x74 birmingham to merry hill via west Bromwich and dudley

[nxwm4709]

This because would get to merry hill on one bus from west Bromwich and great beige

[Sh4318]

A bus to Cradley Heath interchange, and a train into Birmingham would be significantly quicker. It may be easier to get an X96 from Merry Hill to Dudley and then change to a 74

[mikestone]

What route would you propose between Birmingham and West Bromwich - there's certainly no point trying via Handsworth.

[Trident 4609]

This because would get to merry hill on one bus from west Bromwich and great beige

But you would have to think, Will there be enough passenger demand for it and where would you get the spare buses? Also what route would you send it as the Handsworth,West Brom and Soho Road areas can get clogged so would't bemmuch quicker. There are plenty of other routes that cover these areas swell so I wouldn't think a service like this would be warranted or needed?

[Stu]

I get plenty of 'weird' suggestions like this on my Facebook page.

"Extend 289 from Old Hill down to Walsall"  :o
"Extend 241 from Dudley to Merry Hill"  :-\
"Extend 127 from Blackheath to Merry Hill"  ::) etc, you get the picture.

While I don't mind people coming up with suggestions, often there is nothing to back them up. Things like you mention, how many buses would be needed, would the service be viable, etc, aren't thought about.

An 'X74' service simply wouldn't work, express routes only work where the road network can allow buses to skip past other slow moving traffic (eg Aston Expressway, Small Heath Highway, Walsall Road underpasses/flyovers etc), and making it limited stop wouldn't help either as by limiting the number of stops a bus calls at, you reduce the potential patronage using stops inbetween, and buses still get stuck in the same traffic.

There already is 'one bus' direct from West Bromwich to Merry Hill and that is the 4M. And are there really enough people in Great Bridge who travel to shop at Merry Hill?

[the trainbasher]

The 127 (but sending it via the old 258 route) could possibly work???

[Sh4318]

The 127 (but sending it via the old 258 route) could possibly work???

Amusingly, before the Sandwell Review 2010, there was a rumour on Wikipedia that the 128 would be extended to Merry Hill to replace the 258 between Merry Hill & Blackheath. I think the 127-9 are perfect the way they are, they've got the right balance with the 3 of the routes, any changes could disrupt that, in my opinion

[sonic84]

I do find that nearly all route suggestions seem to get shot down on here, but at the same time appreciate that some users are trying to think of the bigger picture.

A link to Merry Hill along the Soho Road would provide new links... And would make a viable option for some passengers who lost the link when the 123 was withdrawn. Though perhaps running a route as an express route would not work.

I do believe extending the 127 to Merry Hill could be successful. Remember when the 258 was withdrawn, the 141 introduced running to Blackheath, and the 238 was increased to every 20 minutes. Neither of these services now run from Blackheath to Merry Hill and so there are missing links which could be restored.

I can think of several routes which if suggested on here would be shot down... Yet some of these are being supported by centro... The 226W must be pointless and like above you could argue no one would want that link yet there it is on a Sunday only.

[4006]

I cant think why anyone fron BHam or WB or Soho Rd would want 2 go to the Mezza when Birmingham City Centre is a stones throw away. The 74/75/87 already covers adequately BHam to WB & Dudley. Mezza is just a shopping centre for posh people or thieves in any case!

[Sh4318]

I do find that nearly all route suggestions seem to get shot down on here, but at the same time appreciate that some users are trying to think of the bigger picture.

A link to Merry Hill along the Soho Road would provide new links... And would make a viable option for some passengers who lost the link when the 123 was withdrawn. Though perhaps running a route as an express route would not work.

I do believe extending the 127 to Merry Hill could be successful. Remember when the 258 was withdrawn, the 141 introduced running to Blackheath, and the 238 was increased to every 20 minutes. Neither of these services now run from Blackheath to Merry Hill and so there are missing links which could be restored.

I can think of several routes which if suggested on here would be shot down... Yet some of these are being supported by centro... The 226W must be pointless and like above you could argue no one would want that link yet there it is on a Sunday only.

