Rail replacement buses.

Sat 4 Jun 2011, 12:43

I had no problems with them.
The drivers not only seemed to drop passengers off whereever they asked, but also to pick them up from other places.
One lady got off in Fawler and (presumably) was picked up there a couple of hours later when the bus went back, as she arranged with the driver.
There's a difference in route depending on which company is doing the trip, but generally all the drivers checked where you are going before they started from Oxford or Charlbury.

Sat 4 Jun 2011, 12:18

I had the unfortunate experience of being directed by a FGW member of staff at Oxford Station onto a bus going to Moreton in Marsh, luckily the driver dropped me off in Chipping Norton. So instead on it taking me 50 minutes to get home, it took me an hour and me having to pay to get home from Chipping Norton. Oh and FGW would only pay for ticket home from Chipping Norton, ignoring the fact that my return journey was severely compromised. Seriously, the word Charlbury does not sound like Moreton in Marsh.

Thu 2 Jun 2011, 17:13

That explains why buses/coaches keeping coming up Poole's Lane and then along Market Street. Guided by SatNav instead of intelligence!

Thu 2 Jun 2011, 13:43

They're contracted to take you from station to station; any drop offs are a bonus and at the discretion of the driver. The driver last night stopped at Sturt Road for those that wished to get off. The fact that four of the five passengers on board wished to get off maybe convinced him to do so...!

Thu 2 Jun 2011, 09:10

The bus replacement service is exactly what it says it is - a (timetabled) replacement for a train. Therefore every additional stop would make the bus run late.

Also, it sets a precedent. If it stops once, everyone would expect to get off where they want to, especially when it's busy in the peaks. I was on a replacement bus only last week and someone even asked the driver to make a small detour!

Wed 1 Jun 2011, 13:31

You'd have thought a McLean's driver (based in Witney) might know his way around... the coach this morning run by Pulham's (Bourton-on-the-Water) was on time, and the driver was friendly, welcoming and knew exactly where he was going. Ditto a Worth's coach yesterday. Perhaps FGW should consider carefully who they use for these contracts?

Wed 1 Jun 2011, 12:14

Why are some of these coaches coming down Dancers Hill and Pooles Lane? A Mcleans coach caused a tailback midmorning when he struggled to get past road works and then couldn't turn left at the Playing Close owing to parked cars.
Couldn't FGW put signs at the top of the hill directing coach drivers to the station.