tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242335424542672052.post7472375910859645473..comments2024-01-31T11:08:31.873+00:00Comments on Three Hours to Hackney: All dressed up and nowhere to go!Phil Stockleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06317690157738868544noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242335424542672052.post-67692512307003953302012-01-18T10:01:03.985+00:002012-01-18T10:01:03.985+00:00Apologies Keith, I've been having trouble post...Apologies Keith, I've been having trouble posting comments here (on my own blog! How rude!)<br /><br />I understand what you say about the various big companies' approach to marketing, and certainly Stagecoach tend to apply themselves with enthusiasm and gusto to any product launch. That is probably why they seem to do better than many at getting organic growth and I hope it paid dividends for them in Nuneaton!<br /><br />Any idea whether the Boxing Day or New Year's Day services were well used?<br /><br />Interestingly when I worked for Stagecoach, we ran the entire Sunday network in Swindon because the municipal operator Thamesdown didn't like to venture out on Sundays. Things have changed a bit now I think, but it was a bit bizarre to be running someone else's entire network one day a week. Especially as - for a while - First's Bath depot had the contract for some workings on the Swindon - Chippenham service, so you'd have First buses working Stagecoach routes parked alongside Stagecoach buses working Thamesdown routes. Needless to say, driver route knowledge could be a real problem!Phil Stockleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06317690157738868544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242335424542672052.post-10504087761840383862011-12-30T17:35:52.668+00:002011-12-30T17:35:52.668+00:00Having moved here from Salisbury 6 years ago, the ...Having moved here from Salisbury 6 years ago, the difference in marketing strategies was very obvious. After being used to the bold approaches by the operators "down south", there seems to be much more of a passive attitude with the main operator here. Centro may have a statutory duty to provide publicity, but that seems to create a more laissez faire approach among some of the operators.<br /><br />Centro's "Network Coventry" brand doesn't present a bold, cohesive image and isn't something the public readily identify with. The main operator isn't proactive with the way it promotes itself. As a case in point a major cross city route has just been converted to a brand new fleet of Enviro 400's, the first new deckers for 6 years which replaced the oldest batch of now shabby Mercedes artics. Despite this, there was no publicity push.<br /><br />Contrast this with my other home route, the frequent Stagecoach service to Nuneaton. When it was route branded and new buses introduced three years ago, every home near to the route received a timetable with a voucher for a free return ticket into town. With frequently cleaned vehicles, return fares, and fare stages, compared with the single fare any distance and no return tickets or change given of the major player, with buses often appearing shabby inside and out, I make my choice accordingly!<br /><br />Lessons from your marketing strategy could be very usefully applied here! Sadly, I moved away from the area before Velvet was launched, but follow your developments with interest.Keith Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242335424542672052.post-52712980891625360612011-12-29T19:04:19.177+00:002011-12-29T19:04:19.177+00:00The tender process certainly throws up some intere...The tender process certainly throws up some interesting quirks, and that must be one of the oddest! It's a pity that it has to fall to Centro to intervene though - one would have hoped that a city the size of Coventry might have been able to support commercial Boxing Day services.Phil Stockleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06317690157738868544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242335424542672052.post-56500360729477246612011-12-28T21:05:13.043+00:002011-12-28T21:05:13.043+00:00Your views on special timetables and publicising v...Your views on special timetables and publicising variations is interesting Phil. <br /><br />Here in Coventry, there are limited Boxing Day and New Year's day routes, hourly during shopping hours, funded by Centro. They cover about half the city network with some variations. However, if you don't have internet access or are particularly savvy about where to obtain such info online, there is little publicity to be seen and general ignorance if you mention the services to anyone.<br /><br />Interestingly, although the Boxing Day Services are operated by NX Coventry, the New Years Day routes are run by Stagecoach, who don't operate anything on their own network that day. It takes their vehicles into parts of the city they don't venture into for the rest of the year.Keith Bnoreply@blogger.com