New route?

[Stu]

Sorry Tony, I didn't realise you had that much 'clout' within NXWM!  :-[

I agree with what you say completely. As I've mentioned already, as a regular on the NXWM Facebook page, I get tired of the pointless suggestions being made there by people who are just dreaming up their own fantasy routes without thinking about the practicality of it all, cost, demand etc. Or demanding withdrawn routes come back, without considering the facts as to why they were withdrawn in the first place.

The 42 was only introduced to replace part of the convoluted 41 service which was withdrawn for reliability issues.  Which itself was a convoluted way to get from Acocks Green to Solihull. For residents of Olton, I think the new 58 is a great improvement, and the section from Yardley Swan to Sheldon was replaced by improving the frequency of the 60.

However, it does seem that users of the 73 are now suffering from reliability issues, due to this service being extended to the city centre, replacing the old 13 route. So not everyone wins it seems.

And @KayP, the 90 is quite a long route as it is, would there be any benefit in extending that to the Airport, as the 966 already goes from Chelmsley Wood to the Airport?

[Tony]

Sorry Tony, I didn't realise you had that much 'clout' within NXWM!  :-[

I don't have any clout, but I know a man who does decide routes and is open to sensible suggestions from employees.

I have also been with the company 34 years this year so have seen a lot of things tried and failed and some tried and been successful

[Stu]

sensible suggestions

And those are the major keywords!  ;)

[MW]

Sorry Tony, I didn't realise you had that much 'clout' within NXWM!  :-[

I don't have any clout, but I know a man who does decide routes and is open to sensible suggestions from employees.

I have also been with the company 34 years this year so have seen a lot of things tried and failed and some tried and been successful

34 Years? Bloody hell. You would have joined when you was 16 then? Or is the age on your profile incorrect.

[Tony]

Yes, straight from school at 16

[KayP]

I stand by what I said. I liked it the way it was.
I think the 90 extended to B'ham Airport is a great idea personally

Sorry Tony, I didn't realise you had that much 'clout' within NXWM!  :-[

I agree with what you say completely. As I've mentioned already, as a regular on the NXWM Facebook page, I get tired of the pointless suggestions being made there by people who are just dreaming up their own fantasy routes without thinking about the practicality of it all, cost, demand etc. Or demanding withdrawn routes come back, without considering the facts as to why they were withdrawn in the first place.

The 42 was only introduced to replace part of the convoluted 41 service which was withdrawn for reliability issues.  Which itself was a convoluted way to get from Acocks Green to Solihull. For residents of Olton, I think the new 58 is a great improvement, and the section from Yardley Swan to Sheldon was replaced by improving the frequency of the 60.

However, it does seem that users of the 73 are now suffering from reliability issues, due to this service being extended to the city centre, replacing the old 13 route. So not everyone wins it seems.

And @KayP, the 90 is quite a long route as it is, would there be any benefit in extending that to the Airport, as the 966 already goes from Chelmsley Wood to the Airport?

[Nathan4775]

The 58,59,60,73 provide a 5-8 minute frequency along the Coventry Road and for Sheldon you have the 58,59,60,72,73,900,900E,957 all from Birmingham which in my eyes is quite frequenct on A monday - Saturday basis. Since the 58 has been extended to replace withdrawn service 42 it has had more passangers boarding in town as from what I have seen when waiting for my 97. The 58 when terminated at Sheldon not many passangers would board from Arden Oak - Wheatsheaf I dont think ??. So if it didint which I am sure it didnt but i mihgt be wrong then NXWM would have lost a bit of money I can image & the 900/E serve Arden oak doesnt it?? or would that class as Limited stop ?


Extending the 90 to Birmingham International Airport wouldnt work becuase the 90 hardly has passangers between Birmingham & Chelmsley Wood because the 14/55/94 provide a faster service towards Chelmsley Wood unlike the 90. So therfore if they extended the 90 to Birmingham Intl Airport then the 90 would only be carrying the 966 passangers. Maybe if they extended another route to B'ham Airport which carrys more passangers I.E. 94 or 14 ?? but thats just a suggestion  ;D ;D

[Stu]

The 58,59,60,73 provide a 5-8 minute frequency along the Coventry Road

The 73 doesn't really serve the Coventry Road at all, just a short section before Small Heath.

the 900/E serve Arden oak doesnt it?? or would that class as Limited stop ?

