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I see both points of view in that local authority boundaries are a bit arbitrary. If you live in Worcester, you're in clover with the Connecta. If you live near the edge, it can be expensive to travel even a short way. The creation of WMPTE 40 years ago in particular created a sort of barrier between the old North Worcestershire towns/the Black Country and the rest of the county. You'd think it was a different country, not just a different county. I very much welcome the new 147 and hope it's a success. I suspect First drivers won't be so easy as the Central Buses man who was probably a bit out of his normal territory, but at least they can offer the Wyvern ticket, which is great value- you can now go from Halesowen to Tewkesbury for example- south of Worcester there is real countryside to be seen, not Little Chefs, Travelodges, and Garden Centres!

Johnsons seems to me a very useful sort of company, taking once-tendered routes like the X20 and 150 (which are definitely needed) and turning them into commercial routes. They have just launched their 21/22/23/24/25 service combination which combined gives a half-hour service Stratford to Lower Quinton, unthinkable a few years ago, and so there is now a reasonable service Stratford to Chipping Campden and Broadway, which has been a bit of a hopeless area for buses. Does anyone know to what extent these services are tendered? Possibly to some extent paid for by the developers of Meon Vale? If so this is an excellent way of getting bus services started. There doesn't seem to be much information on Warwickshire tenders on the web?
Johnsons has also won the tender for the 350 Redditch to Worcester service, which looks nothing much, but when you consider that there is no other direct service between the two biggest places in Worcestershire, it may have potential.

The final changes that Diamond wanted have all gone through today on the VOSA site and are effective 1 September. I guess that Diamond must have been promised these, else they wouldn't have announced on Friday that they would commence. Interestingly the 62, 145A, and 149 are also approved effective today, so Diamond should now be running them! I think Green Bus should ask for approval to run their 62 four minutes earlier, effective tomorrow, but perhaps they don't have the same sway with the Traffic Commissioner.

Igo is the new name for WMSNT's bus business

It's about time that the WMSNT name was dropped, especially as they seem as though they are here to stay operating bus services and expanding rapidly.

Oh right I would have gone with West Midlands Travel, but Igo is different as long as its not iGo as Apple will be knocking.

I think we're meant to say it as in 'I go to Droitwich'. Apparently it's owned by a charity, and it appears to undercut everybody else on tenders. I wonder how it does this? I still think it's a mystery why the combined new 145 is hourly and a big improvement on the previous services. The Council was looking to save money: why pay for an improvement? It couldn't be a commercial service, could it? This would explain Diamond's tactics, though I can't believe anyone would offer to run this route commercially. 

I was moaning about the last 247 to Evesham leaving Redditch for Evesham at 1515/1523 on the new timetable on Diamond's site. The timetable has now changed in various ways. The 1515/1523 now departs at 1510, but the 1735 departure which was going to end at Alcester is now extended to Evesham, so also Evesham gets a later return journey. I still feel that with the first journey from Alcester to Redditch being at 0855 reaching Redditch at 0925 that Diamond are handing the baton to Stagecoach. Stagecoach's 26 with its peak time service, regular times, and the fact it serves more of Alcester than the 247 means that the 26 will be the main service Redditch to Alcester. Diamond may have seen off First, but there are bigger adversaries than WMSNT and Green Bus.
The Sunday service on the 55H/56H is now on Diamond's site. Let's hope it's not too chaotic with all the changes.

Has it been mentioned that the Diamond 62 seems to be 2 mins before The Green bus'?

I hadn't noticed, but yes you're right. It's just about every journey Green Bus plan to run. I'm not an expert on the Traffic Commissioner's remit, but to allow Diamond to do this on shorter notice than usual when they were presumably able to see Green Bus's timetable submitted on the normal timescale would be unfair. Whether that's the legal position I don't know. What the attraction of this route is I also don't know. Green Bus's famous deckers might actually be welcome on certain other Redditch routes, though may be empty on this one.   

Well I've just read the new timetables on Diamonds website and im not to happy at all.
The 55 and 56 has been distroied completely, there is no point in them running it if I'm honest it's not a bus service it's a ghost service. Oh and NO SUNDAY service either! But a few later buses whoopie woo we had a 20 min service that was useful before this beeching still assult.
The 70 also has had the same treatmeant  again no point in it. Ok a few later buses whoopie woo but an 1 hourly service when it was 40/45 min or even 30 min and 20 min at one point not good.
Studley get a better look at things but only have the 247 to get to the Alex to visit anyone who maybe in there.

