FTR (bus)

Last updated

FTR
FTRbus.svg
York ftr.jpg
A First York FTR bus in York on route 4
Parent FirstGroup
Founded2006
Headquarters Aberdeen, Scotland
Service area Leeds
York
Swansea
Luton
Service type Bus rapid transit
Fuel type Diesel
Operator First Cymru
First Northampton
First West Yorkshire
First York
Website www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/

FTR was a British rapid-transit bus system formerly operated in Leeds, Luton, Swansea and York. FirstGroup introduced the system, using 39 Wright StreetCar articulated buses in conjunction with infrastructure upgrades by local authorities. The vehicles were branded as "the future of travel", the operators claiming that ftr is Abjadic textspeak for the word future. [1]

Contents

Elements

The FTR concept was made up of a bundle of simultaneously introduced innovations relating to the vehicle type, its configuration, the fare collection arrangements, consequent changes to infrastructure, and an integrated data-handling system for voice radio, vehicle location, real-time passenger information, on-board displays, vehicle diagnostics, and ticket machine data.

Vehicles

Each 'StreetCar' vehicle had a separate driver (or "pilot") compartment, resembling to some extent similar designs in continental Europe. Otherwise the vehicle itself was a modified conventional bus, with styling similar to contemporary trams and trolleybuses and a greater distance between axles to maximise the low-floor area for easily accessible seating. The vehicles were air-conditioned and had tinted windows to enhance the on-board ambience along with ergonomic seating. On-board information was provided using an "infotainment" screen which displayed the next FTR stop (in a similar fashion to Transport for London's i-Bus system) and information related to that stop including local attractions/facilities and connecting bus/train routes. The screen also displayed advertisements for local businesses. [2] [3]

Ticketing system

A major difference between FTR and conventional bus services was the method of fare collection. In York, this initially involved purchase of cash fares from a self-service ticket machine or from a conductor, because the design of FTR allowed no contact between driver and passengers. This was intended to reduce journey times but problems with ticketing machines resulted in their withdrawal. On the FTR route 4 in Leeds, all passengers bought tickets from, or showed bus passes and permits to, the conductor.

Operations

Bradford & Leeds (Hyperlink)

First West Yorkshire Hyperlink Wright StreetCar in November 2012 First West Yorkshire Leeds, Volvo B7LA Wright Streetcar (8191443392).jpg
First West Yorkshire Hyperlink Wright StreetCar in November 2012

Following the cancellation of the Leeds Supertram project, the local passenger transport executive Metro suggested various bus rapid transit options as a replacement, one of which was an FTR service. The FTR system was chosen, and the service ran from early 2007 until autumn 2012, on Route 4 'Olive Line' (part of the Leeds Overground colour-coded network of high frequency First Bus Routes) between Pudsey and Seacroft via City Square. [4] The FTR buses were then refurbished, Wi-Fi installed, and given a new livery branded Hyperlink, ready for a new high-frequency service on route 72 connecting Leeds to Bradford. [5] [6] [7]

In July 2016, the FTR articulated buses were replaced by brand new Wright StreetDeck buses, with the Hyperlink brand withdrawn. [8]

York

First York Wright StreetCar at York station in October 2010 Ftr bus in Station Road, York railway station, 19006 (OO06 FTR), 21 October 2010 cropped.jpg
First York Wright StreetCar at York station in October 2010

FTR first operated in York with the conversion of First York's route 4 between Acomb and the University of York. The service began on 8 May 2006, after the city council had made significant and expensive alterations to the road layout to accommodate the new vehicles. [9] [10] The York FTR service was withdrawn in March 2012. [11] [12]

Luton Airport

Four FTR buses were operated for First Capital Connect by First Northampton, providing a frequent link between the airport and Luton Airport Parkway railway station. These were replaced by Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530Gs, releasing the FTRs for use in Swansea. The use of bigger buses reflects growth in the number of people using the airport rail link, which has more than doubled since the Parkway station opened in 1999. It carried almost 10 million people a year. The FTR were branded as train2plane and ran every 10 minutes, 19 hours a day (05:00 – 00:00), and connected with all trains from London during the night. [13] In March 2023, an automated people mover came into service, Luton DART, replacing the Luton Airport bus link. [14]

Swansea

First Cymru Wright StreetCar in Swansea in October 2009 Ftr bus in West Way, Swansea city centre, 19035 (S40 FTR), 2 October 2009 cropped.jpg
First Cymru Wright StreetCar in Swansea in October 2009

Swansea gained a similar operation from 1 June 2009 with FTRs running on route 4 in a phased introduction over several months. The service, publicised as ftrmetro, links Morriston Hospital, Morriston, the City Centre and the University/Singleton Hospital, with five services per hour through the daytime. Extensive streetworks were carried out along the route, including segregated running through the city centre and an "express route" by-passing the busy residential streets of Hafod.[ citation needed ] The fleet of Wright StreetCar articulated vehicles were removed from Swansea on 28 August 2015; First Cymru cited refurbishment costs as a key factor. Although the articulated vehicles were removed from service, the same route is now served by standard single-deck Wright StreetLite buses and other similar vehicles. [15] [16]

