Solihull Gateway

[Matt.N0056]

Not sure if this is of any interest to anyone, but some proposed improvements to Solihull Town Centre;

http://www.solihull.gov.uk/solihullgateway/

It includes a link to 'UK Central' which is has some transport plans in:

http://centreofenterprise.com/m42-economic-gateway/

[Stu]

Thanks, was unaware of this.

The proposals look interesting, I think this area of the town centre is long overdue for some improvements, especially as it benefits both pedestrians and buses/passengers.

[Matt.N0056]

Thanks, was unaware of this.

The proposals look interesting, I think this area of the town centre is long overdue for some improvements, especially as it benefits both pedestrians and buses/passengers.

Its been going on for a while! They did a 'trail layout' in the Town Centre in 2011, when they 'removed' the layby where the 71/72 etc pull in and narrow the lanes, but these plans do seem a lot better; with a couple of extra bus stops which are needed.

[D10]

Thanks, was unaware of this.

The proposals look interesting, I think this area of the town centre is long overdue for some improvements, especially as it benefits both pedestrians and buses/passengers.

Yes, nice to see a Council actually seeming to care about bus passengers and actually want them in the centre of their Town/City. Especially as the Social Demographic of Solihull means that arguably buses aren't used as much as in some other areas of the West Midlands. (yes, Birmingham (Corporation Street) and Coventry (Broadgate) that is a dig at you!)

[Stu]

I have taken part in the survey now.

Living in Acocks Green, I'd much rather travel to Solihull to go shopping than to Birmingham.

I used to work near Shirley, so used to have to travel through Solihull town centre every day to change buses. The only comments I had to make on the proposals was:

a) actually enforce the 'no vehicles, except taxis and buses' area, as I used to see loads of cars just driving through, or stopping to drop people off in the bus stops.
b) I disagreed with having the 'median strip' in the proposed area on Station Road, as pedestrians should use the proposed courtesy crossing points to cross the road for their own safety
c) I mentioned that the new bus shelters should offer the same amount of protection from the elements as those currently provided, otherwise they'll end up with the same shelters as in Birmingham city centre!

[Steveminor]

Stu re point a) the police do enforce the bus taxi only road, it tends to be a purge once a month. I've seen many cars that once pulled the officer has found some kind of problem which has led to the car being taken away on the back of a police removal truck.

[Liberator9]

This looks pretty good for Solihull. However I have two bones to pick. The first is that median refuge area; coming round from Poplar Road into Station Road if a bus if parked at an angle unloading in the nearest bus stop (on the left) then buses behind I reckon will have to clip onto that refuge area. Plus it won't make pulling out from behind buses any easier; e.g a 72 trying to get round a 71E. Although granted on the leaflet it accepts that buses will have to do this. The second issue is that courtesy crossing. Why can I see people en masse walking out in front of buses causing near accidents..... Overall though it's a good project plus another good thing is that the S2/S3/88/82/5 stop will be moved round the corner with more space hopefully for the passengers.

[YWDriver]

Proposals look to be fairly decent. Something needs to be done about the queue going into Marks and Spencers of a weekend however,  it can be a right nightmare trying to negotiate around a queue of stationary cars with traffic coming the other way/pedestrians walking out without looking. Would be nice to have some more room to pull in as well, quite often when on the 6/49/76 we block a 37 from departing its stand behind us when we're unloading (not on purpose mind you!). The same happens the other way, when the 37's are unloading, it can sometimes be impossible to get around them without clipping over the central island where people stand so you have to sit and wait behind them, which can be quite a while if there is a couple of them and they are quite full.
     I know they wouldn't do it now and I am sure there are good reasons why, but they should have looked at making it a one way system, lots more room for buses and more space in general. As I said there are probably very good reasons why it couldn't be done !

[Matt.N0056]

Dragging up an old topic but, changes to services from 2nd March (I assume) due to Poplar Rd, Station Rd becoming one way temporarily.

S2&4 are to combine, S3 to Wythall will become S3W & 6/49&76 will loop the Town Centre.

I dont know how buses to the rail station will serve the Town Centre, unless they all terminate there, as the website says some services will be unable to serve the station.
The S4 & S3 to Solihull will omit the Town Centre

http://www.solihull.gov.uk/Solihullgateway

[Liberator9]

That's going to turn into a whole lot of fun - they are fools to run the S2/S4 into one - already doesn't have enough running time/layover time - going to get much worse. Will make me catching the 6/76 easy though at St Alphage Church.

However the traffic around there is terrible at times due to Touchwood, and the Warwick Road lights. There's going to be a lot of late running, and New Road is not designed for a high frequency of buses - it's narrow down there at times.

[Steveminor]

I believe there will be a tro preventing the layover of all buses in station rd & poplar rd with all buses expected to load & go.

[the trainbasher]

I believe there will be a tro preventing the layover of all buses in station rd & poplar rd with all buses expected to load & go.

That will upset Sunny then...

[Steveminor]

It will upset everyone, clarinets 71 nxwm 31 58 & 966 signature s5/11.

[Matt.N0056]

That's going to turn into a whole lot of fun - they are fools to run the S2/S4 into one - already doesn't have enough running time/layover time - going to get much worse. Will make me catching the 6/76 easy though at St Alphage Church.

However the traffic around there is terrible at times due to Touchwood, and the Warwick Road lights. There's going to be a lot of late running, and New Road is not designed for a high frequency of buses - it's narrow down there at times.

I suspect the 6/49/76 will do the loop to the town centre only. Out of solihull/to city I would expect them to pick up where they drop off, but I may well be wrong!
In regards to the s2/4 it may be better due to them not having to serve the town centre twice!

[Stu]

I would have thought it might be more useful to have all bus services terminating at the station only and not serving the town centre during the course of the works. Passengers who only transfer onto other services, can change there instead of the town centre. Then perhaps have a free shuttle bus, just running between the station and town centre, for the shoppers and workers.
(I also would have thought, in the interests of public health, that the short 5-10min walk from the station interchange to the town centre could be promoted as a bit of exercise!)