NEVER ON A SUNDAY
Page 48
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The rest of post-deregulation Britain may be riven by bus wars, but in Worthing the accent is on friendly rivalry, not least because one of the competing operators is staffed by practising Christians ...
• For six days out of every seven Cedar Travel's orange and white midibuses are a familiar sight around Worthing on the South Coast; but on the seventh day they rest. "Worthing goes very quiet in the evenings and on Sundays," says proprietor Chris Chatfield, but in any case he and most of his staff are otherwise engaged, in church.
Chatfield set up in business four-and-ahalf years ago with a single Transit van. Now his fleet of sixteen midibuses serves 11 routes, but that success has not affected his Christian principles. The company aims to live up to its publicity slogan: "Serving God by serving the Community", and Chatfield stresses that his business aims and practices are firmly rooted in Christian teachings.
The office staff nearly all drive the buses as and when needed, and all know Cedar's number one rule — a courteous approach. There are not many companies where drivers thank each disembarking customer, or slow down for rough sections of road to give passengers a smooth ride. That approach is followed in the travel office too; there are few bus companies where a typist will jump up to open the door for elderly customers.
The main operator in Worthing, and long-established there, is Southdown, and Chatfield is careful not to tread on any toes. Hardly any of his routes follow those of Southdown: Cedar complements, rather than competes with, the Southdown network, he claims. He does admit to a little rivalry on availability of tickets, but says that is about as far as it goes. Southdown has reacted to the newcomer, but both managements try to keep friendly. Chatfield says: "We don't want a bus war, but we are not against friendly rivalry."
Most Cedar routes are on an hourly frequency, eight of them commercial and three under contract to the council.
Chatfield sets great store by publicity. Every two weeks, he pays for an advert in one of the local free newspapers. His ads are titled "Cedar Travel News" and carry details of service changes, promotions, where to get timetables, suggestions of places to go by bus and even apologies when things go wrong.
These are backed by a timetable booklet which includes a map, fares and a list of routes. It is given out free and its cost is covered by advertising. A newly opened Cedar enquiry office in Worthing's Teville Gate shopping centre is open every day (except Sundays) and Cedar's publicity campaign has resulted in a steady growth in business, but Chatfield has no plans to increase the Worthing network.
On the vehicle front, he does not like big buses: "They are too expensive to run we have four 33-seat Tiger Cubs, but we won't be getting any more." The 33-seaters were needed on some routes, but his favourite is the Iveco 49.10 with a Robin Hood 25-seat body. He has three, and three more are on order.
The fleet also includes an Optare City Pacer, a PMT-bodied Sherpa and two Marshall-bodied Leyland Leopards with a pair of Transits on long-term loan from Alder Valley. "These are better than my Transit, as they have room for five standing," says Chatfield.
Cedar's buses are parked in a sheltered corner of West Worthing station car park — not an arrangement Chatfield likes: "Where can one get covered accommodation at a reasonable price in Worthing?" he asks. Maintenance is handled by Southdown Engineering at Portslade.
Chatfield has a transport degree, and did some of his training with Southdown. He is very happy with his success, but not complacent: he wants to develop his excursion trade and is promoting private hire: "There's not much competition around in the 16to 25-seat range," he believes.
Setting up a service in a town where there is a large, well-established operator could be seen as inviting trouble, but Cedar has shown that it can be done, with a Christian approach.
LI by Tony Pattison