Stagecoach in Coventry & Warwickshire

[2206]

Hopefully it'll be in addition to the current 74/85. Ansty's current bus services are rather poor to say the least. When the new head office for Frasers Group gets built the area may need some more services anyway.

There are certainly some big gaps in the schedule where you could slot some 85s in.

Though I did also wonder if this is a way of operating the service & continuing to use E200s on it as it doesn't cross into the Coventry boundary?

[ellspurs]

There are certainly some big gaps in the schedule where you could slot some 85s in.

Though I did also wonder if this is a way of operating the service and continuing to use E200s as it doesn't cross into the Coventry boundary?

That was my other thought, as that routing to Ansty Park conveniently skirts around the outskirts of the West Midlands boundary. 

[Sandy Lane]

Guessing this will fit in with the 85 no longer being a NXC route somehow, as parts of the route are similar Brinklow/Monks Kirby-Rugby.

https://bustimes.org/services/84-nuneaton-bus-station-c3-bilton-bilton-high-scho?date=2025-07-28&service=80727%3A84#map

The new service also runs through to St Cross Hospital just like the NXC 85 does today.
Be interested to see how the current NXC 85 route could be impacted?

[ellspurs]

The new service also runs through to St Cross Hospital just like the NXC 85 does today.
Be interested to see how the current NXC 85 route could be impacted?

https://bustimes.org/stops/4200F162322?date=2025-07-29

Currently the 85 doesn't have an end date programmed in, so as of yet it hasn't been cancelled/adjusted. The TfWM page states that they need to give six weeks' notice, so we may not see any changes until the new school year in September.

[Tony]

https://bustimes.org/stops/4200F162322?date=2025-07-29

Currently the 85 doesn't have an end date programmed in, so as of yet it hasn't been cancelled/adjusted. The TfWM page states that they need to give six weeks' notice, so we may not see any changes until the new school year in September.

NX current tender runs until 31/12/25

[ellspurs]

That answers that part. They may have just wanted to introduce a semi-regular service between Nuneaton and Rugby and improve service in some of these villages. 

[MidlandRed]

Before the 85 was adjusted to run between Rugby and Coventry it ran on a similar looking timetable between Rugby and Brinklow in a circular route via the villages. There was a Coventry to Lutterworth and Market Harborough service in Midland Red days, the 545 I think it was which ran infrequently. It would be a shame for the Coventry Electric bus zone to put an end to services into Coventry from the villages but someone has to pay for electric vehicles to run these services, one would imagine as part of any WCC tender.

[JPC]

Before the 85 was adjusted to run between Rugby and Coventry it ran on a similar looking timetable between Rugby and Brinklow in a circular route via the villages. There was a Coventry to Lutterworth and Market Harborough service in Midland Red days, the 545 I think it was which ran infrequently. It would be a shame for the Coventry Electric bus zone to put an end to services into Coventry from the villages but someone has to pay for electric vehicles to run these services, one would imagine as part of any WCC tender.

I would expect we will eventually see a thinning out of the 85/85b timetable to a similar number of journeys to the new 84/84a particularly if taking the assumption it is eventually recontracted to Stagecoach.  Is there an obligation for Warks Council to subsidise bus services which goes to Coventry, or perhaps just University Hospital which serves the population of Warwickshire?.
Could there be a possibility of the 85/85b combining with current Arriva operated 78/78a to create a similar 'Nuneaton - UHCW - Rugby' service?.
I also have visions of the 78/78a covering Wilsons Lane if the NXC 20b is withdrawn or stops serving it.

[Stu]

Is there an obligation for Warks Council to subsidise bus services which goes to Coventry, or perhaps just University Hospital which serves the population of Warwickshire?.

There's no obligation on the part of Warks CC, they can fund services within their area, and the operator may choose to continue the route into Coventry for commercial/operational reasons/benefits. 

