The company is due to meet with representatives from the States this week to address some of those issues.
‘I won’t say that things went perfectly, we know they didn’t,’ said Ashley Robbins, depot and contracts manager at Stagecoach, who leads the company’s Guernsey team, during a public meeting organised by the Bus Users Group on Saturday afternoon.
‘We want to try and put a plan into place for what’s gone right, what needs improvement and the lessons to be learned as well.
‘The emphasis now is on making sure mistakes are learned so this doesn’t happen again.’
As the meeting went on Mr Robbins apologised for several difficulties reported by bus users, including cancelled services, which users are reporting on a regular basis.
He also revealed that extra frames for printed timetables have been ordered for shelters across the island, issues with the bus app for mobile phones are being addressed, and £25,000 has been spent on filters to manage the build up of diesel particulates in the exhaust systems of buses – the issue that lies behind the majority of maintenance issues impacting the bus fleet.
Other issues raised by bus users in advance of the meeting or on the day included missing timetables, a lack of lighting and appropriate cover from bad weather at bus stops, and also a lack of support when people wanted to access information or help when something went wrong with the service – typically a bus not turning up.
Complaints also included buses failing to stop to pick up passengers, and failing to stop to let them off; drivers missing turnings on routes; concerns about speed of driving and particularly the speed of buses mounting pavements and drivers reporting that they are tired – though it was agreed that the vast majority of drivers were ‘very courteous’.
Mr Robbins said that he left the meeting heartened by what he had heard.
‘I think ultimately we’re going in the right direction,’ he said.
‘There are a lot of positives that have come out of today’s meeting. Ultimately, there are improvements needed on both our side and the States of Guernsey.
‘But overall, just from speaking with bus users, they’re happy with the overall service. It’s just that small 2-3% that needs to be tweaked.’