Single To Double Decker Conversion

[danny]

With it widely >:( speculated that a new batch of double deckers will replace singles on busier routes, which do we think or want to be converted.

As a passanger. Who travels in the peak. I have to nominate the 120, yes we recently had new volvos, but it comes to something when passangers are left waiting on colmore row on an evening and from thimblemill road of a morning, with lenthy gaps due to traffic (not NX fault, I know) it is slightly frustrating when you done an 8 hour day and are greeted with single deckers full to capacity.

This is merely a suggestion, from a peak traveler, it is rare I use the route outside peak periods, any other suggestions?

[winston]

Personally, looking at Pensnett routes (my local garage), I agree that the 120 should be full double deck or at least some boards that pick up the school traffic etc.

In addition I think the 140, 241, 246, 276 & X96 would all benefit from the increased carrying capacity of double deckers.

I think the proportion of double deckers in NXWM's fleet should be increased to a third single deckers (circa 500) & two thirds double deckers (circa 1000). Double deckers are people movers & take up less garage space than 12M single deckers.

[Bob]

In Cannock, Arriva's 60 to Lichfield definately needs them at times but it is stupidly bloody interworked with a single deck low bridge route and the 74 to Stafford needs them too

[Westy]

What was the proportion of double deckers to single deckers in the 'old WMPTE days'?

In Walsall, it was always double decks in service, you never saw single decks normally, unless it was private hire!

[Justin Tyme]

What was the proportion of double deckers to single deckers in the 'old WMPTE days'?

In Walsall, it was always double decks in service, you never saw single decks normally, unless it was private hire!

WMPTE's policy was to use double decks wherever possible - as indeed was the case with the five Corporations before the PTE.  Midland Red used single deckers much more widely, so there were several single-to-double-deck changes in the PTE era.

I think it was vandalism and anti-social behaviour upstairs that made West Midlands Travel decide to increase the proportion of single decks.

[Sayeed]

98 do need double deckers in the peak periods

[Bob]

After deregulation when Walsall lost its Ailsa's / VRTs, it was intended to be entirely Metrobus, but there were several Leyland Nationals based there incl some dual purpose, did these leave right away when Walsall's Lynxes arrived? Or did they stay a bit longer? Of course, Nationals/Fleetlines returned in the mid 90s

[PM]

98 do need double deckers in the peak periods

The singles cope pretty well on 29/X64/98 from my observations and theres less vandalism.

[Ash]

The 289 seems a well used service not sure about the 53 it inter works with, when the 238 was fully operated by WB metrobuses or alx400's were often seen on the service to cope with demand. Especially now the 5 has had it's frequency increased to every 8 minutes I'm still to be convinced it needs double deckers. I know it can get busy leaving Sutton Coldfield but whenever I see between Pheasy and West Bromwich in either direction single deckers would seem sufficient to cope with patronage.

[John]

Especially now the 5 has had it's frequency increased to every 8 minutes I'm still to be convinced it needs double deckers. I know it can get busy leaving Sutton Coldfield but whenever I see between Pheasy and West Bromwich in either direction single deckers would seem sufficient to cope with patronage.

It does need double deckers at peak times. I remember going to college on the 451's and they were always full, with standing loads. Even Now, single deckers are full up by the time they reach Kingstanding Circle heading to Sutton and go past the stop full. The same leaving Sutton at end of school and 5pm, they are all full. Yes daytime workings could be put on single deckers but they would not cope at peak time.

[JoNi]

Buses in those days were used far more by able bodied people (e.g.factory workers) who went up stairs. Nowadays when doubles are put on some routes the downstairs fills up and people stand downstairs despite seats being available. NXWM seems incapable of communicating to the extent of putting a sign up to encourage people to go upstairs like in Reading or equipping buses with public address for drivers to use .

[Gareth]

I always enjoyed the 55 route before the influx of Omnilinks. Hate it now. As well as some overcrowdings, the Omnilinks are far more cramped that the Mercs before them. Would love to see a return to double deckers, but unless the route changes garages again, I can't see that happening!

[Ash]

Especially now the 5 has had it's frequency increased to every 8 minutes I'm still to be convinced it needs double deckers. I know it can get busy leaving Sutton Coldfield but whenever I see between Pheasy and West Bromwich in either direction single deckers would seem sufficient to cope with patronage.

It does need double deckers at peak times. I remember going to college on the 451's and they were always full, with standing loads. Even Now, single deckers are full up by the time they reach Kingstanding Circle heading to Sutton and go past the stop full. The same leaving Sutton at end of school and 5pm, they are all full. Yes daytime workings could be put on single deckers but they would not cope at peak time.

I agree it can get busy between Kingstanding and Sutton Coldfield last week I was on a 5 at around 5pm from the Kingstanding Circle to Scott Arms and there was about 6 on board downstairs with a couple upstairs. Went into the shop got what I needed and got the 5 behind it at Scott Arms with about 3 people downstairs and only me upstairs by the time we got to West Bromwich there was only me on the bus.

[Discodave]

A question would it be better to just put an increased S/D service instead of just DD with the problems of anti social behaviour and people just not going upstairs.

[Kevin]

A question would it be better to just put an increased S/D service instead of just DD with the problems of anti social behaviour and people just not going upstairs.

Obvious respone to that would be - need more drivers