First re-launched their Park & Ride service yesterday. This was their pre-launch notice:
Five newly refurbished, rebranded double decker buses operating on PR1 will be officially launched into service at The George Park & Ride site, their drivers all wearing new-look uniforms.
Joining First Devon staff at the buses launch will be Cllr Mark Coker, Plymouth City Councils Cabinet Member for Transport and members of the Plymouth City Council Public Transport team.
As a thank you for their continued support, First will also be handing out breakfast bags to customers using the new-look buses on Monday at The George and Milehouse sites.
To further enhance the Park & Ride fleet, three rebranded single decker buses will be introduced onto PR2 at the end of September. As part of Firsts service changes from Monday (8 September), there will be two new evening trips from Royal Parade at 18.45 and 19.00 on both PR1 and PR2.
Commenting on their launch, Robbie Lamerton, General Manager, First South West, said: "This is a huge milestone as we continue to improve our services to Park & Ride customers in Plymouth. It comes ahead of the changes at Derriford Hospital which will result in more of its staff using the Park & Ride sites to get to and from work. We will be extending a warm welcome to them as well as our regular customers.
Councillor Mark Coker said: "We are pleased to see this much needed investment in Plymouths Park and Ride services, which play an important role in maintaining a strong city centre economy and reducing congestion on busy routes. Extra services, improved passenger comfort and a distinctive livery are positive steps that should encourage more users and hopefully lead to further investment by the operator.'
We knew that there were five buses being rebranded for the PR1 but until yesterday we had only seen three of them out to play. Richard captured the last two repaints...
© Richard Smith
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Only First would think it acceptable to relaunch with 9 year old buses!! Very typical of First's half ass attempts and lets face it they have still replaced the newer buses that were running a couple of years ago with these old ones. Yes an improvement on the buses they were running but that's only because they ran down the service in the first place over that last year or so.
ReplyDeleteThey do look good! nice and uniformed, but they could of fitted WA55 CRZ with a new LED destination to match the rest, looks much older then it is! I wonder what the PR2 single decker's will be! :-)
ReplyDeleteDrivers should be given pink uniforms to match the bus, haha!
ReplyDeleteSo what is this all about?
ReplyDeletePH0004983/278 - FIRST DEVON & CORNWALL LTD, THE RIDE, CHELSON MEADOW, PLYMOUTH, PL9 7JT
Variation Accepted: Operating between THE GEORGE PARK AND RIDE SITE and PLYMOUTH (Royal Parade) given service number PR1 effective from 27-Oct-2014. To amend Route and Timetable.
Seems that other First Bus networks have taken this idea as well http://eastnorfolkbus.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/new-livery-for-ipswich.html
ReplyDeleteProbably very minor timing change I would say
ReplyDeleteIts a bit more than that - there is a route change too. I know that they have been talking about possibly having some buses serve Derriford Hospital in the future. Not sure if this is yet though...
DeleteIt can only be a diversion into the hospital I would say, in order to take on Target service from the George I would say. Can't see any other route change possible ???
ReplyDeleteI can see this change being a route change in the city centre perhaps? Possibly on entering the city at the railway station operating straight down Western approach to Royal Parade, leaving out the Cobourg/Mayflower Street bit, with the coach station building works coming up this area will be a nightmare to operate along. That said I would if I were First divert PR1 into the hospital as well.
ReplyDeleteIt has been widely stated I believe that Citybus merged the old Blue Flash 12, in with the 42 to try and make it a more profitable/viable route, thus the passengers it gets from Derriford into the City cover for the loss it probably makes operating out of Plymouth to Yelvertton/Tavistock. If First run their PR1 into the hospital this would provide quicker, cheaper and more frequent journey times from Derriford combined with the 15/86 to City than the 42 and could potentially seriously damage Citybus 42 operation all together ? If this is the plan it does at least show First Plymouth are up for the fight now.
DeleteWith today being being the 1st day the students are back, if it carries on the way it was today, First are going to be quids in. Try getting on a 15 or 86 today outside of town and believe me you are struggling. Citybus 42 however nowhere near as busy. Only problem for First here is that they are going to seriously need to increase capacity on the city - mutley - derriford corridor to cope
ReplyDeleteAre we all living in the same plymouth??? First have been cutting back route after route after route for the last year or so, latest being a whole host of evening services and yet people still comment on your blog saying "first are up for the fight" or the same rumours that have been going around the block for years now about them going into plympton etc this will only happen with considerable investment and when you see other first operations around the country you can see first devon is at the bottom of the barrel, a barrel that's been slowly rotting for years
ReplyDeleteIs there anyone out there who is better at getting around VOSA website than me who can shed light on the changes to First number 15 from end october, Is it just timetable or route/timetable etc. ?? Any other changes at all ?
ReplyDeleteNote today whole host of new registrations in First Cornwall against the embattled WG operation!
I have had a job getting anything out of VOSA recently. half the links dont go anywhere with most pages being unavailable!
DeleteIt's hardly a shock really that First is looking to up the ante against WG. WG is not in a good place, so further competition was pretty inevitable. It's much the same as when PCB and Stagecoach took advantage of First's vulnerability in Plymouth after Tim O'Toole's very ill-advised comments about 'close-down mode'.
DeleteThat said, the 'whole host of new registrations' is just two new hourly routes. Unless there is more to come, of course. First's problem will be the amount of dead running involved and remoteness from existing bases, let's hope they don't bite off more than they can chew with all these competitive moves in Devon, Somerst and now Cornwall.
VOSA Bus Registration Search seems to be fine with First registering new St Austell to Newquay & Truro via Perranporth to Newquay services from 2nd Nov, these could hit WG hard. Recently when a new independent started on the St Austell to Bodmin route the 528 service was soon found to have most journeys as no show even thou the official last day of running isn't until nearly end Sept.
ReplyDeleteAt least this could save them buying replacements for the old Mercedes step entrance buses - any news if all these are finishing at end of the year?
I notice there are changes registered on VOSA for First services 15, 81 and PR1 that ii can tell. Any comments on what they could be. PR1 via Hospital maybe ??? Is it normally around now 81 just changes to winter timetable ??? Not sure what 15 change is though ?
ReplyDeleteThe 15 changes are only timetable according to vosa
ReplyDelete4. PH0004983/498 - FIRST DEVON & CORNWALL LTD, THE RIDE, CHELSON MEADOW, PLYMOUTH, PL9 7JT
ReplyDeleteVariation Accepted: Operating between Truro Bus Station and Newquay, Manor Park Bus Station given service number 90/91/92 effective from 02-Nov-2014. To amend Route, Stopping Places and Timetable.
5. PH0004983/500 - FIRST DEVON & CORNWALL LTD, THE RIDE, CHELSON MEADOW, PLYMOUTH, PL9 7JT
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Newquay
Finish Point: St. Austell
Via: Quintrell Downs, Indian Queens, St. Dennis
Service Number: 21
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 02-NOV-2014
Other Details: Monday to Saturday, hourly.
6. PH0004983/501 - FIRST DEVON & CORNWALL LTD, THE RIDE, CHELSON MEADOW, PLYMOUTH, PL9 7JT
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Newquay, Manor Road Bus Station
Finish Point: Truro Bus Station
Via: Treloggan, Perranporth
Service Number: 87
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 02-NOV-2014
Other Details: Monday to Saturday.