new layout has been marked out on the road surface the bus stop being the point where outward bound traffic starts to split into two lanes but the current outbound lane will soon be the main inward lane. The poster does seem to suggest that these stops will remain in use.
As I said at the start of this long rambling post both bus companies were affected yesterday. I caught a Citybus 50 from Asda and there were 4 50's passing through the complex at the same time, 2 following each other towards Derriford and the one I was on was caught up at the traffic lights by the next one heading towards town. I saw several examples of this with First service 2 also seeing bunching at Laira Bridge. When the main works start and Gdynia Way closes its all going to be very fraught and cause major jams. Hopefully once locals get used to it and find other ways around the area it might settle down a bit but I do wonder if it would help matters if the traffic coming out of Heles Terrace (2) could be diverted through Cattedown (1) up to Cattedown Roundabout and then down Embankment Road.
(I realise this might not be popular though, but then no one is going to be that happy while all this major work goes on anyway!)
Thanks to Grahame for allowing me to use this photo of his of former First Devon and Cornwall Volvo B12M which was actually new to First Southern National as fleet number 6310. It left FDC after their National Express duties passed to other operators. 
©Grahame Bessey
Ex First Devon & Cornwall. Great Yarmouth 18-5-10.
Seen way back in July 2007 still in the previous National Express livery which I never liked that much, but is a lot better than the current livery which can be seen in the photo below taken by Ian Kirby at Taunton Bus Station May 2008
©Ian Kirby (Creative commons)
NEW 14 journey ticket cuts price of bus travel in Plympton by up to 75%
In a move designed to make things easier for bus users in Plymouth, First Devon and Cornwall is introducing a special 14 journey ticket for customers using Service 12 (City Centre - Chaddlewood), which will both cut costs for regular travellers and allow those who only use the bus occasionally to also benefit from savings over the price of standard walk on fares.
The ticket, which will be available to buy from the driver, cuts the price of a journey anywhere on the ugobus service 12 route (Chaddlewood - Ridegway - Marsh Mills - City Centre) to just £1; offering a saving of 50% on the current maximum single fare of £2.
And between 30 May and 12 June, First Devon and Cornwall will be selling the 14 journey tickets at a discounted rate, meaning customers will be able to cut their travel costs even more, spending just 50 pence on each journey " saving up to 75% on the current maximum fare.
The initiative, which follows a recent price promotion in Ernesettle which cut end to end fares on Service 13 to just £1.60 for singles, and £2.40 for returns, comes on top of a promise to allow all customers using ugo service 1/1A (City Centre " St Budeaux " Saltash/Latchbrook) ugobus service 12 (Chaddlewood " Ridgeway " Marsh Mills " City Centre), and the PR1 George/Milehouse and PR2 Coypool Park & Ride services in Plymouth to travel for free if their bus is not super low floor and easily accessible vehicle.
The 14 journey ticket will have a shelf life of three months from the date of purchase, meaning even the most irregular travel can benefit from the significant savings it offers. The 14 journey ticket can be used for journeys anywhere on ugobus service 12 whether from Chaddlewood Shops to the City Centre or from Sainsburys at Marsh Mills to Ridgeway.
For more information on the ugobus service 12 14 journey ticket please CLICK HERE to download an information leaflet. Alternatively pick up leaflet from the First Travel Shop in Bretonside Bus Station or wait for a copy. (the leaflet is also being delivered to almost 10,000 homes along the route during week commencing 31st May - look inside your free Extra newspaper)
In the full terms and conditions there is a nice little line giving the details of what they term as low floor:
Low floor buses in our fleet include the following vehicles SLF Dennis Dart, SLF Volvo B6, SLF Volvo B7, SLF Optare Solo, SLF Dennis Trident, SLF Enviro 200, SLF Enviro 400. Any other vehicle used on the route will be classified as 'non low floor'
Not sure that will mean much to most passengers but at least it defines terms for the bus company. Its also interesting that the guarantee only applies to a few routes at the moment. I cant say I have ever seen a non low floor bus on the Park & Ride (at least not for a few years now anyway).
Why all this on the 12? well I am sure its no coincidence that Citybus new timetables for its Plympton services start very shortly and there seem to be quite a few pass3engers who dont like the changes even though Citybus say that they are adding extra buses to Plympton.
I managed to get into town on Friday last week and spent just twenty minutes taking a few photos. I had planned to get out a bit more this week while I was off on leave and Zak was at school - however Zak is home poorly so I haven't been out of the house all week!
I am sure we are seeing more of the step Darts in service these days
For the first time in almost 2 years Plymouth Citybus needs to make some adjustments to fares from Sunday 6th June 2010. The change in fares represents a 3.5% increase overall with no changes to the price of our great range of season tickets. The table below shows the current adult fare along with the new fare.
Current Fare > New Fare
80p > 90p
£1.20 > £1.30
£1.60 > £1.70
£2.00 > £2.10
£1.20 > £1.30
£1.80 > £1.90
£2.40 > £2.50
£2.90 > £3.00
£2.40 > £2.50
£3.20 > £3.30
£32 > £33
Child and Reduced fares will be available to those under the age of 19 and those under the age of 23 in full time education at an establishement that is able to supply a simple ID card that shows the holder is in full time education. (NUS card is a good example). Reduced fares will also be available to National Consession Travel pass holders who are unable to use their pass for travel. i.e before 09:30 in Plymouth.
