VERY Late running services

[2206]

It is the Peak rush hour, what do you expect everything on time? More bus lanes which will then cause even more strain when they are being created and designed on roads that already are congested and mean a new lane is going to need to be constructed. The 28 can't be rerouted either, well especially not to its original route in Erdington. Its quite obvious you don't see those road as they are a nightmare now to drive along let alone putting a bus down them!

Well if they want people out of their cars and on public transport, they are going to need to be a bit better than a 75 minute gap in in service in the rain.
In my opinion buses should be prioritised over other traffic as well, so more bus lanes are most definitely the answer, e.g. the one by the Land Rover on Lode Lane the buses fly past all the cars in the traffic in the peaks there.

[GoldenSquid]

The AG72 was having a lot of delays today, for example, I got off of 2211 and it was running around 85 minutes late. I think it was due to some temporary traffic lights around Sheldon as well as Sprint Work around Sheldon.

[BBS]

The AG72 was having a lot of delays today, for example, I got off of 2211 and it was running around 85 minutes late. I think it was due to some temporary traffic lights around Sheldon as well as Sprint Work around Sheldon.

Quite common these days. Also welcome happy to see you here :).

[Trident 4194]

So what do you expect the buses to do? Grow wings and fly over the traffic? The 28 is a nightmare and has been for a very long time now.
Well you can't have Deckers on the 28 unless you want them to be Single Deckers...
If anything your moaning about everytime a bus is late or not getting a seat is starting to sound like the daily 4H nonsense...

Jeez who rattled your cage tonight. One minute your agreeing saying the 28 is shambles and then your attacking 2206 for posting what he has experienced. If a bus is running consistently late and experiencing issues the onus is on nx to try and rectify the issue. If not there's no point in publishing a timetable if you know it can't be adhered too

[Jack]

Jeez who rattled your cage tonight. One minute your agreeing saying the 28 is shambles and then your attacking 2206 for posting what he has experienced. If a bus is running consistently late and experiencing issues the onus is on nx to try and rectify the issue. If not there's no point in publishing a timetable if you know it can't be adhered too

Yes I know its a shambles but theres no point moaning over it, I know exactly what the 28 is like after commuting on it for the last 18 years, but then again I forgot PB are supposed to fill up the vehicles with Red Bull 🙄

Yes there is a point in setting a timetable, it works most of the time when theres no roadworks (planned or unplanned) or when theres no unexpected RTC etc... Are you honestly trying to imply that buses shouldn't run to a timetable? 🤔

[Trident 4194]

Yes I know its a shambles but theres no point moaning over it, I know exactly what the 28 is like after commuting on it for the last 18 years, but then again I forgot PB are supposed to fill up the vehicles with Red Bull 🙄

Yes there is a point in setting a timetable, it works most of the time when theres no roadworks (planned or unplanned) or when theres no unexpected RTC etc... Are you honestly trying to imply that buses shouldn't run to a timetable? 🤔

If the 28 is that bad in terms of reliability then you would have thought nx would have considered rerouting or retimetabling the route. Or split the route like they've done with the 11A/11C

[Westy]

There's probably loads of routes that need looking at.

[Steveminor]

Until our beloved councils stop all these roadworks  there isn't going to be much improvement on reliability

[Kevin]

Yes I know its a shambles but theres no point moaning over it, I know exactly what the 28 is like after commuting on it for the last 18 years, but then again I forgot PB are supposed to fill up the vehicles with Red Bull 🙄

Yes there is a point in setting a timetable, it works most of the time when theres no roadworks (planned or unplanned) or when theres no unexpected RTC etc... Are you honestly trying to imply that buses shouldn't run to a timetable? 🤔

"... it works most of the time..."
Clearly doesn't though, does it? It's one route that has consistently had problems for what seems like forever, arguably feels worse than other more frequent routes
I do find it remarkable that the 28 hasn't really had any help over the years. It's clear something needs to be done but I cannot really suggest owt beyond splitting it, maybe the way forward is more of a London style approach for outer suburban routes like this and create frequent shorter routes feeding into each other. I mean, god forbid people should have to change buses, but you just cannot always have direct routes everywhere

