Questions for the NXWM Operations Director

[Bob]

Thanks Bob.

We had a look at the recent Staffordshire tenders and we have won the X56 tender as a result.

We have no other plans at the moment but would never say never.

I heard that nx had also won the 2, 25/6 & 33 in cannock but arriva then registered these journeys commercially. Just one other point, the three peak X51 journeys that start/end in cannock are not advertised at all and there are no timetables on any bus stops in the staffs area ( not even in cannock bus station), people wont use it if they dont know it exists etc

I can't say too much more on the Staffs tenders really.

I will ask the team at Walsall to try and make some progress with X51 timetable information 'over the border'.


Thanks thatd be good. If people knew about it it cpuld be a decent alternative to the train with the price of a monthly travel card being loads cheaper!

[Liverpool Street]

Thanks Rat.

Over the past 18 months or so the Revenue Inspector team has gone up from 13 to 22 people.  Buses checked and passengers checked have risen some 22% so we are doing more and being more successful.

We have seen some really good results since January 2013 on some corridors, most notably the Coventry Road where the level of fraudulent travel has dropped significantly.

The investment we have made in the PDA machines (that look up people's addresses to make sure they are who they say they are) and the PDQ machines (that allow people to pay their fine by credit/debit card) have meant that we are now recovering a lot more money from people who we catch.

As ever we are driven by drivers pressing the anomaly button on the ticket machine as well as known hotspots.  I am not sure it will ever be possible to have daily checks on all routes but our strategy is to target the major corridors to catch the most people for around 80% of the teams time and spend around 20% on the rest of the network.

I think Smartcards will help but as long as we still issue paper tickets and have some members of public with the mentality that it is OK to 'steal' their travel then we will have fraud.

Thank you for the detailed response, Simon.

Sorry if my post seemed a little 'short' with you, but you must understand that when a so-called passenger walks past you flashing month old tickets, it really does get you down. Its OK for Walsall and training office etc to say let it go over your head but its easily said then done. Every single journey you get the same type of scum; tracksuits, missing teeth, gold chains, etc and its the same people who go upstairs and start smoking, usually marijuana. I know you shouldn't tar everyone with the same brush but on this occasion, I can make an exception.

There is, I've noticed, a sharp increase of mothers refusing to pay for the children over 5. And as always the 2 pushchair rule causes conflict.

But, thanks again Simon, nice to hear a down to earth voice from the top.

Any news you know of for the South West Brum Review? I've posted in the thread on this forum the ones I've heard, can you confirm 100% if those will be finalised?

How much input do you have in such affairs?

Thanks for the reply.

I think the level of fraud varies greatly by route.  I drive half a shift every month and some trips I carry 100% payers.  I drove on Saturday on the 24 and the 60 and had nobody with a fraudulent ticket (unless they were very good copies) and nobody who tried not to pay.  Last month I was driving on the 37 and took a travelcard from a passenger which had expired in March 2013.

There are no final plans as yet for South Birmingham.  The plans in the other thread have all been discussed and are being evaluated.  All or none of it might happen!  I am very much involved in the process and decisions - you can blame me!

It must be that white shirt you wear, Simon! Haha

But a couple of things for the South Birmingham Review is the x64 mainly.. as has been mentioned hundreds of times before.

And if the decisions are stupid, don't worry - we will all blame you haha

Thanks for your input, Simon.

[Wolves256]

Hello Simon

Can you please confirm what vehicles are on order for the remainder of 2013?
I assume it is 41 (89 delivered) as previous press releases have staed 130 new vehicles for 2013

26   ADL E400
15   ????

In addition is it fair to assume these vehicles are part of the Bus Travel partnership with Centro investment of 300 vehicles between now and July 2015?

[Steve3229vp]

Hello Simon,
I'm a regular user of the 28 and 907, the 28 has always suffered from delays especially if there is an RTA on the motorways which impacts on the 28 both at the Scott Arms and Castle Bromwich. May I suggest the following:

28 Bordesley Green to Dyas Road only (every 15 mins)
38 Castle Vale to Scott Arms (every 15mins), replacing 638.

This would mean each service would only be impacted ONCE if there is an RTA on the motorway (28 at Castle Bromwich, 38 at the Scott Arms) and would combine 7/8 mins between Chester Road and Dyas Road which is the busiest section of the route.

