from THE OXFORD BUS PAGE
News from:
 Oxford, High Wycombe & surrounding areas

updated Sunday, 24th March 2002
the next update will be on Sunday 31st March 2002

  Issue nr. 191

Please note that any comments made in this news page are those of the Editors' and in no way constitute 
any official points of view from the bus companies mentioned,  or indeed any other official body. 
As a news page we reserve the right to make valid comments as seen from an editorial point of view.

Visit the Archive Pages going back to 1998

Your reports are welcome at malcolmhc@aol.com

Welcome to Issue 191, bringing you news of both local and national interest.

Starting first with Oxford, the national papers today carry stories with headlines such as "Traders left fuming as Oxford car ban is tipped for award". It appears that Oxfordshire County Council has been nominated for the title Local Authority of the Year in the National Transport Awards. The nomination recognises the council's success in improving bus services and in particular new bus priority measures. This of course refers to The Oxford Transport Strategy - OTS - which some people prefer to call Out of Town Shopping!!! Indeed Rescue Oxford, a pressure group made up of local traders, claim trade is down 17 per cent following the implementation of OTS. Whilst one can have a measure of sympathy when figures like this are revealed, one, must one the other hand question what should be done considering the long traffic queues even after OTS on roads such as Abingdon Road leading in from the south of the city.  Indeed prior to Christmas Oxford Bus were obliged to split the 300 Park & Ride service to take account of this fact. Of further note is the fact that the Traffic Commissioners are going to step up pressure on bus companies to improve performance with the 1 and 5 minute rule mentioned in these pages a few weeks ago. Further more I have not seen any reference as to how the traders and opponents of OTS propose that the traffic problems should solved. Another matter of concern is the policing of the system which many motorist flaunt quite openly. It is quite noticeable, however, that when the police do mount a blitz on misuse of the roads in the city, how motorists seem to melt into the distance.  The papers also mention High Wycombe as an alternative but one can only assume they have not been to that town. The centre is pedestrianised and you must park in the car parks around the town centre. It is also hardly a major tourist centre such as Oxford. I will not comment further but feel sure that my readers will have much to say on this thorny issue. I look forward to your comments.

Spanish Speaking Services Iveco waits in St Giles. LV02LLM

Many visitors do come by coach and another item of interest this week is the proposal to make permanent the experimental coach stands in St Giles. This has also brought howls of anguish from those who claim St Giles will be spoilt by so many coaches parked. This is a moot point I must admit and I feel that some proper coach park facilities, like an enlarged Oxpens with a shuttle bus , would be a more appropriate answer.

Evan Evans new coach waits time in St Giles. LV02LKF

Talking of The Oxpens, its  use as a temporary coach station came to an end on Saturday last, when normal service was resumed following several weeks of resurfacing and repair work at Gloucester Green Coach Station. Services returned to the cramped confines of GG after the operating comforts of The Oxpens. Whilst that area lacked cafes and proper waiting facilities. , most people commented on how easy it was to operate from. Intending passengers were able to get more easily to their coaches and the shuttle bus worked well.  It will be interesting to see how matters concerning the new Oxford Rail Station progress and the expected Rail/Bus interchange. Also whatever happened to the new city bus station included in the plans to redevelop the Westgate.

Gloucester Green with a new dull pink surface after 4 weeks work reopened on Saturday morning.

Another item of major importance for the residents of Kidlington is Stagecoach's announcement that they are dropping plans to build a new depot at at Langford Locks. Planning consent was given on appeal but the company now says it is not going ahead due to cost and that it will refurbish its existing depots at Horspath and Witney. Indeed much work has recently been undertaken at Witney as shown on these pages in recent months.

Another item in the news is of further bus lane development in High Wycombe. Of course there are objectors but something has to done to speed up services. However as a driver I often wonder why it is that so many motorists seem unable to keep in their own lane and tend to drift across into the bus lane. They seem very competent to maintain their path on the motorways, especially in the centre lane at 55-60 mph often causing long tailbacks. These are of course members of CLOC - Centre Lane Owners Club and perhaps there is a new club forming - DABLUC (Drift across bus lane users club.)

Again I must complement so many of you who continue to send information each and every week, this is much appreciated and adds much to the page and so on to the company news in our area.

News of the local companies - 24th March 2002

Arriva serving The Shires & Essex

The next "Running Day" is planned for Sunday May 26th with a number of local routes being run as usual. There will be visiting Routemasters.

5829 is back from refurbishment looking very smart indeed.

Thanks to Nigel and Steve for those notes.

I noted Dart SLF 5824 on the 275 to Oxford on Saturday afternoon. Also a 58xx Volvo B10B on 339 on Friday.

