Christmas and New Year Services: The Reckoning

[mathias]

RE: Christmas and New Year Services: The Reckoning
Went for a late-night ride on the soon-to-be-withdrawn 53A service over the festive holiday up to Aintree Station (before riding the train home) just to see what all this fuss is about, and I've got to admit I'm SHOCKED at Arriva's decision to withdraw this service on 10th Jan.

It actually carries a decent load of passengers, most of whom don't even know of its imminent demise!
Got to feel sorry for all those passengers who'll be waiting for the never-to-be-seen-again 53A on South Road in Waterloo in the middle of January, they won't get the bus, but they'll probably get hypothermia!

Needless to say, the new 63 (which is the brainchild of the new manager at Bootle, who also cut the night-time 52) doesn't even go down South Road, leaving night-time revellers with more than just an unpleasant hangover!
In fact the last Netherton-Aintree-bound bus leaves Crosby Islington around 2230hrs!
Can't help but think Arriva are taking a big risk/big mistake with this venture.

If I were them I'd probably call it the 122 route (copying AVON) as passengers like familiarity, and tend to shun the unknown.
Remember when Arriva shortened the 61A route and re-numbered it the (unknown) 59?
It was dead within two years, losing money and being rejected by passengers (a situation not helped by using gas-guzzling, worn-smooth DLA deckers).

It's obvious what Arriva are up to, they want to dominate the north Liverpool area whilst driving-out AVON and HTL with their respective 122 and 159 routes.
More territory means more coverage for Arriva Weekly Tickets, making the bus an even more desirable option than the car.
I wish them well, but HTL and AVON need to step-up to the plate and defend their territory.

I just wish Arriva would've done this in the summer-time, instead of the middle of winter.
Complaints expected?.....