[GB] Battle of Preston - Part II

A few months ago I have made a post about the bus war between Stagecoach North West and local operator Preston Bus. 3 months after Stagecoach's initial assault on Preston Bus' trunk routes 11 and 16 in July, there has been no sign of the fierce competition going away. In fact, the bitter battle has escalated significantly over the summer.To recall, Stagecoach relaunched its services around Preston under the "Preston Citi" branding, initially consisted with 5 services, of which, as mentioned, the 11 and 16 were deliberately launched to compete Preston Bus service:

2/2A Longridge - Preston Bus Station - Southport

Stagecoach Lancashire 19043, AD Trident SFD43G/AD Enviro 400, Preston (Jun 2007)

3/3A Preston Bus Station - Penwortham

Stagecoach Lancashire 34579, Transbus Dart SFD3CA/Transbus Pointer, Preston (Jun 2007)


YJ07VRU (Demonstrator on loan to Stagecoach), Optare Solo M920, Preston (Jul 2007)


YJ07VRP (Demonstrator on loan to Stagecoach), Optare Solo M850, Preston (Jul 2007)

11 Preston Bus Station - Gamull Lane

Stagecoach Lancashire 47474, Optare Solo M850, Preston (Jul 2007)

16 Preston Bus Station - Farrington Park

Stagecoach Lancashire 47476, Optare Solo M850, Preston (Jul 2007)

Preston Bus, originally operated the 11 and 16 with Scania N94UBs and Leyland Olympians respectively, reacted with a batch of brand new Optare Solos, and diverted some of its Tridents to beef up both the 11 and 16.


Preston Bus 205, Scania N94UB/East Lancs Esteem, Preston (Jul 2007)


Preston Bus 95, Optare Solo M920, Preston (Jul 2007)


Preston Bus 92, Optare Solo M920, Preston (Jul 2007)


Preston Bus 187, Dennis Trident SFD413/East Lancs Lolyne, Preston (Sep 2007)

Preston Bus was not completely defensive though, as they soon launched a parallel service on the 2 in mid-July and 3 to compete against the Stagecoach services:


Preston Bus 228, Leyland Lynx LX2R11C15Z4R, Preston (Oct 2007)


Preston Bus 94, Optare Solo M920, Preston (Jul 2007)

However, Stagecoach quickly countered by launching yet another service against Preston Bus, this time on the Super Route 19 (Preston Bus Stn - Royal Preston Hospital) just before the end of July:


Stagecoach Lancashire 47471, Optare Solo M850, Preston (Sep 2007)


Preston Bus 52, Optare Solo M850, Preston (Sep 2007)

And soon followed by two other services in the end of August:

22 Preston Bus Stn - Royal Preston Hospital


Stagecoach Lancashire 47490, Optare Solo M850, Preston (Sep 2007)

33 Preston Bus Station - Tanterton


Stagecoach Lancashire 47472, Optare Solo M850, Preston (Sep 2007)

For Preston Bus, these assualts seem to have bigger impact to their operations. Both Super Routes 22/23 and 33/35 are operated by Tridents before the bus war. Although the 22/23 managed to retain its buses:


Preston Bus 184, Dennis Trident SFD413/East Lancs Lolyne, Preston (Sep 2007)

The Tridents on the 33/35 were forced to be diverted to support the 16 to compete against Stagecoach. As a result, a batch of hired buses were drafted in to help out, until a new batch of 7 Scania N230UB/East Lancs Esteems on order, which were delayed following East Lancs' financial problems over the summer, are finally delivered:


Preston Bus 232, Scania Omnilink CL270UB, Preston (Sep 2007)


Preston Bus 233, Dennis Dart SFD322/Plaxton Pointer, Preston (Sep 2007)

On top of that, the bus war has inflicted some casaulties, including Preston Bus' operation on the 21 (Preston Bus Staion - Broadgate), which was transferred to Blue Bus:





But this is a small one comparing to the other casaulty, which I will talk about on a separate post later.

Consider the scale of Preston Bus vs Stagecoach,
I wonder how long can it go on...

原帖由 ksmbh 於 2007-11-8 17:54 發表
Consider the scale of Preston Bus vs Stagecoach,
I wonder how long can it go on...

We'll be talking about months, by the look of things. Stagecoahc has been really aggressive against Preston Bus this time, so who knows. I hope Preston Bus will make it though.

原帖由 NV58 於 2007-11-9 04:59 發表


We'llbe talking about months, by the look of things. Stagecoahc has beenreally aggressive against Preston Bus this time, so who knows. I hopePreston Bus will make it though.

I do not think this is a ethic way of competition
launched by Stagecoach,  but just wonder
how do the people of Preston think of this?
Is there any loyal customers to Preston bus
because it is a 'local' company?

How did Stagecoach recruit such a number
of drivers, do they recruit drivers from Preston
Bus by offering higher wages?

I do wish all the best to Preston bus too.

[ 本帖最後由 ksmbh 於 2007-11-10 00:30 編輯 ]

原帖由 ksmbh 於 2007-11-9 16:24 發表


I do not think this is a ethic way of competition
launched by Stagecoach,  but just wonder
how do the people of Preston think of this?
Is there any loyal customers to Preston bus
because it is a 'lo ...

Inethical it is, but that's what Stagecoach is good at - Undercut
its local rival substantially. When they took complete control of
the services, they just put the fare back up - much higher than
that what its rival used to charge, and reduce the services to
bare bone.

Bad as it was, but it happens to many places, Lancaster, Burnley
(before Blazefield took over), Darlington just to name a few.

And of course, Preston bus is seizing all PR opportunities to point
out this fact, and the local identity becomes a big tool for both sides -
which is why you see that Stagecoach Solo in the Preston North
End football team livery.

[ 本帖最後由 NV58 於 2007-11-11 12:53 編輯 ]