Arriva Leicester has recently updated its roadside timetable displays in the city.
I looked at the displays for services 86 and 87, which carry statements regarding free wi-fi and USB charging.
Naturally, the presumption is those facilities are available on those routes – because they’re shown on the publicity. Generally, Arriva operate 10 to 12-year-old Volvo B7TL or B9TL buses on the routes, which have never been refurbished and do not have wi-fi or USB charging – it’s a big fib.
Arriva’s antics don’t stop there.
Towards the end of 2017, the company put 11, brand new, Sapphire specification double-deckers into service in Leicester, on the London Road route. They replaced existing Sapphire buses which were ousted onto other routes.
Sadly, most of these new Euro 6 buses have now been taken out of use in the city. This means that Arriva has to use other, non-Sapphire specification buses on the London Road route. So, there are no features like audio/visual announcements anymore.
Arriva’s Sapphire website still proclaims its Leicester to Oadby routes to be Sapphire, but they aren't.
Third party groups, like Guide Dogs, genuinely believe the audio/visual announcements still exist as they’re highlighted on its website. As one can imagine, an audio announcement is a considerable help to a person with a visual impairment.
Finally, there’s route branding. Stickers on the sides of Arriva’s buses show route numbers and place names served by those routes. Too often the company allocate the wrong buses to the wrong routes.
If a bus company is going to tell lies, it will never gain consumer confidence.
Neil Beasley