Same as with NX's X20 service, it receives financial support from Worcs CC for the section between Rubery and Bromsgrove, but the rest of the route is commercially operated, albeit possibly with some support from TfWM. 

[MidlandRed]

I always felt the cross border services should have been specified as Euro 6 or higher to give more flexibility. Will Stagecoach also run electric buses on the Solihull services and the 51 ? I see 63134 and 63135 are now at Nuneaton after a few days at Rugby last week.

[Stu]

I always felt the cross border services should have been specified as Euro 6 or higher to give more flexibility. Will Stagecoach also run electric buses on the Solihull services and the 51 ? I see 63134 and 63135 are now at Nuneaton after a few days at Rugby last week.

They will have to by the end of this year as per the terms of the Coventry Electric Bus City project. 

My understanding is that they have been awarded some funding for this as a separate funding stream, and additional new vehicles are being procured.

[ellspurs]

I would expect we will eventually see a thinning out of the 85/85b timetable to a similar number of journeys to the new 84/84a particularly if taking the assumption it is eventually recontracted to Stagecoach.  Is there an obligation for Warks Council to subsidise bus services which goes to Coventry, or perhaps just University Hospital which serves the population of Warwickshire?.
Could there be a possibility of the 85/85b combining with current Arriva operated 78/78a to create a similar 'Nuneaton - UHCW - Rugby' service?.
I also have visions of the 78/78a covering Wilsons Lane if the NXC 20b is withdrawn or stops serving it.

Before NX started sending the 20a down Woodshires Road/Wilsons Lane, there was some sort of shoppers' bus that ran down there. I *think* it was called the 56b or 58b but my brain fails me and I think it was the late 90s/early 2000s so there wouldn't be any info on the internet about it.

They are planning to build a load of houses off Wilsons Lane in the gap between it and the a444/m6 junction, but I don't they'll build the roads to a standard that a bus can call there. If the council wanted to make sure a service could serve there, they could strengthen and widen the bridge on Rowleys Green Lane to open it back up, but I don't think the residents want that, given they're petitioning to have the area fully 7.5 tonne restricted and a 20mph zone.

[MidlandRed]

The 20b originally terminated at Longford Square in Corporation/PTE days by where the current Longford Square outbound bus stop was there was a turning circle. Then all of them ran as 20's with Longford short workings terminating there and Bedworth workings continuing on. When that area was redeveloped the Oban Rd turning circle was built and the short workings terminated there and turned back down Oban Rd. The 20A ran to Manor House and the turning circle for that is still there but not in use now as at some point it was extended to Bell Green as the 40. The Wilson's Lane service is quite recent probably started during or after deregulation.

[Justin Tyme]

I would expect we will eventually see a thinning out of the 85/85b timetable to a similar number of journeys to the new 84/84a particularly if taking the assumption it is eventually recontracted to Stagecoach.  Is there an obligation for Warks Council to subsidise bus services which goes to Coventry, or perhaps just University Hospital which serves the population of Warwickshire?

The 84 timetable is now on the Stagecoach website, although nothing has appeared in its Service Updates area yet.

The one thing that intrigues me is that most journeys on the Stagecoach 84 group will run via Easenhall, whereas most journeys on the NX Coventry 85 group run via Pailton.  Also it looks like only one 84 journey each way will be extended to Rugby Schools, compared to three 85/85H/85S journeys.

Could it be that the 84 is designed to supplement the 85 - maybe a BSIP improvement - rather than replace it?

[Sandy Lane]

Is there an obligation for Warks Council to subsidise bus services which goes to Coventry, or perhaps just University Hospital which serves the population of Warwickshire?.

When TDC ran the 585 Coventry - Rugby wasn't it a 30 min frequency?
The two hospitals served had an arrangement with TDC for NHS staff needing to get to the other hospital to travel free I think?
If so then there was also some 'NHS' funding for TDC to do this as well.
Today hospital staff have their own minibus service I understand.