Why not stop all buses?

Wednesday 13th January 2010, 3:00PM GMT.

From Jane Simpson.
I COMMENT as someone who has driven professionally in extreme road conditions.

Thirty years ago, I drove an 18-wheeled articulated vehicle, full of valuable competition horses, across America and down through several snowy mountain roads.

The only method of descent on these ungritted narrow roads was to drive slightly off-road, lightly apply the trailer brakes, leave the cab brakes alone and engage low gears. There were no four-wheel drive, ABS or anti-skid mechanisms available to me.

Last Friday, at 5.20 pm, I hitchhiked from town to La Rocque because all buses had been cancelled – apart from the one I saw travel up through the tunnel and along Grenville Street with ‘Not in Service, Merry Christmas’ displayed on the front!

A caring lady gave me a lift all the way home even though she lived at Le Hocq and, as I have a leg injury, her kindness was very much appreciated.

We by-passed the snarl-up at Georgetown by getting onto the coast road near the Dicq Slip and had no difficulty in getting to La Rocque in a normal small car. The wet, slushy roads were not frozen over.

Apparently, the buses didn’t run on Saturday, either. I am surprised that the No 1 bus didn’t run on what is a fairly flat route. Surely there are bus drivers, who are resident in St Helier, who could have kept a few routes running?

Driving my old, rear-wheel drive, lightweight Daihatsu HiJet, I managed to get into town in the afternoon, to rescue a stranded friend, and the east coast road was passable.

What criteria is used when making the decision to cancel all buses?

1
Spring Heeled Jack

January 13, 2010 at 3:39 pm

Connex were damned whatever they did.
No bus service, everyone moans.
Run a bus service and crash in the snow, everyone will moan … and probably sue.
Daihatsu HiJet? Wouldn’t be seen dead in one. Makes Noddy’s car look high tech.

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2
Flymo

January 13, 2010 at 4:59 pm

Me thinks that there is a clause in the contract with the States. “Any white flufy stuff falling out of the skiy and we are off to the pub”.

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3
Alex

January 13, 2010 at 6:05 pm

Yup, that is a very good question, why can every one else from push bikes & moped to HGVs drive around quite happily if not a little slower than usual, but buses get cancelled!! Any one from CONnex want to answer that?

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4
Jerseyjag

January 13, 2010 at 10:27 pm

The JMT had snow chains and run as many routes as they could. That was in the days that the only income for the bus company was the fares and NOT the taxpayer so now Connex get paid if they run or not.

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5
Tony B

January 15, 2010 at 10:52 pm

I’ve driven buses for about seven years. I’ve driven horseboxes for considerably longer. Now a horse is a much more difficult load than humans. Horses are much less stable load for a start. So you’ve driven in America. Fine, So have I. The roads are a lot wider and quieter for a start. Try driving a large vehicle round Jersey under the best of conditions and you won’t find it easy. Why didn’t Connex run a service, primaraly because they want to sleep at night, not have death and injury on their concinse. When you choose to drive in adverse conditions you put your self and others at risk. When a bus runs in adverse conditions, fifty odd people will be at risk, the resposobility will be primararily the drivers. You start a journey to get where you want to go. When you get on a bus the driver’s total responsobility is to SAFELY get you there.
Oh by the way I hold the Certificate of Management of Horse’s on Farms and Estates (WCA) BHSAI.BHSIT, and for many years was BHS Riding and Road Saftey Examiner and also on the BHS Expert witness panel, giving evidence in criminal and civil courts on equine matters concerning traffic incidents.

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