SPRINT and CROSS CITY - What service numbers could be used

[MasterPlan]

Bartley Green/Quinton to Chelmsley is the 94/95 and 23/24 merged. Could see it just replacing them.

It could probably be up to a couple of years before some of these are introduced I would guess. Which won't be until bus lanes, amendments to junctions/bus stops etc have been introduced. By which time the tridents on the 97 will probably have been withdrawn.

I'm not sure what tridents have to do with what I asked. If they were to replace well-used and long-standing routes completely they'd have to be very reliable and frequent.

[Steve3229vp]

I would think all the new cross-city routes would be operated by Electric buses

[Stu]

I'm sure I've asked this before but are these cross City routes definitely replacing some regular routes or running alongside them?

I'd have thought the latter really with the regular service maybe dropping slightly in frequency.

Nothing is getting replaced, it is existing services being merged together.

[Mike K]

One thing that I assume will be lost with these cross-city routes is the 'city loop' that the 23/24 currently follow, linking Suffolk St, New St station and the Snow Hill / Colmore Row financial district. Either parts of that route will need to be dropped completely or served only in one direction, with some links lost.

That's a pity because quite a few people seem to use the routes to get from one part of the city centre area to another. 

[MasterPlan]

Nothing is getting replaced, it is existing services being merged together.

So 2 services getting replaced by 1 then.

[Owen]

Well I would have thought the x22/x21 would have been better contenders then the 24/23. As they provide more useful links like a hospital and uni. 

[Steve3229vp]

Well I would have thought the x22/x21 would have been better contenders then the 24/23. As they provide more useful links like a hospital and uni.

If you look at the 23/24 and 94/95 you'll see that the frequencies match for most of the time (every 10-12 minutes each, combining a 5/6 minute frequency), linking the 94/95 would create an imbalance.

[jasmine]

B = Birmingham (all stops)
S = Sprint (stops only at the Terminus and city center stops)

Package 1: City Center - B^A & B^C
Package 2: Hamstead to Longbridge - B1/S1
Perry Common to Hawksley - B6/S6
Package 3: Dudley to Druids Heath - B2/S2
Bearwood to Maypole - B7/S7
Package 4: Sutton Coldfield to Longbridge - B3/S3

Package 5: Harborne to Castle Bromwich - B4/S4
Package 6: West Bromwich to Meadway - B5/S5

[jasmine]

Colour coordinated routes as per https://www.wmca.org.uk/news/cross-city-bus-route-network-to-make-services-quicker-and-easier-for-passengers/

Hamstead to Longbridge - F1/F1A
Druids Heath to Bearwood/Dudley - P1/P1A
Longbridge to Castle Vale - T1/T1A
Bartley Green to Chelmsley Wood - O1/O1A
West Bromwich to Chelmsley - G1

[sryan188]

I think an easy solution would be to use the 90-99 numbering.

Longbridge to Hampstead (90/91) replacing 16/45/47
Frankley to Castle Vale (92/93) replacing 61/63/67 (plus 65?)
Quinton Rd West/Bartley Green to Chelmsley Wood (94/95) replacing 23/24/94/95
West Bromwich to Chelmsley Wood (97) replacing 74/97
Bearwood/Dudley to Druids Heath (98/99) replacing 50/82/87

Route 74 I would assume would continue West Bromwich to Dudley only with the same route number
I would also renumber the 96 out of this numbering to free up for a future cross city service (maybe the 6/33 for instance?)

The route from Frankley to Castle Vale seems to frequent at the Castle Vale end if incorporating both the 61/63 as they are both every 12 minutes and the 67 also is every 12 minutes so it may only incorporate one of the services (even though looks like both are highlighted in green). But I would personally bring in the 65 having the 61/65 and 63/67 as cross city 92/93. It share most of the infrastructure along the A5127 but only bottleneck would be Slade Road. The 65 would be strange on its own without the 67 as would either the 61 or 63.

Sprint should continue with the X1/X2 numbering in my opinion but just extending Cross City. I was under the belief that Sprint is replacing the X51 (between Birmingham & Walsall) not the normal stopping 51 service? As many people have mentioned the 51 not the X51?

[monkeyjoe]

So they are starting works on washwood heath bus lanes next year and fast tracking this route, wonder how they will enforce the bus lanes and where they will be??

It's on Andy streets Facebook page btw

[ellspurs]

So they are starting works on washwood heath bus lanes next year and fast tracking this route, wonder how they will enforce the bus lanes and where they will be??
It's on Andy streets Facebook page btw

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/disruption-warning-work-install-bus-28323202

Also with news article that doesn't explain much.

[Gareth]

I really look forward to the day my five minute frequency bus routes is a five minute frequency. I just hope whilst being installed, the services don't get even worse than they are now.

[Stu]

I just hope whilst being installed, the services don't get even worse than they are now.

Unfortunately that is usually what happens.

Two of my colleagues at work drive in from Coventry, and they had nightmare journeys while the works took place on the A45 for Sprint, and I remember reading about how badly affected the X1 and X2 were as well as the 60.

The phrase that is supposed to reassure people is "short-term pain for long-term gain".

[Gareth]

At least it seems now the demolition of Saltley Viaduct will take place after the new viaduct has opened. That would have been a nightmare. It was awful whilst it was closed for 9 months this year.