Messages

more 26/02/2013

10 - 1865 (Omnilink)
5 - 4452 (ALX400)

About 20 years ago TWM extended the 3 (Binley - Holbrooks) to Bedworth via Smorrall Lane in one direction and to Binley Woods in the other.  It lasted about three years but wasn't a great success, partly because Midland Red South (as was) ran more frequently.

Something more recent and within Coventry...
NXC's 13 service (then every 12 mins) was removed from the Hillfields area due to SIW's service 86 (every 15 mins between City and Binley Woods).  Although the 86 is slightly less frequent the longer 13 route though Hillfields would offset that.
The 13 was changed to run direct into City and Hillfields got lumbered with a half hourly service 34 for a couple of years then a slightly better service 16A (every 20 mins) in the bus review last year.  Just shows how competition effects on areas where there isn't competition.

Isn't battling what they are currently doing between Coventry and Bedworth? OK both companies now continue to operate their traditional routes but as far as I'm concerned Coventry to Bedworth is now saturated with buses, yes I would love to see NXC extend to Nuneaton even if the extension bit was just half hourly at best and requires me to buy single fares or regional daysaver on top of already having a Coventry area bus pass.
You only have to look back about 15 years ago and the 48 was a 30 minute frequency and the 20 was a 15 minute frequency.
I've certainly squealed every time I've heard the 48 Cov-Nun day return fare price over the years. Is Bed-Nun any much cheaper?.
Think I would sooner travel Cov-Nun on the £4.60 off-peak rail service despite the rubbish hourly frequency.

I think NXC and SIW have a historical agreement with each other to no longer extend commercially into each others areas, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

[8.73]

OMG ;D, so what covered service 3A as there normally on the 3A or the 3

Now now, on a good day the 3 and 3A is currently two B6LE and two Mercs, it'll just be more Mercs if any B6LEs aren't used.

The reduction of spare parts stocking (mentioned in another thread) will hopefully get rid of those remaining two B6LE.

Whilst on the subject of service 3/3A, the timekeeping will obviously remain rubbish....

Route 2 is 13.1 miles in 1h:30m, an average of 8.73 mph.
Route 3 is 7.6 miles in 0h:45m, an average of 10.13 mph.
Route 3A is 14.4 miles in 1h:15m, an average of 11.52 mph.
Routes 3 and 3A combined is 22.0 miles in 2h:00m, an average of 11.00mph.

662 - B6LE on service 6A  ;D

National Express Coventry have mentioned today on their Facebook page...

"23 new buses this Spring and possibly some more before the end of the year"

If Fairfax Street is to remain open in one direction, Westbound would be best option for bus traffic, allowing stand V and the swimming baths bus stop to remain in use and minimise diversions, but traffic entering the city centre at White Street/Ring Road J2 will have to be restricted to bus station traffic only.

How will NXC Staff/Visitors private vehicles access the NXC car park, I don't think Centro will want them trundling through the bus station, NXC will have to open the gate at Ford Street I suppose. Taxis will also not be able to access the bus station taxi rank. ;D

Coach stands A to D, or at least B to D could remain in use if it is possible for coaches to perform U turn beside stand A :-\ , all depends on how much junction get blocked off I guess.

Quote from Coventry City Council...

Fairfax Street Public Realm/Heatline works  11/02/13 – 31/08/13
Works on Fairfax St commence 11th Feb 2013 for Culvert repair, followed by Heatline project works. Extensive disruption is expected to Fairfax Street whilst works are carried out.

The culvert runs underneath the Priory Street/Fairfax Street junction.

Looks like there's a bus gate/lane under construction on White St inbound underneath the ring road, running inbound via the outbound carriageway, now that sounds about normal for Coventry City Council.

The work on the red square isn't due to start until 24th April, but other roadworks being done first may close Fairfax Street from 4th Feb.  I suppose all the route changes will be classed as temporary diversions for the time being rather than a registered route change on VOSA.

The 18/18A/19 registration has a route and timetable alteration from 10th March, but wouldn't think it is connected with Pool Meadow.

