97 finally extended?

[Isle of Stroma]

Anyway,ive done a timetable for the 97 if they did every 8 Mins to Chelmsley Wood then 20 onto the airport but it does give Helmswood Dr a 17/15/8/20 Frequency but maybe if its profitable enough add extra Helmswood Dr - Pine Sq Shorts using 1 extra bus

I've seen worse timetables, but....  :o  I'm sure there's a reason for the wildly varying running times between town & Chelmsley, also for the 6 minute dwell time @ Chelmsley - & for the 8 minute frequency which then jumps to 12 to suit your needs.

By the way, don't suggest I do better as I did so a couple of years ago - for virtually a 24/7 operation including legal crew hours etc & vehicle scheduling using hybrid Versa's....  ;)

The 97 is much more frequent than every 8 or 10 minutes. It's advertised as every 4.
That is the combined 97/97A

Unsurprisingly, over the last few months, performance on the 97/97A has tailed off. Can't imagine why....

Yesterday, I went out to catch a 97 towards Chelmsley, to connect onto a 90. I allowed myself 20 minutes to do the journey (10 mins for the trip & up to 10 mins waiting time). Naturally, I ended up waiting 23 minutes for a 97A (11:57-12:20 just beyond the Mackadown for the record), thus boarding the 97A just as my 90 was leaving Chelmsley....

[bwsau cymru]

confirmed to me last Saturday by a high up person at centro is that the 97 will run every 30 minutes to the airport and linking with the 966 will operate every 15 minutes chelmsley wood to airport. The nec and airport are also going to help fund the service for 3 years and it will also be running 24 hours a day (at last).
The idea is to give a transport link to the airport for people to travel for jobs.

I personally think its fantastic and so very glad we are going to have 24 hour bus route again and apparently other routes to the airport are being looked at going 24 hour

[Sh4318]

confirmed to me last Saturday by a high up person at centro is that the 97 will run every 30 minutes to the airport and linking with the 966 will operate every 15 minutes chelmsley wood to airport. The nec and airport are also going to help fund the service for 3 years and it will also be running 24 hours a day (at last).
The idea is to give a transport link to the airport for people to travel for jobs.

I personally think its fantastic and so very glad we are going to have 24 hour bus route again and apparently other routes to the airport are being looked at going 24 hour

This makes me wonder, what will happen to the Sunday timetable, because it is currently every 20 mins

[Stu]

confirmed to me last Saturday by a high up person at centro is that the 97 will run every 30 minutes to the airport and linking with the 966 will operate every 15 minutes chelmsley wood to airport. The nec and airport are also going to help fund the service for 3 years and it will also be running 24 hours a day (at last).
The idea is to give a transport link to the airport for people to travel for jobs.

I personally think its fantastic and so very glad we are going to have 24 hour bus route again and apparently other routes to the airport are being looked at going 24 hour

I don't suppose they told you when this would be officially announced then?

Presumably there will be 'fill-in' 97E journeys to Chelmsley Wood only, to maintain the current frequency, and that 97A journeys would be unaffected?

(actually would it not make sense to renumber the journeys to the airport as 97A?  ::))

[CRP2012]

confirmed to me last Saturday by a high up person at centro is that the 97 will run every 30 minutes to the airport and linking with the 966 will operate every 15 minutes chelmsley wood to airport. The nec and airport are also going to help fund the service for 3 years and it will also be running 24 hours a day (at last).
The idea is to give a transport link to the airport for people to travel for jobs.

I personally think its fantastic and so very glad we are going to have 24 hour bus route again and apparently other routes to the airport are being looked at going 24 hour

I don't suppose they told you when this would be officially announced then?

Presumably there will be 'fill-in' 97E journeys to Chelmsley Wood only, to maintain the current frequency, and that 97A journeys would be unaffected?

(actually would it not make sense to renumber the journeys to the airport as 97A?  ::))

or A97 For trips to Aiport,97 To Helmswood Dr,97A To Bluebell Dr & 97E For Short Trips

[monkeyjoe]

Unlikely to happen but just brinmg back the 96 for Bluebell journeys. Problem sorted.

[BU07 LGO]

too confusing to have an a97 and 97a

[Rob H]

Unlikely to happen but just brinmg back the 96 for Bluebell journeys. Problem sorted.

Completely Agree with you renumber the 97A back to 96 and have the Airport Journey's numbered as 97A that way people won't get confused

too confusing to have an a97 and 97a

[monkeyjoe]

It's not very helpful how they have worded the changes on the centro site, it makes out like the Bluebell drive end route will be taken off and incorporated into the 97. What does that mean to anyone. Why not post when until their is any substance to the info.

[Tony]

It's not very helpful how they have worded the changes on the centro site, it makes out like the Bluebell drive end route will be taken off and incorporated into the 97. What does that mean to anyone. Why not post when until their is any substance to the info.

That sounds like exactly what is happening!

There are going to be three variant
1) Through to the Airport
2) A loop covering the current 97 and 97A terminating at Pine Square
3) Short workings finishing at Pine Square

[monkeyjoe]

"Loop" as you have put it makes sense, however if you read the network west midlands grid info table, does not make a whole lot of "easy" sense. In my view.

[Isle of Stroma]

There are going to be three variant
1) Through to the Airport
2) A loop covering the current 97 and 97A terminating at Pine Square
3) Short workings finishing at Pine Square

It may have taken 2+ years - & now be being implemented by another operator, but at last my plan is seeing the light of day!

[dayvid]

How will this loop work out???

[Tony]

How will this loop work out???

A bus will come from Birmingham arrive at Pine Square, go around the loop back to Pine Square to terminate. It will then go the other way around the loop and into city.

Same as any normal bus route, only slight difference is the terminus is close to another part of the route!

[Busmapper]

And no mention of 24 hour running(?)