Least reliable NXWM services

[Sh4318]

Please can you add 98/99 47/47A to the list. I'm not going to suggest why but

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And if you are talking about the BC47 there isn't an issue at all. Pershore Road is very reliable.

He's referring to WB routes 47 & 47A

[Liverpool Street]

Please can you add 98/99 47/47A to the list. I'm not going to suggest why but

>:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

And if you are talking about the BC47 there isn't an issue at all. Pershore Road is very reliable.

He's referring to WB routes 47 & 47A

Oh right, sorry, with the shared service numbers now I wish we all would put the garage code prefix to the route number. Cheers fellas.

[Mike K]

Please can you add 98/99 47/47A to the list. I'm not going to suggest why but

>:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Is that BC98/99? I know you don't get the best running time on there. Not bad routes but they're fairly new so they do need to review the timings. And if you are talking about the BC47 there isn't an issue at all. Pershore Road is very reliable.

The 98 and 99 seem to get very snarled up near the Uni Halls of Residence crossing the lights at Edgbaston Park Rd towards city. The 99 seems to keep good time from Halesowen to Harborne, but at peak times it can get heavily delayed over the remainder of the route from what I've seen.

[Russ Smith]

Please can you add 98/99 47/47A to the list. I'm not going to suggest why but

>:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Is that BC98/99? I know you don't get the best running time on there. Not bad routes but they're fairly new so they do need to review the timings. And if you are talking about the BC47 there isn't an issue at all. Pershore Road is very reliable.

The 98 and 99 seem to get very snarled up near the Uni Halls of Residence crossing the lights at Edgbaston Park Rd towards city. The 99 seems to keep good time from Halesowen to Harborne, but at peak times it can get heavily delayed over the remainder of the route from what I've seen.

Northfield is awful for the 98, especially outbound. Frankley Beeches lights don't help at all, think there needs to be some sort of bus filter where the giant pavement is from the high street towards Longbridge for the 27, 63 etc.

[Liverpool Street]

Please can you add 98/99 47/47A to the list. I'm not going to suggest why but

>:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Is that BC98/99? I know you don't get the best running time on there. Not bad routes but they're fairly new so they do need to review the timings. And if you are talking about the BC47 there isn't an issue at all. Pershore Road is very reliable.

The 98 and 99 seem to get very snarled up near the Uni Halls of Residence crossing the lights at Edgbaston Park Rd towards city. The 99 seems to keep good time from Halesowen to Harborne, but at peak times it can get heavily delayed over the remainder of the route from what I've seen.

Well, they've extended the route slightly with no extra running time. Short drop backs also prove negitive for the 'Great Park' routes. It's all about timing with the Edgbaston Park Road lights, when I've driven the routes I get through the traffic and the lights without making the vehicle stop at all. I've never had a problem if I'm perfectly honest at that location. The changes for these routes in town have increased reliability slightly, however you still lose time going up Bath Row. More recently, Holloway Head is proving itself to being an issue. You shouldn't forget the GP has narrow roads and the loss of time isn't reflected within the running cards.

Please can you add 98/99 47/47A to the list. I'm not going to suggest why but

>:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Is that BC98/99? I know you don't get the best running time on there. Not bad routes but they're fairly new so they do need to review the timings. And if you are talking about the BC47 there isn't an issue at all. Pershore Road is very reliable.

The 98 and 99 seem to get very snarled up near the Uni Halls of Residence crossing the lights at Edgbaston Park Rd towards city. The 99 seems to keep good time from Halesowen to Harborne, but at peak times it can get heavily delayed over the remainder of the route from what I've seen.

Northfield is awful for the 98, especially outbound. Frankley Beeches lights don't help at all, think there needs to be some sort of bus filter where the giant pavement is from the high street towards Longbridge for the 27, 63 etc.

Northfield is awful for everything and everybody. It honestly ruins your health.

What about the Bristol Road routes? The trick is to get to Lockwood Road 2.5minutes up and then carry on as that acts as insurance if you miss the lights. Take note, the pedestrian crossing right outside the Baths aren't in syncronisation with the other lights, and will show red and block the Bypass traffic - thus causing the whole yellow box to blocked by uneducated drivers.