So to give my point from the west side and south west 3/10 Webheath Walkwood Astwood Bank Crabbs Cross Headless Cross Oakenshaw and Woodrow North have all lost out in this set of changes, some of these areas have the most money to spend on bus travel and some people can only use the bus to get around.

I'm not anti-Diamond far from when we had First and Diamond I was Pro Diamond and anti-First but I'm on the move to becoming anti-Diamond through lack of sight and care. A network in Redditch built by Midland Red West (First) and Midland Red NX is being wipped away. The last time we had a timetable in Headless Cross Crabbs Cross Oakenshaw like this was when First MR trailed the "super" 51 (51/55/56) which failed flat on its face and it was split up again into 51 55 56. Then a 20 min was trailed and worked then it was reduced to 30 but it was Lance Lynx operated not Vario Mini bus. This latest change could see anything on the route from a 29 seater dart to a 44 seater not 100% 44 seater so less people WILL use the bus and complaints WILL also go up from areas unseen in Redditch. Diamond are in for a rough ride in Redditch unless people don't complain. But I for one will and incourage anyone else to because its unfair Eastside sees a bus on average every 5-10 mins each way (57/58) where Westside only 30 mins in some areas an hour might be more realistic in some areas if there is late running.

Oh and why does Bromsgrove Rd need the X3 55H 56H 143 running along it when at one point it was just the 68 then X33 and 68.

I think im going to stop now.

Tank,
I think that the new timetable on Diamond's site must be wrong in leaving off the Sunday service on the 55/56. The Sunday service is on the Council's website. It had better be a mistake because I think it's a bright spot. The 70 goes hourly from being every 40 minutes. That is a cut though the 40 minute frequency is difficult to remember. The 145A is three journeys one way and two the other, and seems to me just a spoiler. I wouldn't have thought the Council would have considered it an adequate commercial service, whereas the 149 is hourly but has no peak time service. Diamond are of course entitled to do what they wish, but they won't win any friends at the Council with this approach. I see the point in defending commercial services, but what is the motive in putting a spanner in the works on tenders you've lost? I can't see Council continuing with Green Bus's 62 because Diamond's is hourly through the day. For me personally- I live at Bidford- the big disappointment is the 247. The shorter journeys turn out to be 'shortened to Alcester journeys'. Basically the hourly service is kept to Alcester, though the timings are not particularly regular. The last through journey to Evesham is 1515/1523 from Redditch. I thought that the lesson from the 146, which admittedly First butchered, was that if you didn't offer a service through the day, passengers were put off. Even to Alcester there is a gap from 1515/1523 to 1735. There is a curious gap on the 143 from Bromsgrove from 0820 to 1048, which is a late start for shoppers. There ought to be one at 0948. But then if you're bu***ring about on the 145A, I suppose you haven't got the bus. Good news for me is that with the withdrawal of the 166, Stagecoach are starting a Sunday service on the 28.

The point about the link to Stourbridge is that Stourbridge has a lot of links itself which are very useful. It sort of connects up Kidderminster and it's not a long journey. Undeniably there is a good train service, but that's not always convenient for everyone. If Stourbridge was still in Worcestershire, I'm sure that the Council would ensure that there was an hourly bus link between two towns of this size so close.

The Diamond news page has been updated today to show the 141 being cancelled & replaced by the 149 & 145 cancelled & replaced by the 145A

http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/ForthcomingchangestotheDiamondBusWorcestershireNetwork_255.html
http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/ForthcomingchangestotheDiamondBusWorcestershireNetwork_256.html

Thanks for that. I have the feeling that someone at Diamond is reading these boards. I wonder Diamond are that bothered about these particular subsidised routes. If Diamond is willing to run a commercial service, then of course the Council service should cease. Perhaps Diamond are unhappy with the tender process. I just hope that it is not a short term tactic to discourage anyone else from tendering on their patch. After all it takes some planning, some commitment of vehicles and staff, to tender, and when this happens, it must seem not worth the effort, though I don't rule out a fight from WMSNT on the new 145, or Green Bus on the 62.
Overall the Council have saved a lot of money and surprisingly a number of routes have gone commercial with a better service. I just hope that they last. Of the cuts, I think that the 125 reduction is the most regrettable.

The CEO of Rotala is on the forum plus others from Diamond  ;D

Diamond are simply protecting their interests, additionally the 141/145 may have provided Diamond buses with work during the day that would normally only be required on peak / school services.

