Perry Barr Garage

[BK63 YWP]

They like to change shelters to add a waste of money tv advertisers and expose the poor people of Kingswinford to the elements... it's like the debacle what was wrong with the original 902/4/5? I liked the fact that Dudley is the only area holding on to 200 numbers. TfWM is trying so hard to become TfL. Next thing on the list EVERY bus route is a contract! And I don't think diamond/Igo will be happy having to paint their Vehicles into two tone red... TfWM will probably have to give money to the companies to get the repaints done. And then you have the cleaner emissions area being planned because of the EU said Birmingham is quite polluted? Brexit is happening so why listen to the EU...

[j789]

They like to change shelters to add a waste of money tv advertisers and expose the poor people of Kingswinford to the elements... it's like the debacle what was wrong with the original 902/4/5? I liked the fact that Dudley is the only area holding on to 200 numbers. TfWM is trying so hard to become TfL. Next thing on the list EVERY bus route is a contract! And I don't think diamond/Igo will be happy having to paint their Vehicles into two tone red... TfWM will probably have to give money to the companies to get the repaints done. And then you have the cleaner emissions area being planned because of the EU said Birmingham is quite polluted? Brexit is happening so why listen to the EU...

Cleaner emissions is CLEARLY a good thing for everyone in these areas so can't see what you are complaining about there. The fact certain companies still get away with running clapped out buses in 2018 is the biggest joke, just like the 1990s all over again with the Nationals.

They just need to ban cars from Birmingham city centre and that will solve the problem of pollution much quicker.

[Kevin]

Most of the issue with pushing buses out of the core centre has been with where they've gone, for the most now terminating around the Queensway and only serving the small part of the city centre surrounding where they come in.

Previously there were loads of routes that headed deeper in and round so there were less "main" stops where every man and his dog boards (ie Bull Street with the services in question) - god forbid there was even the cross city 66 that had steady on and off flows of passengers throughout between Aston Uni and 5 ways

P.S. I'm sure TfWM have wasted more than enough money on new bus shelters around the West Midlands that are missing walls so they can just a fit a poxy advert board up, and replacing busy bus shelters with pole stops, cough Perry Barr, Station Bridge cough.

I have been informed in an email (after I complained through the official channels about that particular stop) that it is only temporary and will be replaced by a full bus stop at some point

[Jack]

I have been informed in an email (after I complained through the official channels about that particular stop) that it is only temporary and will be replaced by a full bus stop at some point

Temporary? It's been there for 2/3 months now! I wonder how long we will wait until a new shelter is finally in place. I was waiting at that stop on Friday  to realise there wasn't a printed timetable sheet at all! I've noticed in the last few weeks that a new shelter has been installed at the Newtown Shopping Centre Stop waiting to be used as the temporary stop is still in use for the time been.

[Dom]

TfWM is trying so hard to become TfL. Next thing on the list EVERY bus route is a contract! And I don't think diamond/Igo will be happy having to paint their Vehicles into two tone red... TfWM will probably have to give money to the companies to get the repaints done.

What a load of rubbish!!! Sorry @SL 16 YPN, I normally respect what you say but that is just rubbish. You've got no evidence to back this up, the fact that you're commenting on tenders and amount of tenders proves this. Also when did liveries come into it? That has not been mentioned once, finally why would they choose a livery that is related to an existing company, in National Express.

Be careful what you say, a certain orange high viz will be calling you bitter, it was 6 years ago remember!

Personally I'd go as far as to say it was the worst ever decision made about our public transport system...

I'm going to be frank here. You're bitching is just childish. It was 6 years ago, that is a simple fact, and buses were probably going to be moved off Corporation Street anyway as the network has expanded and it wouldn't of been able to cope with the capacity.

Personally, I do believe that the public transport network around Birmingham City Centre is far improved now, even if passengers do have to walk to make connections. You complain about termini being away from shops/public transport connections yet you go to Wolverhampton or Dudley, the shops/high streets are still walking distance and buses are not stopping near to them. The only main terminus point that is close to shops is Merry Hill and even the intu don't want the station!

I far by agree! All of the City Centre's bus network was great until it was all destroyed/messed around with 6 years back now.

Elaborate on how it was destroyed/messed around with? It was changed and adapted for the better, bringing better links and extensions to Birmingham.

P.S. I'm sure TfWM have wasted more than enough money on new bus shelters around the West Midlands that are missing walls so they can just a fit a poxy advert board up, and replacing busy bus shelters with pole stops, cough Perry Barr, Station Bridge cough.

Wasted money on new bus shelters? Are you saying you would like an old plastic Centro coloured 'shelter' or one with a roof and backing panels? Missing walls so they can put an advert up? Well the piece of paper isn't going to dangle unprotected, so the plastic casing is effectively forming a wall?

As stated in the past, unless it is a temporary change, a full review of the stop is carried out. I should know, I've done them!


I've got to be honest, all the TfWM slating here is just pointless. Service changes, in majority, are done by the operator. The Metro extension was combined between BCC and TfWM, bringing it more into the city centre, which has proven to be successful by the revenue it is bringing in.

[BK63 YWP]

@Dom interesting article in modern railway stating blue metro orange/purple trains and two tone red buses

[Dom]

@Dom interesting article in modern railway stating blue metro orange/purple trains and two tone red buses

Not gospel though. I've never even seen that West Midlands Buses logo if I'm honest.