The 900 is only limited stop between the City Centre and Swan Island. Yes it does stop at Arden Oak.

Maybe if they extended another route to B'ham Airport which carrys more passangers I.E. 94 or 14 ??

Its not about the number of passengers who currently use the route, but the number of passengers who frequently travel to the Airport.

[Nathan4775]

From town quite a few people travel to the Airport on the 900

From Chelmsley Wood you have the 966 which no1 gets off at the Airport . Only at peak times I can imagine

Service 91 is empty 15 minutes towards the Airport which to me is a waste of money > waste of a route > waste of a drivers time if no1 is going to use it

[Ashley]

I think the NXWM route network works well the way it is. But there really should be parking charges at Merry Hill Centre and that would surely benefit bus companies with increased services, passenger numbers and revenue, this is probably another one of those 'fantasy' ideas but with the upgrade in that area, it could one day happen

[Stu]

The other thing to consider, is that for 'big' shopping centres like Merry Hill, if you go there to buy 'big' items, such as wide-screen TVs and furniture, it is simply not practical to expect people to leave the car at home, and try and carry fridge-freezers and flat-pack furniture home on the bus.  ::)

Hence why I scorned a suggestion made on the NXWM Facebook page to introduce a service between Birmingham and IKEA in Wednesbury.

You'll never stop people driving to Merry Hill, but public transport (for those shoppers who go to view and then have items delivered to them) could be improved, with better access, as has already been proposed.

[winston]

The idea around Merry Hill bus improvements/suggestions on here is too increase the number of percentage of passenger journeys made to the centre by public transport, those with just shopping bags i.e. clothes rather than the monthly shop could easily travel by bus if suitable services are on offer that can better compete with the journey time taken to get there by car. Parking charges may help the situation, especially if the money was ploughed back in to improving public transport infrastructure at the centre.

The other thing to consider, is that for 'big' shopping centres like Merry Hill, if you go there to buy 'big' items, such as wide-screen TVs and furniture, it is simply not practical to expect people to leave the car at home, and try and carry fridge-freezers and flat-pack furniture home on the bus.  ::)

Hence why I scorned a suggestion made on the NXWM Facebook page to introduce a service between Birmingham and IKEA in Wednesbury.

You'll never stop people driving to Merry Hill, but public transport (for those shoppers who go to view and then have items delivered to them) could be improved, with better access, as has already been proposed.

[D10]

Hopefully the recent announcements regarding investment at Merry Hill by Centro/Westfield/Bus Operators will finally improve Public transport to this very busy location.

[wilmotm (Matt Wilmot)]

If something can be copied in Merry Hill/Brierley Hill to the way the bus lanes in Halesowen work then I can definetly see the scheme working. I was in Halesowen at rush hour this morning and the bus sailed into the bus station, dropped off and picked up and then sailed back out in less than a minute going past cars that had made absolutely no progress whatsoever. It was extremely impressive indeed and could easily in my opinion persuade perhaps just a couple more people to change from their cars to the bus. It also helped that I was on perhaps the best Enviro I've been on, certainly from PE's lot, 4820, and I reckon I've been on pretty much all PE's enviros. It was much quieter than others I've been on and there were absolutely no shakes and rattles whereas on some others  there can be what seem quite a few loose fixtures and fittings, the CCTV screen above the staircase for example.

[winston]

I agree, if car drivers could see buses sailing past whilst being stuck in long queues of traffic, also knowing that they will then have to fight for a parking space, it may well tempt a few to try the bus next time.... is all it takes is a few car drivers to have a good experience travelling by bus, then word of mouth can help the rest

If something can be copied in Merry Hill/Brierley Hill to the way the bus lanes in Halesowen work then I can definetly see the scheme working. I was in Halesowen at rush hour this morning and the bus sailed into the bus station, dropped off and picked up and then sailed back out in less than a minute going past cars that had made absolutely no progress whatsoever. It was extremely impressive indeed and could easily in my opinion persuade perhaps just a couple more people to change from their cars to the bus. It also helped that I was on perhaps the best Enviro I've been on, certainly from PE's lot, 4820, and I reckon I've been on pretty much all PE's enviros. It was much quieter than others I've been on and there were absolutely no shakes and rattles whereas on some others  there can be what seem quite a few loose fixtures and fittings, the CCTV screen above the staircase for example.