However, in order to pay for increasing the age of availabilty of Reduced fares from 15 to 18 and to extend availability to include those under the age of 23 in full time education there needs to be the following adustment to Reduced/Child fares. The changes to Child fares represents a no better no worse off situation for Plymouth Citybus. Clearly increasing the age of those eligible for Reduced/Child fares is a significant cost to Plymouth Citybus, a cost that is in part covered by anticipated passenger growth but also by reducing the discount available to young people currently using Plymouth Citybus. There are no changes to the Plymouth Concession School Travel fare.
Full details HERE (PDF File)
Current Fare > New Fare
50p > 60p
80p > 90p
£1.00 > £1.20
£1.20 > £1.40
70p > 90p
£1.10 > £1.30
£1.40 > £1.70
£1.70 > £2.00
£1.40 > £1.70
£2.20 > £2.30
£22 > £23
An essential part of any training for new bus drivers should be to warn them to get used to being photographed. I therefore like to think I am providing a service as part of this element in his future career... 
Nice to see a breadvan in Barbie colours on the streets of Plymouth again (never thought I'd say that!)
Perverse pricey profligate: The end of G Browns big plan for London Underground
 Gdynia Way to close from 1st June, expect fun and games! |
| This is Plymouth: COMMUTERS face months of chaos in the east of Plymouth from the beginning of next month. The first phase of the East End transport scheme will see Gdynia Way closed for five months. The road, which is the main route into the city from Plympton and Plymstock, is being widened to three lanes as part of an 18-month, £19million improvement scheme. The worst of the disruption will be in the first phase, from June to October this year, with the closure of Gdynia Way. Early work has already started in the area, and on Monday, June 1, contractors Amey will begin demolishing and rebuilding Elliott Road bridge. Drivers who use Gdynia Way now will be diverted through either Embankment Road or the Cattedown industrial estate, along Finnigan Road/Shapters Road. The £19m scheme, which has won funding from the Government's Community Infrastructure Fund and is supported by the Regional Development Agency's Regional Infrastructure Fund, will provide better transport infrastructure that will boost the area's local economy and support the future growth of our city. At the heart of the scheme will be a new public transport corridor along Embankment Road heading east, which will help improve the reliability of existing local bus services as well as the future Eastern Corridor high quality public transport service. The scheme is expected to nearly halve the amount of traffic using Embankment Road and significantly enhance the local environment and quality of life for residents living in this area. There will be new and re-surfaced roads and pavements, new off-road cycle paths to better link the city centre with the East End, Plympton and Plymstock and improved pedestrian links offering better access to local shops and amenities in the area. With a scheme of this size some disruption is inevitable, but we are doing everything that we can to manage the construction of the scheme as effectively as possible to keep this to a minimum and maintain the flow of public transport through the area. Plymouth City Council PDF Files explaining the diversions better can be found here
I am currently in the final stages of putting together a new design for Plymothian Transit to give it a fresher look and also to tidy things up and reduce the clutter at the bottom of the page. You may will certainly notice the difference when it goes live sometime in the next day or so, hopefully you wont notice too many ’issues’ as I am ironing these out on a test site. WATCH THIS SPACE! |
Uncle Terry099 Sometimes the gardening just gets on top of meTerry PartridgeEmulsifiedGas Spanner Gas Works OmnibusesNew Preston Bus: Life after Stagecoach?A Transport IllustratedBristol Harbourside RallyPTOTPAA Line Line upBusworld PhotographyElsewhere in the News 20 May 201015:19 FIRST PLYMOUTH: Half Marathon affecting services 2 / 6 / 12/ 48 / X80 / 93 on Sunday 30th May 2010 between 0800 - 1200 |
 New fares from 1st June 2010 |
New Plymouth Park & Ride fares from Tuesday 1st June 2010 The GeorgeAdult single to Milehouse (all times) £1.40 MilehouseAdult single to The George (all times) £1.40 CoypoolAdult return (after 0900) £1.75Adult return (before 0900) £2.30 Family* return (after 0900) £3.70 Family* return (before 0900) £4.60 10 return journeys multi journey ticket £18.50 *Up to 5 people with no more than 2 adults ** Only available on Saturdays for Plymouth Argyle home match games. LINK  |
Uncle Terry098 a little blue behindOmnibusesConductingA Transport of DelightDoing the rounds |
 Superb old film clip |
| British Pathé have a great collection of old films to view on their web site. Here is a quick preview copy of children evacuation from Plymouth which includes some great old buses and train views. (no sound) Children being evacuated by bus and train just prior to heavy bombing of Plymouth. They carry their few belongings and toys and wave from windows as they leave. Some of the evacuees look quite happy, others are crying. Shots of the train as it moves away from the station. Children wave as they go past. More shots of children waiting with cases and name tags hung around their necks. Dolls are handed out to some of the younger girls. Old record suggests date as 09/05/1941 |
Uncle Terry097 A bridge too farTerry PartridgeDecadent DelightsShould have gone to... Bella Plymouth Video Test from Lathalmond OmnibusesValiant effort or Mongrel?: the new London busElsewhere in the NewsAward-winning operator Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company saw profits fall during the year ended 27 June 2009, according to its annual account. More... |
JANUARY 2012
