Great Western Coffee Shop

All across the Great Western territory => Buses and other ways to travel => Topic started by: grahame on August 30, 2013, 08:53:09



Title: Demand Responsive v Scheduled buses -
Post by: grahame on August 30, 2013, 08:53:09
Does anyone have good information / usage evidence / cost and pricing data / comparison / capacity / data on user profiles to compare demand responsive bus services versus scheduled services?


Title: Re: Demand Responsive v Scheduled buses -
Post by: bobm on August 30, 2013, 13:07:48
Depends on the exact definition of demand responsive bus services.

Most areas have a dial a ride organisation where people can book a journey 24 hours in advance and then a route is drawn up to cater for the bookings with the minimum number of vehicles and mileage.

It may not be quite what you are after as it tends to cater for people who cannot use mainstream transport because of age or infirmity.  However the Community Transport Associaton may be able to help.  http://www.ctauk.org/ (http://www.ctauk.org/)


Title: Re: Demand Responsive v Scheduled buses -
Post by: Andrew1939 from West Oxon on August 30, 2013, 14:51:33
Oxon CC supports an off-peak on-demand bus service on its Charlbury Taxibus service that provides bus rail connections to Charlbury rail station. I do not know what use it gets but I imagine it is low. For more info see  http://www.railbus.co.uk/charlburytaxibus_Sept2011.htm


Title: Re: Demand Responsive v Scheduled buses -
Post by: LiskeardRich on August 30, 2013, 20:30:47
Corlink in Cornwall requires a 2 hour notice period. More details can be found

http://www.cornwallpublictransport.info/gen_corlink.asp

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4469

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=22510


Title: Re: Demand Responsive v Scheduled buses -
Post by: Rhydgaled on August 31, 2013, 01:23:48
This article: http://www.tivysideadvertiser.co.uk/news/10625476.Award_winning_bus_service_provides_vital_link/ says how many passengers Bwcabus has carried since it started. Two 19-seat Optare Solo SlimLines were reported (see: http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=2894&categoryid=4) as being ordered for the orriginal area which has since been expanded with additional vehicles introduced for the larger zone.

There was quite an upset when the expanded area was launched, as the hourly scheduled service between Aberystwyth and Carmarthen was accelerated by bypassing some villages, leaving these with only the new Bwcabus service.


Title: Re: Demand Responsive v Scheduled buses -
Post by: anthony215 on August 31, 2013, 10:19:58
The BWCABUS service in Carmarthenshire etc is actually a very good idea especially since service X40/40 wasnt getting much use from some of the villiages so the option was taken to speed up the services and have a local bus provide connections.

The Vale of glamorgan area has the Villiage bus network which was both scheduled and demand responsive with certain villiages being served on request. Sadly funding cuts meant the network along with a lot of other bus services have been cut.


Title: Re: Demand Responsive v Scheduled buses -
Post by: CLPGMS on August 31, 2013, 15:06:44
Quote
Oxon CC supports an off-peak on-demand bus service on its Charlbury Taxibus service that provides bus rail connections to Charlbury rail station. I do not know what use it gets but I imagine it is low. For more info see  http://www.railbus.co.uk/charlburytaxibus_Sept2011.htm

Unfortunately, Oxfordshire County Council has not updated that website recently - the timetable shown is for 2011.  The Taxibus service is now operated by GoRide and details are available on http://www.goridebus.co.uk/go_ride/timetables_&_fares_files/C1%20T1%20Charlbury%20Railbus%20from%2003%2006%202013.pdf


Title: Re: Demand Responsive v Scheduled buses -
Post by: 81F on August 31, 2013, 17:05:02
Rather surprisingly, since you have to ring to book an off-peak journey, no telephone number is shown on the Charlbury Taxibus timetable.


Title: Re: Demand Responsive v Scheduled buses -
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on August 31, 2013, 18:17:29
I can only suggest that you try

Quote
Oxfordshire Services Bookings (http://railbus.co.uk/contact-us/)
Telephone: +44 (0)844 870 7835 Operations
Telephone: +44 (0)844 870 8479

 ::)



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