on a more serious and sombre note today our hearts and thoughts go out to the victims of the m4 coach crash in which a national express double decker coach overturned yesterday.
experts now say that these double decker coaches are less stable than single deck coaches how many of these coaches ply our motorways not just in national express service but on private hire work here and in europe and let us not forget that national express carry thousands of passengers every day in complete safety.
national express have withdrawn its double deck coach fleet as a precaution.
i could go in to the cost of these buses (they actualy cost around £50,000 each)
and the fact that national express is a thatcher government privatisation legacy then launch into how many more antique life expired buses are still on the road doing school service and hire when they should be in the scrapyard.
but this is not the time or place for a witchhunt or blame mongering.
it is the time for an enquiry into the cause and suitable recompense for its victims
and also a time for national express to rebuild its reputation.
experts now say that these double decker coaches are less stable than single deck coaches how many of these coaches ply our motorways not just in national express service but on private hire work here and in europe and let us not forget that national express carry thousands of passengers every day in complete safety.
Had you noted that the driver of the coach was arrested on suspicion of causing
death by dangerous driving?
panto andy;506106 wrote: national express have withdrawn its double deck coach fleet as a precaution.
i could go in to the cost of these buses (they actualy cost around £50,000 each)
and the fact that national express is a thatcher government privatisation legacy then launch into how many more antique life expired buses are still on the road doing school service and hire when they should be in the scrapyard.
but this is not the time or place for a witchhunt or blame mongering.
it is the time for an enquiry into the cause and suitable recompense for its victims
and also a time for national express to rebuild its reputation.
victor lips:
£50,000 for this coach? Where from?
So National Express is a privatised firm? So what?
The vehicle involved is quite new - certainly not "antique". Are you confusing the
Neoplan Skyliner with the '50s Routemaster, or earlier Trolleybus?
Vehicles such as these are subjest to rigorous inspection.
There is to be an inquiry.
Have you heard of "insurance"?
National Express has a good reputation.
Now is not the time or place for a witchhunt or blame mongering - nor contributing
completely distorted articles to further a witchhunt or blame mongering.
Bill Sikes;506167 wrote: Had you noted that the driver of the coach was arrested on suspicion of causing
death by dangerous driving?
£50,000 for this coach? Where from?
So National Express is a privatised firm? So what?
The vehicle involved is quite new - certainly not "antique". Are you confusing the
Neoplan Skyliner with the '50s Routemaster, or earlier Trolleybus?
Vehicles such as these are subjest to rigorous inspection.
There is to be an inquiry.
Have you heard of "insurance"?
National Express has a good reputation.
Now is not the time or place for a witchhunt or blame mongering - nor contributing
completely distorted articles to further a witchhunt or blame mongering.
i was unaware that the driver was arrested for dangerous driving the media only reported that the driver had been arrested.
i also know that this bus was i new one and did not imply that it was old or antique.
if you read my column correctly you would have read that this is not the time or the place to go into this kind of field and the price of £50,000 is the average cost of these coaches.
i was not confusing these coaches with the old routemaster or trollybuses and if
you have tried to twist my words for a reaction its worked though i should know better though as a bus enthusiast national express has i very good reputation
take your irresponsible comments elsewhere and show some respect.:-5
What total rubbish you talk, a a bus enthusiast? you should know better, where do you get your information?
I suppose you have an opinion on the m4 crash last week?
It only takes an expert in carrier bag technology to realise double deck coaches are slightly less stable than single ones, they are the same width but higher, however a lower centre of gravity compensates considerably. a different approach is required to drive them, paying even greater respect to its size. that said, double deckers handle very well. and anything will tip if you provoke it.
incidentally, it used to be the case that a test had to be taken in a "decker" in order to drive one, the gov't removed this requirement.
Also, in 1991 when the licensing was changed many people who passed their test for "bread van" transit minibuses (that were introduced after deregulation in 86) suddenly found themselves with a cat D entitlement to drive practically anything ! how sensible is that??.
The Skyliner coach from neoplan (the type involved on this occasion) has been around some 40 years and has an excellent record.
