Evergreen Coaches

[Pat]

There's no point extending the 53 to Chelmsley Wood when all of NX's services to Chelmsley Wood are more frequent and serve the same areas as the 53.

But to some, having a direct service from their street, rather than having to walk to the main road to catch an NX service is more attractive.  At the end of the day, tendered routes are such as they are socially necessary.  It gives passengers more choice where they can go, and extending may increase passenger numbers slightly.

[Solo1]

How busy is the 53 pre lockdown

[Adam 404]

But to some, having a direct service from their street, rather than having to walk to the main road to catch an NX service is more attractive.  At the end of the day, tendered routes are such as they are socially necessary.  It gives passengers more choice where they can go, and extending may increase passenger numbers slightly.

The 53 has 10 minutes turn around time. Even using the most direct route to Chelmsley Wood via Auckland Drive would take 10 minutes each way. Extending to Chelmsley would either result in the loss of a clockface headway, poor reliability, or extra cost of the introduction to a third vehicle to the PVR. The costs vs benefits of this are unlikely to improve the value for money that greatly and the cost of this extra vehicle wouldn't be covered.

[Busboy105]

How busy is the 53 pre lockdown

Not very busy. Usually see 1 or two people when it passes me at Heartlands. That isn't an indication of the whole route maybe it's busy at other points of the route.

[Solo1]

Wonder if they might reduce the 28A  service to hourly if not used tat much as I believe it contract ,& would save network West Midlands money

[DJ]

Wonder if they might reduce the 53  service to hourly if not used tat much as I believe it contract ,& would save network West Midlands money

It's already hourly...

[ellspurs]

I gather it is one of those services that is there to tick the boxes for serving certain areas. I've never seen more than three people on it, even when igo was running it.

[Solo1]

It's already hourly...

I meant 28A

[2206]

I meant 28A

28A is already hourly to Small Heath in the day when Evergreen run it.
Though it increases to half hourly when its operated by NX in the evenings as the full 28 (Small Heath - Old Oscott).

Also if kept as a single route, I think this looks like a nice idea for the 28A personally.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/52.4931109,-1.8181421/52.4977213,-1.8305363/52.4803313,-1.8328186/@52.4942118,-1.8268239,15z/data=!4m30!4m29!1m10!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8208825!2d52.4963236!3s0x4870bae78f55d42f:0x57917b636239a8dc!3m4!1m2!1d-1.828144!2d52.4954956!3s0x4870bae089a71d8f:0xf16085f788d08360!1m15!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8311617!2d52.4979278!3s0x4870badf8a3b2181:0x55e932d6d3134d43!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8332593!2d52.5004921!3s0x4870bb2094a89317:0x12907c6050e68db7!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8395059!2d52.4965417!3s0x4870bb2272afbd41:0x8c0c1702a6fa9b51!1m0!3e0

Rather than following the same route as NX 28 on the Alum Rock Road.

And would put a service at those stops on Drews Lane from when the 72 was taken off there. And people living on Sladefield Road/Ingleton Road getting a bus service, which I don't think have had one before. Might be more attractive, having a bus route down peoples streets. And looks like a nice route I think as well.

[Busboy105]

28A is already hourly to Small Heath in the day when Evergreen run it.
Though it increases to half hourly when its operated by NX in the evenings as the full 28 (Small Heath - Old Oscott).

Also if kept as a single route, I think this looks like a nice idea for the 28A personally.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/52.4931109,-1.8181421/52.4977213,-1.8305363/52.4803313,-1.8328186/@52.4942118,-1.8268239,15z/data=!4m30!4m29!1m10!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8208825!2d52.4963236!3s0x4870bae78f55d42f:0x57917b636239a8dc!3m4!1m2!1d-1.828144!2d52.4954956!3s0x4870bae089a71d8f:0xf16085f788d08360!1m15!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8311617!2d52.4979278!3s0x4870badf8a3b2181:0x55e932d6d3134d43!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8332593!2d52.5004921!3s0x4870bb2094a89317:0x12907c6050e68db7!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8395059!2d52.4965417!3s0x4870bb2272afbd41:0x8c0c1702a6fa9b51!1m0!3e0

Rather than following the same route as NX 28 on the Alum Rock Road.

