Service Changes/Frequency reductions from 27th April 2025

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

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!

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 

[Lukeee]

Frequency 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) 

[2206]

Do 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.

[BBS]

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.

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 

[busboydan]

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.

Yh thats the section where most drivers struggle.

[ellspurs]

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!

[Gareth]

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!

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.

[the trainbasher]

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.

That's because Traffic Wardens got replaced by Civil Enforcement Officers

[monkeyjoe]

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)

What is going to serve the farnborough rd area for the castle vale residents ? 

[2206]

What is going to serve the farnborough rd area for the castle vale residents ?

64/X64?

[busboydan]

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.

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.

[Gareth]

That'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.

[Stu]

What 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.