Carousel - High Wycombe

M737 makes a fine sight on an early afternoon working on 325 through Marlow Bottom.
It was Marlow bound and brings double deck working to Marlow High Street on Saturdays.

M524 arrived from White Rose, Thorpe just before that operator ceased trading
It is seen here under preparation for service with Carousel.

Oxford Bus used this Leopard as a driver trainer until late last year.
It has since been returned to 190 livery and is now a prize exhibit at The Oxford Bus Museum.

Newman Morgan wrote to say "Monday's Oxford Mail included an article on the 18 road, stating that it is being doubled in frequency from April 2nd to 4 journeys per day Mondays to Fridays. The service is being linked to the 2D road so that the bus will work through the 18 to the 2D (or will the combined route be re-numbered?) "  (My understanding is that they will retain the old route numbers Ed.)

No home football this week but since I have been asked to do some work tomorrow I am preparing this week's page early on Saturday evening.

I understand that Volvo B10B 657 has received a dot matrix destination blind, possibly from Trident 103 which now has only one line of display instead of two.

The picture above shows part of the reason for Oxford being known as The City of Dreaming Spires.
Volvo B10BLE 817 turns into St Aldates at Carfax.

Grayline - Bicester.

This operator has fallen foul of the Vehicle Inspectorate and following a hearing in Bristol before the traffic commissioners has had to agree to take a number of vehicles off the road for a short period. however the company was able to show that it had made serious efforts to improve maintenance, the cause of the problem, and even gained two further O discs.

When I visited them of Saturday several coaches were away, including two on rail replacement work for The Chiltern Line. Also present were three Optare City Pacers, now withdrawn from service, two of which are looking for new homes at a very reasonable price.

Three coaches which were in their yard were Bova SPV860, Berkhof P890FMO
and 35 seat MAN-Berkhof R524EUD which was new to Grayline in 1998.

Heyfordian

Roland Cox writes to ask "...have any of your readers seen ex COMS DAF Plaxton coach 4128 AP lately, or has it been reregistered to 2779 UE (ex Bova), and also again has anyone seen K906 RGE Volvo Jonckeere coach or has that been reregistered to 7396 LJ.

On visiting the Bicester depot on Saturday there was a Bova which appeared to be a re-reg JBW519Y and seemed withdrawn.

The yard was locked so this view had to suffice. SIX Olympians were present inc 245 and 246.

Stagecoach in Warwick

Sadly nothing from Keith Wood this week. However Newman Morgan writes to note that "There was an article on passenger increases on SiB's 500 road between Banbury and Brackley. Since the introduction of a half hourly frequency and low floor buses, passenger numbers have increased by one third.:

Stagecoach in Oxford

Newly arrived ex London Olympian N338HGK converted before delivery to single door.
The bus is not ready for service yet but is expected to go onto the Brookes contract with two others.

This interior shot shows 5 extra seats fitted in place of the centre door.
The seat cushions are plain grey lacking the pattern on the other seats.

The first of three Volvo Olympians from Stagecoach London has arrived. It is waiting pre-service work at the Pickford's yard and looks very smart. Sadly it was parked nose in and therefore you are treated to the rear view above.

Volvo Olympian 521 enters Oxford past The Rail Station in the spring sunshine.

With Brookes down for Easter vac, the three London Tridents have reappeared on the
Bicester services. TA431 is seen here in Bure Place Bus Station last Saturday morning.

Thames Travel - Wallingford.

Seen at Oxford Rail Station is newish TT Dart MPD KP51UFC with fleet number 351.
It is interesting to note the use of an Oxford style registration within the new format!

PHOTO CORNER
If you have a digital camera and wish to submit photos for this page please send them to the me at 
malcolmhc@aol.com

Bakers of Enstone are working on a London Walks tour route from the Rail Station. Their
Dennis/Plaxton R773WOB was working this duty on Saturday.

The Chiltern Line, as mentioned before in these pages, has major engineering works
in progress. This means lots of coaches to help out and Saturday at Bicester North
saw coaches from as far away as Birmingham including Flights N7FTG, an Excalibur.
Three coaches seen above are Hardings ex military Tiger B2HCR, Worleys Volvo FLD346
and Catteralls Caetano Algarve LIL 2050.

A smart little coach, native to Oxford, is this Dennis Javelin 10m with Plaxton 39 seat bodywork.
It is seen in St Giles on Saturday morning last.

Shearings call at Newlands Bus Station, High Wycombe on feeder services.
Here this seasons new delivery Van Hool MV02UMD leaves the bus station.

If you wish to be included on a mailing list where I will advise of any mid week news please
let me know on malcolmhc@aol.com

I welcome your photos for inclusion on this page.
malcolmhc@aol.com

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