[V89MOA]

I'm going to be frank here. You're bitching is just childish. It was 6 years ago, that is a simple fact, and buses were probably going to be moved off Corporation Street anyway as the network has expanded and it wouldn't of been able to cope with the capacity.

Personally, I do believe that the public transport network around Birmingham City Centre is far improved now, even if passengers do have to walk to make connections. You complain about termini being away from shops/public transport connections yet you go to Wolverhampton or Dudley, the shops/high streets are still walking distance and buses are not stopping near to them. The only main terminus point that is close to shops is Merry Hill and even the intu don't want the station!

Okay let's get something straight here Dom, You're talking utter tripe and the figures quoted in the South Brum review topic also back that point up.... Bus usage has plummeted over the last few years and ask yourself why, I am not blaming everything on the metro but isn't it amazing the difference a few years has made in Birmingham, in exchange for approx 1 million more metro trips p/a.... WAS IT REALLY WORTH IT?!!!! I'm also under the impression sales of the "NBus" ticket have dropped considerably over the last couple of years. As per usual you are talking a load of biased rubbish because you seem to think tfwm are the golden organization despite the fact that MANY users on here, not just me, have made valid points about some of the awful things they have done, are doing and will unfortunately continue to do. You completely shut out other peoples opinions and points to suit your own agenda and seem unable to accept that bad decisions have been taken which are still having a longterm effect on people today and will continue to do so for many years to come, try telling people who have changed their commute that I am being childish. You do not even live in Birmingham or have to use its network daily so how can you tell me it is improved when all you do is sit in a bus shelter and count how many people get on or off a bus...

Let me also address your other points... Dudley Bus station sits right next to the Churchill centre as well being a 1 minute walk from the main Market st so do not give me that rubbish that they stop nowhere near the shops. How many routes in Wolverhampton only stop at the bus station? You are completely forgetting that most routes also stop on either Cleveland St, Market St, Bilston St, Stafford St or Lichfield St, ALL of which border the main shopping area. COMPLETELY different to Birmingham City Centre where the majority of routes have 1 "Main" stop or a pinch point stop and turn back around again, with the exception of a couple that unload only at the markets. This is exactly the point Kevin made a few comments above (I notice how you haven't bothered to reply to his points either...)  You are also missing the point that interchanging at such bus stations takes seconds as all of the bus stops are within metres of each other, unlike in Birmingham....

[DJ]

@Dom interesting article in modern railway stating blue metro orange/purple trains and two tone red buses

Slightly off topic, but do you have the adjacent page at all with the proposed Metro livery? Thanks.

[Kevin]

Personally, I do believe that the public transport network around Birmingham City Centre is far improved now, even if passengers do have to walk to make connections. You complain about termini being away from shops/public transport connections yet you go to Wolverhampton or Dudley, the shops/high streets are still walking distance and buses are not stopping near to them. The only main terminus point that is close to shops is Merry Hill and even the intu don't want the station!

Wolves and Dudley, with all respect, nowhere near as busy as Brum, not an easy comparison to make
Neither of them have a situation where 36 buses an hour have to share 3 stops as their main terminus on a 50 yard stretch of road with another similar number trying to get past to the Square Peg stops, all while having to wait for the 10 seconds of green light before a tram crawls past

[Trident 4194]

Do the omnicities make it on the 907 during the week? Or randomly? Noted 4778 on 16

[Steve3229vp]

Do the omnicities make it on the 907 during the week? Or randomly? Noted 4778 on 16

Yes unfortunately they do, I was hoping they were going to route brand them for the 952 as there are 4 of them (952 PVR is 3-4) so i have much much better chance of not suffering them on the 907!

[John]

Yes unfortunately they do, I was hoping they were going to route brand them for the 952 as there are of them (952 PVR is 3-4) so i have much much better chance of not suffering them on the 907!

They would be wasted on the 952. In the daytime, the OmniLinks are nearly empty

[Kevin]

They would be wasted on the 952. In the daytime, the OmniLinks are nearly empty

Given how much noise the Beeches lot made over the various changes to the 52 over the years I'm actually surprised at that.
Maybe it's time for a drastic change? Extend the route to somewhere useful? Cut it from town and just run it as a minibus service?

[Jack]

Yes unfortunately they do, I was hoping they were going to route brand them for the 952 as there are 4 of them (952 PVR is 3-4) so i have much much better chance of not suffering them on the 907!

As much as I would love them on the 952, it doesn't need DD's. The 52/A was another story.

Given how much noise the Beeches lot made over the various changes to the 52 over the years I'm actually surprised at that.
Maybe it's time for a drastic change? Extend the route to somewhere useful? Cut it from town and just run it as a minibus service?

Not another bloody change to our route to the City, as if we've not had enough of that done during the last 9 years, and anyway more moaning from the folk round here. Personally my opinion would be extend the route, or really just bring back the 52 and 52A, these routes worked, then again as did the previous 52. The main downfall is the 952 has to do the loop. Turnberry Road is not suitable for buses in my opinion, just tight with all the parked cars. I think there is too many limited stop services between Perry Barr and Birmingham. The only things I can say is just leave the 952 as it is or bring the 52/A back, even though most of it was a little bit too much, like the 10 minute combined frequency down Beeches Road, didn't need that at all.
The original 52 never served Turnberry and Booths Farm until 2003? I recall when the 952 was suggested was suggested to serve Foden Road in the North Birmingham review a few years ago that residents from Turnberry Road were moaning when the 52 started using it that the vibrations of the buses were causing residents' garden walls to collapse.