A34 and A45 Sprint routes will run 'cross-city'

[Stu]

Birmingham Mail today reports that the two new Sprint routes along the A34 to Walsall and along the A45 to Birmingham Airport and Solihull are to be combined into a new cross-city service.

The new cross city bus route to run from airport to city centre in time for Commonwealth Games
"New Sprint route along A34 and A45 will mean passengers can travel from airport and Solihull direct to Perry Barr and Walsall by bus":
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/new-cross-city-bus-route-17710393

A new £88m cross-city bus route along the A34 and A45 from Birmingham Airport through the city centre to Perry Barr will be up and running in time to ferry thousands of visitors to the Commonwealth Games.

Uninterrupted Sprint bus services will operate from summer 2022 along dedicated bus lanes with priority signalling to fast-track visitors and commuters stopping at key locations between the airport and Walsall and Solihull to Walsall.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board will be asked next week to approve the £88 million needed to deliver the services in time for the Games in 2022.

Alexander Stadium, which will host the athletics and key events at the Games in 2022, will be one of the route destinations, along with the NEC entertainment complex.

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) said the service will be zero-emission with priority signals and extended bus lanes, along with "a swift boarding experience" to improve journey times and reliability.

This is an interesting development, as I was under the impression that the three proposed Sprint routes would all be seperate.

The other part of this that I found interesting is this:

The proposed operator, yet to be unveiled, has indicated it will cover the full cost of the vehicles.

Again, I was under the impression that the WMCA would be buying the vehicles, and then contracting an operator to run the services.

It says that the operator is 'yet to be unveiled' but it doesn't take a genius to work out who this might end up being. To be honest, I can't see any other local operator such as Diamond/Rotala having the finances to cover the costs of buying these Sprint vehicles, and we've already seen from the plans for the new NX bus depot in Perry Barr that parking spaces have been allocated for Sprint vehicles.

[monkeyjoe]

Does that mean the 94 might get cast off Platinums by that time then ? ;)

[Stu]

Does that mean the 94 might get cast off Platinums by that time then ? ;)

Even with Sprint buses running through east Birmingham, I'm sure you'll still be complaining about 'lack of investment' in that area, before the Platinum cast-offs arrive.  ;)

[2206]

Even with Sprint buses running through east Birmingham, I'm sure you'll still be complaining about 'lack of investment' in that area, before the Platinum cast-offs arrive.  ;)

The present X1/X2 on that corridor have hardly seen a lack of investment @Stu.

Don't see any plans for these sprint buses on the Alum Rock Road, or Washwood Heath Road corridors, which serve completely different areas to the X1/X2.

[Tony]

Even with Sprint buses running through east Birmingham, I'm sure you'll still be complaining about 'lack of investment' in that area, before the Platinum cast-offs arrive.  ;)

The only garage in East Birmingham (AG) now has an allocation of 90 MMCs (Buses from 2015 or newer) More than any other garage, including the much bigger BC, CV & WN

[2206]

The only garage in East Birmingham (AG)

BY is in East Birmingham.

[Tony]

BY is in East Birmingham.

PB; BC & YW are all East of centre, but Bordesley within the Inner Circle is hardly East Birmingham

[2206]

PB; BC & YW are all East of centre, but Bordesley within the Inner Circle is hardly East Birmingham

Would never have considered PB or YW to be in the East of Birmingham City Centre. PB is in North Birmingham,
Think BY is in the East of the City, certainly more than either PB or YW are. Equally Acocks Green is South East.

[Stu]

The present X1/X2 on that corridor have hardly seen a lack of investment @Stu.

Don't see any plans for these sprint buses on the Alum Rock Road, or Washwood Heath Road corridors, which serve completely different areas to the X1/X2.

Yes, I'm fully aware of that, but Mr monkeyjoe's constant assertion is that 'East Birmingham gets no investment', to which I was making a sarcastic/facetious/humourous remark, as both the X1 and X2 do also run through East Birmingham (as will this new Sprint route, eventually)  ;)

Would never have considered PB or YW to be in the East of Birmingham City Centre. PB is in North Birmingham,
Think BY is in the East of the City, certainly more than either PB or YW are. Equally Acocks Green is South East.

You're arguing over semantics really, and deflecting away from the point of this topic, which is the interesting revelation that these two proposed new Sprint routes are to be combined into one cross-city service.

[Tony]

Somehow I would be very surprised if these Sprint buses came close to how good Bordesley's Scanias are. 45 out of 49 out each day and still they manage to regularly loan buses to other garages.

And before the moans about the 55 being single deck start, remember these sprint buses will be single deck with approximately 43 seats (sound familiar)

[ellspurs]

We just need to change the references of East Birmingham to North Solihull. Still the same buses, but less ambiguity.

Interestingly, the report which is on the Agenda for this board meeting ( ) mentions a number of bus services that are going to benefit from the enhancements that Sprint will bring to bus priority (on page 6). The X1 and X2 aren't mentioned although surely they'd be one of the main benefactors.

[monkeyjoe]

We just need to change the references of East Birmingham to North Solihull. Still the same buses, but less ambiguity.

Interestingly, the report which is on the Agenda for this board meeting ( ) mentions a number of bus services that are going to benefit from the enhancements that Sprint will bring to bus priority (on page 6). The X1 and X2 aren't mentioned although surely they'd be one of the main benefactors.

I agree with that, my observations I tend to quote ex lea hall. X1/x2 was never run by Lea hall. Acocks green apart from the x12 brings no benefit to the routes I make observations about.

[Busboy105]

I don't know what to think about this to be honest. Solihull and Walsall are well served by the 51, X1, X2 and the X51 and considering the traffic hotspots that the route will go through, I don't see the point in it.

[winston]

And before the moans about the 55 being single deck start, remember these sprint buses will be single deck with approximately 43 seats (sound familiar)

Those sound vaguely familiar, but rather than NX livery, they now sport Coca Cola instead......

[don]

As these will be zero emission vehicles, I'm presuming they'll be a ADL BYD type buses or something similar? As they will be single deckers, I presume they will need to be on a high frequency to give sufficient capacity, so a lot of them, and as @Winston has said, in CG sponsorship liveries - or at least a basic CG livery.

The 94 and 55 route corridor (which @monkeyjoe refers to) is largely along what used to be the A47 (buses from WH and LH) but A45 really does go due east as well. I agree with @Tony that Bordesley depot is a bit close in to be east Birmingham, but of course Heartlands Hospital (in Bordesley Green but a bit further out) used to be called East Birmingham Hospital - so Bordesley Green is also an east Birmingham corridor (97 route - with old buses.....).

(Imagine the shenanigans in this thread if Richardjonesetcetc had still been around 😯)