By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Accept
routeonerouteonerouteone
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Search
© 2024 routeone News. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: 50 years of London Country Bus Services
Share
Font ResizerAa
routeonerouteone
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd
- Advertisement -
-
routeone > Bus > 50 years of London Country Bus Services
BusBus routesOperatorsOpinion

50 years of London Country Bus Services

Leon Daniels
Leon Daniels
Published: April 1, 2020
Share
SHARE

With coronavirus topping the headlines, Leon Daniels instead ponders the beginning of London County Bus Services 

If I read my audience correctly the last thing you want to hear from me is anything about the coronavirus. 

So, I thought I would reflect on the celebrations we have already had for the 50 years since the creation of London Country Bus Services.  

On 1 January 1970, the Country Bus area of the old London Transport was hived off to the National Bus Company, inheriting 1,300 buses.  

It was a peculiar company – one with a hole in it – serving all the Home Counties.  

It had the New Towns, tourist locations like Windsor and Chartwell, major industrial areas, Gatwick Airport – all good bus territory. 

But its history was one of extraordinary decline and, I think, some lessons for us to remember. 

It inherited an old fleet of vehicles, many crew operated and a maintenance regime that relied heavily on the centralised London Transport arrangements.  

Very soon it was sinking under the difficulties of keeping the fleet operational and a general shortage of staff and materials.  

Service reliability declined despite herculean attempts to arrest it and ‘anything that moved’ was considered a suitable replacement bus. By August 1975, over 25% of the fleet was unfit or withdrawn. 

The Home Counties turned out to be outpacing the country in terms of private car ownership and the fall in demand accelerated.  

There was decline but the poor service quality drove passengers away at an alarming rate. 

Worsened traffic congestion and much improved rail services seriously damaged the Green Line coach network as did early NBC insistence on the introduction of Leyland Nationals with their plastic seats and poor ambience. 

There were some brave attempts to reverse the trends spearheaded by the arrival of Derek Fytche as MD. The famous Market Analysis Project scheme carried out major overhauls of town networks with local marketing names and other initiatives.  

The Green Line network got new proper coaches and new destinations. But these initiatives were only temporary relief to a seriously declining network.  

Today there is not much left of the 1970 network and the post-privatisation quartet of London Country companies absorbed – mostly into Arriva. 

This was a tsunami of conditions which drove down demand even faster than had been normal in the area and in the industry.  

The previous lack of investment; poor service delivery; not enough attention to detail on presentation; widespread social change, local authorities who saw bus services as a drain on money rather than a tool of social inclusion and employment; traffic congestion – the list goes on.  

In 15 years, 91m passenger journeys per annum (46%) had been lost. 

My point is that today we have to be ever alert for those social changes, financial changes, market changes, whilst at the same time delivering a top class service, with good equipment and a strong attention to detail.  

Just missing any one of those for a moment and the spiral of decline sets in. Hopefully those days are in the past. Or are they? 

Share This Article
Facebook LinkedIn Threads Email Copy Link
Previous Article Buses get decarbonisation exposure; coaches do not
Next Article Operators offer support to keep London’s key workers moving
- Advertisement -

Latest News

Temsa HD12 and HD13 delivered to Cresta Coaches under Asset Alliance rental deal
Temsa pair join Cresta Coaches on Asset Alliance rental agreement
Deliveries
Go-Ahead London – Managing Director
Careers Jobs
andy burnham tfgm £15.6 billion (1) The funding announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves today (4 June) has been allocated to several combined mayoral authorities to use on rail, tram, road and bus infrastructure. Transport for Greater Manchester revealed today that part of the £2.5 billion it will receive will go towards making the Bee Network fully battery-electric by 2030. An as-yet undecided portion of that will support a planned investment in 1,000 new zero-emission buses over that period, the mayoral authority said. That is part of plans to build the UK's "first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport system", with trams and trains also set to benefit. Liverpool City Region's already announced BRT system is among the projects to which its £1.6 billion will be allocated. Under those plans - due for realisation by 2028 - a high-speed network will be served by articulated buses which are modelled on the 'Glider' in Belfast. It is due to link Liverpool city centre with John Lennon Airport, and Liverpool FC and Everton FC's respective stadia along three routes. Although the model of bus has not been confirmed, a Van Hool Exqui.City on loan from Belfast was last year used as a demonstrator. That 18m vehicle can accommodate around 30% more passengers than a typical bus and has three sets of double doors. The funding will also go towards buses elsewhere in the city as the region heads towards franchising services by 2027. Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram with a 'Glider' which was on loan from Belfast last year - an example of the sort of bus which could serve the new BRT Bus services in the East Midlands region will be boosted by the funding, thanks to the £2 billion handed to it today by the government. Some of that allocation will be used for a rapid transit network on the Trent Arc between Nottingham and Derby. Between the two cities, the Freeport, Infinity Park Investment Zone and Ratcliffe-on-Soar will also benefit from the improved bus services. South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's newly announced commitment towards bus franchising has been boosted by £350 million in funding as part of that region's allocation. The funding for West Yorkshire will help build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield. Likewise, the Tees Valley Mayoral Authority will put its sum towards a new £15 million bus station in Middlesbrough. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says: "Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life as we deliver our Plan for Change. "For too long, people in the North and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve. With £15.6bn of government investment, we’re giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off."
TfGM’s all-electric bus plan boosted by new £15.6 billion package
News
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Bus
- Advertisement -
-

routeone magazine is the indispensable resource for professional UK coach, bus and minibus operators. The home of vehicle sales and the latest bus and coach job vacancies, routeone connects professional PCV operators with complete and unrivalled news coverage.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • GDPR Policy
  • Sustainability
  • Advertise
  • Latest Issue
  • Share Your News
routeonerouteone
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd