Frequency reductions from 27th April 2025:
1 Acocks Green to Five Ways
Monday to Friday daytime frequency is reduced to every 20 minutes
4A Birmingham to Gospel Lane and Solihull
Every 20 minutes with all journeys continuing from Gospel Oak to Shirley and Solihull (as per Saturday))
5 West Bromwich to Sutton Coldfield
Reduced to every 12 minutes.
14 Birmingham to Chelmsley Wood
Reduced to every 10 minutes.
18 Yardley Wood to Bartley Green
Reduced to every 15 minutes.
65 Birmingham to Perry Common
67 Birmingham to Castle Vale
Reduced to every 15 minutes, service 67 is revised in Castle Vale and will terminate at Reed Square.
72 Solihull Station to Chelmsley Wood
Saturday reduced to every 15 minutes.
126 Birmingham to Dudley
Reduced to every 20 minutes.
Quote from: Steve3229vp on March 31, 2025, 06:01:32 PMFrequency reductions from 27th April 2025:
1 Acocks Green to Five Ways
Monday to Friday daytime frequency is reduced to every 20 minutes
4A Birmingham to Gospel Lane and Solihull
Every 20 minutes with all journeys continuing from Gospel Oak to Shirley and Solihull (as per Saturday))
5 West Bromwich to Sutton Coldfield
Reduced to every 12 minutes.
14 Birmingham to Chelmsley Wood
Reduced to every 10 minutes.
18 Yardley Wood to Bartley Green
Reduced to every 15 minutes.
65 Birmingham to Perry Common
67 Birmingham to Castle Vale
Reduced to every 15 minutes, service 67 is revised in Castle Vale and will terminate at Reed Square.
72 Solihull Station to Chelmsley Wood
Saturday reduced to every 15 minutes.
126 Birmingham to Dudley
Reduced to every 20 minutes.
So glad the 4A is going to be straight to solihull now
Quote from: Ingleboro261F on March 31, 2025, 06:09:23 PMSo glad the 4A is going to be straight to solihull now
The route isn't changing
Quote from: Steve3229vp on March 31, 2025, 06:01:32 PMFrequency reductions from 27th April 2025:
1 Acocks Green to Five Ways
Monday to Friday daytime frequency is reduced to every 20 minutes
4A Birmingham to Gospel Lane and Solihull
Every 20 minutes with all journeys continuing from Gospel Oak to Shirley and Solihull (as per Saturday))
5 West Bromwich to Sutton Coldfield
Reduced to every 12 minutes.
14 Birmingham to Chelmsley Wood
Reduced to every 10 minutes.
18 Yardley Wood to Bartley Green
Reduced to every 15 minutes.
65 Birmingham to Perry Common
67 Birmingham to Castle Vale
Reduced to every 15 minutes, service 67 is revised in Castle Vale and will terminate at Reed Square.
72 Solihull Station to Chelmsley Wood
Saturday reduced to every 15 minutes.
126 Birmingham to Dudley
Reduced to every 20 minutes.
Awaits comments from the usual bots about how this will grow usage or how NX are acting in the passengers interests and that everything is great with our bus network.
Quote from: Tony on March 31, 2025, 06:11:48 PMThe route isn't changing
No I mean I like that they're not terminating at gospel oak now
Quote from: Straightlines on March 31, 2025, 06:54:30 PMAwaits comments from the usual bots about how this will grow usage or how NX are acting in the passengers interests and that everything is great with our bus network.
Just matching funding available from TfWM with levels of service agreed with TfWM, so don't expect anything different after franchising.
Service reductions are bad full stop, but don't expect anything different anytime soon.
QuoteJust matching funding available from TfWM with levels of service agreed with TfWM, so don't expect anything different after franchising.
Service reductions are bad full stop, but don't expect anything different anytime soon.
The only service I agree with lower frequency is probably the Acocks green 1, never see that used as much
Quote from: BBS on March 31, 2025, 07:22:20 PMThe only service I agree with lower frequency is probably the Acocks green 1, never see that used as much
It's a sign of how passenger habits have changed. When I lived in Acocks Green between 2008 and 2016, the 1 required double-decks, and I recall during the morning and afternoon peaks it used to run every 8 minutes or so, before reducing to 15 minutes during the daytime off-peak, then half-hourly in the evenings. And it was fairly busy at times, even on Sundays you'd usually get good loadings.
