Quality standards concern
Page 20
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
PRIVATE operators planning to take over any of London Regional Transport's bus routes could be subject to quality controls by LRT.
Nothing has been decided yet, but LRT's bus management is concerned that quality standards might fall if private operators take over some of its routes when value-for-money tendering starts later this year.
It is anticipated that some routes towards the edge of London may be transferred to other operators when tenders are sought, and it may be that LRT will take the overall quality of an operator's acitivty into account, and not just its cost, when allocating services.
Already, London Buses — the LRT bus wing, which becomes an autonomous LRT subsidiary next April — is conducting its own monitoring of London Country's operational performance at "frontier points" where the two operators' services overlap.
Route tendering is one of the commercial pressures which has led London Buses to look at ways of developing its tours and charter work, and the first of an expected series of demonstration coaches was handed over last week ready for winter trials.
A Daf MB200 with Berkhof Esprite body is to be operated on London and home counties tours and hires in November and December. Other makes of coach are also expected before a decision is taken whether to invest in a coach fleet or to continue to sub-contract to private operators and National Bus.
The coach is painted in a white livery with rainbow stripes used hitherto on London Buses' tours brochures and other advertising material.