Questions for the NXWM Operations Director

[NX OD]

Why has the Fox & Goose been taken off as a timing point on the new 11C timetables on your website or is that an error?

It is deliberate.

We have had a long look at the timings on the Outer Circle and the timing points.  We were finding that some timing points were just before places that buses were getting stuck so we have moved them.  We have done something similar on the Bristol Road and it has worked well.

Thanks for the feedback. So peeps will no longer benefit from the short journeys that used to start from the fox & Goose in the early mornings for example they will start from the Manor house at a time when  there is no traffic? Is that correct or will they still start from the Fox & Goose.

I have asked the schedulers to clarify this.  Good point.

[NX OD]

Hello Simon,

A few questions relating to vehicle usage

1) Have you/NX considered using a range of different aged vehicles of appropriate size on individual routes (whether branded or not) so that passengers (and drivers) have the advantage of the newest vehicles in service the largest amount of time.

2) Could you see the benefit of allocating new vehicles pro rata in relation to garage size so that all customers benefit from ongoing investment to support question one.

3) Has NX ever considered buying good quality second hand vehicles refurbished to rapidly meet the need for more vehicles in smarter condition.

and finally

4) Do you ever travel on competitors services (e.g. Claribels, Arriva, Diamond) to gain an understanding of what their passengers experience compared with your own services.

1. Experience shows that consistant delivery of a good quality product across the day is what is required, whether it relates to reliability, punctuality, vehicle quality, cleanliness etc. Mixing vehicle types throughout the day does not achieve this - and even the newest vehicles do of course need be off the road at regular intervals for maintenance / safety inspections etc.  We have however been looking at the greater use of the newer vehicles on Sundays on a route by route basis.

2. Any new vehicles need to be paid for somehow - and hence we do need to allocate them (and the consequent vehicle cascades) to the services and areas which we think will bring the greatest patronage, revenue and other potential benefits to the business. This is in turn likely to maximise customer benefits as well.

3. Yes - but unlike most smaller operators we require large batches of vehicles, and need them to be of a standard  specification.  Decent second hand stock in sizeable batches to the same specification is rarely available and tends to be fully priced when it is.  We'd prefer to buy new, specify what we want in terms of engine/gearbox combinations, seat design / trim, equipment positioning etc; get the appropriate warranties from the manufacturer and maintain the vehicle from new, but we'd never say never.......... 

4. Our managers are encouraged to use public transport whenever possible. All experiences can be useful whether they are on our own services, or on other operators services or different modes. An experience whilst on holiday or day trip elsewhere in the UK can be just valuable as one in the West Midlands

[NX OD]

Thanks for Answering our comments Simon :) By the way one thing Simon, have you made progress in possibly starting WN 59 earlier on a sunday as the journey i was on on sunday was very busy and i do think as alo of people use it to go to work on a sunday and they usually have to rely on more expensive taxi's because the 59 starts too late. It starts around 5am Mon-Sat but around 9am on a sunday so starting it around 7 am or 8am would help?

We have looked at it and think it is probably worth doing.  Given the registration process and the need to change on key dates we will try and get this done for 27th October.

Thank you so much Simon :) Any idea what time you are planning to retime it to? By the way the 9 minute Sunday frequency of the 59 needs to be untouched as its needed.


Thanks so much :) One question was reading a notice on the bus today with changes from September 1st saying you are introducing extra sunday morning journies on the 529. Does this mean earlier journies or extra journeys added in between the current departures :)


Finay the last point on my original question all i am asking is exact same timings just an hour or so earlier

There will now be a 529 from Wolverhampton at 08.25.  The current first bus from Wolves is 08.55.

The 59 will be similar.

[NX OD]

I have another question, have any project ever taken place looking at using the Heartlands Parkway to provide faster links to areas in East Brum like Castle Vale, Bromford, Hodge Hill & Castle Bromwich etc. Or is it the case the traffic that builds up at peaks times would not serve the intended purposes etc.

The could be a way of attracting commuters back onto these various corridors as I image numbers have gone down considerably over the years.

Hi,

Yes it has been looked at many times and did used to exist as a 994 (I think) but the issue is around missing out key stops and the traffic around Bromford Gyratory and along the Spine Road.

[NX OD]

So I notice they've maintained the 5minutes from Cofton Hackett to Turves Green, Moorpark Road on timetables from 1/9/13. You do understand there is a 20mph limit between The Jolly Fitter and Moorpark Road? I hope your drivers obide by this law as I think the local constabulary would benefit from doing random speed checks along that road.

No way, with the increasing passenger numbers, can that be maintained.

Can you tell me how the services are timed? I do know myself but I want to hear it from you.

Heh, am I glad to be retired.  ;D (but not for much longer with the way the missus is going on....)

Tell me how you think they are timed then?

I thought this was a forum to ask you questions, Simon?

When I worked for a small independent over Shropshire way in the early 90's, we calculated the length of the route, actually drove it to our standards in a van, stopping various places to allow for stops etc , then issue the timetables/running boards to the drivers and see what the timings are like in the real world. If anything needed changing - when the drivers braught it to our attention - we'd try and change it ASAP. And they were glad for a decent drop back in the peak if services weren't running correctly.

And for the record, I don't think NXWM timetables have taken into consideration speed limits. I think you've done the following: Length of route / Average speed (either 18mph or 12mph I can't remember which) = timetable.

But if you can clarify, please do.

Best Regards,

Hi,

No driver should ever break the speed limit.  It is not what I expect of professional drivers.

Running times are largely based on the information we get from the AVL data these days using the average time taken to get from stop to stop or from timing point to timing point.  As a result we are able to do things like have Fridays only timetables on routes like the 17.