Finally please STOP Perry Barr garage putting single deckers on the 907 especially in peaks, the amount of times I've had to walk to Livery Street to get the 7 or jumping on a 934 etc to Hawthorn Road then walking or getting a 28 because the 907 was full or coming from Sutton they can be full before reaching the Crossways, the 15 min frequency in peaks is inadequate as it is (it was every 10 mins 3 years ago) , this route has been neglected for too long the fact is that passengers have been driven away.

[B.C Driver]

Hi Simon, a couple of questions from me.

Is it possible something can be changed with the situation where after 10pm it is impossible to print child tickets?

It is an awkward situation when you have to try to explain to parents that they cant have a ticket for their children, it has led to arguements and I have now just pressed an adult ticket instead to keep the peace, but I dont like to do this as the wrong ticket is issued.

Also I have had a lot of people showing me their concessionary passes and saying "It wont scan", and I explain they still have to scan it cus it might be blocked, when they do scan it, it doesnt come up neither red or green. Surely this is like showing a blank travel card and they should pay as they will probably use this card till the end of their lives.

As for the revenue inspectors increasing from 13 to 22, I would say it needs to be 3 times that. The ammount of fraud is widespread. And the revenue recupriated could go towards new buses. More often than not it is the passengers with out of date passes that also smoke on the buses too.

Many thanks

[Lukeee]

Hi Simon, quick question from me.

Would it be possible to improve the reliability of the 28 route, not just peaks but evenings and, in particular Sundays as it is often 10-15 minutes late on Sunday afternoons. Unlike what has been suggested further up I wouldn't suggest splitting the route in two as it does provide some useful links.

Thanks for your input.

[JB93]

Hey Simon!

I know you'll be busy replying to all the questions before this, but I just thought I'd ask if there are any plans to improve or upgrade East Birmingham's services in the near future? i.e. new buses, improved frequencies, new routes etc.? I only ask because it seems a lot of the focus lately has been on North Birmingham, Walsall and Wolverhampton and it seems they've had their fill of brand new buses if I'm honest. You can't go up the Birchfield Road without 90% of buses being an Enviro400, and if you go into East Birmingham it just seems to be decade-old Tridents, similarly aged ALX400s on the 94, and the odd unrefurbished Omnilink dotted about. I know the Coventry Road has just received new Enviros for 2 of it's routes but the point remains, you go anywhere in East Birmingham and the only routes you'll see with brand spanking new buses are the 71/72, and maybe the 94 if an Enviro creeps out of North Birmingham. Even the 97, which I thought would become a high profile route now being the only one to run 24 hours and connecting many areas to the airport, is using, albeit branded, old Tridents. It seems that since Lea Hall closed down, the standards and upkeep of East Birmingham's routes have been neglected.
I just thought maybe some investment in the future is needed to bring East Birmingham up to the standards that Walsall, Wolverhampton and North Birmingham (especially Pheasey) are now enjoying.

Kind Regards :)

[Stuharris 6360]

Thanks driver.

The 205 and 297 are Pensnett services that are almost under constant review and we are looking at the impact of the recent changes to them.  The other routes that we are having a look at are the 243/44 which seem to be attracting a lot of complaints at the moment - nothing might come of it but they are worth our consideration. 

The 222 is much improved on timekeeping since the change in June.

In terms of buses there are the moves of double deckers across for the 246 but nothing else planned.

Great to have you with us Simon.

My nearest garage is Pensnett and  notice you are still looking at routes 297 & 205. Never had a problem with the 297, but the 205 does seem to run late more often than never. With very little or run time at either end, i am surprised it works as well as it does. Surely it would be better if it was split in half?

My other question concerns the condition of some of the buses, some of the Mercs like 1633, 1645 & 1646 and others seem in a very poor external condition.

Is there any chance some money could be put aside to give these buses a freshen up.

[Stu]

Thanks for joining the forum Simon, and many thanks so far for the interesting answers you've provided to the questions being asked.

On my Facebook page, something that crops up fairly often are suggestions of extending or introducing new routes that travel far out of the current operating area (Birmingham to Leamington, Stafford, Lichfield, Stratford etc etc).

Is it fair to assume that NX route policy is to concentrate on developing and streamlining the existing network within the West Midlands operating area? Rather than introducing 'nice lengthy routes to far away places' that people simply wouldn't use, and wouldn't be commercially viable while there are long-distance coach routes and existing train lines that people would rather use as they would be quicker!

[Westy]

Thanks for joining the forum Simon, and many thanks so far for the interesting answers you've provided to the questions being asked.