And for your information, soon the timing points are going to be moved to outside the Baths for 63/98 and The Black Horse for 61. Selly Oak also sees a change as the timing point is now outside Frankie & Bennies.

[j789]

Agree about the lights at Northfield. When I do the 144 I am pretty much always late leaving Northfield outbound because of those sets of lights near the swimming baths, even on a Sunday. When the temporary lights were at the cross roads near McDonalds it was even worse and was taking 15/20 mins to get through Northfield.

[Liverpool Street]

Agree about the lights at Northfield. When I do the 144 I am pretty much always late leaving Northfield outbound because of those sets of lights near the swimming baths, even on a Sunday. When the temporary lights were at the cross roads near McDonalds it was even worse and was taking 15/20 mins to get through Northfield.

I am not being funny but at the leisurely pace you First drivers take tottling down BRSouth I didn't think you had a Running Board!

How much time do you guys get from Lockwood Rd to Longbridge Island? We get 7 minutes and that's not enough.

[Russ Smith]

Did this as part of my Extended Project Qualification at Sixth Form, would love to see this done, could save maybe a minute or two from the 10 added on when the X62 changed! http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8257/9027552860_fe066a9192_b.jpg

I must say if I'm at New Street and see a 144 and 98 coming soon, I'll get the 144 to Northfield, go to Sam's Chicken and still have a wait before the 98 comes, so First can't be that slow!

[Liverpool Street]

Did this as part of my Extended Project Qualification at Sixth Form, would love to see this done, could save maybe a minute or two from the 10 added on when the X62 changed! http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8257/9027552860_fe066a9192_b.jpg

I must say if I'm at New Street and see a 144 and 98 coming soon, I'll get the 144 to Northfield, go to Sam's Chicken and still have a wait before the 98 comes, so First can't be that slow!

I wouldn't touch the chicken from Sam's. No thanks.

On topic; That works - in theory. Just remember the yellow box which will no doubt get blocked and we'll be stuck just one car away from the bus lane. Good news about your set up is the bus lane leads onto the bus stop, cleverer then the council!!

I reckon it would be better to put an island there instead of the many sets of lights. and have the faster bypass traffic signal controlled.

[Tony]

Series of traffic lights can work, just drive down Gloucester Place or Baker Street in London both have traffic lights about every 100m, but the timing on them is perfect to avoid the silliness that happens in Northfield. If you think Birmingham Council are useless with their lights management try driving around Walsall!

[Russ Smith]

Aha yeah it's certainly not the nicest or cleanest, just so cheap I can't resist!

Yeah I've got to admit some people are so selfish at that junction. Was only a little project with a series of quick designs but hopefully someday I'll be doing stuff like that as a job, providing my exams tomorrow go well! (I should probably get off this site now aha.)

An island could be a good idea too. Although the lights could continue to work if they sort out the ones at the Great Stone Road junction, maybe even repaint those yellow boxes there. Seems like they spent so much money on the actual relief road but just couldn't really be bothered at the two ends! Same as the Selly Oak one really.

[Liverpool Street]

Aha yeah it's certainly not the nicest or cleanest, just so cheap I can't resist!

Yeah I've got to admit some people are so selfish at that junction. Was only a little project with a series of quick designs but hopefully someday I'll be doing stuff like that as a job, providing my exams tomorrow go well! (I should probably get off this site now aha.)

An island could be a good idea too. Although the lights could continue to work if they sort out the ones at the Great Stone Road junction, maybe even repaint those yellow boxes there. Seems like they spent so much money on the actual relief road but just couldn't really be bothered at the two ends! Same as the Selly Oak one really.

Well when you get your job, please sort out Selly Oak by Edgbaston Park Road. FYI there is 11 sets of lights through selly oak and none of them are synchronized.

