express services on main roads out of brum

[Bob]

The Walsall-Hednesford 907 was operated by ordinary metrobuses i think, not sure whether it interworked with the 301? The 906 from Walsall-Pye Green was operated by Nationals and interworked with the 302. There mustve been some walsall routes operated by DP Nationals though, as the garage had an allocation of them. Im sure they ran on the 901, I think ordinary nationals ran on the 906/302 as the 302 was a standard bus route. At some point in 1987 the 951 was revised, the Bearwood part dropped, and it was extended from Bloxwich to Cannock. Does anyone know when the 907 was axed?

[Justin Tyme]

Unfortunately I don't have the details to hand, but I think the 301 and 907 were interworked.  I also think that the 907 was withdrawn when the 951 was extended to Hednesford, which was around 1987. 

The Bearwood section of the 951 was withdrawn at the same time, but some peak hour journeys ran on from Birmingham to/from Five Ways for quite a while afterwards.  I understand that the Five Ways extension was quite popular, but worsening congestion on Broad Street resulted in gaps in the city centre, so eventually it had to go.

[Bob]

I really wish nxwm hadnt withdrawn from Cannock, we use to have a fantastic network of Walsall & Birmingham services, at reasonable prices. It has utterly declined now all we have are extortionate Arriva services with their crap clapped out Darts or horrid VDL SB200s :-((((

[4504]

Back to the subject.. Again
What about an X14, but instead of it turning to serve Duddeston, it could follow the 55, 72, 90, 94 to Saltley, decreasing running times

[Discodave]

Many good suggestions but none will be sucessful no matter how little they stop as mentioned in another post the road system does not have the capacity for any bus lanes without causing more congestion so people will not be convinced to use the bus for work to be sitting in the same or worse jams and with future metro expansion would it be worth it when the tram would be quicker as it would have its own measures and no traffic unless your james bond in octopussy

[Nathan4775]

I was on the 71 today towards chelsmley wood from Sutton and there was 2 men discussing the fact the 71 is takes to long to get to Solihull, I couldn't agree more:

Is it not possible to introduce a X71 or 71X that operates a Limited Stop Service or better yet:
Sutton Coldfeild - Good Hope Hospital - Chelsmley Wood - Solihull Station along a dual carriageway or something or Just Straight From Sutton Coldfeild - Solihull Station

[Stu]

Limited stop and express services only realistically work on dual carriageway trunk roads, where either a bus lane can be accommodated, or where there is a 'fast lane' that a bus can freely move down.

For example, the limited stop Sutton lines services all use the Aston Expressway, allowing them to rapidly get from Corporation Street to Gravelly Hill. The 900 and 957 all use the Small Heath Highway, which allows them to rapidly get from Bordesley Circus to Hay Mills (Coventry Road). The Walsall Road express services use inside lanes on Newtown Row and Birchfield Road to skip stops, as well as use the Birchfield flyover and underpass.

Putting limited stop services on other non-dual carriageway trunk roads would be futile, due to traffic congestion. A Stratford Road express service (for example), would be no quicker, as it still has to sit in the same traffic as the 'regular' services.

And Nathan, please go to Google Maps, and try and work out what dual carriageway an express 71 service could use to get from Sutton Coldfield to Solihull in a faster time, and still be able to pick up passengers en-route to make money.

[andy]

Anyone wanting to get from Sutton to Solihull in less time should get the 71 or 71A to the Jaguar Works, get off and wait for the 966, much quicker than continuing on the 71. There aren't enough through passengers to warrant a faster direct link.

[Nathan4775]

Limited stop and express services only realistically work on dual carriageway trunk roads, where either a bus lane can be accommodated, or where there is a 'fast lane' that a bus can freely move down.

For example, the limited stop Sutton lines services all use the Aston Expressway, allowing them to rapidly get from Corporation Street to Gravelly Hill. The 900 and 957 all use the Small Heath Highway, which allows them to rapidly get from Bordesley Circus to Hay Mills (Coventry Road). The Walsall Road express services use inside lanes on Newtown Row and Birchfield Road to skip stops, as well as use the Birchfield flyover and underpass.

Putting limited stop services on other non-dual carriageway trunk roads would be futile, due to traffic congestion. A Stratford Road express service (for example), would be no quicker, as it still has to sit in the same traffic as the 'regular' services.

And Nathan, please go to Google Maps, and try and work out what dual carriageway an express 71 service could use to get from Sutton Coldfield to Solihull in a faster time, and still be able to pick up passengers en-route to make money.

Actully 900/957 seem to be using The 58/59/60 towards Birmingham instead of Small Heath Highway dont know why

902/904/905/914/915/110/112 - That use Aston Expressway Still Get held up soo

[Abluhwleh]

Limited stop and express services only realistically work on dual carriageway trunk roads, where either a bus lane can be accommodated, or where there is a 'fast lane' that a bus can freely move down.

For example, the limited stop Sutton lines services all use the Aston Expressway, allowing them to rapidly get from Corporation Street to Gravelly Hill. The 900 and 957 all use the Small Heath Highway, which allows them to rapidly get from Bordesley Circus to Hay Mills (Coventry Road). The Walsall Road express services use inside lanes on Newtown Row and Birchfield Road to skip stops, as well as use the Birchfield flyover and underpass.

Putting limited stop services on other non-dual carriageway trunk roads would be futile, due to traffic congestion. A Stratford Road express service (for example), would be no quicker, as it still has to sit in the same traffic as the 'regular' services.

