(https://www.wmca.org.uk/media/b0qmfujo/1695039403570-1c921cc4-8d48-4b6b-a5ea-c0f73f4e2512_1.jpg)
Quote from: Owen on September 25, 2023, 08:34:30 PM(https://www.wmca.org.uk/media/b0qmfujo/1695039403570-1c921cc4-8d48-4b6b-a5ea-c0f73f4e2512_1.jpg)
Looks as if the 62 is making a comeback. Likely this orderly sequences 61/2/3 will remain the service numbers? I think so. This will probably replace the 20A imo.
Personally I'm not a fan of cross city routes as I feel like they don't work so well. But combining the 74 with the 97 is the worst idea imo.
Quote from: GoldenSquid on September 26, 2023, 01:48:32 PMPersonally I'm not a fan of cross city routes as I feel like they don't work so well. But combining the 74 with the 97 is the worst idea imo.
I can imagine the vandalism due to stuff like postcode wars. Etchings in the window getting scratched over and over again.
I don't think any amount of money will be able to solve issues with parked cars, some drivers are insufferable on these routes. Some roads aren't big enough for bus lanes regardless. I think they should use that money to connect skeleton corridors, destination with beneficial links, bus lanes (fast travel).
Quote from: GoldenSquid on September 26, 2023, 01:48:32 PMPersonally I'm not a fan of cross city routes as I feel like they don't work so well. But combining the 74 with the 97 is the worst idea imo.
Agreed. Both services suffer with congestion and timekeeping is awful as a result. Combining them will just make matters worse.
I feel like routes with bus lanes (or room for bus lanes) would work fine. 63&67, sounds reasonable.
Quote from: Rachvince53 on September 26, 2023, 03:51:27 PMAgreed. Both services suffer with congestion and timekeeping is awful as a result. Combining them will just make matters worse.
Some of these cross-city routes are some years away from happening, because of works that will need to be done in order to install bus lanes and priority measures, as is being done along the 50 and 82/87 corridors at present.
Indicative timescales can be found from page 33 onwards in the following document available to download from the TfWM website:
https://www.tfwm.org.uk/media/zuhdzhqk/wm-enhanced-partnership-v002-v7-6-final.pdf
The 50/82/87 cross city service isn't expected to be operational until December 2024, with others not until 2026.
It's all in the infrastructure. Proper bus lanes and priority at lights similar to the A45/Small Heath ASDA junction coming out of City.
I've driven the "Metrobus" in Bristol, which is a cross city service (North to South). And the majority of it is bus lanes, and it works. The other thing is Dual Door vehicles. They don't seem to be favoured out of London, but for a project like this they are far superior than conventional single door vehicles. The third thing they've done in Bristol is made the Metrobus cashless. Tap&Go and QR code multi use tickets. Loading and unloading is very quick. By having dual door vehicles, you find that passengers don't hang around the bottom of the stairs blocking passengers boarding, because the exit door is further back.
So is the washwood heath ie 23 - 94 actually happening because the latest road of consultations is only asking about 3 options ?
Ie the soho rd / Dudley rd / Sutton routes. Couldn't paste the link but is on goggle etc.
https://www.wmca.org.uk/news/public-consultation-launched-over-bus-route-improvements-across-birmingham/
Quote from: monkeyjoe on September 28, 2024, 04:47:42 AMSo is the washwood heath ie 23 - 94 actually happening because the latest road of consultations is only asking about 3 options ?
Ie the soho rd / Dudley rd / Sutton routes. Couldn't paste the link but is on goggle etc.
https://www.wmca.org.uk/news/public-consultation-launched-over-bus-route-improvements-across-birmingham/
I think that as they're already putting the bus lanes in, the 23-94 one is slightly further along than the Sutton one.
One of the Sutton proposals has them putting a bus lane on the Aston Expressway (I think at the Gravelly Hill end).
I got inundated with adverts on instagram for it, randomly.
Omg a bus lane on the Aston expressway heard it all now.
Quote from: monkeyjoe on September 28, 2024, 10:35:28 AMOmg a bus lane on the Aston expressway heard it all now.
Nothing wrong with that on the exit slip road to Gravelly Hill, actually sounds sensibly
Personally I don't think cross city routes will work, even with the bus lanes. As if there is one issue at one terminus, or one side of the route, then the other side will be screwed.
To make cross city routes work properly you would need buses on stand by in the city centre (yes I know that's expensive) to plug large gaps which will appear on either side of the City
They want to put the bus lanes back in on part of the Tyburn Road, but this time create a new lane from the central reservation so there are still two lanes of traffic. I don't remember the original bus lanes lasting that long because of congestion caused by the m6 smart motorway works.
Quote from: GoldenSquid on September 28, 2024, 11:35:56 AMPersonally I don't think cross city routes will work, even with the bus lanes. As if there is one issue at one terminus, or one side of the route, then the other side will be screwed.
It will if the infrastructure is there meaning bus lanes, more junctions like Small Heath highway which stops all traffic when a bus approaches etc.
Metrobus in Bristol is a good example of this.
Quote from: monkeyjoe on September 28, 2024, 10:35:28 AMOmg a bus lane on the Aston expressway heard it all now.
There is a bus lane for the last setion of the M32 into Bristol, it is in the right hand lane, in effect creating a third lane. This avoids vehicles leaving and joining at the last junction needing to navigate across the bus lanes.
Quote from: MW on September 28, 2024, 02:45:47 PMIt will if the infrastructure is there meaning bus lanes, more junctions like Small Heath highway which stops all traffic when a bus approaches etc.
Metrobus in Bristol is a good example of this.
It also needs the bus lanes to be rigorously enforced.