Not only that they need to repaint - and educate drivers - that the extra red light at the Crossroads outside Tescos is not a pedestrian crossing but a red light for the Bristol Road traffic flow. They stop dead, in the yellow box, thinking that a crossing is really going to be active whilst a side road had a green light? Thickos.

[j789]

Agree about the lights at Northfield. When I do the 144 I am pretty much always late leaving Northfield outbound because of those sets of lights near the swimming baths, even on a Sunday. When the temporary lights were at the cross roads near McDonalds it was even worse and was taking 15/20 mins to get through Northfield.

I am not being funny but at the leisurely pace you First drivers take tottling down BRSouth I didn't think you had a Running Board!

How much time do you guys get from Lockwood Rd to Longbridge Island? We get 7 minutes and that's not enough.

Haha. I wish but it is very tight for us - 33 mins to get from Rubery to Brum, 5 mins to get from Northfield to Selly Oak.
We get 7 mins from Northfield to Longbridge Island (some peak journeys more/lates less). Even though we are technically limited stop it doesn't save much time as I usually end up stuck behind several 61/63s or get a flood of passengers attempting to board with daysavers. Its worst when driving our tridents as to the untrained eye they look the same as NXWM's B7s on the 61/63 so people just assume they are NXWM buses.

[PM]

Agree about the lights at Northfield. When I do the 144 I am pretty much always late leaving Northfield outbound because of those sets of lights near the swimming baths, even on a Sunday. When the temporary lights were at the cross roads near McDonalds it was even worse and was taking 15/20 mins to get through Northfield.

I am not being funny but at the leisurely pace you First drivers take tottling down BRSouth I didn't think you had a Running Board!

How much time do you guys get from Lockwood Rd to Longbridge Island? We get 7 minutes and that's not enough.

Haha. I wish but it is very tight for us - 33 mins to get from Rubery to Brum, 5 mins to get from Northfield to Selly Oak.
We get 7 mins from Northfield to Longbridge Island (some peak journeys more/lates less). Even though we are technically limited stop it doesn't save much time as I usually end up stuck behind several 61/63s or get a flood of passengers attempting to board with daysavers. Its worst when driving our tridents as to the untrained eye they look the same as NXWM's B7s on the 61/63 so people just assume they are NXWM buses.

What irritates me tho is when some first drivers-I'm sure its not you-just drive straight past stops they are meant to serve and make a right fuss about accepting network passes-had an argument with one once about this. If we're honest firsts service-note it used to be services-along the bristol road could be providing more competition than they are doing. Must admit tho i like the fast driving and the enviros are brilliant buses just some drivers seem a bit mardy-ignoring stop bells, refusing valid tickets and stopping past the stops so you have to walk from the stop to get on. Not saying all first drivers are like this-just some and I'm sure you're not one of them. To be fair, what do they have to be cheerful about? They are driving for a failing company that is a shadow of its former self and probably fear for their jobs-talking the old redditch first drivers here

[Liverpool Street]

Agree about the lights at Northfield. When I do the 144 I am pretty much always late leaving Northfield outbound because of those sets of lights near the swimming baths, even on a Sunday. When the temporary lights were at the cross roads near McDonalds it was even worse and was taking 15/20 mins to get through Northfield.

I am not being funny but at the leisurely pace you First drivers take tottling down BRSouth I didn't think you had a Running Board!

How much time do you guys get from Lockwood Rd to Longbridge Island? We get 7 minutes and that's not enough.

Haha. I wish but it is very tight for us - 33 mins to get from Rubery to Brum, 5 mins to get from Northfield to Selly Oak.
We get 7 mins from Northfield to Longbridge Island (some peak journeys more/lates less). Even though we are technically limited stop it doesn't save much time as I usually end up stuck behind several 61/63s or get a flood of passengers attempting to board with daysavers. Its worst when driving our tridents as to the untrained eye they look the same as NXWM's B7s on the 61/63 so people just assume they are NXWM buses.

That has surprised me my friend. I understand about the confusion of bus types, and you can't serve that stop, the one after the Baths, do Diamond run along side your First Service?

And how long is your drop back in town?