New 116 timetable...

[nx4737]

Noticed a poster in Tamworth this morning for the new 116 timetable, I don't know what Arriva are thinking, but it's a mess, no consistency what so ever...  Are they trying to undo all the work they've done building the service up?

[andy]

Noticed a poster in Tamworth this morning for the new 116 timetable, I don't know what Arriva are thinking, but it's a mess, no consistency what so ever...  Are they trying to undo all the work they've done building the service up?

I think there's an error on the document, the Birmingham to Tamworth half is not updated

[D10]

Yeah see what you are saying, it really needs a clockface timetable on journeys from Tamworth, and they haven't done that!

[andy]

Yeah see what you are saying, it really needs a clockface timetable on journeys from Tamworth, and they haven't done that!

Clockface timetables are not always possible. This will be a result of having to change interworking for the 116 as it was interworking with the 112. The 116 is not what it used to be at Tamworth in terms of revenue so it is obviously getting fitted in around more lucrative workings unfortunately.

[Kevin]

Bloody hell that is a mess aint it?
Strange though that the 115 still has clockface departures

[sonic84]

Didn't Johnsons do a similar thing with the X50 at one point.  I really don't like it as it means passengers either need to have a timetable with them, or know the timings exactly.

[nx4737]

Sorry, thought I posted this in the Arriva forum?  :o

I know the 115 can be a bit hit and miss, load wise, but it's not too bad, most Birmingham - Tamworth journeys are usually full!

[andy]

Sorry, thought I posted this in the Arriva forum?  :o

I know the 115 can be a bit hit and miss, load wise, but it's not too bad, most Birmingham - Tamworth journeys are usually full!

Not what it was though. The 116 never recovered from when Arriva messed about with it in 2003 when they changed it from a straightforward half hourly frequency to a 116 hourly and 115 hourly which went all round the villages and straight down Tyburn Road. It was a disaster and they lost a hell of a lot of traffic from Tamworth and Kingsbury into Birmingham because people didn't want to go sightseeing in North Warwickshire on their way to work.

Having finally realised their error they curtailed the 115 but didn't restore the 116 to its previous form because Warwickshire came along with the County Links money and put on the 767 to the Airport. When they made their cuts and took this off, the corridor was left to the mercy of Arriva's commercial services.

This corridor used to be so lucrative compared to what it is now. Not helped by Arriva having slotted the 116 in right behind the 914 on almost every trip into Birmingham. It actually used to pick up a hell of a lot of passengers between Minworth and Birmingham before they did that and cut the frequency.

Classic mismanagement of a service that really used to work, and pay.

[Kevin]

That bit "round the back and beyond" to Hurley always makes me wonder why they dont just have a local service from Tamworth for those villages, and leave the Birmingham (and if necessary, Coleshill and Airport) services to have a relatively straight, and therefore much quicker, run through

[andy]

That bit "round the back and beyond" to Hurley always makes me wonder why they dont just have a local service from Tamworth for those villages, and leave the Birmingham (and if necessary, Coleshill and Airport) services to have a relatively straight, and therefore much quicker, run through

The simple answer to that is they did!

116 was Tamworth - Kingsbury - Birmingham direct
115 was the old 789 Tamworth - Kingsbury - Hurley, which became subsidised when WCC were throwing the County Links money about
767 was Tamworth - Kingsbury - Hams Hall - Coleshill - Airport
117 was Tamworth - Fazeley - Kingsbury

At most times of the day there was at least a 20 minute frequency, needed as the 115 would often be three quarters full before it even got to Kingsbury on it's way back to Tamworth and would often have to leave passengers from Dosthill onwards.

When the bubble finally burst at Rugby and they trashed the Airport network, they paid Arriva to run the 115 onwards from Hurley to cover the withdrawn section of 767 between Kingsbury and Coleshill. Sounds like a great idea until you realise that any passengers wanting Hams Hall or Coleshill from Tamworth, Dosthill or Kingsbury (and at one stage there were plenty) now have to undertake the North Warwickshire tour....and guess what...they don't bother!

A classic case of a local authority spending lots of money to maintain links in such a convoluted way that in the end they are no use to anyone...and then what will they do? Tell you that nobody is using it and withdraw the funding!

Arriva meanwhile are happy to kick back and take the money whilst blaming the poor offering they provide on the council's changes!

At one stage the Tamworth to Kingsbury and Hurley corridor was one of the most profitable and frequent at the garage, now it is a shadow and the passengers gave up long ago.

Anybody who is familiar with WCC's antics in local bus service provision in the Northern area of the county will not be surprised by the current state of affairs.

[nx4737]

I agree about it not being what it was, I remember deckers carrying full loads on the 116...