While travelling home on the diverted 2 this evening, I noticed that the new bus lane along Moseley Road seemed to be utterly pointless, due to parked cars, and a huge number of cars trying to exit that new car park, as well as other cars overtaking dangerously on the wrong side of the road cutting into traffic so they could get into Montpellier Road.
Quote from: Stu on September 30, 2024, 06:51:33 PMIt also needs the bus lanes to be rigorously enforced.
While travelling home on the diverted 2 this evening, I noticed that the new bus lane along Moseley Road seemed to be utterly pointless, due to parked cars, and a huge number of cars trying to exit that new car park, as well as other cars overtaking dangerously on the wrong side of the road cutting into traffic so they could get into Montpellier Road.
Yup - nobody gives a damn in the city anymore. Anywhere within the Outer Circle is a risk.
Hall Green parade bus lane is also a car park now.
Overall, driving standards in Birmingham have massively declined over the last 5-10 years.
I see it more as I'm a Coach driver these days, driving in different cities. When returning to Birmingham, that descent from the M6 J6 onto Aston Expressway and beyond, I dread. Even on the motorway as you approach the Birmingham area (between say J4 and J10) you notice a decline in driving standards. The attitude is 'not giving a damn, because why should you?'
I don't know what the solution is. Enforcement but at the risk of over enforcement.
They seem to get it right in certain parts of london with camera enforcement, a start for brum to switch them on and everybody knowing they work.
Quote from: monkeyjoe on October 01, 2024, 05:59:57 PMThey seem to get it right in certain parts of london with camera enforcement, a start for brum to switch them on and everybody knowing they work.
One thing Birmingham needs to copy from London is yellow box cameras. When driving the 94/95 at peak times, its horrible going across the A47/A4540 junction with so many cars blocking the junction.
The small heath highway is also known for taxi drivers and youth to use when they like rather than buses actually using it
Quote from: GoldenSquid on October 02, 2024, 01:24:02 PMOne thing Birmingham needs to copy from London is yellow box cameras. When driving the 94/95 at peak times, its horrible going across the A47/A4540 junction with so many cars blocking the junction.
Got a fine in ealing for literally being in a box less than 10 secs, what is holding them back with sorting traffic technology out here ?.
QuoteGot a fine in ealing for literally being in a box less than 10 secs, what is holding them back with sorting traffic technology out here ?.
It depends on if Brum CC have powers to issue PCNs for PCN Code 31J.
West Midlands Police will still be able to enforce moving traffic contraventions
Quote from: the trainbasher on October 02, 2024, 07:11:16 PMIt depends on if Brum CC have powers to issue PCNs for PCN Code 31J.
West Midlands Police will still be able to enforce moving traffic contraventions
They were in the process of getting the powers way back in 2022. Don't know if they were ever granted
Councils gives loud warning to anyone who drives in yellow box - Birmingham Live (birminghammail.co.uk) (https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/councils-gives-loud-warning-anyone-23610611)
If the outer circle was split in half to protect reliability, how will connecting two whole bus routes comprised into one differ?
Quote from: JosephR on October 05, 2024, 05:56:35 PMIf the outer circle was split in half to protect reliability, how will connecting two whole bus routes comprised into one differ?
The Outer Circle suffers due to a lack of bus priority measures along its whole route.
Granted it does interact with a couple of bus lanes, such as the one on Harborne High Street but only very briefly, as well as the bus lane on Alcester Road South in Kings Heath, but even that is unhelpful as it is often difficult to turn right from Addison Road due to cars blocking the box junction.
This is why millions of pounds are being spent on bus priority measures along the routes being proposed for merger.
one thing I've noticed, since washwood heath road has got bus lanes, the yellow boxes in the bus stops have extended - kinda similar to the old bendy bus length on tyburn road (67 route)
Quote from: GoldenSquid on October 06, 2024, 12:55:33 PMone thing I've noticed, since washwood heath road has got bus lanes, the yellow boxes in the bus stops have extended - kinda similar to the old bendy bus length on tyburn road (67 route)
Getting them ready for when the new cross-city routes are running with three buses in a row
Quote from: the trainbasher on October 02, 2024, 07:11:16 PMIt depends on if Brum CC have powers to issue PCNs for PCN Code 31J.
West Midlands Police will still be able to enforce moving traffic contraventions
There's talks of Northfield/Bell Lane junction being a camera yellow box junction. That would help massively as they don't care
Quote from: GoldenSquid on October 06, 2024, 12:55:33 PMone thing I've noticed, since washwood heath road has got bus lanes, the yellow boxes in the bus stops have extended - kinda similar to the old bendy bus length on tyburn road (67 route)
I took a trip along the Washwood Heath Road yesterday to look at the new bus lanes. Maybe I'm just pessimistic, living in the area all my life, but unless they're actually enforced, they're doomed for failure. That bend between the army cadets and Bennetts Road (on both sides) is always full of parked cars on the road/pavement. I cannot see that changing anytime soon.
It's a shame nothing can be done further up past the fire station on what was always known locally as 'the main'. Always a bottleneck up there.
Quote from: Gareth on October 06, 2024, 04:23:11 PMI took a trip along the Washwood Heath Road yesterday to look at the new bus lanes. Maybe I'm just pessimistic, living in the area all my life, but unless they're actually enforced, they're doomed for failure. That bend between the army cadets and Bennetts Road (on both sides) is always full of parked cars on the road/pavement. I cannot see that changing anytime soon.
It's a shame nothing can be done further up past the fire station on what was always known locally as 'the main'. Always a bottleneck up there.
Driving it can be a challenge atm, as some cars don't want to cross into the bus lane (even though it's not active yet) - as you have to follow the old lines around that curve because of the parked cars. Not sure why the bus lane doesn't start higher up on the hill, as that would make the bus lane more useful.
Hopefully they do put some bus lane cameras. Otherwise like you mentioned, it will be a waste of time.