Acocks Green Garage

[Justin Tyme]

I've travelled on the 5 along Robin Hood Lane three times since 22 July, and city-bound bus stops still show 'NOT IN USE'.  I completed Network West Midlands 'Report a problem' page on Friday about it, so I hope it will be resolved very soon.

[V89MOA]

While I was out and about exploring my new neighbourhood this afternoon, I found myself by Yardley Wood rail station on Highfield Road, and decided to catch a 5 towards Solihull (as I'd just missed a 76), as the NX Bus app was showing one due, and the bus stop flag and printed timetable showed that the 5 stopped there (it also showed Timetable valid from 22 July 2018).

After the bus didn't arrive, and I checked the app again which showed the next one was in 28 mins, I decided to cross the road and catch a 5 in the opposite direction towards Birmingham, which was due in 7 mins. Again, the bus stop flag had 5 printed on it, and showed a timetable valid from 22nd July 2018.

Once again, the app changed from 'Due' to 32mins, so I gave up and got the 76 to Kings Heath instead.

It wasn't until I got home and then later checked the 5 route and timetable on the NX Bus website, that I saw it doesn't even serve Yardley Wood rail station.

I know I normally do my research before travelling to unfamiliar areas, but even so, to arrive at a bus stop and see a route number printed on the flag, as well as that route being shown on the printed timetable, and as well as NX Buses own app showing real-time information for that stop, its pretty poor that this has been allowed to happen.

So this section has been messed up twice now this year ::) I posted a few weeks before the review on here somewhere and mentioned that the first route change (to serve Yardley Wood station) was made "on the quiet" with the NX and NWM websites both showing different routings, no mention of the route change on any poster or website and there were flags left unchanged even then! There was no real mention of this recent route change on the NX South Birmingham review page either other than "Robin Hood Lane will be served again"... Even though it would have been served anyway as the 5 has always stopped outside the Tesco express and at the Etwall Road stop.

Since the changes have come in though there has clearly been no effort on tfwm's part to correct these stops properly, it took them a week just to get all the old (2,3,)5 stops on Bradford St changed as they only bothered doing half at first! They are still fixing bugs with the Network WM app too, the 27s were early last week showing duplicate journeys both to Hawkesley and Harborne and I don't know how but it was the Hawkesley ones with live times while Harbornes were timetabled although this has surprisingly been fixed since! Best of luck to Dudley's bus users while these clowns are in charge of stops!

[GeminiFan1991]

Currently sat on 4671 and their seems to be little space between the decker and a Wilko lorry. The driver alongside some helpful people is having to reverse so the lorry can go past.

Quite remarkable on the bus driver's part.

[Stu]

I've travelled on the 5 along Robin Hood Lane three times since 22 July, and city-bound bus stops still show 'NOT IN USE'.  I completed Network West Midlands 'Report a problem' page on Friday about it, so I hope it will be resolved very soon.

I reported this issue to Network West Midlands, and have just received the below response:

Re: Yardley Wood rail station - service 5
Thank you for contacting Transport for West Midlands, part of the West Midlands Combined Authority, regarding bus service 5.
Although we produce all timetables, accuracy of data is the responsibility of the operator. TfWM have not been informed of any service changes to the 5 and as far as we are aware, it should still be servicing Yardley Wood Station. I have therefore passed your comments to NXWM asking them to investigate your concerns and reply to you directly.

I expect you will get a similar response to your query.

[V89MOA]

I reported this issue to Network West Midlands, and have just received the below response:

Re: Yardley Wood rail station - service 5
Thank you for contacting Transport for West Midlands, part of the West Midlands Combined Authority, regarding bus service 5.
Although we produce all timetables, accuracy of data is the responsibility of the operator. TfWM have not been informed of any service changes to the 5 and as far as we are aware, it should still be servicing Yardley Wood Station. I have therefore passed your comments to NXWM asking them to investigate your concerns and reply to you directly.

I expect you will get a similar response to your query.

This sounds like a borderline libelous accusation to me, accusing NXWM of running the 5 to an unregistered route? You really couldn't make this up!

[Stu]

This sounds like a borderline libelous accusation to me, accusing NXWM of running the 5 to an unregistered route? You really couldn't make this up!

Don't be so ridiculous. It's obvious to me that someone has simply made a cock-up, I didn't read any 'libellous accusation' in that email reply. While other changes to the 5 have been notified to TfWM, someone has 'overlooked' the route change from Highfield Road back to Robin Hood Lane.

Its a classic case of "garbage in, garbage out" - you're very quick to blame TfWM for this but they can only work with information given to them by the bus operators, if NX Bus have given them incorrect information then of course the flags and timetables will be wrong for those stops.

I'm sure this will all be corrected soon, I just wonder apart from myself and Justin Tyme how many people have reported this?

