Criticism
First lost many routes to other competition recently, particularly in Sheffield. Some routes are either shared with another company or completely run by a competitor. This caused Stagecoach Sheffield and TM Travel ridership to increase and First's large share of the market to decrease dramatically. This only continued under the implementation of the Simplicity programme.
First attracted criticism for raising fares four times in 2005, raising the cost of a 5-10 minute journey to £1.60 as of February 2007, as well as for cutting a number of services. But the fares for the 51 service (Charnock-Lodge Moor via City Centre and back) were frozen. Referring to low passenger numbers in an interview, First South Yorkshire's managing director, Gary Nolan. said that on some routes. his drivers were "carting fresh air about" and, as such, it was uneconomical to maintain current service levels.
The company also attracted criticism from the public concerning why First introduced several price rises in just two years, whilst regional competitors such as Arriva and Stagecoach managed to cap their fare rises. The group's then financial director Nicola Shaw attributed the increases in fares to rising oil prices, despite the fact that in on press releases the group has said that it had hedged all of its fuel purchases to offset the rising cost of oil.
The company was also criticised for the seating comfort of newer vehicles and for withdrawing the 'bendibus' from the roads of Sheffield. The company later went on to explain that the vehicles had been withdrawn 'due to their mileage', but these were later found to be in service at both Bristol airport and in Bath.
The company has suffered from poor industrial relations with drivers striking on many occasions due to pay and working conditions. In such strikes, management employees tried to run a skeleton service by driving the buses themselves.
Read more about this topic: First South Yorkshire
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