And Nathan, please go to Google Maps, and try and work out what dual carriageway an express 71 service could use to get from Sutton Coldfield to Solihull in a faster time, and still be able to pick up passengers en-route to make money.

Actully 900/957 seem to be using The 58/59/60 towards Birmingham instead of Small Heath Highway dont know why

902/904/905/914/915/110/112 - That use Aston Expressway Still Get held up soo

Hi Nathan, the way would probably be the tons and tons of roadwords currently taking place all up and down the Small Heath bypaass...

[Nathan4775]

Limited stop and express services only realistically work on dual carriageway trunk roads, where either a bus lane can be accommodated, or where there is a 'fast lane' that a bus can freely move down.

For example, the limited stop Sutton lines services all use the Aston Expressway, allowing them to rapidly get from Corporation Street to Gravelly Hill. The 900 and 957 all use the Small Heath Highway, which allows them to rapidly get from Bordesley Circus to Hay Mills (Coventry Road). The Walsall Road express services use inside lanes on Newtown Row and Birchfield Road to skip stops, as well as use the Birchfield flyover and underpass.

Putting limited stop services on other non-dual carriageway trunk roads would be futile, due to traffic congestion. A Stratford Road express service (for example), would be no quicker, as it still has to sit in the same traffic as the 'regular' services.

And Nathan, please go to Google Maps, and try and work out what dual carriageway an express 71 service could use to get from Sutton Coldfield to Solihull in a faster time, and still be able to pick up passengers en-route to make money.

Actully 900/957 seem to be using The 58/59/60 towards Birmingham instead of Small Heath Highway dont know why

902/904/905/914/915/110/112 - That use Aston Expressway Still Get held up soo

Hi Nathan, the way would probably be the tons and tons of roadwords currently taking place all up and down the Small Heath bypaass...

Hi ,  I didnt know there was roadworks taking place on the Small Heath Highways

[sonic84]

Well I suppose it still is the fastest bus from Dudley to Merry Hill, it's express between Woodside and Dudley

I agree with you that express routes need to be in fact express routes! Why on earth the X96 is given express status I have no idea! It seems to stop at pretty much just as many bus stops as any other route. Especially now it has been routed all the way down the Wrens Nest and back which can make a route not famed for its reliability even worse. It should just be the 296! The only 'express' point I can think of really is where the bus goes round the back of Merry Hill through the waterfront, other than that there is a bus stop every couple hundred metres or so.

True as it only takes 15 minutes, but really shouldnt have a Limited stop Status

Talking about the Hawkesley / Kings Norton areas how about...

X50 - Birmingham - Druids Heath... only stopping at one stop in Moseley, Kings Heath, Maypole and then terminating at Druids Heath. A proper express service with only 4 stops.

X84 - Birmingham - Hawkesley... extend from the current terminus at the QE in to Birmingham City Centre, therefore only stopping at one stop at QEH, Selly Oak, Cotteridge, Kings Norton Green and Hawkesley.

Doesnt Johons already operate an X50

On top of what I said about the Johons operating NXWM could always name there X50 a 50X, I think there is good potential there becuase it would speed up journey times. but it could get held up on the Kings Heath High Street

It would also be nice to see YW introduce as limited stop X84, possibly some potential there, or  they could extend the current 84 like it was before

to be exact it was the 84/85 that used to operate into town operated by YW then the 85 got withdrawn and the 84 got amended I know this becuase I got the timetables of all the old routes

Even further back when First Midland Red use to operate the services there was an 83 as well.

83 Birmingham - Selly Oak - Bournville - Cotteridge - Hawkesley
84 Birmingham - Selly Oak - Bournville - Cotteridge - Hawkesley
85 Birmingham - Selly Oak - Bournville - Cotteridge - Hawkesley - West Heath - Longbrige

All time to run every 30 minutes, combining to every 10 minutes.  Bit of a change from the current service.

[Discodave]

Limited stop and express services only realistically work on dual carriageway trunk roads, where either a bus lane can be accommodated, or where there is a 'fast lane' that a bus can freely move down.

For example, the limited stop Sutton lines services all use the Aston Expressway, allowing them to rapidly get from Corporation Street to Gravelly Hill. The 900 and 957 all use the Small Heath Highway, which allows them to rapidly get from Bordesley Circus to Hay Mills (Coventry Road). The Walsall Road express services use inside lanes on Newtown Row and Birchfield Road to skip stops, as well as use the Birchfield flyover and underpass.

Putting limited stop services on other non-dual carriageway trunk roads would be futile, due to traffic congestion. A Stratford Road express service (for example), would be no quicker, as it still has to sit in the same traffic as the 'regular' services.

And Nathan, please go to Google Maps, and try and work out what dual carriageway an express 71 service could use to get from Sutton Coldfield to Solihull in a faster time, and still be able to pick up passengers en-route to make money.

At last someone with sense I have made the same point but just get lambasted via karma or other ways express routes only work on the points you have made like the suggestion on A 9 express route there is some dual carriage way but where is the dual carrigeway into stourbridge from halesowen and on the hagley rd from bearwood and look at five ways even with the underpass it still queues

[arrifirststage]

Dave,I usually disagree with your comments but on this occasion you are correct.
One point,please don't think I am trying to get at you  but can you try to use punctuation marks,the use of a comma or full stop now and again would help me to further understand your posts so I can agree or disagree with you?

[Discodave]

Usually have just got up when writing a comment (work nights) but yes, even though I have a GCSE (a good grade too) in English yes my punctuation is lacking and its no excuse will improve thankyou.