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War erupts over bus service
A WAR has broken out between battling bus companies running services between Harrogate and Wetherby, with as many as six buses an hour turning up on the route.
Transdev Harrogate and District, which also owns Harrogate bus station, ran a half-hourly service between Wetherby and Harrogate until April this year.
But when competitor Connexions started to run a cheaper express service a few minutes ahead of it, Transdev responded by changing its own timetable.
Since then, regular tit-for-tat timetable changes between the two companies have seen as many as three buses arrive within six minutes.
Transport chiefs and bus users fear the situation is becoming untenable.
Now the managing director of Connexions, Craig Temple, has spoken of his concern.
He said: “I feel Transdev are basically just using their size and power just to run us off the road here. It’s a real shame as we do not want to see conflict between our drivers and we certainly don’t want to see bickering.”
Mr Temple, who is also a bus driver with the company, and has 23 employees, said there has been conflict between the operators for “some time” and vowed to keep the Connexions bus timetable the same.
But marketing director of Transdev, Nigel Eggleton, said: “In one form or another we have been running the service between Wetherby and Harrogate since just after the First World War.
“In April of this year another operator launched a service running five minutes in front of ours.
“This is a well known tactic in the bus industry. So, in order to protect our own service, our passengers and our staff, we registered a service running five minutes in front of that one.
“We don’t have a problem with fair competition and in many walks of life competition is a good thing. But in a commercial world we have a right and a responsibility to protect our services when someone tries to harm our business.”
The Competition Commission, which regulates, said it was aware of the situation and that it was a “concern”. It confirmed it was looking into the dispute as part of a wider national investigation into local bus services.
But bus passengers have spoken of their delight at the ongoing war, saying the bus service between Harrogate and Wetherby was now “brilliant”.
Bus user Fred Elliott, who regularly travels on the service, said he was glad to get on any bus and had no preference for which service he used.
He told the Advertiser: “It’s all a bit silly really. We were all very aware of the situation but I think it’s brilliant for us as passengers. We have a very regular service now, which is great. I’m not complaining. ”
Wetherby resident Glemm Purves, 64, a disabled bus user who travels to Harrogate from Wetherby three to four times a week, said he prefers the bus service provided by Connexions. “They are cheaper and offer a friendlier service on the bus,” he said.
A return adult ticket on the Wetherby to Harrogate route for Transdev costs £4.50, with Connexions offering the cheaper price of £4.00.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 16 comments to this article
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dog cap
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 11:36 AMAndypa38. You spoke to a person and tried to talk to a company man. World of differrence. Welcome to the modern world.
andypa38
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 02:54 AMOn Tuesday 7th February while driving my Rover 825 back from lunch at Pateley Bridge, I followed a Transdev bus, each time the bus stopped at a bus stop I just remained behind it I had given myself an hour to drive back to Harrogate to see my son for 3.30pm as it was his birthday. At Summerbridge the bus indicated right (to Dacre) but then suddenly began reversing backwards (I have multiple witnesses to events) I was stationary behind the bus in neutral & frantically attempted to engage reverse but the 60+ ton bus was on my car within seconds (if I had engaged reverse it would have been a dangerous reversing manouver as I would have had no time to check behind me), if a mother & a pram had been in front of me trying to cross behind the bus they both would have been crushed like ants. The bus hit me with its parking sensers, the bus had been reversing so rapidly she did not even give herself chance to check the parking sensors. The female bus drivers got out and in a surprisingly agressive way blamed me for being too close (I had been at least 20 feet behind her), that I had stopped in a position that she was unable to view me (i was in the correct location within my own lane), she rapidly filled out a form & first attempted to give it to my mother, then my sister and was attempting to hand the form to anyone and get on the bus & leave the scene), we were all shocked, shaken and sore from the heavy impact the car had taken, I had to get on the phone to the Police to stop her fleeing the scene & I told her it is a criminal offence to leave the scene of an accident with injuries, she was agressive and rude throughout the ordeal, it took over an hour for the Police to arrive she left the engine of the bus running the whole time so we could not sit in the car although we had two dogs in the car, we had to wait in the shop to evade the fumes. A pleasant young man from the bus company came to the scene ( a workman) he told me she had reported it as "a car had run into the back of the bus" this is what she had reported & this is the story she was attempting to leave the scene on. The birthday meeting with my 7-year old son had to be cancelled, the buses insurance company called and I quote "we are liable, she should have got out of the bus or made proper checks before the reversing manouver". The whole episode has been a total nightmare, my mother who I said is 71 years old is terribly traumatised by the matter, she is normally a bright happy bubbly person, but she is shocked & traumatised by events, her father died at 56 her mother at 68 and her sister at 60 sudden hear attacks, I told the bus insurance company this & my concern for mt mother I told them the solicitors we were using were unaware of me calling them && trying to settle and my mother was unaware of it, we all have clear whiplash symptons, the insurance company encourage out of courtout of solicitor settlements, so I told them given my experience a settlement of £2500 for the shock, trauma & injuries my mother recieved would be acceptable to avoid her having to pursue the legal route & therefore suffer further stress from this incident, today a Vivian Lloyd called me & offered my mother £500, when I said this was unacceptable & I would be informing the newspapers of this shocking experience her words were "whatever". I called the Transdev Harrogate & district tel no to see if there was anyone more reasonable there, I spoke to a pleasant chap named Albert who had heard of Tuesday's incident & I needed to speak to the manager, a Martin Lewis, two hours later I called back again and Albert was horrified & a embarrassed to tell me that regardless of the nature of the call he had been told by Martin Lewis that if I called back I was to be referred straight to the Insurance company therefore refusing to call. I have multiple independant witnesses to the events and obviously the witnesses who were in the car. I ask for assistance in dealing with this harsh & unfair treatment by this company given the horror of the events we have suffered. Both of the papers below will be taking on the story when the full events have unfolded. I will also be passing matters to the Insurance Ombudsman & the Transport Minister.