I don't, the 53 serves some of the areas the 127 serves - in Bearwood, Warley, Hurst Green, so passengers still have access to Merry Hill, only a few passengers lose out, and for some of those the 141 isn't too far away. I think if you extend the 127, you risk ruining the stable reliability of not only the 127, but the 128 and 129. I do believe the NXWM link should be restored between Brickhouse Farm and Merry Hill, this could be implemented as easily as tweaking a route that currently serves Merry Hill, i.e. 297

[Sh4318]

I cant think why anyone fron BHam or WB or Soho Rd would want 2 go to the Mezza when Birmingham City Centre is a stones throw away. The 74/75/87 already covers adequately BHam to WB & Dudley. Mezza is just a shopping centre for posh people or thieves in any case!

If passengers of these routes need to go to Merry Hill, there is are adequate enough services that can be caught from Dudley into Merry Hill... X96 & 276 spring to mind

[Stu]

I do find that nearly all route suggestions seem to get shot down on here, but at the same time appreciate that some users are trying to think of the bigger picture.

I would like to add to my previous reply here, that I don't have a problem with people suggesting new routes or amendments, as long as they accept that everyone has their own opinion. You (as in the rhetorical 'you', not addressed at you in particular) might think something is a good idea, but others will either agree, or disagree. And that is the basis of any healthy discussion.

A link to Merry Hill along the Soho Road would provide new links... And would make a viable option for some passengers who lost the link when the 123 was withdrawn. Though perhaps running a route as an express route would not work.

The link was there before, but was not sufficiently used, hence the withdrawal/amendment. Merry Hill Shopping Centre is just one of many retail parks, and not everyone wants to travel there to shop, not when other retail parks (Perry Barr One Stop? Or Birmingham city centre!) are much closer.

I do believe extending the 127 to Merry Hill could be successful. Remember when the 258 was withdrawn, the 141 introduced running to Blackheath, and the 238 was increased to every 20 minutes. Neither of these services now run from Blackheath to Merry Hill and so there are missing links which could be restored.

Again, weren't they withdrawn because of low passenger numbers? If they were popular/busy, why would they have been withdrawn in the first place? Don't forget also the 289, which was curtailed at Old Hill, because of low passenger usage (making full journeys from Merry Hill to Blackheath and beyond).

I can think of several routes which if suggested on here would be shot down... Yet some of these are being supported by centro... The 226W must be pointless and like above you could argue no one would want that link yet there it is on a Sunday only.

Again, it is down to personal opinion. Someone might think these routes are 'useless', but they have been identified as 'socially necessary', down to actual usage, and in response to passenger feedback, hence why Centro supports them. Of course, all subsidised services could be under threat, depending on how Centro react to funding withdrawal.

Anyone can sit and study Google Maps and dream up new bus routes, but in all honesty there are so many factors that have to be taken into consideration when planning transport links (costs, demand etc), and inevitably not everyone gets a direct bus service to get to where they want to. And in many cases, catching two buses might even be quicker.

So, to sum this up, you might have a good idea, so share it! Prepare for others to dispute what you think, but understand ultimately that the only people who can listen to and ponder over your suggestion are Centro and/or the bus operators themselves.

[Kevin]

Regarding the idea of an express service along the Soho Road. I just don't get why people think that sort of thing can't be done just because "it doesn't have an expressway"?

I said it at the time, when the Metro wasn't running and there was a replacement limited stop bus service, it managed fine (for those few times I caught it) between Birmingham and West Brom, overtaking other buses in the process just like normal cars do. My personal opinion is that it IS possible. Much in the same way I think it is possible along the Hagley Road.

Granted, it terms of rapid public transport along that corridor the Metro does a sterling job, but it doesn't mean that other such routes can't be done

[mikestone]

It's quite simple - the road is far too congested through Handsworth - the 79 was a constant farce until it was cut back to West Bromwich

[4006]

Regarding the idea of an express service along the Soho Road. I just don't get why people think that sort of thing can't be done just because "it doesn't have an expressway"?

I said it at the time, when the Metro wasn't running and there was a replacement limited stop bus service, it managed fine (for those few times I caught it) between Birmingham and West Brom, overtaking other buses in the process just like normal cars do. My personal opinion is that it IS possible. Much in the same way I think it is possible along the Hagley Road.

Granted, it terms of rapid public transport along that corridor the Metro does a sterling job, but it doesn't mean that other such routes can't be done

Most of the one's I was on was overtaking buses because they were late....very late  :o