Developments

The launch of the FTR in York generated almost saturation coverage in the local media. [17] On 10 May 2006 The Press devoted four full pages to it, including its front page and a double-page spread of 12 readers' letters, almost all of them hostile. The next day the paper published a defence of the vehicles' teething problems by First York's commercial director, accompanied by another five hostile letters. Another full-page article appeared two days later, and this was followed by national press coverage. [18] On 17 May 2006, councillor Ann Reid was quoted as saying "The majority [of complaints] seem to have come from those who don't live on the route or certainly don't even catch the bus". [17] The student press criticised the FTRs. [19] Student anger was particularly directed at the price of tickets on the FTR, which increased by 20% in 2008 for a single ticket from campus into town. [20] The price problem was resolved when the students' union negotiated a £2 student price for a return ticket from the campus to town. [21] [22] [23] [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Express Coaches</span> Coach operator in Great Britain

National Express is an intercity and inter-regional coach operator providing services throughout Great Britain. It is a subsidiary of the British multinational public transport company Mobico Group. Most services are subcontracted to local coach companies. The company's head office is in offices above Birmingham Coach Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Articulated bus</span> Articulated vehicle used in public transportation

An articulated bus, also referred to as a slinky bus, banana bus, bendy bus, artic bus, tandem bus, double bus, vestibule bus, wiggle wagon, stretch bus, sausage bus or an accordion bus, is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-decker, and comprises two or more rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint (articulation) enclosed by protective bellows inside and outside and a cover plate on the floor. This allows a longer legal length than rigid-bodied buses, and hence a higher passenger capacity (94–120), while still allowing the bus to maneuver adequately.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Yorkshire Metro</span> Transport organisation in Yorkshire, England

Metro is the passenger information brand used by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in England. It was formed on 1 April 1974 as the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (WYPTE), at the same time as the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire. The Metro brand has been used from the outset and, since the formal abolition of the WYPTE on 1 April 2014, it has remained the brand name of public transport in the region, overseen by West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which is also responsible for the delivery of transport policies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bus conductor</span>

A bus conductor is a person responsible for collecting fares from bus passengers. Bus conductors were a common feature of many bus services across Europe until the late 1970s and early 1980s. The main reason two-person crews were needed was that most towns and cities used double-decker buses for urban services. Until the 1960s, all double deck vehicles were built with front-mounted engines and a "half-cab" design, such as the AEC Routemaster bus built for London Transport. This layout totally separated the driver from the passenger saloons. The conductor communicated with the driver using a series of bell codes, such as two bells to start.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First York</span> Bus operator in York, England

First York operates local bus services, with a network centring around the cathedral city of York, North Yorkshire, England. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup, which operates bus, rail and tram services across the United Kingdom and Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in London</span> Transport network serving London and surrounding regions

London has an extensive and developed transport network which includes both public and private services. Journeys made by public transport systems account for 37% of London's journeys while private services accounted for 36% of journeys, walking 24% and cycling 2%. London's public transport network serves as the central hub for the United Kingdom in rail, air and road transport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Cymru</span> Local bus operator in Swansea and South Wales

First Cymru is an operator of bus services in South West Wales. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup with its headquarters in Swansea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright StreetCar</span> Motor vehicle

The Wright StreetCar is an articulated bus developed by Wrightbus and Volvo for FirstGroup. It was built on the Volvo B7LA chassis, featuring a separate driver compartment at the front, resembling to some extent similar designs in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich</span>

Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ) is a public transport operator in the Swiss city of Zürich, and is wholly owned by the city. Previously known as the Städtische Strassenbahn Zürich (StStZ), the organisation was founded in 1896 and adopted its current name in 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yorkshire Coastliner</span> Bus operator in North Yorkshire, England

Yorkshire Coastliner operates both local and regional bus services in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, England. It is a subsidiary of Transdev Blazefield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrogate Bus Company</span> Transdev-owned bus operator

The Harrogate Bus Company operates both local and regional bus services in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, England. It is a subsidiary of Transdev Blazefield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ftrmetro Swansea</span> Former bus rapid transit route in Swansea, Wales

ftrmetro Swansea was a bus rapid transit route in Swansea, Wales. The route was served by FTR articulated buses in an attempt to relieve traffic congestion and provide alternative transport to cars, before they were withdrawn in 2015 in favour of smaller-capacity buses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Leeds</span> Road, rail and bus transportation in Leeds, England

Transport within Leeds consists of road, bus and rail networks. Leeds railway station is one of the busiest in Britain, and Leeds is connected to the national road network via the A1(M) motorway, M1 motorway and M62 motorway. The city is served by Leeds Bradford Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manual fare collection</span>

