Why don't NXC extend the 20 to Nuneaton ?

[NXCOV21]

Is there a reason why this hasn't been done before ? It's only 3 miles extra or so ? Even one 20 per hour or make a new service, 20B. There's surely a demand for it. The stagecoach service is always heaving :/

[winston]

Is there a reason why this hasn't been done before ? It's only 3 miles extra or so ? Even one 20 per hour or make a new service, 20B. There's surely a demand for it. The stagecoach service is always heaving :/

NXC probably don't want to start anything with Stagecoach

[arrifirststage]

Just before Coventry Corporation was absorbed into WMPTE there was a proposal for a joint service with Midland Red doing exactly what you suggest,but even though a timetable was produced the pte changeover put the kybosh on it.
As for trying it again............would you risk a battle with Stagecoach?

[JPC]

Isn't battling what they are currently doing between Coventry and Bedworth? OK both companies now continue to operate their traditional routes but as far as I'm concerned Coventry to Bedworth is now saturated with buses, yes I would love to see NXC extend to Nuneaton even if the extension bit was just half hourly at best and requires me to buy single fares or regional daysaver on top of already having a Coventry area bus pass.
You only have to look back about 15 years ago and the 48 was a 30 minute frequency and the 20 was a 15 minute frequency.
I've certainly squealed every time I've heard the 48 Cov-Nun day return fare price over the years. Is Bed-Nun any much cheaper?.
Think I would sooner travel Cov-Nun on the £4.60 off-peak rail service despite the rubbish hourly frequency.

I think NXC and SIW have a historical agreement with each other to no longer extend commercially into each others areas, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

[Discodave]

Isn't battling what they are currently doing between Coventry and Bedworth? OK both companies now continue to operate their traditional routes but as far as I'm concerned Coventry to Bedworth is now saturated with buses, yes I would love to see NXC extend to Nuneaton even if the extension bit was just half hourly at best and requires me to buy single fares or regional daysaver on top of already having a Coventry area bus pass.
You only have to look back about 15 years ago and the 48 was a 30 minute frequency and the 20 was a 15 minute frequency.
I've certainly squealed every time I've heard the 48 Cov-Nun day return fare price over the years. Is Bed-Nun any much cheaper?.
Think I would sooner travel Cov-Nun on the £4.60 off-peak rail service despite the rubbish hourly frequency.

I think NXC and SIW have a historical agreement with each other to no longer extend commercially into each others areas, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

Can't do that against the law (like the price fixing law) something similar has been said elsewhere.  Its just larger groups tend not to tread on each others toes but saying that Arriva (as Wardle) run in Firsts territory in Stoke and Newcastle and you could also class Arriva now in the West Midlands .

[j789]

I seem to remember several years ago NXC branding some Mercs with a special 'primeline' type branding that included a Stagecoach logo (must be the only time ever on a West Mids bus!!!!) showing the companies partnering on this route corridor. I think it clearly benefits both companies to keep the status quo so cant see it changing unless Stagecoach suddenly attacked the 11/12 routes.

[richie]

I seem to remember several years ago NXC branding some Mercs with a special 'primeline' type branding that included a Stagecoach logo (must be the only time ever on a West Mids bus!!!!) showing the companies partnering on this route corridor. I think it clearly benefits both companies to keep the status quo so cant see it changing unless Stagecoach suddenly attacked the 11/12 routes.

The same branding was on the TWM livery Mercs used on the foleshill rd

[winston]

I seem to remember several years ago NXC branding some Mercs with a special 'primeline' type branding that included a Stagecoach logo (must be the only time ever on a West Mids bus!!!!) showing the companies partnering on this route corridor. I think it clearly benefits both companies to keep the status quo so cant see it changing unless Stagecoach suddenly attacked the 11/12 routes.

NXWM came almighty close to being replaced with Stagecoach fleetnames a couple of years ago

[richie]

I seem to remember several years ago NXC branding some Mercs with a special 'primeline' type branding that included a Stagecoach logo (must be the only time ever on a West Mids bus!!!!) showing the companies partnering on this route corridor. I think it clearly benefits both companies to keep the status quo so cant see it changing unless Stagecoach suddenly attacked the 11/12 routes.

NXWM came almighty close to being replaced with Stagecoach fleetnames a couple of years ago

Do you think it would have been of the better? I think WMT would have been the jewel in the stagecoach crown

[Ash]

I would have liked to see what stagecoach would have done in terms of route branding for certain services as I do like some style Stagecoach use for it's route branding but I think fares would be much higher than they are currently and I guess buses like the mercs and spectra's would have been gone nearly immediately and replaced by standard darts.

[winston]

I seem to remember several years ago NXC branding some Mercs with a special 'primeline' type branding that included a Stagecoach logo (must be the only time ever on a West Mids bus!!!!) showing the companies partnering on this route corridor. I think it clearly benefits both companies to keep the status quo so cant see it changing unless Stagecoach suddenly attacked the 11/12 routes.

NXWM came almighty close to being replaced with Stagecoach fleetnames a couple of years ago

Do you think it would have been of the better? I think WMT would have been the jewel in the stagecoach crown

At the time yes, as Stagecoach would have brought in loads of new vehicles (even though I'm not a big fan of Stagecoach!) However, now NX Group seem to be back on track financially, investing heavily in new buses / repainting & refreshing the existing fleet the signs are looking far more positive. If NX continue with the pace / investment levels currently seen, the fleet will be dramatically improved & the average age across the business will have dropped substantially over the course of the next 12-24 months.

