As some users may be aware, MyStop is currently down, that is, not available to the general public online.
The reason for this is quite simple, and is to do with a flaw in the way our admin panel handles new databases. When a new database file is uploaded in CSV (comma separated values) format to the database manager, it is routine to select "replace table data with file data", which should overwrite existing entries and replace them with an edited version of the database.
However, it has been brought to our attention that uploading a new file to the database and supposedly overwriting it does not overwrite the whole thing. Instead, it simply edits and adds new entires - but will not delete new entries.
Therefore, some services (and certainly not all) that have had timetable changes since launch and today have still been displaying withdrawn journeys that did once operate, but no longer do.
As a solution, we will now employ the method of completely flushing the database (deleting every entry but keeping column names and layout). This will mean it will now be impossible for deleted journeys to still appear on the departure board.
Rest assured that we are taking this extremely seriously, and will avoid a repeat in the future. As was routine before, random spot checks on the departure boards each day will occur, but more often.
We'd like to apologise for the inconvenience. We aim to have MyStop available again at latest tomorrow morning.
Right now, we are manually checking and verifying almost 2500 database entries, so please bear with us.
We hope you will all continue to enjoy using the service once it's back up and running.
The Torbay Bus Routes Team
***EDIT: as of Tuesday, 29th November, 2011, 20:26, MyStop is back online***
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Sunday 20 November 2011
Changes to the Local Link Network
On Monday, 28th November, services 60, 61, 62, 64, and 65 - all operated by Local Link - are receiving a series of timetable and route changes, which may affect you.
The 60/61: these sister services don't really have much of a timetable change, except buses are scheduled to depart 5 minutes earlier from Torquay Strand. You're also not going to see them round Parkhill Road (see the 62) or Daddyhole Road. Instead, they will terminate at Torquay Strand and serve St.Luke's Road North & South. The inbound (61) and outbound (60) routes through Torquay will also be the same in both directions: through Fleet Street and Lucius Street to Chelston
The 62, or "Cockington Village Bus": Ring&Ride is being removed from this service for the current locations, and those stops will be served on a permanent basis. There will be new Ring&Ride stops, subject to availability only: Avenue Road, Cockington Court, and Widdecombe Farm. Therefore, the new route incorporates Hebert Road, Rawlyn Road, Croft Road, Fleet Street and Parkhill Road. The terminus and starting point is to be changed to Torquay Harbourside. The service will run Monday to Friday until March, and then Monday to Saturday throughout the summer.
The 64/65: these won't be in the same timetable together anymore. They'll also be every hour, increasing from every 2 hours! The routes will be the same, and will still run Monday to Saturday. The timetables are much improved.
Potential problems identified:
The 61 allows a seemingly excessive 12 minutes from St.Luke's Road, compared the the 60 in the other direction, which allows 5 minutes. There ought to be a lot of waiting time at The Strand, which could see buses waiting there for up to 12 minutes (arriving at timetabled time of xx:40 and leaving xx:45, but with 7 minutes extra added). For a fairly minor service, that seems quite a lot of time, especially when the 12's get just 10 minutes at Brixham.
The 62 will have Widdecombe Farm as a ring and ride stop. Not only is that way off the normal, scheduled route, but the waiting time at Torquay Strand the service gets is just 2 minutes. Considering the new rule for the Ring&Ride is it being "subject to availability", will the bus ever be available to add an extra 3.5 miles onto the route (14 minutes total there and back)? The park is already served by the 67 Flyer, but only The Willows bound, as it's off of a dual carriage way.
Anyway, all in all, the changes are positive, and (only if well publicised with the timetables at stops updated) should prove further successful.
Over and out.
The 60/61: these sister services don't really have much of a timetable change, except buses are scheduled to depart 5 minutes earlier from Torquay Strand. You're also not going to see them round Parkhill Road (see the 62) or Daddyhole Road. Instead, they will terminate at Torquay Strand and serve St.Luke's Road North & South. The inbound (61) and outbound (60) routes through Torquay will also be the same in both directions: through Fleet Street and Lucius Street to Chelston
The 62, or "Cockington Village Bus": Ring&Ride is being removed from this service for the current locations, and those stops will be served on a permanent basis. There will be new Ring&Ride stops, subject to availability only: Avenue Road, Cockington Court, and Widdecombe Farm. Therefore, the new route incorporates Hebert Road, Rawlyn Road, Croft Road, Fleet Street and Parkhill Road. The terminus and starting point is to be changed to Torquay Harbourside. The service will run Monday to Friday until March, and then Monday to Saturday throughout the summer.
The 64/65: these won't be in the same timetable together anymore. They'll also be every hour, increasing from every 2 hours! The routes will be the same, and will still run Monday to Saturday. The timetables are much improved.
Potential problems identified:
The 61 allows a seemingly excessive 12 minutes from St.Luke's Road, compared the the 60 in the other direction, which allows 5 minutes. There ought to be a lot of waiting time at The Strand, which could see buses waiting there for up to 12 minutes (arriving at timetabled time of xx:40 and leaving xx:45, but with 7 minutes extra added). For a fairly minor service, that seems quite a lot of time, especially when the 12's get just 10 minutes at Brixham.
The 62 will have Widdecombe Farm as a ring and ride stop. Not only is that way off the normal, scheduled route, but the waiting time at Torquay Strand the service gets is just 2 minutes. Considering the new rule for the Ring&Ride is it being "subject to availability", will the bus ever be available to add an extra 3.5 miles onto the route (14 minutes total there and back)? The park is already served by the 67 Flyer, but only The Willows bound, as it's off of a dual carriage way.
Anyway, all in all, the changes are positive, and (only if well publicised with the timetables at stops updated) should prove further successful.
Over and out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)