I noticed a few months back that the route had 'quietly' been changed to (mainly) single-deck operation. I don't use it that much now, but I'm sure its not as busy or popular as it used to be.
Quote from: Steve3229vp on March 31, 2025, 06:01:32 PM4A Birmingham to Gospel Lane and Solihull
Every 20 minutes with all journeys continuing from Gospel Oak to Shirley and Solihull (as per Saturday))
This is probably also being offset by the increased use of double-deck vehicles on both the 4 and 4A, so while there is a slight reduction in the number of journeys per hour between Acocks Green and Birmingham, the use of larger vehicles means there is no loss in capacity.
Quote from: Tony on March 31, 2025, 06:11:48 PMThe route isn't changing
the 4 n X2 is good to go "straight to solihul"
Quote from: Steve3229vp on March 31, 2025, 06:01:32 PMFrequency reductions from 27th April 2025:
1 Acocks Green to Five Ways
Monday to Friday daytime frequency is reduced to every 20 minutes
4A Birmingham to Gospel Lane and Solihull
Every 20 minutes with all journeys continuing from Gospel Oak to Shirley and Solihull (as per Saturday))
5 West Bromwich to Sutton Coldfield
Reduced to every 12 minutes.
14 Birmingham to Chelmsley Wood
Reduced to every 10 minutes.
18 Yardley Wood to Bartley Green
Reduced to every 15 minutes.
65 Birmingham to Perry Common
67 Birmingham to Castle Vale
Reduced to every 15 minutes, service 67 is revised in Castle Vale and will terminate at Reed Square.
72 Solihull Station to Chelmsley Wood
Saturday reduced to every 15 minutes.
126 Birmingham to Dudley
Reduced to every 20 minutes.
May I ask why the 14 is reducing? As someone who regularly (5 days a week) travels on it, every bus if often quite busy whether on time or late so why is it going to every 10 minutes?
Alum Rock is not a great area and the 14 struggles. If another service went through it, I would totally understand the reduction.
Quote from: busboydan on March 31, 2025, 08:43:07 PMAlum Rock is not a great area and the 14 struggles. If another service went through it, I would totally understand the reduction.
Yes can be tight getting a bus down there at times as well.
It might be they're using the same number of buses but more journey time hence the frequency is reducing to improve reliability
Quote from: 2206 on March 31, 2025, 08:45:54 PMYes can be tight getting a bus down there at times as well.
It might be they're using the same number of buses but more journey time hence the frequency is reducing to improve reliability
Do you drive it?
Quote from: busboydan on March 31, 2025, 08:39:21 PMMay I ask why the 14 is reducing? As someone who regularly (5 days a week) travels on it, every bus if often quite busy whether on time or late so why is it going to every 10 minutes?
It's reducing from every 9 minutes to every 10 minutes, so not a massive reduction really. As Tony has explained:
Quote from: Tony on March 31, 2025, 07:03:50 PMJust matching funding available from TfWM with levels of service agreed with TfWM, so don't expect anything different after franchising.
Service reductions are bad full stop, but don't expect anything different anytime soon.
Not sure how anyone on here can think franchising would result in anything different if the same scenarios played out. If passenger numbers are decreasing (or time keeping due to traffic, etc is worsening which is very likely) then frequency reductions are going to happen. It's not like they have gone for extreme cuts from every 10 minutes frequency to every 20 minutes either.
Let's be honest, most higher frequency routes suffer from bunching due to frequent delays so spacing vehicles out a bit more won't make that much difference to passengers anyway in terms of how long they need to wait.
Once our great mayor waves his magic wand and gets rid of all the roadworks, terrible parking, etc etc then I'm sure franchising can deliver 5 minute's frequencies on every route. Or maybe not!
Quote from: j789 on March 31, 2025, 09:18:26 PMNot sure how anyone on here can think franchising would result in anything different if the same scenarios played out. If passenger numbers are decreasing (or time keeping due to traffic, etc is worsening which is very likely) then frequency reductions are going to happen. It's not like they have gone for extreme cuts from every 10 minutes frequency to every 20 minutes either.
Let's be honest, most higher frequency routes suffer from bunching due to frequent delays so spacing vehicles out a bit more won't make that much difference to passengers anyway in terms of how long they need to wait.
Once our great mayor waves his magic wand and gets rid of all the roadworks, terrible parking, etc etc then I'm sure franchising can deliver 5 minute's frequencies on every route. Or maybe not!
