transport policy

[windy miller]

I hear that B'ham,Sandwell and walsall councils have been asked to cut £14m from their transport bills. A consultation with centro is due to be held on Monday (Nov 25).Some suggestions have been mooted.........(1). To reduce the frequency of sutton bus services by 10%.
(2). To increase the child fare concessions by 25%, and (3). To charge a flat rate fee of up to £30 P/a for concession pass holders using trains and/or trams. do you have any suggestions?

[D10]

I hear that B'ham,Sandwell and walsall councils have been asked to cut £14m from their transport bills. A consultation with centro is due to be held on Monday (Nov 25).Some suggestions have been mooted.........(1). To reduce the frequency of sutton bus services by 10%.
(2). To increase the child fare concessions by 25%, and (3). To charge a flat rate fee of up to £30 P/a for concession pass holders using trains and/or trams. do you have any suggestions?

How can the Sutton services be reduced by 10% as surely most of them are run as commercial services and nothing to do with Centro or the Councils?

[Stu]

I hear that B'ham,Sandwell and walsall councils have been asked to cut £14m from their transport bills. A consultation with centro is due to be held on Monday (Nov 25).Some suggestions have been mooted.........(1). To reduce the frequency of sutton bus services by 10%.
(2). To increase the child fare concessions by 25%, and (3). To charge a flat rate fee of up to £30 P/a for concession pass holders using trains and/or trams. do you have any suggestions?

How can the Sutton services be reduced by 10% as surely most of them are run as commercial services and nothing to do with Centro or the Councils?

I think he might be 'avin a larf', so to speak  ;)

The actual Centro press release is here:
http://www.centro.org.uk/newsroom/PressReleases/PressRelease73581.aspx

[the trainbasher]

I agree with cutting the train&tram element of OAP passes (not disabled ones!) and making U14s pay 2/3 of the adult fare (14+ full fare) and cutting SOME elements of Ring and Ride but I NEVER support the cutting of tendered bus services at all unless that route gets an average of 10 passengers combined for the whole day that the route runs.

Would privatising parts of Centro like management of the swift card system work (NXWM could do it perhaps?)

Also the PTE could reduce the subsidy on rail fares?

[Westy]

Didn't realise there was a locally funded add on for travel after 11pm.

If it's for pensioners,  I'd be surprised if there's any out that time of night.

I know my old mum doesn't go out late & she wouldn't be let out on her own anyway!

[trident4370]

The only thing I agree with is the child fare thing, wouldn't bother me in the slightest if they did that, infact to some extent I actually support that idea.

[winston]

Why don't Centro stop faffing around with costly short Metro extension projects that will only benefit the minority, whilst the majority of existing passengers are being further inconvenienced by buses being pushed further & further outside the heart of Birmingham City Centre?

I don't know why Centro don't focus/bid for funding to improve bus priority measures within Birmingham City Centre and along main corridors in conjunction with Birmingham City Council?

I'm sure Centro could save money but cutting the amount of 'red tape' rather than services, Centro should also stop wasting time/resources devising 25yr transport plans that will more than likely never see the light of day...... focus on the here & now instead! 

[andy]

They could have saved twice that by abandoning a pointless tram extension.

[winston]

They could have saved twice that by abandoning a pointless tram extension.

Andy, you just read my mind!

[andy]

They could have saved twice that by abandoning a pointless tram extension.

Andy, you just read my mind!

Glad it's not just me! Centro is a dozing dinosaur that needs pulling apart and replacing. They are so far behind the times they don't know what decade it is.

[winston]

They could have saved twice that by abandoning a pointless tram extension.

Andy, you just read my mind!

Glad it's not just me! Centro is a dozing dinosaur that needs pulling apart and replacing. They are so far behind the times they don't know what decade it is.

I agree, they need a rocket shoving under them.......

Birmingham's transport system has been left behind compared with other major UK cities!!!

[andy]

They could have saved twice that by abandoning a pointless tram extension.

Andy, you just read my mind!

Glad it's not just me! Centro is a dozing dinosaur that needs pulling apart and replacing. They are so far behind the times they don't know what decade it is.

I agree, they need a rocket shoving under them.......

Birmingham's transport system has been left behind compared with other major UK cities!!!

I could write a book on their failings but it's Sunday and I can't be bothered. The 14 million should be saved on headcount as there are a plethora of bean counters and key tappers that nobody would notice the absence of.

[richie]

They could have saved twice that by abandoning a pointless tram extension.

Andy, you just read my mind!

Glad it's not just me! Centro is a dozing dinosaur that needs pulling apart and replacing. They are so far behind the times they don't know what decade it is.

I agree, they need a rocket shoving under them.......

Birmingham's transport system has been left behind compared with other major UK cities!!!

I find centro anti bus and at times anti NXWM

[winston]

They could have saved twice that by abandoning a pointless tram extension.

Andy, you just read my mind!

Glad it's not just me! Centro is a dozing dinosaur that needs pulling apart and replacing. They are so far behind the times they don't know what decade it is.

I agree, they need a rocket shoving under them.......

Birmingham's transport system has been left behind compared with other major UK cities!!!

I find centro anti bus and at times anti NXWM

It's not just Centro, I think Birmingham City Council are also the same.... until both of their attitudes change towards the bus, Birmingham & the greater West Midlands transport system is screwed.....

[Kevin]

I'll be honest, seeing the opinions "tram extension is pointless" and "the city is left behind other cities" coming from the same person is a bit rich...

I must be the only person who thinks Birmingham (and the West Midlands in general) is ideal for a large tram network like Manchester's, don't forget they were in the same boat at one point, it's just that they stuck with it and pushed on to the network that it is now with even more scope to go further, whereas here in Birmingham the plans for whatever reason keep getting scaled back to the point where we're only now extending it half a mile.