Posted by Andrew Wright on July 2, 2009, 4:37 pm, in reply to "Re: Translink Bus Driving Standards"
217.41.240.15
Interesting things raised by everyone since I last posted and thank you for your views - I think I would agree with nearly everyone that has posted on various issues.
I do personally think that it does come down to running times - now I know that it is virtually impossible to legislate for every traffic problem on the roads, but some of the running times allowed for journeys are simply ridiculous. I could write a book on some of them I've seen over the last few years (strangely enough, I think all of which are since Translink came into being and took over Ulsterbus and Citybus as such) but I would just like to mention another example. One of the services I used regularly over many years was the Ulsterbus 21 service from Belfast to Comber in the evenings. When the Metro changes came in on 7 February 2005 this became 511 but operated the same route. At one point, possibly then or maybe later on, the service extended to the relatively recently built roundabout on the Newtownards Road in Comber and as far as I could see timings were very tight. There were journeys leaving Laganside at 1845, 2000, 2115 and 2230 and sometimes I noticed a bus only getting into Belfast at the time it was due again to leave. Then the decision to close Laganside at half past six in the evening was taken. The Comber service, along with other services, was diverted to Europa but the times were not changed and I remember seeing it running very late for a few weeks until this was resolved.
Again other views, experiences and opinions are very welcome.
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