Overall the WCC changes haven't been as bad as first suggested, in some instances services have improved & new links have been provided

Granted but some of the changes could have been done more tastefully. On another note with the changes to the 55/56 the 143 needed to go back to Headless Cross on its way to Bromsgrove but it might not.

With any changes you'll never please everyone, just have to aim to please the majority.

It would be better for Diamond to try and take on more tendered services commercially and try & grow them if the figures stack up with only small risks being taken. The workload will be far more stable going forward and no risk of it being lost at tender due to a lower bid being submitted.

Yes, people from Diamond do come on these boards. There are also a number of posters who are very pro or anti Diamond. I think that the verdict on Diamond will come with time. In Redditch for the first time they dominate an area. What will the outcome for passengers be? Understandably they cut duplication on the 51 and 57/58, but they did it so badly that there were many complaints: nevertheless it was a cut for passengers, understandable, though the chaos wasn't. They gave a proper link to the Hospital on the 57/58, and they have restored the 146 to at least a proper service- hope it survives the rail restoration. Against them, they have cut the 55/56, despite the Sunday service- it is a cut, it is not really about creating more links. Stephen from Diamond justified the changes on here by saying that there would be 'better links' to Studley- perhaps the short 247 journeys to Alcester are additional, but it may be they have cut the 247 somewhat- we don't know yet. First, after their retreat from Redditch and Kiddi, show signs of innovation and developing services: they have put together adequate services around Upton on a commercial basis and created the 147. The verdict on Diamond will be whether, overall, services in Redditch increase over say 3 years, or if they decline. In the 57/58, they have a wonderful route, an exclusive bit of road with the houses mostly built to be served by it. As has been noted, it is pity the same plan wasn't followed on the western side of Redditch. Their near monopoly has been allowed in Redditch by the Competition Commission. We will find out Diamond do with that position and so whether that is justified.

The Diamond news page has been updated today to show the 141 being cancelled & replaced by the 149 & 145 cancelled & replaced by the 145A

http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/ForthcomingchangestotheDiamondBusWorcestershireNetwork_255.html
http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/ForthcomingchangestotheDiamondBusWorcestershireNetwork_256.html

Thanks for that. I have the feeling that someone at Diamond is reading these boards. I wonder Diamond are that bothered about these particular subsidised routes. If Diamond is willing to run a commercial service, then of course the Council service should cease. Perhaps Diamond are unhappy with the tender process. I just hope that it is not a short term tactic to discourage anyone else from tendering on their patch. After all it takes some planning, some commitment of vehicles and staff, to tender, and when this happens, it must seem not worth the effort, though I don't rule out a fight from WMSNT on the new 145, or Green Bus on the 62.
Overall the Council have saved a lot of money and surprisingly a number of routes have gone commercial with a better service. I just hope that they last. Of the cuts, I think that the 125 reduction is the most regrettable.

On Diamond's website are changes not on the Council's site. It suggests that Diamond will be running a new 62 service even though the Council say that Green Bus will be running it. There will also be a 145A Longbridge to Bromsgrove even though WMSNT won the Council's service. There is a new 149 service Bromsgrove to Webbs. The 247 is to have service changes ('some shorter journeys to Alcester'), the few 26 journeys are dropped, as is the 70A. Interesting!
http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/ForthcomingchangestotheDiamondBusWorcestershireNetwork_255.html

think the diamond changes  are results of the Worcestershire network review

Hmmmm, interesting that suggests Diamond are operating the 62 & 145A commercially, potentially with the intention that WCC could withdraw funding for the tendered versions at a later date if there are adequate commercial services. Thus pushing TGB out of Redditch and WMSNT back out of Worcestershire.  :-\ The 149 is also interesting & appears to be a commercial venture further linking Bromsgrove with Droitwich.

Yes, it appears that Diamond are being quite aggressive. I recall that on Tony's tender list published on here over a month ago Diamond had initially won the 62. Also what was surprising about WMSNT's new 145 was the upping of the frequency. Would the Council have asked for that when they are looking to save money? I feel there's a lot in the background here. Even the new 149 seems to be aimed at First's 144A.

Fair play to Diamond I say, business is business. Nice to see them fight back if that is the intention.

Don't forget that the 141/145 were combined and we don't actually how much subsidy WCC are contributing to the new 145 with its increased frequency, that could be a part commercial venture by WMSNT.

Is the 149 aimed at First or WMSNT as per a shortened version of the current 141?