And would put a service at those stops on Drews Lane from when the 72 was taken off there. And people living on Sladefield Road/Ingleton Road getting a bus service, which I don't think have had one before. Might be more attractive, having a bus route down peoples streets. And looks like a nice route I think as well.

So a Small Heath to Bromford route?

[Steveminor]

Turning there at fox & goose could be problematic

[2206]

So a Small Heath to Bromford route?

Small Heath to Ward End Park then Fox and Goose is what I thought of. Serving Ward End Park/Fire Station area and Drews Lane on the way instead of Alum Rock Road.

Though could go via Bromford on the way to Fox and Goose on top of that and replace 25 route maybe, but i'd think it would take a bit longer then?

Turning there at fox & goose could be problematic

Turning where? 25 does u turn on Washwood Heath Road to turn around, if that's what you mean? And i've seen PB Gemini turn there in the past as well. By Southern Road.

[ellspurs]

28A is already hourly to Small Heath in the day when Evergreen run it.
Though it increases to half hourly when its operated by NX in the evenings as the full 28 (Small Heath - Old Oscott).

Also if kept as a single route, I think this looks like a nice idea for the 28A personally.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/52.4931109,-1.8181421/52.4977213,-1.8305363/52.4803313,-1.8328186/@52.4942118,-1.8268239,15z/data=!4m30!4m29!1m10!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8208825!2d52.4963236!3s0x4870bae78f55d42f:0x57917b636239a8dc!3m4!1m2!1d-1.828144!2d52.4954956!3s0x4870bae089a71d8f:0xf16085f788d08360!1m15!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8311617!2d52.4979278!3s0x4870badf8a3b2181:0x55e932d6d3134d43!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8332593!2d52.5004921!3s0x4870bb2094a89317:0x12907c6050e68db7!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8395059!2d52.4965417!3s0x4870bb2272afbd41:0x8c0c1702a6fa9b51!1m0!3e0

Rather than following the same route as NX 28 on the Alum Rock Road.

And would put a service at those stops on Drews Lane from when the 72 was taken off there. And people living on Sladefield Road/Ingleton Road getting a bus service, which I don't think have had one before. Might be more attractive, having a bus route down peoples streets. And looks like a nice route I think as well.

I feel for the poor bus driver you'd be sending down Sladefield Road.

Turning there at fox & goose could be problematic

The old, old, old 98 used to do a u-turn at the junction of Washwood Heath Road/Southern Road. And if that wasn't desirable, you could right-turn onto Washwood Heath Road, left turn onto Alum Rock Road, left turn Burney Lane, left turn Stechford Lane. Or even send it down to terminate at Stechford Retail Park (when the roadworks are done).

[Stu]

I can't believe people are getting so worked up over a contracted service that hardly anyone uses, hence why it is contracted.

Does anyone here actually use the 28A? Or the 53 for that matter?

They are both tendered services so it will be up to TfWM to decide who ends up operating them, based on which operators bid for those contracts.

If Evergreen are unable to operate these services from January 2021 due to the outcome of this PI decision, the most likely outcome is that the services will pass to other operators 'as is' with no changes to route or timetable.

[2206]

The old, old, old 98 used to do a u-turn at the junction of Washwood Heath Road/Southern Road. And if that wasn't desirable, you could right-turn onto Washwood Heath Road, left turn onto Alum Rock Road, left turn Burney Lane, left turn Stechford Lane. Or even send it down to terminate at Stechford Retail Park (when the roadworks are done).

Roadworks are due to finish in December from what I remember, so should be possible. It going to Stechford Retail Park could be a good idea, to try and get new passengers onto the route as well.

Does anyone here actually use the 28A? Or the 53 for that matter?

I certainly would use it if it took the proposed route, one of the reasons I suggested it as well. Ward End Park - Heartlands/Small Heath sounds a useful link I think as well.