No idea why is the 82 service remains subsidised but I would guess the "cheap" West Midlands fares plays a part in it, NX's legacy of a single fare being the same regardless of the passenger travelling 3 stages or 23 stages. When Central Connect/Blue Diamond came on the route their £2.50 return fare was not only less than NX's but also very cheap when you look at similar interurban routes from Coventry, De Courcey, who I guess are undercutting Stagecoach return fares by a few pence, say they currently charge £5.20 to Rugby and £6.20 to Nuneaton.
One time I rode a 194 (a B10L) towards Solihull and the bus was so rammed it drove past passengers waiting at Catherine-De-Barnes, not very good when it was just over an hour until the next bus.

The significant difference of course is the route taken and end to end journey time, the current 82 is only about 47 minutes end to end, the 192/194 was about 70 minutes.  In regard to usage I'm sure Centro will be looking at where people are getting on/off and seeing how many of the passengers could of used service 900 for their journeys.

I just wonder if running the 82 though Pickford Green Lane, Hockley Lane, Broad Lane and Hearsall Lane into Coventry is possible for this route, as that would cover the bits of Broad Lane without a bus service, the end of Broad Lane at Hearsall Common even has a bit of bus lane yet no normal bus service runs there at present, the route can also stop nearer to the Lower Precinct, retail market and Ikea in Coventry. It's actually less mileage overall due to the current silly Coventry bound routing at Millison's Wood.

They had a Trident on service 703/704 in the evening last night and last Saturday night.

Numerous examples in Coventry

-Norman Place Road, Coundon
-Browns Lane, Brownshill Green
-Goodman Way, Tanyard Farm
-Roseberry Avenue, Bell Green
-Jardine Crescent, Tile Hill North
-Station Avenue, Tile Hill South
-Winsford Avenue, Allesley Park
-Parkhill Drive, Allesley
-Broad Lane, Eastern Green (set to be replaced with a roundabout)
-Nunts Lane, Whitmore Park
-Ringwood Highway, Potters Green
-Oban Road, Longford
-Anderton Road, Victoria Farm
-Grayswood Avenue, Chapelfields (just a wide junction)
-Kingsbury Road, Coundon (just a wide junction)
-Canley Road, Canley Rail Station (flag is now marked rail replacement buses)
-Fenside Avenue, Stivichall (disused)
-Langbank Avenue, Ernesford Grange (disused)
-Droylsdon Park Road, Green Lane (disused)
-Almond Tree Avenue, Hall Green (disused)

Kynner Way, Binley is possibly one in the future at the under construction Warwickshire Shopping Park

Dwindling few in the Coventry district:

Woodshires Road, Longford - 20E - 13 feet.

Wolfe Road, Canley - 43/43A - 12 feet 3 - the replacement service 801 from 21st October will be avoiding this bridge I believe.

The doubled frequency for Cheylesmore, services 2/3/3A, was certainly welcomed at peak periods, but maybe excessive for less busy times of the day,
The service 2 timetable / running times are spot on but service 3 and 3A isn't so good, e.g. the 3 is one mile longer than the 2 for a CITY>Fenside>CITY journey yet just allocated the same running time, 45 minutes, so in reality we have regular lateness, bunching, etc, the 3 and 3A interwork during the core Mon-Sat daytime, drivers resetting blinds in the City Centre slowing things down further and often confusing for passengers when one is running late.  The numerous junctions and narrow roads of route 3A making it often take longer than timetabled, coupled with the recent wave of starter rate drivers, brilliant. Totally unfair where the every 15 minute number 2 service is quite reliable yet the half hourly spurs 3 and 3A is much less reliable.

Now I know the 3 and 3A was originally planned to run cross city to Hen Lane/Arena Tesco, but the Bendibus was chosen to work that instead, high capacity buses on a not so high capacity service, brilliant. So now we've got a stitched up service.

A possible solution.... An extension of 3 and 3A to Allesley Park in place of service 2, the reason for this is so buses would stay on the same routes during the core daytime, the large 3/3A loop in the City centre loop takes the best of 15 mins at busy periods and will be more suited for route 2 if it was truncated to run between CITY and Fenside.

Rant over?