Reponse from First York to Residents Survey Complaints

Number 1 Bus

First York respond to resident complaints on reliability and lack of response from information phone line, and shortage of drivers.

Westfield Ward Councillors have been busy over the summer meeting residents through the annual survey. Issues have been followed up, and for the Chapelfields Estate the number 1 bus service did trigger a number of comments;

To summarise the comments were for the number 1 service;

1. Service has buses missed out, particularly between 8am and 9am which is difficult for people trying to get to work on time
2. no reply to the enquiry line
3. some services have unexpectedly terminated at Ridgeway
4. one comment mentioned “seems to be more bus breakdowns than in the past”

At the time the request for information from First York the results from residents on satisfaction with the “bus service” were;

Good 56%, Satisfactory 37%, Poor 7%

The response from First York has come through from the Managing Director and is as follows;

“Thank you for contacting me with regards to the issues raised by residents of Chapelfields estate.

Whilst 93% find service 1 satisfactory or good, I note there are a number of concerns with both the service and our customer enquiry line.

Looking at our own data performance since April, I can see that performance (particularly between 0800 & 0900) has improved to an average of over 95% reliability in August. However, over this period the journeys at 0835 & 0847 have been inconsistent and I’ve asked the team to monitor these particular trips as well as ensuring journeys operate their full route so we can maintain the recent improvement. I can also confirm that we are now fully staffed following a period of difficulty in recruitment so this will also ensure we have greater flexibility going forward.

I’m sorry to read the concerns about the enquiry line. We have recently restructured the team into one UK customer service centre which is now also taking calls on Sunday. The team is now better resourced with much improved call response times so I expect customers now receive a much improved experience. Customers can of course also complete our web form 24/7 via our website at http://firstgroup.com/York

I trust this helps with your response to residents and if I can be of any further assistance please do let me know.

Marc Bichtemann
First Bus York
Managing Director”

The Ward Councillors for Westfield will be following up with residents and keeping them in touch via FOCUS.

First launch new trial Sunday bus service from Foxwood to Askham Bar

First Bus York are running a FREE trial service on a Sunday in the Foxwood area linking to Askham Bar as a trial running into the Christmas period which they will then review in the new year. This follows the ending of a subsidised bus service run by the council, and so the continuation of the service will depend on First York.

Managing Director, Marc Bichtemann, comments: “At First York, we’re dedicated to providing our customers with the best service possible. We wanted to ensure that our customers in Bishopthorpe, Woodthorpe and Foxwood who want to travel into York in the run-up to Christmas, have the opportunity to do so. We will therefore be offering a free shuttle bus service to the Askham Bar Park & Ride from this Sunday, and look forward to welcoming our customers on board.”

Bus changes for Westfield from 22nd November

First York have brought in changes, to operate from Sunday 22nd November, to bus timetables to sort out problems to routes like the number 4 when changes were made in the summer. There will now be a shorter route which will loop back after Clifford Street in town heading back to Acomb round Skeldergate. (see new route). There has been a slight change to the number 1 service (not to the route) but the timetable (Mon to Friday) has been altered to help buses keep to the advertised times. More details are available via the First Group website (link below)

Many residents reported to the Westfield Lib Dem Councillors that buses were frequently bunching into groups of three with long gaps in between. Andrew met with Ben Gilligan, Managing Director of First York at the end of August to pass on these concerns and it was agreed that the changes had not worked out for passengers. Stuart Fillingham Operation Manager came to the Westfield Ward Committee on 7^th October to meet with residents and explained the thinking behind proposals for changes to service (for which there had to be a notification process before implementation) – and there had been an additional bus put on the route just before the meeting to try and overcome some of the issues.

After the new service has been running for a short while we would be grateful if passengers could let us know how the changes are working out.

http://www.firstgroup.com/york/news-and-service-updates/planned-changes/service-changes-around-york

Service 4 Acomb – Foxwood – City Centre

The route will be revised, with buses running between Acomb and the City Centre only, to improve reliability.

Buses will drop off on Rougier Street, then continuing to Clifford Street, where they will terminate.

Buses towards Acomb will start from Clifford Street, stop TB.

Buses will no longer pick up in Rougier Street, stopping instead on Station Road at stop CE.

A new timetable will apply, but no changes will be made to the frequency. Buses will run:

Up to every 10 mins, Mondays to Fridays
Every 10 mins, Saturdays
Every 20 mins, Sundays
Every 30 mins, each evening

First Bus Changes Routes following pressure from residents and councillors

Route changes by First following bus delays

Residents in Westfield Ward and further afield have been concerned by the recent changes to bus routes in the area. This had resulted in bunching of the number 4 , where three buses would come at once in between long waits on what had previously been a much more reliable service. Cllr Andrew Waller met with the Managing Director of First, Ben Gilligan on 27th August to raise these concerns at a one to one meeting.

Changes have now been announced which will take effect from 22nd November and the number 4 will run a shorter route from Clifford Street to Acomb rather than the longer route which had been introduced in the summer to Tang Hall. Residents were able to discuss these changes with Stuart Fillingham Operations Manager of First York at last tonight’s (7th October) Westfield Ward Committee held at 7pm at the Gateway Centre, Front Street. Mr Fillingham explained that First accepted that they had got the timetable wrong in August and apologised to residents on behalf of the company. Recently an additional bus had been put onto the number 4 route to help with reliability, and he had himself driven a number 4 bus earlier in the day to check that it was having a positive impact.

Residents also raised some issues with the morning services of the number 1 route which we are pressing First York to explain how the changes to that route will improve reliability.

Changes announced by First (from November 22nd)

Service 1 – Chapelfields – Wigginton

Minor timetable changes to some journeys to improve reliability. The service will operate every 12 minutes between peak times Monday – Friday.

Service 4 – Acomb to York City Centre

The service will run as current route from Acomb to Rougier Street, it will then run via Micklegate, Skeldergate, Skeldergate Bridge, and Tower Street to Clifford Street. Clifford Street will be the starting point for all Acomb bound services, operating via Nessgate, Ouse Bridge, then as current 4 route to Acomb. The service will operate every 10 minutes during the day Monday – Saturday, every 20 minutes on a Sunday, and every 30 minutes on an evening.

Service 6 – Clifton Moor – Osbaldwick – University

The service will run as current route from Clifton Moor to Theatre Royal, it will then continue via Lendal Bridge, Rougier Street to Osbaldwick, Tang Hall and University via the current 4 route. The service will operate every 15 minutes during the day Monday – Saturday, every 30 minutes on a Sunday, and every 30 minutes on an evening