Topics

https://shrewsburybigtownplan.org/

Looking at the new plans for Shrewsbury, it mentions the park & ride and the proposals for it. 

Rural/out of town services will terminate at the park & ride sites, with passengers having to transfer onto p&r buses into the town centre.

This is an utterly stupid proposal, which will undoubtedly put people off using public transport and ultimately have a knock on effect on the town centre.  The people who've dreamt up this obviously never use buses. 

Noticed recently that Thandi and Diamond have started to use similar, if not the same, destination fonts as NX.  Is this another one of those AQPS rules that TfWM have dreamt up?

New thread for Chaserider.

Hi everyone

Does anyone happen to have a link to download Winscreen, the software used to program Brighttech equipment?

Thanks

Perhaps some of the drivers on here could share what sort of things they carry with them on their duty.  Are there certain things drivers need to carry?  Are there any things that drivers carry to make their job easier?  Please share!

If anyone here is on Twitter, there's a page 'World Cup of English Bus Routes' who are running a knockout competition for operators and routes around the country.  Today is the Midlands Independents rounds.  Each round is open for voting for 24 hrs.

Does anyone know any routes (all operators) that interwork?  I'll start off with some that I know of:

Arriva: Telford - 1&2, 5/A & 6, 8 & 297, 13 & 19, 113 & 114/5/6 Shrewsbury - 2 + 12 & 3A, 8 & 20, 23 & 26, 24 & 25, 64 & 164, 436 & 9, 544 & 546, 738 & 740
Banga: 52 & 53 (some 545 journeys interwork around lunchtime to allow for driver breaks on 52/53)
Diamond: 16 & 16W, 30 & 74A, 42 & 43, 68A & 68C,
NX - WN 15 & 16

Thought I'd start a thread to share favourite routes and why across the Midlands (moderators, please excuse me if there is already a thread for this).  Some of my favourites:

16 (Stourbridge - Wolverhampton) - Nice to transition from built up areas to the countryside and narrow lanes

64/164 (Shrewsbury to Market Drayton & Hanley) - Navigating little country lanes round Hodnet and Ashley make the route rather interesting at times.  Mostly cummins versas on here also.

436 (Bridgnorth - Shrewsbury) - Scenic romp across Shropshire.  Much Wenlock includes a reverse turn to make the route a bit more interesting.  The allocation of cummins versas on the route makes it better.  The drivers like to give it the beans on the A458!

891 (Wolverhampton - Telford) - My local route so has to be on here!

Does anyone know what the busiest/most profitable routes across the midlands are (including all operators).

I've thought about withdrawing the 4 and upping the frequency of the 4H/M.  The 4 has always seemed a pretty pointless route to me.

From the 1st of September 2019, Arriva will make some changes to the Telford network.

4 Madeley - Woodside - Telford - Wellington - Princess Royal Hospital – Leegomery: The timetable is being revised slightly to ensure that all early morning  journeys will start from the stop located by the Forester's Arms in Madeley.

5/5a Telford - Donnington - Muxton - Newport – Stafford: There will be some amendments to the timetable to improve punctuality and a number of early morning and evening journeys are being withdrawn to better match the demand we receive:
The 0540 Telford – Stafford will commence from Newport at 0630 (Mondays – Fridays)
The 0630 Telford – Stafford will depart at 0640 and will operate 10 minutes later throughout (Mondays – Fridays)
The 0810 Telford – Stafford will commence from Newport at 0850 (Sundays)
The 1810 Donnington – Telford will be withdrawn (Mondays – Saturdays)
The 1825 Stafford – Telford will depart Stafford at 1845 (Mondays – Saturdays)
The 1840 Donnington – Telford will be withdrawn (Mondays – Fridays
The 1855 Stafford – Telford will be withdrawn (Mondays – Saturdays)
The 2010 Telford – Stafford will terminate at Newport (Mondays – Saturdays)
The 2135 Stafford – Telford will be withdrawn (Mondays – Saturdays)
The 2210 Telford – Newport will be withdrawn (Mondays – Saturdays)

7 Telford - Donnington - Trench - Hadley - Wellington: A revised timetable will result in an increased frequency on Mondays to Fridays between Wellington and Telford with up to three buses an hour.

7a Newport - Muxton - Donnington - Trench - Hadley – Wellington: This route will replace route 897 to provide one morning peak journey from Newport and Muxton to Telford College and Wellington on College Days only, with the return journey in the afternoon peak. The 897 will be withdrawn.

11/11a Telford - Lawley - Wrekin Retail Park - Arleston – Wellington: The frequency of this route is being reduced to hourly, however, as a direct result of feedback from customers in Lawley, the service is being extended to serve Wrekin Retail Park (for Tesco) and Wellington, with connections on route 15 at Wellington Bus Station to the Princess Royal Hospital. The route will also start serving the new housing on Bryce Way and Proctor Avenue, provide better commuter links to Telford Central railway station at peak times of day on Monday to Friday, and offer a quicker and more efficient link between Telford and Arleston.

13 Telford - Overdale - Ketley Bank – Wellington: The 1710 journey from Telford to Ketley Bank on Mondays to Saturdays will depart at 1715 and will operate 5 minutes later throughout.

15 Telford - Hadley - Priness Royal Hospital - Shawbirch - Admaston – Wellington: The section of route between Wellington and Arleston will be replaced by route 11 operating up to every 60 minutes on Mondays to Saturdays, and offering a quicker and more efficient link between Telford and Arleston.

16 Telford - Wellington - Shawbirch - Roden - High Ercall: At the request of Charlton School following their recent decision to alter timings for the school day, we will be revising the timetable slightly. Going forwards, the 1530 journey from Charlton School (on Schooldays) will depart at 1520 and will operate 10 minutes earlier. The 1538 journeys from Wellington on non-schooldays and Saturdays will depart at 1528 and will operate 10 minutes earlier.

19 Telford - Lawley - Lightmoor - Ironbridge - Athcham – Shrewsbury: All journeys are being diverted to serve the new housing on Bryce Way and Proctor Avenue in Lawley.

x4 Telford - Lawley - Wellington – Shrewsbury: All journeys on route x4 will be diverted to operate through Lawley.

Tesco Free Bus: The provision of a free bus is being withdrawn by Tesco, so this route will cease to operate. A replacement service to Wrekin Retail Park and Tesco will be provided on route 11 with buses up to every 60 minutes between Telford and Wellington on Mondays to Saturdays.

On looking at the proposed West Dudley network changes, I can't help but feel that these changes are needless and would just cause reliability issues e.t.c.  Can anyone else think of a network/route that has been changed and has resulted in the service becoming worse?

I have seen some operators who don't issue drivers with a company uniform. Personally, I think this gives an unprofessional appearance to customers. What are people's views on this?