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The trials and tribulations of Stagecoach

  • by JW

The operator makes amends for its “level of service”.

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The press has been carrying good-news stories about Stagecoach.

There was a pretty good offer from the company last weekend: Free bus travel Exeter: All you need to know – Devon Live

Although, as noted by the press, this was to ‘make amends’:

Bus passengers will travel for free in and around Exeter as operator Stagecoach makes amends for its “level of service”. The traffic commissioner ordered Stagecoach to deliver £120,000 of free travel after a public inquiry heard 21% of services had not run to timetable. A spokesman said many Christmas shoppers were choosing to travel into Exeter by car and they hoped the offer would encourage people to “give the bus a try again”, while easing congestion.

Free weekend bus travel in Exeter area as Stagecoach makes amends – BBC News and Stagecoach proposes free travel and fast-tracked information upgrades to compensate for service failures – Exeter Observer and Stagecoach escapes major sanctions over service failures – Exeter Observer

Activists are not impressed either: Stagecoach passengers slam ‘insulting’ offer of free weekend travel – Devon Live

On the other hand, Stagecoach will be offering cheap tickets over the winter months: Stagecoach single fares to be capped at £2 for three months – Devon Live

And yet elsewhere in the county, bus services are having to be cut back: Cut to Stagecoach bus services in Exeter and North Devon – BBC News and Plymouth bus service cuts to help fill funding gap – BBC News

Meanwhile, there are just not enough bus drivers: Stagecoach refutes shock claim over bus driver resignations – Devon Live