JoeyB Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 £450,000 upgrade to get more people on the buses By Merc_Reporter Friday, June 28, 2013 FOLLOW A fleet of buses on a key commuter route into Leicester has been upgraded to encourage more people to use public transport. Arriva will tomorrow launch its new Sapphire service on the 31 and 31a routes which link Oadby with the city centre. ​ An upgraded Arriva bus for journeys from Leicester to Oadby • • • The 10 buses have been revamped to include leather-look seats, more leg room and audio visual destination boards. There is also free Wi-Fi and 240-volt and USB power points for charging mobiles and laptops. Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered... View detailsPrint voucher The company hopes the £450,000 upgrade will get more people to use the route which carries around 30,000 passengers a week on the 30-minute journey. The upgraded buses will replace the existing fleet of vehicles. Alex Perry, area managing director for Arriva Midlands, said: “We want to people, who have not travelled by bus for a while, to consider seeing what the Sapphire service provides.†He said the aim was to create a comfortable and secure environment where commuters could use the travel time usefully. He said: “We are providing Wi-fi and power points where people can plug in computers. There are more comfortable seats and CCTV to improve security. “We want people to travel by bus and not have to worry about parking once they get into Leicester.†He said prices would remain the same and the buses would continue to run at seven to eight minute intervals. Do you think this upgrade will encourage more people to use public transport? Have your say in the poll to the right of this story. The route is used extensively by commuters and students during the week. Mr Perry added: “We have invested £45,000 on each bus and we are looking for a five to six percent increase in passenger numbers.†The Leicester Sapphire route is one of four pilot routes Arriva is testing out in England and Wales. He said the first route, from Wrexham to Chester, had showed some encouraging signs. The Sapphire may be extended to other routes in the future. Bus users who attended a launch event in Humberstone Gate yesterday gave the buses the thumbs up. Cas Cross, 53, who lives in Wigston and uses the 48 bus, said: “The buses look lovely I hope they will be extended to our route.†Nichola Lane, 29, who also lives in Wigston, said: “I hope the new buses encourage more people to use public transport. They certainly look very nice.†David Bonner, 54, who lives in St Margaret’s said: “I regularly use Arriva buses across the city. The Sapphire buses are very good. They look very comfortable and clean. I hope other routes get them.†Terry Kirby, chairman of Campaign for Better Transport, Leicestershire and Rutland, said: “What I have seen of the new buses is very encouraging. “Obviously the company is seeking a six per cent increase in passenger numbers. If it is successful we hope that it will attract more people onto the route and similar buses will be put on other routes in the city.†The other routes to be trialled this year are Route 280, Aylesbury to Oxford and Route 7, Darlington to Durham http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/450-000-upgrade-people-buses/story-19420500-detail/story.html Would the easiest way to get more people on buses not be by reducing the prices? bus and train travel is getting more and more expensive. Everywhere i go i always drive just because its easier, cheaper and more convenient. I live in Kegworth, so wouldn't use the buses anyway, but for me to get to the airport which is a 5 minute drive it costs me just over £2, expensive.
Guest MattP Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 Good idea. They should also build bigger buses and have business class sections for workers who get the bus to town and back where they can set up laptops etc. Ticket obviously would cost more and you could give companies tax breaks if they encouraged and subsidised the travel on them. Step in the right direction this. I've met loads of people who hate using buses due to the standard and quality of them and it's passengers.
AdamN Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 They should concentrate on making sure buses actually turn up on time/at all, or perhaps not sending single decker buses around at 8am when they're clearly going to be packed (and often have to refuse to pick people up on the way into town). People take their cars because it's convenient and reliable, and a lot of the time, the buses fail to be either. Perhaps we should draft in the Japanese...
Rincewind Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 Have they got ramps? Most buses have now. They are mostly used by OAP's using their free bus passes. It used to grind my gears when younger filling the bus up with walking frames and wheelchairs when I was on my way to work. But now............
Webbo Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 Most buses have now. They are mostly used by OAP's using their free bus passes. It used to grind my gears when younger filling the bus up with walking frames and wheelchairs when I was on my way to work. But now............ I'm sorry but if it's choice between giving money to a hospital to save a baby's life and ramps for buses I know which I'd prefer.
Guest MattP Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 I'm sorry but if it's choice between giving money to a hospital to save a baby's life and ramps for buses I know which I'd prefer. lol!
