A comparison of the public transport alternatives to the Royal United Hospital, Bath - from Melksham.
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2015-12-06 16:24:37 - Graham Ellis
Two months ago, I wrote two pieces about the Connext 2 / RUH Hopper service that takes people from North and West Wilts to the ROyal United Hospital. The first - [here] regretted the location (not appropiate for the area it serves) of the RUH, appreciated the resulting need for transport to be provided, and wondered if the current provision was the most effective. The second - [here] was written after I had personally used the service to get to an outpatients appointment. I complemented the providers on an easy to use, excellent service, one which I would use again if the need arose to get to the hospital again, although (alas) I still questioned whether it's a dupication and whether it makes economic sense.
I had a futher outpatients appointment yesterday, and my immediate thought was the RUH Hopper / Connect 2. Alas, when I called they confirmed they weren't actually running yesterday, as it was a Saturday. Explaining my inabikity to drive after an unknon [to me] procedure that was going to be performed, I asked what alternative they would recommend. To be told that (!) "The hospital park and ride doesn't work on Saturday either - I suggest you call the department that's sent you the appointment".
OK .. what a golden opportunity to try out my suggested alterative. I took the (route 272) 11:25 bus which stops about 300 metres up the road from us into Bath bus station, changed there to the No. 14 to the hospital. After my appointment, the No. 14 back into the centre of Bath and then the 272 back out to the original stop.
* The return journey cost me £6.50 and being a commercial service cost the council nothing (that's aganst £10.50 for me and £20.00 from the council for the hopper)
* The outward journey took about 85 minutes including change time in Bath, and the return journey about 120 minutes. That compares to just over 60 minutes on the Hopper
* I got a seat on all buses, and the 272 buses were on time. Service 14 to the hospital is frequent; I used it as "turn up and go" and had less than 10 minutes to wait each time. This is a remarkably good performance considering that the Christmas market was on in Bath, the City was heaving, and the park and ride bus queues were ridiculous.
In summary, the service met my needs more cheaply than the Hopper, and is available when the Hopper isn't - six evenings and week and Saturday and Sunday daytime ... and as my appointment showned, a hospital ois not a five day, day time operation.
A system that combines multiple requirements - travel to the centre of Bath, and to the hospital - with people on the same vehicle will always be slower that two separate services. However, improvements could be made which would make the service better.
a) The 272 and x72 both serve Melksham from Bath, both run hourly, but I had to wait 45 minutes for a bus on my way back in the sentre of Bath. That's because they run 15 (or 45, if you like) minutes apart an don't combin to make a half-hourly service. I actually saw the x72 pulling away from its stop across the road from the bus station as we arrivd in from the Hospital.
b) 272 and x72 serve the same stop in Melksham, and they should serve the same stop at Bath bus station too. It's silly having to know where to go, and people with mobility issues / with frames of in wheelchairs must find this especially difficult.
c) Tickets should be interchangable between buses on the same(ish) route. I didn't mind seeing the x72 leave because I would have had to pay again, even though I has already paid for all four legs.
d) Better signage at Bath Bus station to help people find the bus to the hospital, or their onward buses. The screens at the end of the hallway are a bit to small to see from the middle of the hall, they don't cover all the buses that call just outside, and they only give the final detination in most cases.
e) Better still ;-) ... the no. 14 runs from Odd Down via the Bus Station to Weston and I noted that nearly everyone coming in from Odd Down gets off before the bus takes on a fresh load. So why not extend the 272 (and perhaps the x72, 265 and 231) to Weston and turn the 14 round at the Bus Station. You then have through services to the hospital and take away the need to change; journey time of around 75 minutes, no need to change, and patients who have completed their appointments can wait for their direct bus in the hospital cafe which has the facilities rather than in the much busier, much colder, less facilitied bus station. It's not too bad a bus station - it's just not where I want to choose to change when I'm shaking, tired, dizzy, really just wanting to get home.