National Express fined £8700 for Ninewells route breaches
National Express Dundee has been fined £8700 by the Traffic Commissioner for the early, late and non-operation of services to Ninewells Hospital.
- By Andrew Argo
- Published in the Courier : 22.12.10
- Published online : 22.12.10 @ 12.19pm
A lenient view was taken of the breaches, but the commissioner said it was very important that bus services run on time.
All the services were to or from Ninewells, where getting to work, appointments or visiting hours made punctuality of the essence, said Joan Aitken.
She said, "I do not want the operator to be in any way complacent as to its obligations."
The firm had appeared at the hearing under its former name, Tayside Public Transport Co Ltd, to answer 30 instances of non-compliance.
There was no complaint about the 22B but there was evidence of late or early running or failure to operate in all other services.
On one occasion on the 12, the driver stopped at a shop, came back with a drink and proceeded to drink it while driving.
Bus compliance officers found 10 early, 17 late and three instances of services not operating. On four journeys incorrect destinations were shown and on 46 journeys the destination blinds contravened regulations.
John Berry, Dundee City Council's sustainable transport team leader, said the authority had concerns that the real-time information system at bus shelters was unreliable and asked for the detail to remain confidential, a request the commissioner rejected.
Mr Berry also referred to roadworks during the monitoring period on the A92 at South Marketgait and at Pitkerro Road which were outwith the council's control and caused long delays.
In a written submission Lawrence Davie, a former director, accepted all 30 of the failures identified.
One late running had been due to 25 children boarding at a school and all paying separate fares which made the bus late.
Pitkerro Road was closed without notice for roadworks and accounted for five late runnings as a diversion was in place. Mr Davie described this closure as "chaos."
A third "reasonable excuse" related to temporary diversions caused by roadworks to the A92 which impacted on the 8X.
Mr Davie accepted there was no excuse for early running and warnings were issued to drivers, who had some problems with their Wayfarer machines which made them think they were on time, but they were not.
Driver error caused four destination blinds showing the wrong destination. Other delays were blamed on the opening of a new store at Kingsway West retail park on April 2 which caused gridlock.
After consultations, the company withdrew from the park and asked passengers to wait at a stop in Clepington Road.
12.43pm - 22.12.2010 novaecosse - Dundee, Angus Report This
The roadworks were not completely outwith the Council's control. <br />Pitkerro Road was a gas leak, but the road was subsequently resurfaced by DCC. The roadworks on South Marketgait were a joint venture between DCC and Transport Scotland, so they were involved from the very start.
12.43pm - 22.12.2010 C Haddon - Dundee, Scotland Report This
So we have a terrible bus service from National Express, and they hit us with a price hike for the New Year. £1.45 becomes £2.00, which is a massive near-40% increase! How can David Kaye claim these are competitive prices, when elsewhere in the UK a bus journey can be as cheap as half that!
12.43pm - 22.12.2010 Passenger - Dundee, UK Report This
I hope this fine sees an improvement in other services. The 28/29 service to Douglas has been in a steady decline with buses up to 30 minutes late and arriving three at a time
01.15pm - 22.12.2010 Disgruntled Ardler Passenger!!! - Dundee, Scotland Report This
They should look at the 1a services too especially the one that leaves the terminus at St Mary's around 8.15 a.m.!! It basically comes when it likes or it doesn't come at all!!! Even had a bus driver say that he was sick fed up of people complaining to him about the service before not showing up!!!
08.03am - 23.12.2010 Charleston Resident - Dundee, scotland Report This
This bus company's policies are weird. If a bus is running late I believe it can leave passangers at stops to make up time. Do the public not mater to them. After all there would be no buses without passangers.
08.35am - 23.12.2010 Hacked off - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Been a huge deterioration in level of service over past several months. Services from ninewells into town along ancrum road totally unreliable. Hit or miss if they turn up at all! Students with uni exams had to book taxis to make sure they made it to their exams on time! Appalling service!!
03.16am - 24.12.2010 Annoyed passenger - dundee, scotland Report This
I agree with the above comments, the bus service is terrible at the moment in regards to busses not showing up, or putting their 'out of service' sign up when they are running late leaving passengers standing at the bus stop! And a hike to 2 pounds is far too much!
11.10am - 24.12.2010 Angry West Ender - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Forget service to the public - these companies are money making machines for shareholders.<br />Fines of £8,700 are not going to make any difference. Taking them back into public ownership is the only answer, but sadly this is never likely to happen.
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