Dudley Network Review

[Mike K]

Personally, I disagree. Why would anyone use the 126 end to end when the Midland Metro is so much quicker (I know its not going all the way to Wolverhampton at the minute due to tram track works, but it should be back in Wolverhampton in January 2018), there is the train as well which is even quicker.
Agreed.

I doubt that anyone would use it fully end to end when the Metro or train is much quicker but it's also all the intermediate places coming out of Wolverhampton and out towards Dudley that would lose their link - Parkfields, Coseley etc, etc. Having said that, on the (albeit infrequent) occasions I've used the 126, it does pretty much empty in Dudley and a whole new set of people get on there.

[Dom]

I doubt that anyone would use it fully end to end when the Metro or train is much quicker but it's also all the intermediate places coming out of Wolverhampton and out towards Dudley that would lose their link - Parkfields, Coseley etc, etc. Having said that, on the (albeit infrequent) occasions I've used the 126, it does pretty much empty in Dudley and a whole new set of people get on there.

But people do still use it through, the 125 and 126 suggestion I think would be brilliant if the 126 was every 10 but limited stop and the 125 every 15-20.

On note of the metro, People would catch the bus because quite frankly it's cheaper! Plus would NX want to cut their only line to Birmingham and lose passengers (and revenue) to the metro, which don't
Forget NX won't operate on from next year.

[Westy]

They could introduce another route between Wolves & Brum & still cut the 126 in half.

Maybe bring back a version of the 979, if they wanted to compete with the Metro?

[Lukeee]

They could introduce another route between Wolves & Brum & still cut the 126 in half.

Maybe bring back a version of the 979, if they wanted to compete with the Metro?

Would have to miss Soho road out to have any hope of being an express route

[j789]

Would have to miss Soho road out to have any hope of being an express route

You could have an Express 979 or similar run along the A34 to Perry Barr using the flyovers etc and then limited stop go via the A4040 Church Lane (as the 11) + then continue along Oxhill Road and Sandwell Road to get onto the A41 near the WBA ground. At least this would miss the worst of Soho Road traffic and also give that stretch of the A4040 up to Perry Barr a City service. It could also then use the bypass from the M5 J1 into West Brom and beyond. That would surely be a quicker route between Birmingham and West Brom than any current route at present so could possibly work.

An issue would be during West Brom home games as that always delays things round there.

[Justin Tyme]

Would be surprised if the 126 was split as that would be Wolves depot last remaining link with Brum.

(In fact historically isnt that one of the few services from the Midland Red days still going largely unchanged route wise?)

The 126 is indeed one of the few ex-Midland Red services still largely unchanged, and in fact it has been largely unchanged since it started back in 1952.  However, other services have an even longer history.

The 120 and 140 (also ex-Midland Red services) have had those numbers since 1928.  The 140 has been basically in its current form since 1939, when its Dudley - Gornal Wood section was taken away, and the 120 since 1953, when it was rerouted via Oakham instead of the New Road.

The 74 and 87 have used those numbers since Birmingham Corporation tramway days - the 74 since 1924, the 87 since 1928 (although bus service 87 was numbered B87 from 1939 to 1968).

In 1974, the bus services between Birmingham and Dudley were the 74, 87, 120, 125, 126 and 140.  It isn't much different now!

[Kevin]

In my opinion, if there has to be services through Dudley and / or Merry Hill they should only be winding local routes on one side and more direct on the other.

For example, the 81 in order to be more useful to those north of Dudley should be more direct (perhaps alongside an extended 82 but I realise that's unlikely), and a more direct 276 could be more attractive to people from the Lye / Pedmore area if it went more direct to Dudley, with the rest of the route separate

Regarding the 126, I would suggest it stays as a through route but express Brum - Dudley, with another route (perhaps via Warley instead of Hagley Road) taking up all the stops on the Wolverhampton Road.

I like the proposal of an Express Dudley Road route but fear where it'd go beyond Oldbury, as I personally think flagship routes like Expresses shouldn't then go on to become winding local routes beyond, kind of defeats the object

[DJ]

I don't think there's any issue with the 126 between Dudley and Wolverhampton right now, even travelling at peak times, they still run okay. You do get traffic, but it's nothing that bad and they don't tend to bunch up either. However, I'm not sure if this has any knock on effect on the route between Dudley and Birmingham or not, so if splitting the route at Dudley means that it's more reliable at the other end, then I can't say I'm against it. It would be sad to see Wolverhampton lose it's bus link to Birmingham though, so I would say that the 79 should be extended back to Birmingham if this happens, especially since NX won't be running the Metro next year. It could even replace the 74 between West Bromwich and Birmingham, if that route is split in half.

[Steve3229vp]

Okay, get ready to shoot me down in flames, here are my suggestions for routes mainly in and out of Birmingham for the Dudley review:
15 Birmingham to West Bromwich (via 74 route) to run in City Centre the same as 16.
X11 as route X10 then as 140 to Dudley. 140/241 withdrawn, X10 and X11 to run every 15 minutes each to combine an express service from City to Quinton (every 7-8 minutes), much better than the stupid sprint idea.
9 and 126 every 10 minutes each combining every 5 minutes from City to Hagley Road (the 9 already runs every 10 minutes on Saturdays).
74 Dudley to West Bromwich only. (74 and new 15 to use adjacent bus stops at West Bromwich bus station to make it easier to swap buses.

[Sh4318]

Okay, get ready to shoot me down in flames, here are my suggestions for routes mainly in and out of Birmingham for the Dudley review:
15 Birmingham to West Bromwich (via 74 route) to run in City Centre the same as 16.
X11 as route X10 then as 140 to Dudley. 140/241 withdrawn, X10 and X11 to run every 15 minutes each to combine an express service from City to Quinton (every 7-8 minutes), much better than the stupid sprint idea.
9 and 126 every 10 minutes each combining every 5 minutes from City to Hagley Road (the 9 already runs every 10 minutes on Saturdays).
74 Dudley to West Bromwich only. (74 and new 15 to use adjacent bus stops at West Bromwich bus station to make it easier to swap buses.

I actually like that idea. Very much so. Can't see the X10 & the express 140 replacement (if it happens) being every 15 minutes though, especially with the 4M being every 20

[CL]

I'll admit, I'm not the greatest supporter for the idea of having the 74 being split up. People don't like change, but they'll adjust. :(

[Dom]

I'll admit, I'm not the greatest supporter for the idea of having the 74 being split up. People don't like change, but they'll adjust. :(

I actually believe it will be a very positive change for the route, means both sections would be more reliable.

[2206]

I actually believe it will be a very positive change for the route, means both sections would be more reliable.

I agree.

[Kevin]

I actually like that idea. Very much so. Can't see the X10 & the express 140 replacement (if it happens) being every 15 minutes though, especially with the 4M being every 20

You say that. I'd say the 4M would support a 15 mins frequency

[Stuharris 6360]

The one idea they don't appear to have come up with is splitting the 9, the route between Halesowen and Birmingham is a lot busier than the Stourbridge - Halesowen part.