We also use driver, garage and on the road feedback as well.

We certainly do not use average speed and distance anymore.

[winston]

When, in your opinion, will the Dennis Tridents start to be withdrawn?

I only ask as with the rate of new buses, it could be sooner then I think.

LS,

There are the following buses to be replaced before any Tridents would potentially be withdrawn, and before those you'd expect inroads to be made on the President fleet first:

Optare Solos - 5 x NXWM, 7 x Dundee
B6LE - 34 NXWM
B10L - 31 NXWM, 9 x Dundee
B10BLE - 24 x Dundee
Mercedes 0405N - 126 x NXWM
Dart SLF/ALX200's - 8 x NXWM
Optare Spectra - 21 x NXWM

Total:- 265 buses

The above quantities include all buses built during 1999 (included are the ALX200's due to being non-standard), there is an excess of 35 buses against new deliveries to June 2015, but that could be swallowed up by any potential new routes/pvr increases through increased frequencies etc

I'd guess that the some Presidents or early Tridents wouldn't start to be withdrawn until mid 2016,

[NX OD]

Oop, another question.

When, in your opinion, will the Dennis Tridents start to be withdrawn?

I only ask as with the rate of new buses, it could be sooner then I think.

I honestly am not sure.  I would be surprised if it was much before 2016 at the earliest.

[Stuharris 6360]

Hi Simon,

was out & about today and noticed a poster on a bus talking about timetable alterations for the 1st September 2013.

This poster seemed to be generic for the whole of the Birmingham & Black Country. My question is , with duplicated route numbers through out the West Midlands now, if the poster says a timetable change for the 27 for example, which 27 does it mean, Dudley to Wolverhampton or Hawksley to The Maypole?

I know that it means Hawksley to The Maypole, but am sure it will confuse some people.

Stuart

[Roy]

Hi Simon

Can you answer me a question about the new 222 timetable.  Since it became a 15 minute frequency service in June, it departs from both Dudley and Merry Hill at 00 15 30 and 45 minutes past each hour.  This means that between Commonside (Pensnett) and Merry Hill it runs at exactly the same time as the 255.  Thus people in Pensnett get a 15 minute wait before two buses turn up together.  The 255 timetable would be difficult to change at it interlinks with the 256 and 257 services.  Therefore, would it be possible to change the 222 timetable so that it runs 8 minutes later and thus provides a 7/8 minute frequency between Pensnett and Merry Hill.  You could even operate the two services from the same stand at Merry Hill making life easier for passengers along that corridor, as the departure times would not clash.

Thanks   

[karl724223]

Hi boss can we have some more cascaded deckers down pensnett either enviro 400 or more tridents? And a question we get asked a lot down merry hill bus station  is what bus can I catch to Kidderminster  as you know we haven't got anything that goes down there

[nitromatt1]

Hi boss can we have some more cascaded deckers down pensnett either enviro 400 or more tridents? And a question we get asked a lot down merry hill bus station  is what bus can I catch to Kidderminster  as you know we haven't got anything that goes down there

There is no bus from any operator to Kidderminster from Merry Hill, you need to get a bus to Halesowen then the 192 to Kiddy. A single NXWM service between Merry Hill and Kidderminster (via Hagley perhaps) could be very popular

[s94]

Or get the 125 from Stourbridge to Bridgnorth via Kiddy. That service is actually fairly healthy and Whittles have even introduced a summer Sunday service as a trial. Saying that the lack of real bus service between Merry Hill and Kidderminster is probably down to the good rail connections with only a short bus hop from Cradley Heath or Lye.

[nitromatt1]

Or get the 125 from Stourbridge to Bridgnorth via Kiddy. That service is actually fairly healthy and Whittles have even introduced a summer Sunday service as a trial. Saying that the lack of real bus service between Merry Hill and Kidderminster is probably down to the good rail connections with only a short bus hop from Cradley Heath or Lye.

A single bus service from Merry Hill to Kiddy would be a lot cheaper though, a single £2 fare rather than a £2 to Cradley/Lye PLUS whatever the rail fare is - I don't know much about rail fare structures but since it crosses over the border into Worcestershire I'd say that would bump up the rail fare a bit

[Stu]

Or get the 125 from Stourbridge to Bridgnorth via Kiddy. That service is actually fairly healthy and Whittles have even introduced a summer Sunday service as a trial. Saying that the lack of real bus service between Merry Hill and Kidderminster is probably down to the good rail connections with only a short bus hop from Cradley Heath or Lye.

A single bus service from Merry Hill to Kiddy would be a lot cheaper though, a single £2 fare rather than a £2 to Cradley/Lye PLUS whatever the rail fare is - I don't know much about rail fare structures but since it crosses over the border into Worcestershire I'd say that would bump up the rail fare a bit

Kidderminster is outside the West Midlands / Centro area, so the bus fare would be more than £2 anyway.

[nitromatt1]

Or get the 125 from Stourbridge to Bridgnorth via Kiddy. That service is actually fairly healthy and Whittles have even introduced a summer Sunday service as a trial. Saying that the lack of real bus service between Merry Hill and Kidderminster is probably down to the good rail connections with only a short bus hop from Cradley Heath or Lye.

A single bus service from Merry Hill to Kiddy would be a lot cheaper though, a single £2 fare rather than a £2 to Cradley/Lye PLUS whatever the rail fare is - I don't know much about rail fare structures but since it crosses over the border into Worcestershire I'd say that would bump up the rail fare a bit

Kidderminster is outside the West Midlands / Centro area, so the bus fare would be more than £2 anyway.

I gather areas outside the Midlands but served by NXWM services (like Swindon & Wombourne on the 255/256 routes) are inside the Centro area then?