Soar Fox Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 Should start with bringing the prices on the buses down. Last time I got the bus it cost me £1.70 to go into town I also had the pleasure of two 15 year old chavs playing music through their phones. I can drive into town in comfort and park all day for £2.
purpleronnie Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 Good idea. They should also build bigger buses and have business class sections for workers who get the bus to town and back where they can set up laptops etc. Ticket obviously would cost more and you could give companies tax breaks if they encouraged and subsidised the travel on them. Step in the right direction this. I've met loads of people who hate using buses due to the standard and quality of them and it's passengers. I like that idea, the nicer you make them the more likely they'll attract new customers.
Guest MattP Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 I like that idea, the nicer you make them the more likely they'll attract new customers. Yep. I'd pay a fiver to go to town on that rather spend a tenner on a taxi. I'm really heartened reading the original story. We seem scared of making things more comfortable and enjoyable for people too often here.
Rincewind Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 On the 6th I can get a free pass but I rarely use the buses to go into town. I live 15 minute walk. Coming home three stops it costs £1.40
davieG Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 Yep. I'd pay a fiver to go to town on that rather spend a tenner on a taxi. I'm really heartened reading the original story. We seem scared of making things more comfortable and enjoyable for people too often here. The same buses will still be carrying the scrotes that think it's a big laugh to vandalise, drop their rubbish, stick gum on the seats etc. After a few months half the tech stuff won't work for all manner of reasons and will be too expensive and time consuming to put right. We had that Star track system that cost millions but was never completed, maintained or updated and eventually scrapped. As a country there is very little respect given to public facilities and most deteriorate and fall into mis-use.
MooseBreath Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 You'd need to physically seperate the classes and have seperate entry systems for each. Maybe have a bendy bus with first class in the back section and no walkway between the two. You wouldn't want to have to queue with the underclass either so you'd need seperate pick up points.
davieG Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 Large organisations should be encouraged to provide their own fully equipped buses that did an 'employee' route and they could start their work on the way to work.
leicsmac Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 The same buses will still be carrying the scrotes that think it's a big laugh to vandalise, drop their rubbish, stick gum on the seats etc. After a few months half the tech stuff won't work for all manner of reasons and will be too expensive and time consuming to put right. We had that Star track system that cost millions but was never completed, maintained or updated and eventually scrapped. As a country there is very little respect given to public facilities and most deteriorate and fall into mis-use. I'm curious as to why that didn't work...anyone know? The only city with a halfway reasonable real-time timetable seems to be London, which is a bit of a disgrace really. In fact the whole public transportation system is a bit of a disgrace really, comparing and contrasting with other countries with similar populations, city sizes and land areas.
DennisNedry Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 Buses are overpriced, never run on time, and are filled with scum. I'll keep to my car thank you very much!
I am Rod Hull Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 We had that Star track system that cost millions but was never completed, maintained or updated and eventually scrapped. I'm curious as to why that didn't work...anyone know? A shortage of dilithium crystals...
Webbo Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 A shortage of dilithium crystals... The engines cannae take it captain.
leicsmac Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 Buses are overpriced, never run on time, and are filled with scum. I'll keep to my car thank you very much! You wonder why it works elsewhere then, in demographically similar countries. Still, if any one of us knew that we;d be a shoo-in for Transport Minister.
davieG Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 You wonder why it works elsewhere then, in demographically similar countries. Still, if any one of us knew that we;d be a shoo-in for Transport Minister. They seemed to be reliable, frequent and inexpensive back in the day when they were run by the Council. Whether that cost the taxpayer I don't know but they are subsidised now and they had conductors then. They were always clean and vandal free but that's a generational thing. I do miss all the bus laybyes (sp) we had back then, no holding up the traffic whilst loads of people pay the driver like we have now.
The God Emperor Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 I saw these new buses on display today on humberstone gate, looked quite good. took me ages to get my van off humberstone gate because of the crowds mind
Zingari Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 Bring back conductors! Yep , thems were the days when clippies used to welcome you aboard as if you were embarking on a flight to the Caribbean ps don't bother entering the completion at the bottom of the pic, i'd think she was well into her 70's now
Fifties Blue Posted 28 June 2013 Posted 28 June 2013 Would the easiest way to get more people on buses not be by reducing the prices? bus and train travel is getting more and more expensive. Everywhere i go i always drive just because its easier, cheaper and more convenient. I live in Kegworth, so wouldn't use the buses anyway, but for me to get to the airport which is a 5 minute drive it costs me just over £2, expensive. Radical thought; "All local public transport should be free" - discuss!
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