nicky54
Thursday, August 4, 2011 at 09:52 PMhas anyone else out there noticed a new development? connexions buses are doing a loyalty points card which is exchanged for marks n spencer vouchers. why is it always m&s vouchers??? one wonders what transdev will do in return.
nicky54
Friday, July 29, 2011 at 03:31 PMsenna, i think uve confirmed my suspicions that dc's prodigal twin has returned to the area. omg 2 of u to cope with!!!!!
senna
Friday, July 29, 2011 at 02:55 PMHi Nicky54, What would you guess that I am first, can't you tell by my writing? I like quality fare on the barby but I haven't had an invite so just have to presume its good stuff! If my name is just Senna then maybe im just Human and neither Male or Female??!! Dogcapp seems to talk sense which isn't liked on here! If you can be really catty want to watch out on Wetherby Road, could be a dangerous place for a cat with all those Buses flying around!
nicky54
Monday, July 25, 2011 at 05:54 PMsenna - talk to me pleeeeeease being a dogcapp disciple isn't an insult, it just means ur a lover of quality meat products. dogcapp doesn't tolerate second rate barby fare. he got some masham sausages on friday n won't be going there again - ripley bangers are best!
nicky54
Thursday, July 21, 2011 at 07:06 PMc'mon senna, be a sport n put me out of my misery - well not misery exactly, but as the saying goes curiousity killed the cat n when i'm on form i can be really catty!!! meoww lol
nicky54
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 10:02 AMhi senna. things are not looking good for me. just senna is fine but if u compare urself to lovejoy dogcapp will be unbearable cos he's adamant ur male. i said there was nothing in ur comments to prove that but dc is a bit of an mcp. please could u confirm if ur male or female?
senna
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 09:11 AMHi Nicky54, im just plain senna, bit like lovejoy! Dogcapp, devs is the corner shop and fred elliots shop is shut as him and his son are no longer of this mortal realm!
nicky54
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 05:34 PMsenna, please do not take offence but dogcapp n i are having s debate about something n we would like to know if ur mr or ms senna
dogcapp
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 01:20 PMhey, senna. why is fred elliots shop, i say fred elliots shop. Why is it empty now? and dont talk to me about frozen ones. who is dev anyway? No frozzy meat on my bbq. Reputation to keep up you know. Bangers and Burgers mmmmm niyce.
senna
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 12:01 PMTheres no mention of the roues that they take?? I thought that Connexions were running a direct service and then Transdev went and followed the route? About 10 - 5 years ago the Wetherby route was rubbish as it was only really an add on to the 770 with the bus running everywhere. transdev dont want to run direct routes and then when others do and make money they get jealous! York being the best example of this. Shame the article doesnt state more fact and not just opinion! As you sat dogcapp, no one will win from this! If tou run the bus 5 mins before on a half hour service isnt this just running it 25 mins after!!!! Sorry fogcapp but fred Elliots shop is actually empty now but you may be able to get a frozen one from Devs, if hes still open and not sold it to Freshco!
senna
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 11:42 AMTheres no mention of the roues that they take?? I thought that Connexions were running a direct service and then Transdev went and followed the route? About 10 - 5 years ago the Wetherby route was rubbish as it was only really an add on to the 770 with the bus running everywhere. transdev dont want to run direct routes and then when others do and make money they get jealous! York being the best example of this. Shame the article doesnt state more fact and not just opinion! As you sat dogcapp, no one will win from this! If tou run the bus 5 mins before on a half hour service isnt this just running it 25 mins after!!!! Sorry fogcapp but fred Elliots shop is actually empty now but you may be able to get a frozen one from Devs, if hes still open and not sold it to Freshco!
dogcapp
Monday, July 18, 2011 at 05:34 PMdont expect any cheap fares round hgte nicky54. The people of harrogate will still be paying the purchase price of harrogate & district to transdev. Where else would the moey to pay for it come from
nicky54
Monday, July 18, 2011 at 04:20 PMonce the ridiculous new police station is built and, if the proposed housing development is approved, there will be plenty of additional work for Trandev, so why not share things out and keep fares competitive because not everyone has their own transport.
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