Finally coming to the end of the survey posts:
Assuming that First are staying around, what new routes, if any, do you expect First to introduce in 2014?
Routes to Eggbuckland-Crownhill-Mutley-City.
Plymouth to Plympton
(1) City - Ernesettle (via Weston Mill to compete with the 16)
(2) City - Plympton (to compete with the half of the 21/21A that they don't currently)
Ernesettle and Whitleigh to the Centre via Mutley, Eggbuckland to the Centre, Southway to the Centre, Plympton & Chaddlewood to the Centre.
Either plympton or Southway
Plympton, Southway, Ernesettle.
They are rumors that they are going to do the routes out to earnysettle, plympton and maybe Whitley again but more competitive.
All Citybus ones at cheaper prices to get rid of them
Whitleigh, Leigham.
A major attack on main corridor services to Plympton, Whitleigh, Southway and Ernesettle.
As expected, Plympton, Whitleigh/Southway Ernesettle are the main contenders. They have been there before so they know the way!
Full focus on their remaining profitable routes (i.e. Saltash), no expansion
Reinstating variations to the Tavistock routes. Some changes to the Plymstock network.
alter the short 93 to run via Elburton Village - maybe similar to the old 7 which is missed at Elburton now that the 5/5a is not reliable since the Saltash extension
Any new routes will only start up with the withdraw of another one, to make use of existing resources
I expect First to consolidate to start with following the success of the 6 and 3a. Both of probably more successful in terms of turnover etc than Citybuses 12/32, and in terms of the 6 is picking up more than Citybus 8/9 on most journeys even after Citybus fare cuts. If however Citybus have not learnt from this and choose to expand further into First territory I expect First to retaliate with routes to Plympton and Southway later in the year.
A few suggest First would be better off concentrating on their existing routes to retain the passengers they already have. A few suggesting they are constrained by existing resources so would pull off one route to boost another.
no new routes may lose another service but will still be in Plymouth
First might try new services or branding such as UGObus to compete with Plymouth city bus, but most likely will end up cutting services and sending better vehicles to other parts of the First empire!
Not much
just to re jig services in line with responses to City Bus competition but I don't think the purple 6 has worked that well.
Fare rises, 6 withdrawn, 2 frequency reduced to every 15 mins, operating via Oreston Only
86 every hour to Tavistock, peak extras. 83/84 withdrawn
I think first will keep their Torpoint running's and Tavistock and that those will be their main focus with city services heavily reduced/cut back to almost nothing.
I think First will have a go at a number of Citybus routes like they are doing in Ipswich but just being a hindrance! Just look at the difference in North Devon and Wigan now First have departed and Stagecoach has taken over!
None.
As with the last competition with Citybus, I think they will retreat to the network they had before the current adventures started.
They must have a minimum number of vehicles to keep busy in order to be able to spread their overheads. I'd imagine they'll try a few new routes but it may well be futile, I'm afraid.
How long can they retain a £1 fare? Not past March, I would guess.
The majority view is that, if anything they will cut back further rather than expand…
With all of this doom and gloom lets end on a positive, First training buses have been out and about so clearly they still see the need to recruit new drivers. Nick caught a smart looking Dart P452SCV on the road...
©Nick Rice (cc)
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