Bus cancellations

Summary

A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure for specific reasons behind bus cancellations on September 7th and 8th, 2024, and answers to six queries regarding disputes and private bookings. The authority confirmed all information was sent, though the provided response text is truncated before fully answering the first query.

Key Facts

• The request concerns bus service cancellations on September 7th and 8th, 2024.
• The Department of Infrastructure responded that all information was sent on September 26, 2024.
• The request specifically asked if cancellations were due to a 'two-tier' contract dispute at Bus Vannin.
• The request inquired whether drivers collectively 'walked out' and if private bookings were prioritized.
• The response document contains 4 pages and 1 document.

Data Disclosed

• 2024-09-07
• 2024-09-08
• 2024-09-12
• 2024-09-26
• 4121957
• 4 pages
• 1 document
• Service 3
• Service 25h
• Service 22h
• Service 21b
• Service 2
• Service 5
• Service 22a
• Service 2a
• Service 11
• Service 12
• Service 5a
• Service 12a
• Service 11a
• Bus Vannin

Original Request

Please can you provide specific reasons why the below bus services were cancelled on the 7th and 8th September 2024 beyond the cited 'operational reasons': Saturday 9th September: Service 3 - 0840 - Douglas - Ramsey 7007 Service 25h - 0917 - Lord St.- Nobles 7053 Service 22h - 0931 - Nobles - Around Town - Nobles 7053 Service 21b - 1005 - Pulrose/Anagh Coar 7013 Service 2 - 1054 - Port Erin - Ballachrink 7009 Service 5 - 1056 - Nobles - Lord St. 7053 Service 2 - 1218 - Ballachrink - Lord St. 7009. Service 22h - 1442 - Lord St.- Nobles 7018 Service 5 - 1456 - Nobles - Lord St. 7018 Service 21 - 1535 - Pulrose/Anagh Coar 7018 Service 22h - 1542 - Lord St - Nobles 7171 Service 25 - 1605 - Nobles - Around Town 7171 Service 21b - 1705 - Pulrose/Anagh Coar 7027 Service 12a - 1720 - Around Town - PE 7028 Service 2 - 1750 - Lord St. - Port Erin 7171 Service 22a - 1755 - Around Town 7018 Service 2a - 1850 - Lord St.- Port Erin 7027 Service 2a - 1858 - Port Erin - Vic St. 7171 Service 3 - 1910 - Douglas - Ramsey 7018 Service 11 - 1923 - Port Erin - Around Town 7028 Service 2a - 2000 - Loch Prom F - Ballachrink 7177 Service 2a - 2001 - Port Erin - Vic St. 7027 Service 3 - 2010 - Ramsey - Douglas 7018 Service 2a - 2015 - Ballachrink - PE 7177 Service 11 - 2141 - Port Erin - Around Town 7177 Service 12 - 2224 - Around Town 7027 Service 5a - 2237 - Lord St.- Peel 7028 Service 5a - 2315 - Peel - Lord St. 7028 Sunday 8th September: Service 2 - 1350 - Lord St.- Port Erin Service 2 - 1454 - Port Erin - Ballachrink Service 2 - 1618 - Ballachrink - Lord St. Service 3 - 1710 Lord St - Ramsey Service 3 - 1810 Ramsey - Lord St. Service 12 - 1829 - Lord St.- Onchan - Lord St. Service 11a - 1840 - Loch Prom F - Onchan - Lord St. Service 2a - 1940 - Lord St.- Port Erin Service 2a - 2040 - Lord St.- Port Erin Service 11 - 2041 - Port Erin - Vic St. Service 11 - 2141 - Port Erin - Vict St - Onchan - Lord St. Please also answer the below queries: 1. Were there any other services affected over those two days that aren't listed above? 2. Were the cancellations due to a dispute over a 'two-tier' contract system at Bus Vannin? 3. Have any drivers collectively 'walked out' a result of the alleged 'two-tier' contract system? If so, how many? 4. Were any private bookings prioritised over routine services? 5. Were any private bookings also cancelled? 6. What communication with the public was there around the cancellation of services?