Well, I don't know the route of the 149, and assumed it would go along the main road, but it might more or less go along the 141 route to Wychbold. All these changes are subject to the Traffic Commissioner agreeing them for 1 September at shorter notice than usual. Diamond as far as I can tell have not deregistered the old 60/61/141/145 so come September they could still be running the old services.

On Diamond's website are changes not on the Council's site. It suggests that Diamond will be running a new 62 service even though the Council say that Green Bus will be running it. There will also be a 145A Longbridge to Bromsgrove even though WMSNT won the Council's service. There is a new 149 service Bromsgrove to Webbs. The 247 is to have service changes ('some shorter journeys to Alcester'), the few 26 journeys are dropped, as is the 70A. Interesting!
http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/ForthcomingchangestotheDiamondBusWorcestershireNetwork_255.html

think the diamond changes  are results of the Worcestershire network review

Hmmmm, interesting that suggests Diamond are operating the 62 & 145A commercially, potentially with the intention that WCC could withdraw funding for the tendered versions at a later date if there are adequate commercial services. Thus pushing TGB out of Redditch and WMSNT back out of Worcestershire.  :-\ The 149 is also interesting & appears to be a commercial venture further linking Bromsgrove with Droitwich.

Yes, it appears that Diamond are being quite aggressive. I recall that on Tony's tender list published on here over a month ago Diamond had initially won the 62. Also what was surprising about WMSNT's new 145 was the upping of the frequency. Would the Council have asked for that when they are looking to save money? I feel there's a lot in the background here. Even the new 149 seems to be aimed at First's 144A.

On Diamond's website are changes not on the Council's site. It suggests that Diamond will be running a new 62 service even though the Council say that Green Bus will be running it. There will also be a 145A Longbridge to Bromsgrove even though WMSNT won the Council's service. There is a new 149 service Bromsgrove to Webbs. The 247 is to have service changes ('some shorter journeys to Alcester'), the few 26 journeys are dropped, as is the 70A. Interesting!
http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/ForthcomingchangestotheDiamondBusWorcestershireNetwork_255.html

Stephen,

1.The 55H/56H is self-evidently more complex than the 57A/58A because it goes to the Hospital and to Webheath, whereas the 57A/58A just diverts to the Hospital.
2. This is a cut in service because it is currently every 20 minutes each way, and in future it will be every half-hour, and also every bus currently goes to the Hospital, but in future just one bus per hour each way will go.
3. Most passengers want to go to or from Redditch town centre. Webheath still has one bus per hour from that perspective. In fact at peak time the 143 is slightly better than one bus per hour, but the 55H/56H is one bus per hour. Passengers from Walkwood will have slightly longer journeys to the town centre because one bus per hour will divert to Webheath.
4. The advent of the Sunday service is an improvement, as is the slightly later finish to the service in the evening.

You mention an increase in services to Studley. At present you have the 143 and 247, each hourly. In future there will be the 67 and presumably the 247, each hourly? Is there something we don't know about?

Although Diamond has lost a few services (141/145/60/61/356 etc), gaining the Droitwich services means that it's held its own on the subsidised front. The loss of competition to Areley Kings is positive for Diamond. Renumbering the 292 as 2L implies some integration. I'm fascinated by the interaction of subsidised and commercial services. Cutting back the one leads to some reorganisation of the other. At Redditch, the 143 will now be solely Redditch/Bromsgrove, not via Webheath. I wonder if it will get a frequency increase. Anyway, this will improve its timekeeping. The routing of the 55/56, which will probably be half-hourly each way via Webheath is interesting and I note that services going to the Hospital will have the suffix 'H' which implies that not all will go there.

Thats only beacuse of how badly Diamond have controlled the route 55/55A/56/56A. Putting dinky toy sized buses on at peak times doesnt help passengers at all. Buses runing very late or not all also not helpful and an inspector who crumbles under an elderly woman whos just missed her bus also cocks things up. The only way the "NEW" 55/56 will work is by full length E300's or the Volvo's or even better DDs due to the reduced frequency and longer route. As last time Diamond tried this route it was every 15 mins with Volvo's it's going to fall flat on it's face this time.

Well, the timetable's gone up on the County Council's website and it does look odd. It is two buses an hour each way, so it's a definite cut in service, with one an hour going via Webheath and the Hospital. I do think that any complexity like this puts off users. It's not easy to solve the Webheath problem, but this is probably not the right solution. There will be an hourly Sunday service though.