Manual fare collection is the practice of collecting fares manually. "Fare collection" generally refers to the collection of fares in the transport industry in return for a ticket or passes to travel. Commonly used on buses and train transport systems, manual fare collection is increasingly becoming obsolete with the introduction of smart cards such as the Transport for London 'Oyster card'. However, in the face of this trend, some companies have opted to retain more traditional methods of manual fare collection to both save money and ensure reliability. In the United Kingdom, examples of this can be seen on the Transport for London Heritage lines and the FirstGroup FTR routes in York, Leeds, Luton, and Swansea where bus conductors have returned to work. The other reason(with lowering prices of electronics, and in most cases need to buy it once) may be for Heritage routes - tradition "look", for other routes(because of quite high monthly labor cost in UK) agreements and strong unions with the tries from politics to lower the unemployment rate by making overworking in public service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First West Yorkshire</span> British bus operating company

First West Yorkshire operates both local and regional bus services in West Yorkshire, England. It is a subsidiary of the FirstGroup, and is made up of three sub-division brands: First Bradford, First Halifax, Calder Valley & Huddersfield and First Leeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Articulated buses in the United Kingdom</span>

Articulated buses, colloquially known as "bendy buses", were rarely used in the United Kingdom compared to other countries, until the turn of the millennium. This was due to a preference for the double-decker bus for use on high capacity routes. In June 2006, there were over 500 articulated buses in the United Kingdom, although they were still heavily outnumbered by double deckers. The majority of this fleet was used in London, although these buses would be withdrawn by end of 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urban rail in the United Kingdom</span> Overview of the role of the urban rail in the United Kingdom

Urban or suburban rail plays a key role in public transport in many of the United Kingdom's major cities. Urban rail refers to the train service between city centres and suburbs or nearby towns that acts as a main mode of transport for travellers on a daily basis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megabus (Europe)</span> Long distance coach operator

Megabus is a long-distance intercity coach service operator owned by Scottish Citylink and based in the United Kingdom. Founded by Stagecoach Group in August 2003, it operates using low-cost fares, formerly starting at £1, based on a yield management model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capital City Red</span> Bus service in Cardiff

Capital City Red was the branding of bus services 17 and 18 in Cardiff. The route runs from the city centre to the west of the city, serving the Canton, Ely and Caerau districts.

References

  1. Your questions answered FTR
  2. City first to use new bus fleet ‘’BBC News’’ 22 February 2006
  3. 300,000 streetcar hits the road ‘’BBC News’’ 19 July 2005
  4. "Phased introduction for Leeds 'ftr'". Bus & Coach Professional. 24 October 2006. Archived from the original on 6 November 2007. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  5. First to link Leeds and Bradford with FTRs Passenger Transport 13 June 2012
  6. Ex York FTRs on Route 72 linking Leeds and Bradford Focus Transport 17 June 2012
  7. 74k boost for high-tech city link bus Telegraph & Argus 16 June 2012
  8. Lowson, Rob (22 July 2016). "First West Yorkshire unveils new fleet at Bradford Industrial Museum". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  9. Lewis, Stephen (24 April 2006). "It's the ftr of city travel". York Press. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  10. "The ftr of city travel arrives". York Press. 8 May 2006. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  11. Aitchison, Gavin (13 March 2012). "Controversial ftr buses make their final journey in York". York Press. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  12. 22 hosts lose jobs after ftr axe The Press 23 March 2012
  13. StreetCars upgrade Luton airport link Archived 30 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine ‘’Bus & Coach Professional’’ 30 January 2008
  14. "Luton Dart airport shuttle welcomes first passengers". BBC News. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  15. First announces Swansea’s bendy bus services are to be scrapped ‘’South Wales Evening Post’’ 24 June 2015
  16. Bendy buses in South Wales to be scrapped over cost ‘’BBC News’’ 24 June 2015
  17. 1 2 Thomas, R. (2006), 'The future of public transport' meets hostile response in York, Local Transport Today, no.444, 1 June 2006.
  18. Clark, A. (2006), "The rise of the purple people-eaters", The Guardian (London), 15 May 2006.
  19. The monopoly of the Ftr bus service is set to stay if we do not act. Nouse.co.uk (23 January 2008). Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  20. YUSU begin negotiations with FTR. Nouse.co.uk (23 January 2008). Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  21. SU clash with Ftr over ticket cuts. Nouse.co.uk (24 October 2007). Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  22. Ftr: it's (still) a bus. Nouse.co.uk (23 January 2007). Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  23. Ftr are cause of controversy once more. Nouse.co.uk (23 January 2007). Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  24. Anna Goodman, "FTR is 4U". The Yorker. 13 October 2008

Commons-logo.svg Media related to FTR (bus) at Wikimedia Commons