Some of the plans had already been discussed rumoured and saw the 50 in Brum vastly reduced no doubt the Mayor will use this to crack on with Franchising despite ignoring the fact TFWM are reducing funding
Quote from: Steve3229vp on March 31, 2025, 06:01:32 PMFrequency reductions from 27th April 2025:
65 Birmingham to Perry Common
67 Birmingham to Castle Vale
Reduced to every 15 minutes, service 67 is revised in Castle Vale and will terminate at Reed Square.
Am I correct in thinking this will be the old route the 67 took (before it got extended to cover for the loss of the 38)
Quote from: busboydan on March 31, 2025, 08:47:18 PMDo you drive it?
Nahh I just use it as as a passenger. But the section from Saltley Gate to Highfield Rd paticularly seems notoriously bad for badly parked cars.
QuoteIt's a sign of how passenger habits have changed. When I lived in Acocks Green between 2008 and 2016, the 1 required double-decks, and I recall during the morning and afternoon peaks it used to run every 8 minutes or so, before reducing to 15 minutes during the daytime off-peak, then half-hourly in the evenings. And it was fairly busy at times, even on Sundays you'd usually get good loadings.
I noticed a few months back that the route had 'quietly' been changed to (mainly) single-deck operation. I don't use it that much now, but I'm sure its not as busy or popular as it used to be.
This is probably also being offset by the increased use of double-deck vehicles on both the 4 and 4A, so while there is a slight reduction in the number of journeys per hour between Acocks Green and Birmingham, the use of larger vehicles means there is no loss in capacity.
I remember the 1 used to be a president route, followed with the demise of the 31, the route then took on Geminis and alx400, however competition returned with the new 41 service, alongside the 1 just not serving key areas. The single deckers are probably the best thing for this route imo
Quote from: 2206 on March 31, 2025, 10:44:25 PMNahh I just use it as as a passenger. But the section from Saltley Gate to Highfield Rd paticularly seems notoriously bad for badly parked cars.
Yh thats the section where most drivers struggle.
There used to be at least three regular services going down that section of Alum Rock Road, the 14, 26 and 55. At some point the 55 got rerouted via Washwood Heath Road (then became the 95), and the 26 got merged into the 72 (now x12). It's a terrible road to try and get down at the best of times!
Quote from: ellspurs on April 03, 2025, 03:21:23 PMThere used to be at least three regular services going down that section of Alum Rock Road, the 14, 26 and 55. At some point the 55 got rerouted via Washwood Heath Road (then became the 95), and the 26 got merged into the 72 (now x12). It's a terrible road to try and get down at the best of times!
It has always been a very busy road. But the parking times were strictly and regularly enforced. Now it's park when you want where you want and a 'traffic warden' are a very rare sight.
QuoteIt has always been a very busy road. But the parking times were strictly and regularly enforced. Now it's park when you want where you want and a 'traffic warden' are a very rare sight.
That's because Traffic Wardens got replaced by Civil Enforcement Officers
Quote from: Lukeee on March 31, 2025, 10:17:32 PMAm I correct in thinking this will be the old route the 67 took (before it got extended to cover for the loss of the 38)
What is going to serve the farnborough rd area for the castle vale residents ?
Quote from: monkeyjoe on April 03, 2025, 07:10:12 PMWhat is going to serve the farnborough rd area for the castle vale residents ?
64/X64?
Quote from: Gareth on April 03, 2025, 06:47:40 PMIt has always been a very busy road. But the parking times were strictly and regularly enforced. Now it's park when you want where you want and a 'traffic warden' are a very rare sight.
They do be there but they struggle to stop cars from parking in dodgy places like corners of roads which then means a bus has to go wider into the other lane to get past which is hard anyway as there is traffic on other side of road more often than not.
Quote from: the trainbasher on April 03, 2025, 07:01:16 PMThat's because Traffic Wardens got replaced by Civil Enforcement Officers
You know, I know and everyone else knows what I meant when I put the word traffic warden in inverted commas. Don't be that type of person.
Quote from: monkeyjoe on April 03, 2025, 07:10:12 PMWhat is going to serve the farnborough rd area for the castle vale residents ?
Looks like it will continue to be the 67. The TfWM service changes page no longer mentions terminating at Reed Square, and the new timetable shows the full route being served.