[Sh4318]

You have to wonder, if the 28 is so unreliable, was it the right thing to reduce the frequency, given it's single deck operated

[j789]

You have to wonder, if the 28 is so unreliable, was it the right thing to reduce the frequency, given it's single deck operated

Having a higher frequency in no way guarantees a more reliable service, it just means more vehicles get bunched together after getting caught in delays. It is actually more effective to keep the same number of vehicles on a route but slightly lower the frequency (giving more recovery time at both ends of the route). This can improve reliability as buses are more likely to stick to timetabled times as even if they get delayed having 15-20 minutes make up time at the terminus allows at each some of those delays to be covered.

NXWM have done this with services as Tony has previously pointed out and it makes sense for both passengers and the financial viability of routes. Sticking more buses on a route just to get delayed and run round together in 3 and 4s carrying fresh air is not the way to go to operate a successful route. Reducing frequency is therefore not always a bad thing - better to have a bus turn up every 20 minutes than advertise a 12 min frequency that has big gaps in it due to delays.

There needs to be a happy medium here and the council and highways department need to be significantly better than they are currently. The main trunk routes into Brum (and other large towns and cities in the West Midlands) all need a significant package of road improvements for buses. Rather than wasting millions on short tram extensions, money should be far moreinvested in the road system instead. Until that happens, reliability will not and cannot improve and there is no point blaming the company as they are very restricted on what they can actually do on certain routes crossing over many main roads like the 11 and 28 do.

[the trainbasher]

Tbf, instead of having some of the Metro extensions, dedicated bus only roads, or even guideways, would have been better.

Hell, Line 1 would have been better as a guideway in parts

[Michael Bevan]

They are only 'crowded/cramped' when the bus is absolutely full, same as any full size SD not just the Omnilinks, so you are exaggerating there... also with you also knowing the 28's can be bad theres no need in exaggerating and moaning over it. What do you expect them to do? I had 3302 on the 997 earlier which was rammed to the point the driver was going past stops, was also 20 minutes late. The bus infront was rammed and the bus behind (4863) was rammed too but you don't hear me complaining, after 3pm its expected the roads are going to be a nightmare and that will cause buses running very late, use your brain, Birmingham is absolutely a nightmare atm to drive through!

@Jack You were on it at the same time as me then...As I caught it from Walsall to Birmingham at around that time... 😂😂😂

[paul82]

4 X1s on Holyhead Road into Coventry at 6 this evening. Saw 3 go back the other way 2 of which were not in service.

[Westy]

Having a higher frequency in no way guarantees a more reliable service, it just means more vehicles get bunched together after getting caught in delays. It is actually more effective to keep the same number of vehicles on a route but slightly lower the frequency (giving more recovery time at both ends of the route). This can improve reliability as buses are more likely to stick to timetabled times as even if they get delayed having 15-20 minutes make up time at the terminus allows at each some of those delays to be covered.

NXWM have done this with services as Tony has previously pointed out and it makes sense for both passengers and the financial viability of routes. Sticking more buses on a route just to get delayed and run round together in 3 and 4s carrying fresh air is not the way to go to operate a successful route. Reducing frequency is therefore not always a bad thing - better to have a bus turn up every 20 minutes than advertise a 12 min frequency that has big gaps in it due to delays.

There needs to be a happy medium here and the council and highways department need to be significantly better than they are currently. The main trunk routes into Brum (and other large towns and cities in the West Midlands) all need a significant package of road improvements for buses. Rather than wasting millions on short tram extensions, money should be far moreinvested in the road system instead. Until that happens, reliability will not and cannot improve and there is no point blaming the company as they are very restricted on what they can actually do on certain routes crossing over many main roads like the 11 and 28 do.

Is that why the Bloxwich to Wolverhampton route got reduced from every 20 mins to every 30 mins then?