[Kevin]

I was under the impression that the Yardley Wood bit was a temporary diversion anyway?

[x68]

Network Rail put a height restriction on bridge in Robin Hood Lane which was below double  deck height despite bus going under bridge for 50 plus years. Following discussion a new height restriction sign was put on. Diversion via Yardley  Wood station was when height restriction was on. Did say in South Birmingham review the 5 would go back to Robin Hood Lane 

[Tony]

Network Rail put a height restriction on bridge in Robin Hood Lane which was below double  deck height despite bus going under bridge for 50 plus years. Following discussion a new height restriction sign was put on. Diversion via Yardley  Wood station was when height restriction was on. Did say in South Birmingham review the 5 would go back to Robin Hood Lane

That isn't the story. The bridge has always had the same height restriction, and while the signs were triangular, they are only advisory, so as long as you knew buses fitted underneath you were safe to use that route.
The signs on the bridge were then changed to circular ones, with the same height meaning they were compulsary and excluded Geminis from passing underneath so the diversion was put in place. The solution has been found in using the trap fitted B7/ALX as they are officially 3 inches smaller than a Gemini so allowed to pass under the new signs. The only other double decks allowed are E400MMCs so there is no problem with a platinum or a Yardley Wood 61xxusing the route

[MW]

That isn't the story. The bridge has always had the same height restriction, and while the signs were triangular, they are only advisory, so as long as you knew buses fitted underneath you were safe to use that route.
The signs on the bridge were then changed to circular ones, with the same height meaning they were compulsary and excluded Geminis from passing underneath so the diversion was put in place. The solution has been found in using the trap fitted B7/ALX as they are officially 3 inches smaller than a Gemini so allowed to pass under the new signs. The only other double decks allowed are E400MMCs so there is no problem with a platinum or a Yardley Wood 61xxusing the route

Isn't the height limit 14ft3? I'm sure the Gemini's are 14ft3.

Highgate bridge is or was labelled as 14ft3 too and the Gemini's were allowed under, just not the Presidents from memory.

[John]

Isn't the height limit 14ft3? I'm sure the Gemini's are 14ft3.

Highgate bridge is or was labelled as 14ft3 too and the Gemini's were allowed under, just not the Presidents from memory.

Geminis are 14ft 5in
B7TL ALX400s are 14ft 2in if I remember right

[MW]

Geminis are 14ft 5in
B7TL ALX400s are 14ft 2in if I remember right

I'm sure that the Gemini's were "remeasured" and the older ones were 14ft3 and the 47xx batch were 14ft5.

Edit: I remember Tony saying that's why the 47xx batch wouldn't ever go to AG, because of the bridge on the 5 route.

[V89MOA]

Don't be so ridiculous. It's obvious to me that someone has simply made a cock-up, I didn't read any 'libellous accusation' in that email reply. While other changes to the 5 have been notified to TfWM, someone has 'overlooked' the route change from Highfield Road back to Robin Hood Lane.

Its a classic case of "garbage in, garbage out" - you're very quick to blame TfWM for this but they can only work with information given to them by the bus operators, if NX Bus have given them incorrect information then of course the flags and timetables will be wrong for those stops.

I'm sure this will all be corrected soon, I just wonder apart from myself and Justin Tyme how many people have reported this?

"TfWM have not been informed of any service changes to the 5 and as far as we are aware, it should still be servicing Yardley Wood Station."
So they are not implying there that the 5 isn't running to the route it is supposed to be?
If a news organization or social media poster was to make that sort of claim to the public then there would be grounds for legal action...

it is apparent that NXWM have put time and thought into this change as arrangements were made for the ALX400s to be moved over for it well in advance, certainly not a last minute thing!
Tfwm will have had prior knowledge of all of the south brum changes weeks before they were announced as it is required, how else would they know which tendered routes may or may not need changing to compensate for the changes? I'll bet NXWM have been billed for the mentioned stops to be changed too!

[Tony]

Geminis are 14ft 5in
B7TL ALX400s are 14ft 2in if I remember right

While Geminis are in reality 14'3" their specification is 14'5" hence the problem if one ever did catch the bridge.

[Justin Tyme]

I reported this issue to Network West Midlands, and have just received the below response:

Re: Yardley Wood rail station - service 5
Thank you for contacting Transport for West Midlands, part of the West Midlands Combined Authority, regarding bus service 5.
Although we produce all timetables, accuracy of data is the responsibility of the operator. TfWM have not been informed of any service changes to the 5 and as far as we are aware, it should still be servicing Yardley Wood Station. I have therefore passed your comments to NXWM asking them to investigate your concerns and reply to you directly.

I expect you will get a similar response to your query.

Thanks Stu - I'm sure you're right!