On my Facebook page, something that crops up fairly often are suggestions of extending or introducing new routes that travel far out of the current operating area (Birmingham to Leamington, Stafford, Lichfield, Stratford etc etc).

Is it fair to assume that NX route policy is to concentrate on developing and streamlining the existing network within the West Midlands operating area? Rather than introducing 'nice lengthy routes to far away places' that people simply wouldn't use, and wouldn't be commercially viable while there are long-distance coach routes and existing train lines that people would rather use as they would be quicker!

In other words, you can officially tell the likes of Reiss, that he's talking out of his hat, & you've had it from 'the horse's mouth'!

[Gareth]

Hi Simon, always good to see a friendly face on here. Welcome to the forum!

I think Winston and JB93 have already raised my questions, but I too would have asked about the East Birmingham services. As JB93 had said since Lea Hall closed they just seem to be outcasts at other garages and no longer seem important, even though they have huge passenger numbers.

My other comment would have been about the exterior state of the buses. Different colour shades, vinyl wrap around liveries, multiple fleet names and multiple fonts and lettering. There seems to be no brand identity or pride in the fleet. Miller Street garage has a NX logo on the wall by its yard, yet Head Office in Bordesley stil has the 'Travel' logo. Surely a few hundred pounds could be spent on vinyls covering the old TWM logos on buses?

Gareth

[Sh4318]

Hi Simon,

Are there any plans for the 289? Patronage is poor between Rowley Regis Hospital and Old Hill, and residents of Brickhouse Farm don't have a direct (NXWM) service to Merry Hill anymore

[Westy]

Hi Simon.

Must admit I'm surprised a 'big boss' has come onto what is essentially a 'hobby' site, but anyway welcome.

(What is the current relationship between NX & the Beeb, as since Ed Doolan stopped doing regular shows, I haven't heard of any phone in involving you & Centro, like the ones Phil Bateman used to do with Ed, lately!)

How come 'traditional' circular services, like the old 370/371/372/373 in Walsall have fallen out of favour?

While it is good to see the likes of the 302 operate all day, restoring a evening & Sunday link between Lower Farm & Walsall via Leamore, the same as the daytime service, it seems to have had the reverse effect on the 70 evening service, the entire service being cut back a few years ago to run Walsall - Beechdale - Bloxwich only anyway.

While it appears to have healthy loadings during the day, the loadings have detiorated on the evening service to the point, where you have withdrawn the journeys, & being offered up for tender to be won by another company.

Surely it would've been easier to keep the services as 'Circulars', running back to Walsall via Leamore & perhaps look at the timetable again for the 301 service, as there seems to be lot of half empty buses during the daytime on this service. (I'm taking a guess that the frequency for this timetable seems to be for the benefit of the drivers going to & from the depot!)

There has been comments elsewhere about the reliability of the 302 service, compared to the 301. There is a guy called 'Stuart Williams', who runs a Facebook/Twitter/website called 'The Bloxwich Telegraph', who I believe has been in touch with local management via Walsall Council, plus I have a friend on Lower Farm, who has moaned about reliability too. (I know this service has changed recently, so hopefully that's fixed)

I do have a suggestion. Why don't you run the 301 & 302 as a circular service north of Bloxwich, so both services could serve Turnberry Road after serving Mossley & Lower Farm? (Interworking, I believe you call it?)

On behalf on my sister, who works in Birmingham, once the tunnel works are over, can you look at the to & from Cannock X51 journeys, as they seem to be unreliable.

Not for the first time, that the first journey leaving City after 5pm to Cannock seems to go 'missing', leaving her to either catch either a 'short' journey to Walsall or at worst, catch a 51 instead, which takes ages, as you're probably aware.

One day last week, the 2nd journey from Cannock was at least 15 mins late. (Followed 5 mins later by the 3rd journey! I know, as I saw both journeys pass the stop outside my house in Bloxwich!)

Surely there should not be an issue on journeys running straight from the garage to the outer terminus onwards?

By the way, definetely agree on the fleetname issue already raised.

[monkeyjoe]

Wow someone is going to be busy. Has any one moaned about the poor state of east birmingham routes since Lea Hall closure i'e scrap of the pile buses etc. I'm being lazy not reading it all lol.

Not being cynical if 94 does get upgraded it will be buses handed down from Sutton lines and no real investment like on other routes.

[Stu]

Wow some is going to be busy. Has any one moaned about the poor state of east birmingham routes since Lea Hall closure i'e scrap of the pile buses etc. I'm being lazy not reading it all lol.

Yes, that's been asked and is awaiting an answer.