97 finally extended?

[Kevin]

I can see the 97 stop from my kitchen and all the ones I've seen throughout the middle of the night have been double deckers like normal.
And if it's any consolation, when I temporarily move back home next month I'll be using it at about 3am to get home from work :')

Well maybe the volvo single decker displaying 97 on the front driving through the wood was really just a phantom bus in disguise?

It connects at International station with the ghost train....


....ill get my coat

[JB93]

I can see the 97 stop from my kitchen and all the ones I've seen throughout the middle of the night have been double deckers like normal.
And if it's any consolation, when I temporarily move back home next month I'll be using it at about 3am to get home from work :')

Well maybe the volvo single decker displaying 97 on the front driving through the wood was really just a phantom bus in disguise?

It connects at International station with the ghost train....


....ill get my coat

I didn't say there weren't any single deckers being used, just that I'd only seen double deckers.... obviously I don't sit there watching every bus that turns up, so a polite little "actually, that's not right" would be appreciated rather than sarcasm.

[BCMobile]

I can see the 97 stop from my kitchen and all the ones I've seen throughout the middle of the night have been double deckers like normal.
And if it's any consolation, when I temporarily move back home next month I'll be using it at about 3am to get home from work :')

Well maybe the volvo single decker displaying 97 on the front driving through the wood was really just a phantom bus in disguise?

It connects at International station with the ghost train....


....ill get my coat

I didn't say there weren't any single deckers being used, just that I'd only seen double deckers.... obviously I don't sit there watching every bus that turns up, so a polite little "actually, that's not right" would be appreciated rather than sarcasm.

Children! Please!

As I've said prior, Twilight allocation must be branded (listed buses on previous post) . Because not all the buses are branded yet they can get away with any veh on the route. Especially early last week, another spat of abs lights...

[Typhoon2000]

I would also think it would make more sense to use a small bus at nigut enviro 200 ideal with its smaller engine tyres etc would have lower running costs. And the service isnt going to be a kassive boom of night travellers it will build gradually but I think to enhance its growth we need a network of night routes along key corridors to boost growth and really give people the option of being able to use the bus at anytime

I agree with this: a 9 and 97 double act would be great for linking east with west- although the 9 should stop up by the 97 stop after 1am.

97 doesn't just provide jobs to the airports, it's a lifeline to those that work in the bars and clubs in town late at night. I just hope the drivers are properly protected out there and any anti-social behaviour on the buses is stamped out by the police either by response or by information. It'd be great if this ended up being successful after 3 years

[Kevin]

I would also think it would make more sense to use a small bus at nigut enviro 200 ideal with its smaller engine tyres etc would have lower running costs. And the service isnt going to be a kassive boom of night travellers it will build gradually but I think to enhance its growth we need a network of night routes along key corridors to boost growth and really give people the option of being able to use the bus at anytime

I agree with this: a 9 and 97 double act would be great for linking east with west- although the 9 should stop up by the 97 stop after 1am.

97 doesn't just provide jobs to the airports, it's a lifeline to those that work in the bars and clubs in town late at night. I just hope the drivers are properly protected out there and any anti-social behaviour on the buses is stamped out by the police either by response or by information. It'd be great if this ended up being successful after 3 years

We can but hope, although people will always have the view that we don't need night buses

[John]

4471 has now gained branding after refurb
http://www.flickr.com/photos/john-s-91/8769651041/

[Stuharris 6360]

Centro were on Radio WM this morning, Adrian Goldberg Show, saying how bus journey's were down in the West Midlands last year compared with the year before, 4 million less journeys made. Adrian opened the phone lines up and we had the usual bus bashing exercise.

Of interest, one caller was asking why the 97 had been extended to the airport when there was already the 900 that serves the Airport from the city centre, also why a half hourly Night Bus services had been introduced. He wanted to know why Centro had funded this service, a question which Adrian didn't know the answer to. He said he would investigate it.

Why are some people never happy, surely a better connection to the Airport from other parts of the city can only be applauded, and as i understand the airport is subsidising the night service, so where is the problem?

[bwsau cymru]

Well as I have said on here before centro are not funding the 97 it is funded on a 5 year contract by nec and airport who are using the service to connect the airports to areas of Birmingham where unemployment is high and where they can look to provide jobs for people. I think its a great idea. I think now the service is up and running whilst it would be nice for the 900 to be 24/7 its more sense with the 97 as its a much busier corridor!

[Liverpool Street]

Well as I have said on here before centro are not funding the 97 it is funded on a 5 year contract by nec and airport who are using the service to connect the airports to areas of Birmingham where unemployment is high and where they can look to provide jobs for people. I think its a great idea. I think now the service is up and running whilst it would be nice for the 900 to be 24/7 its more sense with the 97 as its a much busier corridor!

Exactly. If you need to go to the Airport in the night, you've got a service. So what's the Big Issue?

[j789]

No doubt the caller was a car user who has never used the service. The sooner a congestion charge gets implemented in Birmingham the better as then the bus will really become a viable alternative. Centro and the bus companies should be pushing for this at every opportunity and spend so much time worrying about tram extensions.

[j789]

That last bit should have said 'spend less time worrying about tram extensions'!!!!

[Liverpool Street]

No doubt the caller was a car user who has never used the service. The sooner a congestion charge gets implemented in Birmingham the better as then the bus will really become a viable alternative. Centro and the bus companies should be pushing for this at every opportunity and spend so much time worrying about tram extensions.

You would think so but I doubt it. With all the car parks etc I think they'll lose too much.

Bloody stupid we're probably the only city which has a ring road that goes through the middle of it.

I've always said, along with my colleagues, no cars past the inner ring road, build massive car parks near the ring road and have shuttle buses in. This city's roads are too small for this volume of traffic. (Obviously you can go through to get to work but you should be issued with a pass or whatever. It was only banter in the garage)

Or do like the Americans and build double decker roads.. lol (Who has that kind of money)

That last bit should have said 'spend less time worrying about tram extensions'!!!!

I guessed that much, lol  ;)

[j789]

Unfortunately most of the planners/power brokers probably have never been on a bus since they were young so the bus rarely seems to get any sort of priority in planning. Having one major operator in Birmingham should actually help the planners install a proper integrated transport network as less people/companies to deal with.

[Kevin]

Centro were on Radio WM this morning, Adrian Goldberg Show, saying how bus journey's were down in the West Midlands last year compared with the year before, 4 million less journeys made. Adrian opened the phone lines up and we had the usual bus bashing exercise.

Of interest, one caller was asking why the 97 had been extended to the airport when there was already the 900 that serves the Airport from the city centre, also why a half hourly Night Bus services had been introduced. He wanted to know why Centro had funded this service, a question which Adrian didn't know the answer to. He said he would investigate it.

Why are some people never happy, surely a better connection to the Airport from other parts of the city can only be applauded, and as i understand the airport is subsidising the night service, so where is the problem?

Herein lies the problem with society. People complain for any reason, and in trying to get their point across they make up / assume "facts" that sound plausible... I seriously hope they did some research after the call and mentioned on air the actual facts that it isn't Centro funded

[sonic84]

For those of you who don't know, according to the NWM changes as of today the 97's to the airport become the 97A, and the short journeys to pine square have become 97P