Your pricing is interesting, your last comment mentioned an average price of 50k, i suggest you look in the trade publications and find out what 50k will buy you. NOT MUCH is the answer. not even a 10 year old decker,a new decker (the one in question was almost new) will set you back in the region of £350,000 by the time you add a few extras, my boss is looking at a new single deck executive with a BASIC tag of £229,500, options extra - and dont forget to put VAT on that.
There are many older vehicles still doing sterling work, both on contract and private hire, Bakers of WSM have a 1986 VanHool decker, of maximum height (higher than most deckers) they have owned it from new and and is perfectly servicable. Go to wales, the majority of coaches you will see owned by local operators will be getting on, a local firm to me here in somerset has a 1980 Plaxton in regular use, i could show you many coaches of well over 10 years old in front line private hire and tour work, my point is, all PCV's have a 6 weekly inspection, a rigorous MOT test and technically could go on for ever provided the legally required mantainence schedule is adhered to. The whole industry is based on an extensive and highly detailed framework of law and the penalties for non compliance by operators and drivers are severe.
Nat Ex doesn't need to rebuild its reputation,( though i dare say the decker that tipped on the m25 will be, it could be back in service by now in fact.)
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT NATIONAL EXPRESS IS MORE OR LESS JUST A NAME ON SOMEONE ELSES VEHICLE. they own few if ANY vehicles, the services, or diagrams, are operated on their behalf by independent coach companies using their own vehicles in Nat Ex livery, Nat Ex lay down a minimum vehicle specification as regards equipment fitted and as long as your coach has the required level of spec you can use what you like. Plaxton for instance produce a model specifically for the job - the expressliner.
Driver awareness and training could be looked at though. it's easy to become complacent so refresher training wont do any harm.
Enquiry in to the cause? easy, its a tight bend, the driver was running late, took it too fast and lost it. nothing to do with vehcle design, just serious driver error
As for compensating those involved, thats not a matter to discuss here, rest assured the lawyers and courts will deal with that.
I wonder if the courts will ever take the view that injuries, fatal or otherwise may well have been avoided/lessened had the passengers themselves been complying with the law - ie: wearing their seat belt. IT IS THE LAW THAT COACH PASSENGERS WEAR SEAT BELTS. how many do? VERY few I can tell you.
These tragic events happen, and will always happen, that's a fact. But it is the responsibility of everyone, operator, driver AND passengers to take appropriate action to minimise the damage when it does.
Coach travel remains the safest way to travel, second only to flying, the trouble is, due to the size of aircraft and coaches and the numbers carried, when something does go wrong it's usually bad and grabs the headlines, but remember, these incidents are rare when you look at the whole picture.
If you are going to post comments here in future, i strongly suggest you do some research first - or keep quiet. a lot of trouble is caused for our industry by people who don't know what they are on about - from the Gov't down.
Am I the only one that wishes people wouldn't have a rant on their very first post it's like they only come here to do nothing but cause up a fuss. :-3
absolutely not. i was researching something else and stumbled across the thread, i was annoyed by the ill in formed views of the member and decided to reply. the idea of a forum is free speech surely, but there is no point writing if you don't arm your self with accurate knowedge, especially on a subject that it is so strictly goverened and monitored as the coach industry
your response was quick, did you take the time to read carefully what i wrote,
Yes I did read what you read, and I'm sorry if I caused offence. I have no problem with what you wrote or your right to say it, just that I have seen many people that come into FG just to spot something they don't agree with and have a moan, which I feel is a shame. It would be nicer if they actually took the time to say hi to everyone, and make a few other posts, but I suppose not everyone wants to do that, which is fair enough I suppose.
Anyway welcome to FG, I hope you enjoy your time here. Oh and this thread is pretty old, so the people that made the initial posts may not still be around here, so they may not respond to your comments.
It's why he joined, Chris. Not for social reasons but to be able to respond to a grossly ill-informed piece of drivel. We get a lot of grossly ill-informed pieces of drivel, they probably make up the majority of the opinion posts on the site, I'm delighted dom took the time and trouble to register just to correct one. I've read his first three posts and I'm delighted to make his acquaintance.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left. When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious. Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left. When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious. Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
spot;800465 wrote: We get a lot of grossly ill-informed pieces of drivel, they probably make up the majority of the opinion posts on the site, I'm delighted dom took the time and trouble to register just to correct one
.
Well stop bloody posting them then Spotters!!!:wah::D
