Yardley Wood Garage

[EmmaTheFoxy]

There's no plans to change the vehicles on the 6 until the new electric buses arrive

I drive the 6, I'm being told we're getting deckers soon

[monkeyjoe]

Why was the 6 made into single in the first place, is it to do with crime ? Just curious why this happens on a main corridor ?

[2206]

Why was the 6 made into single in the first place, is it to do with crime ? Just curious why this happens on a main corridor ?

Its not the only main corridor that has single decks either as well.
55, 4/4A, etc.
How long has the 55 been single decker operated for? It recall seeing a mix of Mercs, Omnilinks, Metrobus and a few Tridents when LH operated it, it used to have some deckers back then? Was it ever mostly Metrobus operated, when did the Mercs take over?

The 55's single deckers can also become very overcrowded at peak times when I see them.

[monkeyjoe]

55 I believe was when they increased the frequency shortly before the lea hall closure.

[EmmaTheFoxy]

Why was the 6 made into single in the first place, is it to do with crime ? Just curious why this happens on a main corridor ?

Main reason was the anti social behaviour, it's a nightmare driving singles along the route during busy times, routinely refusing to pick up due to being max load.

[j789]

Main reason was the anti social behaviour, it's a nightmare driving singles along the route during busy times, routinely refusing to pick up due to being max load.

You'd think that the 6 would have been an ideal route for Bendibuses when they were popular in the late 1990s. I know they proved to be more expensive and less reliable than Deckers but the route would have been ideal as it is pretty straight the whole way, even with the bad congestion along the Stratford Road.

[monkeyjoe]

Wow sounds worse than the 94 and it still doesn't get new buses in over 12 years

[MasterPlan]

Wow sounds worse than the 94 and it still doesn't get new buses in over 12 years

Jesus Christ, at least the 94 is still going...

[monkeyjoe]

Jesus Christ, at least the 94 is still going...

Yes because people use it and it deserves investment in proportion to others areas. I'm back in Brum now permanently now can you tell lol

[MasterPlan]

Yes because people use it and it deserves investment in proportion to others areas. I'm back in Brum now permanently now can you tell lol

You can say that for many other services that have been withdrawn or cut back, cutting people off in the process. Why does it deserve investment any more than say the 82/87, 45/47 etc? Both the ☓12 and ☓70 have had investment and they both go to Chelmsley Wood so there's no bias.
Just be thankful you have a regular bus service still in-tact.

[2206]

You can say that for many other services that have been withdrawn or cut back, cutting people off in the process. Why does it deserve investment any more than say the 82/87, 45/47 etc? Both the ☓12 and ☓70 have had investment and they both go to Chelmsley Wood so there's no bias.
Just be thankful you have a regular bus service still in-tact.

X70 is mostly older E400. Just the 11, X1, X2 and X12 that serve the East that have had new investment in the East really.
The main high frequency routes into Chelmsley all have a fleet of older vehicles - 14, 55, 94, 97, 72, but who knows maybe one will get some from this batch of new buses/or some newer cascades from this round of changes?

Compared to Bearwood where most routes seems to have new vehicles (82, X8, X10, 9, 126 and 11) I think there's a bit of the contrast.

[monkeyjoe]

You can say that for many other services that have been withdrawn or cut back, cutting people off in the process. Why does it deserve investment any more than say the 82/87, 45/47 etc? Both the ☓12 and ☓70 have had investment and they both go to Chelmsley Wood so there's no bias.
Just be thankful you have a regular bus service still in-tact.

The last time the 94 had new vehicles bought for it specifically was 2003/4 the other routes you refer too have had two lots of new bus allocations since, I am right on this and to me it is not fair, I'll get bored of this when the management sort it out.

[MasterPlan]

The last time the 94 had new vehicles bought for it specifically was 2003/4 the other routes you refer too have had two lots of new bus allocations since, I am right on this and to me it is not fair, I'll get bored of this when the management sort it out.

My point is there are other areas worse off. No it isn't fair, but it could be worse as I've said. Some have never had new buses bought for it specifically....

[Stu]

Why was the 6 made into single in the first place, is it to do with crime ? Just curious why this happens on a main corridor ?

I believe the 6 was converted to single-deck operation due to anti-social behaviour concerns, but the frequency was increased (to something like every 6 to 8 minutes) in order to offset the loss of capacity.

As I have already noted, as have others, during peak times when reliability goes out the window and gaps in service appear, the single-decks do get very crowded.

What probably hasn't helped is now the 2 and 3 both turn off down Stoney Lane, and the 5 turning off down Court Road, plus the loss of the 31, the 6 is the only route that continues along the Stratford Road to Sparkhill and Springfield.

I think the main problem is that passengers travelling from city centre to Sparkbrook are generally just 'piling on' to the first bus that comes along. If that happens to be a 4/4A or 6, then yes, overcrowded single-deck. But equally, the double-decks on the 2, 3 and 5 can also arrive in Sparkbrook very full.

I don't know what the solution is to be honest, perhaps some additional double-decks used on the 6 at peak-times, like AG do with the 4 and 4A. I guess in a perfect world, with no traffic congestion and all services running to schedule, everything would be fine, using single-decks on the higher frequency routes, and doubles on the less-frequent services.

When I used to regularly catch the 37, it wasn't so much of a problem if a full bus went straight past, knowing there'd be another one in a few minutes. But if a 3 sailed past full, I'd be pretty peeved having to wait another twenty minutes for the next one.

[monkeyjoe]

My point is there are other areas worse off. No it isn't fair, but it could be worse as I've said. Some have never had new buses bought for it specifically....

Like I keep saying I know not every where can get new buses but when the same corridors keep getting the attention, it kinda takes the Micheal. A bit like the whole London vs the rest of the country which plans are in place to address.