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Contact: FOI Response Team Telephone: (01624) 686785 Email: dpo-doi@gov.im

Our ref: 4121957 26 September 2024

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 12 September 2024, which states:

"Please can you provide specific reasons why the below bus services were cancelled on the 7th and 8th September 2024 beyond the cited 'operational reasons':

Saturday 9th September:
Service 3 - 0840 - Douglas - Ramsey 7007
Service 25h - 0917 - Lord St.- Nobles 7053
Service 22h - 0931 - Nobles - Around Town - Nobles 7053
Service 21b - 1005 - Pulrose/Anagh Coar 7013
Service 2 - 1054 - Port Erin - Ballachrink 7009
Service 5 - 1056 - Nobles - Lord St. 7053
Service 2 - 1218 - Ballachrink - Lord St. 7009.
Service 22h - 1442 - Lord St.- Nobles 7018
Service 5 - 1456 - Nobles - Lord St. 7018
Service 21 - 1535 - Pulrose/Anagh Coar 7018
Service 22h - 1542 - Lord St - Nobles 7171
Service 25 - 1605 - Nobles - Around Town 7171
Service 21b - 1705 - Pulrose/Anagh Coar 7027
Service 12a - 1720 - Around Town - PE 7028
Service 2 - 1750 - Lord St. - Port Erin 7171
Service 22a - 1755 - Around Town 7018
Service 2a - 1850 - Lord St.- Port Erin 7027
Service 2a - 1858 - Port Erin - Vic St. 7171
Service 3 - 1910 - Douglas - Ramsey 7018
Service 11 - 1923 - Port Erin - Around Town 7028
Service 2a - 2000 - Loch Prom F - Ballachrink 7177
Service 2a - 2001 - Port Erin - Vic St. 7027
Service 3 - 2010 - Ramsey - Douglas 7018
Service 2a - 2015 - Ballachrink - PE 7177
Service 11 - 2141 - Port Erin - Around Town 7177
Service 12 - 2224 - Around Town 7027
Service 5a - 2237 - Lord St.- Peel 7028
Service 5a - 2315 - Peel - Lord St. 7028

Sunday 8th September:
Service 2 - 1350 - Lord St.- Port Erin

Service 2 - 1454 - Port Erin - Ballachrink
Service 2 - 1618 - Ballachrink - Lord St.
Service 3 - 1710 Lord St - Ramsey
Service 3 - 1810 Ramsey - Lord St.
Service 12 - 1829 - Lord St.- Onchan - Lord St.
Service 11a - 1840 - Loch Prom F - Onchan - Lord St.
Service 2a - 1940 - Lord St.- Port Erin
Service 2a - 2040 - Lord St.- Port Erin
Service 11 - 2041 - Port Erin - Vic St.
Service 11 - 2141 - Port Erin - Vict St - Onchan - Lord St.

Please also answer the below queries:

1. Were there any other services affected over those two days that aren't listed above?

2. Were the cancellations due to a dispute over a 'two-tier' contract system at Bus Vannin?

3. Have any drivers collectively 'walked out' a result of the alleged 'two-tier' contract system? If so, how many?

4. Were any private bookings prioritised over routine services?

5. Were any private bookings also cancelled?

6. What communication with the public was there around the cancellation of services?"

Our response to your request is as follows: I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1.Were there any other services affected over those two days that aren't listed above? The list reflects the social media post. Cancellations are likely to have had adverse impact on other services, such as late running due to an increase in patronage and staff questions

1. Were the cancellations due to a dispute over a 'two-tier' contract system at Bus Vannin? No

2. Have any drivers collectively 'walked out' a result of the alleged 'two-tier' contract system? If so, how many? No drivers have walked out

3. Were any private bookings prioritised over routine services? No

4. Were any private bookings also cancelled? No, they are contractual commitments made in advance

5. What communication with the public was there around the cancellation of services?

Social media was updated live, Welcome Centre supported this communication to customers, and staff assisted in letting waiting passengers know.

It is worth noting that our Facebook post on 12th September 2024 has answered some of the above questions

Please quote the reference number 4121957 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.