A report has been published on the North Lincolnshire Council (NLC) website recommending consultation about the possible withdrawal of two subsidised evening peak services in Scunthorpe. Affected services are the 1735 service 38 and 1800 service 34, both operated by Stagecoach and running Monday to Saturday.
NLC say the cost of the 1735 38 is £16.33 per day, which with an average of 4 passengers is a subsidy of £4.08 per passenger. For the 1800 34 the cost is £24.49 per day, which with an average of 7 passengers per day is a subsidy of £3.50 per passengers. Both of these subsidies per passenger are above the £3 benchmark used by NLC. Total subsidy is £12,490 per annum.
For the 34 alternatives mostly exist. There is a 32A which leaves Scunthorpe at 1800 - i.e. the same time as the 34 - travelling along Cemetery Road in Brumby. The 32A/34 also serve Bottesford Lane, Manor Road, Cambridge Avenue, High Leys Road and Quebec Road at very similar time. The main area served by the 34 but not the 32A is Alvingham Road and Collum Avenue which would be left with a last bus at 1735, provided by the Hornsby 12. The 34 does continue beyond Quebec Road back into Scunthorpe, but this section is probably just a way to get the bus back to the depot in service, I could be wrong though.
From this I'm struggling to see the point of the 1800 34. There is maybe an issue for Alvingham Road and Collum Avenue, but the 1750 service 4 from Scunthorpe to Brigg could possibly divert along these roads, with an 1800 service 6 still serving Ashby Road.
However apart from Cliff Gardens no existing alternatives exist for the 38 and the last journey would be the 1635 if the 1735 is withdrawn. But the 1745 service 60 to Whitton could always divert via Crosby instead of Berkeley Circle with little time penalty.
Complexity in timetables isn't ideal, but better than journeys being axed surely? Solutions seem to exist that allow for better value for money while still retaining links.
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3 comments:
The 1800 34 service is a waste of resources really, just spreads the trade from the 34/32A across 2 buses, so I can understand why it does not carry enough passengers.
The 38, although seemingly costing more and carrying fewer passengers is more important due to it being the only bus that serves that area. If it were me, I would combine the 37 and 38 into one service, running past the Hospital, Crosby, then Dewsbury Avenue, Scotter Road, and Speedwell Crescent, then run round the orbital road to Terminate at Tesco. Round trip could be done in about 50 minutes. The only place that would loose out is Hilton Avenue (again!). It would save milage, and also make some of the marginal runs (early am and late afternoon) more viable to run commercially.
Just my opinion...
I have to agree aswell, Why is there a 18.00 34.
Question has to be where are those 7 passengers going?
I never know that journey was paid for by the council. When will it be made public aswell that the No13 is also paid for by the council
13 is also a waste of money. I doubt many people even know it exists. Although using more resources, it would be better to run a couple of early morning 31A/32As, then start the full service slightly later than now (Except on route 6).
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