29/29A issues

[jnl1984]

Just a note to see if anyone else had experienced the issues with the route/s since the extension?
THREE times yesterday at various points in the day i had waits of 25 minutes x 2 and one 20 minute wait.
Two of these occasions resulted in two buses arriving together.

Has anyone else noted an issue? also are NXWM aware of them?

[Tony]

Just a note to see if anyone else had experienced the issues with the route/s since the extension?
THREE times yesterday at various points in the day i had waits of 25 minutes x 2 and one 20 minute wait.
Two of these occasions resulted in two buses arriving together.

Has anyone else noted an issue? also are NXWM aware of them?

Where and what time?

[Steve3229vp]

The route is too long.

[Tony]

The route is too long.

Maybe, but yesterday I cannot see anything that would cause the above waits, apart from standing there when a bus wasn't due which is why I wanted to see the time and place

[jnl1984]

Sorry about the delay... Waited in Weoley Castle (from city) at approx 12:45 for 25 minutes +.....
Before that it was around 11am in harborne (from city again)....

[Tony]

Sorry about the delay... Waited in Weoley Castle (from city) at approx 12:45 for 25 minutes +.....
Before that it was around 11am in harborne (from city again)....

2139 went past Vivian Road, Harborne at 10:58 within 1 minute of correct time

2152 went past the Millenium Medical Centre in Weoley Castle at 12:45 two minutes late

So no problem with the route, looks like you just happened to miss them

[jnl1984]

Thanks for the info...

Just out of curiosity what is the Saturday daytime frequency?

[Mike K]

I do think ultimately that extending the 29 through to Frankley will impact reliability. All the Harborne routes are prone to delays through Harborne itself, although to be fair they do seem to have some realistic running times, particularly for peak journeys.

But the 29 now has to contend with the main Northfield shopping area delays too. Don't get LS started on those.

I still can't get my head round why the 'new links' the extension has created are needed. I would have thought that residents of Allen's Cross etc would want direct links to the City, not Harborne and Five Ways.

[Tony]

Thanks for the info...

Just out of curiosity what is the Saturday daytime frequency?

Ah sorry thought you were referring to Sunday. On Saturday each service is every 30, giving a joint 15
on Saturday
11:04 at Vivian Road was on time (2146), but next one should have been 2131 but got stuck for over 30 minutes on the way into City around Northfield, so you must have just missed 2146

At 12:45 they were running late due to the problem on their inbound journeys mentioned above, but buses past Weoley Castle outbound at
12:57 (2147 running late)
12:58 (2136 running less late)
13:07 (2152 on time)

[Liverpool Street]

I do think ultimately that extending the 29 through to Frankley will impact reliability. All the Harborne routes are prone to delays through Harborne itself, although to be fair they do seem to have some realistic running times, particularly for peak journeys.

But the 29 now has to contend with the main Northfield shopping area delays too. Don't get LS started on those.

I still can't get my head round why the 'new links' the extension has created are needed. I would have thought that residents of Allen's Cross etc would want direct links to the City, not Harborne and Five Ways.

Don't start me indeed! Which ever imbecile decided those light changes reduce congestion needs a smack in the mouth!

Thanks for the info...

Just out of curiosity what is the Saturday daytime frequency?

Ah sorry thought you were referring to Sunday. On Saturday each service is every 30, giving a joint 15
on Saturday
11:04 at Vivian Road was on time (2146), but next one should have been 2131 but got stuck for over 30 minutes on the way into City around Northfield, so you must have just missed 2146

*snip*

Grr!

[j789]

Totally agree about those Northfield lights. I can be on time into Northfield but by the time you are through the lights you were meant to be in Rubery. Terrible interchange that one.

[PM]

Totally agree about those Northfield lights. I can be on time into Northfield but by the time you are through the lights you were meant to be in Rubery. Terrible interchange that one.

Couldn't agree more j789!! It did use to be worse back in 08/09 particularly in the bit by the Clock Cafe. I remember one 144 driver got so frustrated he got out the cab to try and work out what was going on... I remember Fridays always used to be awful and sometimes you could do University to Northfield on a quick 144 in virtually the same length of time you could be stuck in Northfield...

[sonic84]

On the saturday just gone, I saw a 29 and 29A together on Alwold Road heading towards Birmingham at about 11.30.

I do agree that the 29 is too long now, and the knock on effect of the 29 being hourly on evenings and weekends had made it far less convenient for those along Middlepark and Swarthmore.