Souter has been after WMT ever since it was sold to its employees for less than he offered. NXWM would be a jewel in any bus groups crown.....

[Tony]

I seem to remember several years ago NXC branding some Mercs with a special 'primeline' type branding that included a Stagecoach logo (must be the only time ever on a West Mids bus!!!!) showing the companies partnering on this route corridor. I think it clearly benefits both companies to keep the status quo so cant see it changing unless Stagecoach suddenly attacked the 11/12 routes.

NXWM came almighty close to being replaced with Stagecoach fleetnames a couple of years ago

Do you think it would have been of the better? I think WMT would have been the jewel in the stagecoach crown

At the time yes, as Stagecoach would have brought in loads of new vehicles (even though I'm not a big fan of Stagecoach!) However, now NX Group seem to be back on track financially, investing heavily in new buses / repainting & refreshing the existing fleet the signs are looking far more positive. If NX continue with the pace / investment levels currently seen, the fleet will be dramatically improved & the average age across the business will have dropped substantially over the course of the next 12-24 months.

Souter has been after WMT ever since it was sold to its employees for less than he offered. NXWM would be a jewel in any bus groups crown.....

I haven't calculated it, but I suspect it is very close between Stagecoach and National Express over who has the lowest average aged fleet. I suspect it is National Express (Stagecoach have just been given a load of ex First crap!). It certainly isn't First or Arriva. Go-Ahead have still got quite a collection of elderly vehicles although having a large young fleet in London will bring theirs down overall

[Justin Tyme]

In its best performing areas Stagecoach has very young fleets - for example at Manchester or Oxford.   So for that matter does the Stagecoach Nuneaton depot, where the fleet consists of 08 reg MANs, newer Enviro 200s, 04 plate Solos and a couple of 54 reg Darts.

Stagecoach run 8 buses per hour between Nuneaton and Bedworth, all of which continue to Coventry over various routes, plus several frequent local services that meet them at Nuneaton Bus Station.  It would be a difficult market for NXWM to crack.

About 20 years ago TWM extended the 3 (Binley - Holbrooks) to Bedworth via Smorrall Lane in one direction and to Binley Woods in the other.  It lasted about three years but wasn't a great success, partly because Midland Red South (as was) ran more frequently.

[winston]

I seem to remember several years ago NXC branding some Mercs with a special 'primeline' type branding that included a Stagecoach logo (must be the only time ever on a West Mids bus!!!!) showing the companies partnering on this route corridor. I think it clearly benefits both companies to keep the status quo so cant see it changing unless Stagecoach suddenly attacked the 11/12 routes.

NXWM came almighty close to being replaced with Stagecoach fleetnames a couple of years ago

Do you think it would have been of the better? I think WMT would have been the jewel in the stagecoach crown

At the time yes, as Stagecoach would have brought in loads of new vehicles (even though I'm not a big fan of Stagecoach!) However, now NX Group seem to be back on track financially, investing heavily in new buses / repainting & refreshing the existing fleet the signs are looking far more positive. If NX continue with the pace / investment levels currently seen, the fleet will be dramatically improved & the average age across the business will have dropped substantially over the course of the next 12-24 months.

Souter has been after WMT ever since it was sold to its employees for less than he offered. NXWM would be a jewel in any bus groups crown.....

I haven't calculated it, but I suspect it is very close between Stagecoach and National Express over who has the lowest average aged fleet. I suspect it is National Express (Stagecoach have just been given a load of ex First crap!). It certainly isn't First or Arriva. Go-Ahead have still got quite a collection of elderly vehicles although having a large young fleet in London will bring theirs down overall

I think given time, under Dean Finch NXWM will become a much higher quality of operation / with an even younger fleet & average age. Unfortunately there isn't a lot they can do about the scumbags that travel on their vehicles, only clean up after them & prosecute more for the damage they do to company vehicles. NX have already confirmed that they are no longer prepared to heavily refurbish vehicles to extend their lives, instead preferring to opt for replacing with new. I wouldn't be surprised if we see the 2014 NX bus order brought forward & buy further Euro 5 buses before the introduction of Euro 6 which will may new vehicles far more expensive.

The only thing I'm still disappointed about, it that NX still haven't ride the fleet of the TWM / TC brands years after NXWM was introduced. NXC have made a half hearted attempt & Bordesley now seem to be re-branding the TWM liveried Omnilinks as NXWM, but it still doesn't appear to have extended to all garages. NXD have managed to do it regardless of livery.

[JPC]

About 20 years ago TWM extended the 3 (Binley - Holbrooks) to Bedworth via Smorrall Lane in one direction and to Binley Woods in the other.  It lasted about three years but wasn't a great success, partly because Midland Red South (as was) ran more frequently.

Something more recent and within Coventry...
NXC's 13 service (then every 12 mins) was removed from the Hillfields area due to SIW's service 86 (every 15 mins between City and Binley Woods).  Although the 86 is slightly less frequent the longer 13 route though Hillfields would offset that.
The 13 was changed to run direct into City and Hillfields got lumbered with a half hourly service 34 for a couple of years then a slightly better service 16A (every 20 mins) in the bus review last year.  Just shows how competition effects on areas where there isn't competition.