We’re getting nowhere fast... (From St Helens Star)
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The residents of Billinge deserve an explanation Arriva?
9:18am Thursday 26th July 2012 in News By Reader letter
We’re getting nowhere fast...
THOSE who took the trouble, spent an interesting two hours in the Town Hall, last Friday, questioning those in charge under the auspices of MerseyTravel.
With the representative of Northern Rail absent, probably too ashamed to face the travelling public, I took the opportunity to register my protest against the overcrowded, clapped out 30 year old rejects from other parts of the country and question why ,when we ever get electrification, it won't be new trains but again rejects flogged up and down the SE of England.
As its contract is up in two years it should be a condition we get new trains and at least 3 or 4 units on the Wigan-Liverpool line. Will the form I completed to protest ever see the light of day?
We were all asked what would we see a success of these forums? The answer was simple as the next time we the public came, we would have little to complain about.
However Arriva! I took the opportunity to speak to their boss to complain over how we always get 3 buses together through Billinge or that the timetable is for "illustrative purposes only".
It does not happen was the reply. On leaving the Town Hall at 3.10 I went to the Billinge bus stop to find a queue stretching down to the end, Billinge bus was late again, (This does not happen?)
In came a Warrington bus at 3.20 with a Chain Lane bus behind, followed immediately by the Billinge bus who took one look at the queue and drove off!!
At 3.50 a Billinge bus finally came. I got on only to see another Billinge bus behind. I was so angry I got off and caught the Arriva representative in his office to tell him that what does not happen, has just done so with two buses in the station. He said he would look into it.
I got the next Billinge bus only to see, as we drove away, yet another 352 bus coming in and to make matters worse when I landed at Billinge there were yet another two buses in convoy heading for St Helens.
The residents of Billinge deserve an explanation, as it is the drivers that get all the flak.
As the Arriva man said, this does not happen!!! Forums are great for blood pressure especially when you can see that whatever you are saying is some fairy story I am making up. Next time I will preface all my queries with "Once upon a time!"
Cllr.Bill Bradbury, Clifton Road, Billinge.
Comments(16)
Bill Bradbury
says...
10:14am Thu 26 Jul 12
Due to space what my letter continued was the very next day on a journey into Wigan I caught the 12.38 which arrived at 12.53 yes late again as the next bus was the 12.58 which caught up with us approaching Wigan but going through Pemberton we caught up the 12.23, which also must have been late through Billinge so 3 352's entered Wigan bus station almost together, where, just to add to the comedy, they were being speed camered as complaints had been made that buses were exceeding the 5mph in the bus station..
It's fun on the St.Helens-Billinge to Wigan bus route!!?? You never know what might turn up, usually 3 buses in line-sorry the Arriva bloke said this does not happen. Someone was winding me up last week-end?
chunkymunky
says...
11:25am Thu 26 Jul 12
Now you can maon away to your hearts content and some poor soul will minute every word of it!!!
we look forward to the publication of your expenses!!
mikeperry109
says...
11:29am Thu 26 Jul 12
Bill Bradbury
says...
12:39pm Thu 26 Jul 12
mikeperry109 wrote:Was due to start at 1.30 but MerseyTravel thought it was 2pm. so we all sat around waiting for the principle characters to arrive. It was advertised in The Star.
Bill, was this a secret forum? I would have turned up to support you - what time did it start?
The next Forum for St.Helens is on Friday 19th.October 1.30 at the Town hall. See you all then, that is if they don't change the date.
Chunkey as Parish Cllrs we don't get paid. I claim petrol for the NALC AGM held annually in Preston, usually taking someone with me to save money and when I use my car to transport "the Beacon" which I write and take to the printers 4 times a year. I became a cllr. about 6 years ago and have been re-elected last year. To my knowledge none of the other Cllrs. claim for Council business which we could do as we often scoot around the village to meetings or to St.Helens and elsewhere and as I get free telephone calls via BT but the ammounts would be so small we can't be ****d.
I added my esteemed "title" to this letter for, as you may guess, I get many complaints from Billingers about the buses et al so although it affected my travel arrangements so it does for the residents of Billinge whom I try to represent to the best of my ability.
Yes I am very good at moaning especially about overcrowded trains and late busses.
Sankey
says...
12:53pm Thu 26 Jul 12
kjd161
says...
2:41pm Thu 26 Jul 12
Bill Bradbury
says...
3:32pm Thu 26 Jul 12
Lying, cheating politicians appear to be always with us which is more than I can say for the buses. Just back from the shops and saw two buses up Main St. within one minute.
As for the Lord taking you-don't temp fate. Perhaps up there (wherever that may be) the buses are on time-yes that would be heaven for us Billingers.
Sankey
says...
4:36pm Thu 26 Jul 12
pitbullboxing
says...
3:19pm Sat 28 Jul 12
Bill Bradbury
says...
4:35pm Mon 30 Jul 12
pitbullboxing
says...
7:31pm Mon 30 Jul 12
Pen Name
says...
7:37pm Mon 30 Jul 12
excuses as to why the service does not always run to schedule. The most popular one is that it was because of the roadworks at Wigan. Yet, when we finally did board a bus to Wigan we never saw any evidence of the mysterious roadworks! The train service from St Helens to Liverpool is awful. I bet Michael Portillo never travelled the length Britain on old rust buckets.
I have noted the date of the next meeting and can't wait to share tales of woe about the 352 service.
Everard Edbutt
says...
8:26pm Mon 30 Jul 12
Tee hee hee.
Bill Bradbury
says...
3:25pm Tue 31 Jul 12
pitbullboxing wrote:Billinge residents have an item on their buses in the Star and strangely it does not get delivered to our area this week (and most other weeks in my case-not a "free" paper but perhaps a virtual one?). I wonder why?
eh? Youve lost me there Bill?
Bill Bradbury
says...
3:30pm Tue 31 Jul 12
Pen Name wrote:I got the same excuses but no road works on over that Friday or for quite some months, the last being due to repairs to Wigan's bus station some months ago when buses were diverted around Wigan. There was a 2 minute traffic light delay on road works on College St over the last few weeks but not severe enough to make buses over 20 minute late or even to back-up 3 buses in convoy.
Had I known about the meeting a week last Friday I certainly would have attended. As a regular user of the 352 service and a regular complainer! Arriva have given me the most ludicrous excuses as to why the service does not always run to schedule. The most popular one is that it was because of the roadworks at Wigan. Yet, when we finally did board a bus to Wigan we never saw any evidence of the mysterious roadworks! The train service from St Helens to Liverpool is awful. I bet Michael Portillo never travelled the length Britain on old rust buckets. I have noted the date of the next meeting and can't wait to share tales of woe about the 352 service.
I got the impression from Arriva that my complaint had no substance so we are both imagining this poor service through Billinge. See you at the next meeting.
Sankey says...
9:51am Thu 26 Jul 12