Bus near miss - resolved

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Stradageek
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Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Bus near miss - resolved

Post by Stradageek »

Thought I'd post my wife's experience of a near miss and what followed, I'm encouraged that, at least outwardly, these incidents are being taken seriously. First the email to the bus company:

Hi

Please can I register a concern with you over the way one of your drivers overtook me this morning.

It was the number 16 bus (from Ecton Brook to the town centre) travelling up St Gregorys Road towards Booth Lane at XXXam. I was on a bicycle and had almost reached the mini roundabout at the entrance to Northampton college. The bus overtook me far to closely - about 1/2 a metre rather than the 1 1/2 meters recommended in the highway code. The driver then had to swerve in to negotiate the traffic island and bollards effectively blocking my path.

As someone who is concerned for the environment I am very much in favour of public transport and appreciate all your drivers do for the local community. However I thought I should bring this incident to your attention as it may not have been an accident but could definitely be considered a near miss.

Many thanks for your time and listening ear.

Then the response:

I refer to your complaint dated 2nd February 2018, whereby you feel the actions of our employee on Service 16, failed to meet the high standard of service required by our customers and this company.

Firstly, may I take this opportunity to apologise on behalf of Stagecoach Northampton for the inconvenience and distress caused.

Thank you, for taking the time and trouble to contact us and for drawing this to my attention. I have requested CCTV, and I can assure you I will be interviewing and dealing with the member of staff concerned. I will also be reminding them of the high standard required by this company, and their future performance will of course be closely monitored. We continuously train and remind drivers of working with other road users like yourself so we can all travel in harmony.

You will appreciate that current legislation prevents me from advising you of the action taken. But I can assure you that we have procedures, which allow us to exercise a number of sanctions, including severe disciplinary award.

I trust you will find this acceptable and that our future service will give no further cause for complaint.

Yours sincerely,

Seems like a good result :D
Bonefishblues
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Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Bus near miss - resolved

Post by Bonefishblues »

A properly adult exchange reflecting well on the participants.
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Bus near miss - resolved

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Stradageek wrote:..
..
that current legislation prevents me from advising you of the action taken. But I can assure you that we have procedures, which allow us to exercise a number of sanctions, including severe disciplinary award.
..
..

Is it true that action may not be disclosed?
Do you have any way of finding out whether anything was done? What is 'disciplinary award'?!
I would not believe this statement!

Cunobelin of this parish described how he contacted employers, sent films later. Several employees were subsequently released from their duties
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Bonefishblues
Posts: 11011
Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Bus near miss - resolved

Post by Bonefishblues »

Cyril Haearn wrote:
Stradageek wrote:..
..
that current legislation prevents me from advising you of the action taken. But I can assure you that we have procedures, which allow us to exercise a number of sanctions, including severe disciplinary award.
..
..

Is it true that action may not be disclosed?
Do you have any way of finding out whether anything was done? What is 'disciplinary award'?!
I would not believe this statement!

Cunobelin of this parish described how he contacted employers, sent films later. Several employees were subsequently released from their duties

It is not legal action in the public domain, it is internal disciplinary action under a company's Ts&Cs. As such the employer should not be disclosing it.

BTW I continue to be discomforted by C's approach. Others' views may be different.
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Bus near miss - resolved

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Bonefishblues wrote:
Cyril Haearn wrote:
Stradageek wrote:..
..
that current legislation prevents me from advising you of the action taken. But I can assure you that we have procedures, which allow us to exercise a number of sanctions, including severe disciplinary award.
..
..

Is it true that action may not be disclosed?
Do you have any way of finding out whether anything was done? What is 'disciplinary award'?!
I would not believe this statement!

Cunobelin of this parish described how he contacted employers, sent films later. Several employees were subsequently released from their duties

It is not legal action in the public domain, it is internal disciplinary action under a company's Ts&Cs. As such the employer should not be disclosing it.

BTW I continue to be discomforted by C's approach. Others' views may be different.

Is it cynical to suspect the employer is lying or doing nothing?
I think C is doing the work that the police do not bother to do and should be commended
Alternative facts welcome as ever
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Bonefishblues
Posts: 11011
Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Bus near miss - resolved

Post by Bonefishblues »

Cyril Haearn wrote:
Bonefishblues wrote:
Cyril Haearn wrote:Is it true that action may not be disclosed?
Do you have any way of finding out whether anything was done? What is 'disciplinary award'?!
I would not believe this statement!

Cunobelin of this parish described how he contacted employers, sent films later. Several employees were subsequently released from their duties

It is not legal action in the public domain, it is internal disciplinary action under a company's Ts&Cs. As such the employer should not be disclosing it.

BTW I continue to be discomforted by C's approach. Others' views may be different.

Is it cynical to suspect the employer is lying or doing nothing?
I think C is doing the work that the police do not bother to do and should be commended
Alternative facts welcome as ever

One can tell much from a response IMHO, but ultimately it's the gift of the company as to whether they take a complaint seriously, as it is whether to approach the employer or the police in the first instance. I sense that this has been handled well by the OP, and it is being taken seriously.

I think if the police operated in the way that C does there would justifiably be complaints. I would rather disclosure that footage existed was at the first instance, rather than this fact being witheld. I suspect that this means that individuals whose driving rightly needed to be addressed, perhaps in a formal disciplinary manner may have been dismissed for lying about these matters, as would be the strong temptation in those circumstances. This is my supposition, based on my reading of how matters are conducted.
sunnydunny63
Posts: 13
Joined: 14 Nov 2017, 8:52am

Re: Bus near miss - resolved

Post by sunnydunny63 »

I have a folder and inch thick of similarly worded letters from Stagecoach. I have had meetings with them and Police Scotland in attendance and after years of pleading with Stagecoach and the Police I have given up trying to improve the driving characteristics of their drivers and their insincere Management.

So good luck
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mjr
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Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
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Re: Bus near miss - resolved

Post by mjr »

Cyril Haearn wrote:Is it cynical to suspect the employer is lying or doing nothing?

Sadly not, when the employer is Stagecoach. They're starting moves to close their King's Lynn depot and cancel services, which is a mixed blessing: on the one hand, it may mean even more cars on the roads if some bus services stop; but on the other, I doubt the minority of bad Stagecoach drivers are going to be hired by Coastal Red t/a Lynx (the second-biggest operator in town, IIRC started by some of Konectbus's founders after Konectbus was bought by GoAhead) or by FEC for their only route, so it is a way of finally getting some bad drivers off our roads which Stagecoach seem to have failed to.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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