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https://bustimes.org/registrations/PD0001374/62

I'm confused about this, the 22N hasn't operated for years but has only now been cancelled. I see it was "withdrawn" in 2007 but cancelled July 2023. Can registrations stay technically 'active' so they can be reinstated in the future, or is this perhaps a tidy-up since registrations wholly within the West Midlands are now handled by WMCA?

A more amusing theory, they forgot to cancel it and just realised 😂😂😂

The 581 has also been "cancelled" despite not operating for a long time
https://bustimes.org/registrations/PD0001374/38

Looks like the drivers are struggling on the 46. I think there's a closure on Redhill Rd which doesn't help, so diverting around it is probably difficult as they don't know the area well.

https://bustimes.org/services/46-kings-heath-qe-hospital/vehicles?date=2023-01-04#journeys/362076320

Yeah hopefully, even the Diamond website shows the new route. It looks like the Optare Solo broke down on the very first trip too! Not off to a great start lol   

Looks like Diamond isn't operating the new route of the 61 correctly. Seems to have missed Halfords Ln, Dartmouth Rd etc. Do we think this is a training issue?

https://bustimes.org/services/61-handsworth-perry-barr-via-handsworth-park-2/vehicles?date=2023-01-03#journeys/361433725

I must admit, it is a real shame that we've now lost the link to Worcester from Halesowen. It also seems rather silly to only go as far as Catshill, makes more sense to extend to Catshill. I would imagine its probably a funding issue.

Its a shame that Worcestershire CC couldn't have subsidised the existing First 147 service between Halesowen and Catshill, therefore allowing the commercial link to Worcester to continue - bearing in mind that this is more or less the same as the 144A until Catshill.

I have a feeling the 147 may end up being curtailed to only operate between Romsley and Halesowen, or something along those lines.  :-\

[only between Halesowen and Catshill]

http://m.worcesternews.co.uk/news/14382461.Lifeline_147_bus_service_given_stay_of_execution_as_Romsley_rebels_over_axing/?ref=fbshr

Ah... so it seems it's not exactly been saved. After looking on Traveline, I can see the Worcestershire County Council Fleet Services will be running the 147, but only between Halesowen and Catshill around every 2 hours. The link beyond Catshill into Bromsgrove and on to Worcester has unfortunately been lost.

I was rather hoping that Worcestershire CC would subsidise First on the Halesowen to Catshill section and retain the link to Worcester.  :-\

http://www.travelinemidlands.co.uk/wmtis/XSLT_TTB_REQUEST?language=en&command=direct&net=twm&line=09147&sup=A&itdLPxx_direction=H&project=y11&outputFormat=0&itdLPxx_displayHeader=false&itdLPxx_sessionID=CEN_EFA03_2299188833&lineVer=1&itdLPxx_spTr=1&itdLPxx_operatorCodeForTTB=WCS

Romsley protesting at First cutting the 147 without replacement:
http://www.bromsgroveadvertiser.co.uk/news/14344246.Village_protests_cut_in_bus_service/

It sounds as though most of the residents of Romsley (478 signatures) have signed, I wonder how many of those actually use the bus service???

I've signed this, I'll try and get others to sign too. Probably won't affect First's decision though, this will probably require input from Worcestershire County Council... or Centro?

Centro probably won't be interested, they don't seem to fund much if anything leaving the West Midlands boundary, yet other councils manage to fund services leaving their boundaries  :-\

I must admit, the 11A/C branding is looking nice! Glad to see them branded again.

Now all we need is some new buses for it  :P

I really don't get the Scania bashing, they are better built buses than any ADL ENVIRO 200, MERCEDES 0405N , MK 2 WRIGHTBUS B7RLE , IMO
Yes there's is lot of plastic but it's of a better quality than mercs and enviro 200s , the fit and finish in most areas is better. The bin is an after thought  as usual.
From passenger point of view they,ve always been smooth and quiet, as for rear seating the seats facing forwards is  no worse than merc.

The only things I don't like about the Scania buses is; as mentioned above, there's a lot of bulky plastic on the inside. Also, there's a lot of bulkiness on the outer body.

