Southern Birmingham + Solihull Bus Route Consultation

[Kevin]

Is there any real need for both 98 and the 99 to serve the same route from Bham to the QE?

Because the 10 minute joint frequency works on that part of the route

[Liverpool Street]

Is there any real need for both 98 and the 99 to serve the same route from Bham to the QE?

Because the 10 minute joint frequency works on that part of the route

And there is a serious volume of students along that section of route, being as it goes directly between campuses.

[Stu]

There might be a case to 'break up' the 8 into 2 or 3 separate routes; it is certainly not as iconic as the Outer Circle 11 so there wouldn't be as much 'outrage' than proposals to break up the 11! Certainly to help reliability, it might make sense to deviate parts of the route; as already mentioned in Sparkbrook, I could see a reliability benefit if the 8 were diverted away from Walford Road, and used Stratford Road and Warwick Road before turning onto Golden Hillock Road to rejoin the normal route, thus providing better connections to the Stratford Road services.

[Westy]

I think NXWM also need to look at the Stourbridge network as it is a right so and so for unreliablity and chaos. (hint the cross Stourbridge routes!)

The entire Dudley network may be up for a second review in the not too distant future

Well as long as they don't dare touch our route numbers! Surely they can't return all areas to single digit numbers, it well end in chaos

It ain't stopped them so far!

[Kevin]

There might be a case to 'break up' the 8 into 2 or 3 separate routes; it is certainly not as iconic as the Outer Circle 11 so there wouldn't be as much 'outrage' than proposals to break up the 11!

Not gonna lie, it's an idea I've had for a while, even drawn up proposals how to split it all up with a few cross city routes, but just assumed the idea would get shot down in flames because I don't know enough about operating bus routes and cross city routes "would never work" (or something like that)

[Stu]

There might be a case to 'break up' the 8 into 2 or 3 separate routes; it is certainly not as iconic as the Outer Circle 11 so there wouldn't be as much 'outrage' than proposals to break up the 11!

Not gonna lie, it's an idea I've had for a while, even drawn up proposals how to split it all up with a few cross city routes, but just assumed the idea would get shot down in flames because I don't know enough about operating bus routes and cross city routes "would never work" (or something like that)

Well it might be the case that you've had the opportunity to look at this in detail, and if you have any good suggestion to make, then this is probably the best time to make it, so please submit your ideas to Centro via their questionnaire, and if you'd also like to share them here, please do so!

[Mike K]

What I find strange about some of the proposals is that they are contradictory. The X64 and the 49 are cited as being unreliable due to the lengths of the routes, yet the 29 (already unreliable) is mentioned as possibly needing to be extended to Rubery if the X64 is shortened. This will just shift the problem to another route. And why do people in Allens Cross and Frankley need a link to the City via Harborne? I'm sure they'd rather have a quick direct route to the city.

A number of the other proposals do sound quite sensible though.

[Liverpool Street]

What I find strange about some of the proposals is that they are contradictory. The X64 and the 49 are cited as being unreliable due to the lengths of the routes, yet the 29 (already unreliable) is mentioned as possibly needing to be extended to Rubery if the X64 is shortened. This will just shift the problem to another route. And why do people in Allens Cross and Frankley need a link to the City via Harborne? I'm sure they'd rather have a quick direct route to the city.

A number of the other proposals do sound quite sensible though.

Its just the double standards of this society I'm afraid Mike. It seems with the constant changing of things it'll all, more or less, go back to the way it was with the 62, 21, reinstated and with NX/Centro apologising for the inconvenience for the last 5 years... oh wait, I'm awake aren't I? :roll eyes:

[Mike K]

What I find strange about some of the proposals is that they are contradictory. The X64 and the 49 are cited as being unreliable due to the lengths of the routes, yet the 29 (already unreliable) is mentioned as possibly needing to be extended to Rubery if the X64 is shortened. This will just shift the problem to another route. And why do people in Allens Cross and Frankley need a link to the City via Harborne? I'm sure they'd rather have a quick direct route to the city.

A number of the other proposals do sound quite sensible though.

Its just the double standards of this society I'm afraid Mike. It seems with the constant changing of things it'll all, more or less, go back to the way it was with the 62, 21, reinstated and with NX/Centro apologising for the inconvenience for the last 5 years... oh wait, I'm awake aren't I? :roll eyes:

21 Bangham Pit, 62 Rednal, I'd love it if they came back LS, just like old times. I don't understand the obsession with constantly extending routes to the point where they can never operate reliably. The 49 is plain ridiculous and the 69 before that was getting daft. How many people actually travel between Weoley Castle and Solihull? Sometimes less is more.

[Sayeed]

What I find strange about some of the proposals is that they are contradictory. The X64 and the 49 are cited as being unreliable due to the lengths of the routes, yet the 29 (already unreliable) is mentioned as possibly needing to be extended to Rubery if the X64 is shortened. This will just shift the problem to another route. And why do people in Allens Cross and Frankley need a link to the City via Harborne? I'm sure they'd rather have a quick direct route to the city.

A number of the other proposals do sound quite sensible though.

No wonder why 29A started to serve Northfield recently

[monkeyjoe]

Where does it say they are planning to get rid of the 73 link between the Solihull and heartland hospitals. An article about a fight to save the route in the paper.

[gc802002]

It's the Birmingham City Centre - Heartlands Hospital section that's possibly for the chop

[winston]

Where does it say they are planning to get rid of the 73 link between the Solihull and heartland hospitals. An article about a fight to save the route in the paper.

Click on & download the pdf leaflet off this link, page 4 is where it list the route problems & proposed changes

http://networkwestmidlands.com/BusReview/BusReviewIndex.aspx

[Matt.N0056]

Where does it say they are planning to get rid of the 73 link between the Solihull and heartland hospitals. An article about a fight to save the route in the paper.

They want to cut it back to the Yew Tree but provide a connection to the 97 to provide a link to Heartlands & City Centre. I would just say cut it back to Heartlands Hospital.

[Kevin]

Yeah curtailing it at Heartlands as per the old 169 seems the more logical option, if theres problems with congestion at Yew Tree then so be it, just build time into the timetable to allow for it