The bus - in my eyes - is basically a very bulky bus, seems more suited to the United States than the UK  :D

Although, you can't fault the smoothness, very smooth ride, I can't say anything against that.

Seen a notice in the garage 127 route to city amended in blackheath town centre , after making the sainsbury stop it will come round to the big island in the town and  turn right to make the market stop on long lane, 127 will not serve Barclay bank stop. Really is last second.com

According to the timetable and map on Network West Midlands, it doesn't even serve Sainsbury's any more; it seems to just omits this stop completely...

I'm guessing this change is to coordinate with the 129, but surely if they want to do this with the 129, what was the difference with the 53 apart from the number??

This is really going to throw a lot of people off for the next few days.

But does that really excuse the lack of information?
Does it actually mean they couldn't register the other bits of the route and the associated other routes that are affected ie the 48?

I'm guessing not, probably due to interworkings with other services entering Birmingham.

However, I agree with the lack of information. The example mentioned earlier with people letting the 48 drive past due to being unaware of the change backs this up; earlier and more detailed notices on the buses (and major bus stops) would make a lot more people aware of the changes (even if the flags remained outdated).

Maybe they could have arranged the other changes (outside Birmingham) for a later date; this would prevent the confusion and last minute public notices, caused by the uncertainty of required changes in Birmingham around Paradise Circus.

Others may disagree here, this is just my opinion.

From what I can see from my window, I'm going to enjoy the vehicle allocation of the 50A/C a lot more than the actual route itself. I've saw one ALX, one Gemini and heard what sounded like a 47** Enviro on there so far

Ah, so its another one of those routes where they don't put priority on the vehicles used. They'll probably use the oldest possible buses and fall back onto other buses such as the Enviro 400 when needed.

It was very much like this with PN 53, very low priority for 'good' vehicles, if you like.

I was travelling back from Northfield this morning on the 48 and while going down Black Haynes Road (the 'old' 29 route), on 3 separate occasions there was passengers at the separate stops that just allowed the bus to go past while obviously oblivious to the fact that the bus they are used to, and still expecting to turn up, never will! I did mention this to the driver when I got off, he simply replied "everyone's confused".

I would of expected (given the lack of changes to timetables and flags) the driver of the service in question to stop the bus and explain to those individuals waiting that the 48 is now the only service to serve the road and advise what would be best to do - this didn't happen and I can only presume those in question had a fairly long wait before realising something wasn't adding up. Instances like this simply can not be justified, the failure to get flags and timetables changed is inexcusable.

Similarly, there are going to be people waiting for the 53 on roads that have been omitted from the 50A/C; they will be oblivious to the changes (with flags remaining unchanged and timetables being incorrectly labelled as still being valid from 15th November)

Passengers will be waiting for quite a while before they realise anything is amiss - especially the many elderly passengers who I have seen on the route who most likely have no Internet access and will be reliant on the very few and very late paper notices placed on the buses themselves.

This is not really acceptable - if not in a legal sense, then definitely in a moral and ethical sense!

Lol.
Don't be silly this isn't the first time they've left it late to inform the travelling public and sure as hell won't be the last.
Really makes them look stupid

Haha, its kind of like they don't want to give people people time to complain before it can be cancelled  :D

Just wondering when these rumours of the 29 going double decker are meant to materialise? Hopefully thid will be sooner rather than later as it'stands becomong a bit of a joke during the mornings. Also, just to note, i heard three separate conversations that centred around the confusion over the 29A/48 changes this morning - no flags have been changed, no timetables updated and nothing on the bus! Apologies if this has been discussed elsewhere on the forum.

I went on the new route of the 48 yesterday and saw double deckers (including at least one hybrid) on the 29; this may only apply to Sunday for the time being due to fewer buses being in use at this time, although I could be wrong.

I agree that next to no flags have been changed, let alone timetables!  ::)

I was at the starting point of the 48 yesterday (Northfield, Lockwood Rd), the flags still say 29/29A and there are no timetables for the 48; the average member of the public may be quite shocked to see a bus with the front reading "48 West Bromwich" all of a sudden.