14 Bus Service. Evening Mail OOT letter of complaint.

[monkeyjoe]

Just reading today's evening mail and someone is complaining about the 14 bus service, claiming that people are losing jobs etc because of mis management (sounds a bit over the top in my view). It also quotes the 14 as being "this city's most difficult bus route." Any truth in that, just curious is the Alum rock rd and Stechford retail park area's still that bad? Surely most be other routes like the 11 that have much more issues.

[Liverpool Street]

Yeah the route is shit, exactly like the rest of Birmingham's scum shuttles.

I think NXWM should reduce the service a lot more after hours and all should be finished before midnight. You're carrying more waste then a bin lorry. I'm starting to become very... hateful against these leeches but yet I'm seeing more things being handed on a plate to them.

PUT DOWN THE LIQUOR AND GET A JOB! Oh you've no issues obtaining a 4 pack of Scrumpy Jack's but bus fare? Nooooooo...


But please, ignore what I wrote here and ask @Tony for a balanced view.

[JB93]

The Alum Rock road is an absolute nightmare... Really, I've never known a road so difficult to get down by car let alone a double decker bus

[Stu]

Just reading today's evening mail and someone is complaining about the 14 bus service, claiming that people are losing jobs etc because of mis management (sounds a bit over the top in my view). It also quotes the 14 as being "this city's most difficult bus route." Any truth in that, just curious is the Alum rock rd and Stechford retail park area's still that bad? Surely most be other routes like the 11 that have much more issues.

Bet it's the same guy with 4 complaints raised on FixMyTransport!
http://www.fixmytransport.com/routes/west-midlands/14-bus--3

If you know that your journey is always getting delayed, then catch an earlier bus, simples!  :D

[the trainbasher]

@Liverpool Street, I tend to agree with your views on this matter.

[monkeyjoe]

Is it really one of the worst then across the network, in the top 3 possibly?

[Gareth]

As one of the scum who is shuttled on the 14, I disagree with cutting the evening services and finishing it before midnight.
I have an evening job and having two routes (8c and 14) that I can catch after midnight to get home are unbelievably handy otherwise my entire wages would go on taxis.
There are some undesirable passengers on the 14, but it's becoming like that on a lot of the network. The 14s biggest problem is the traffic and parked cars on Alum Rock Road, that's a problem that's long overdue for sorting.

[Gareth]

And whilst on the subject of the 14, drivers are regularly either picking and choosing or forgetting or maybe even not told what route they are taking. Some are still using Lawley Middleway although the route has changed to use Curzon Sreet.

[the trainbasher]

@Gareth I don't think @Liverpool Street is referring to you but the kind of people seen in Birmingham on a recent C4 program.

[Tony]

And whilst on the subject of the 14, drivers are regularly either picking and choosing or forgetting or maybe even not told what route they are taking. Some are still using Lawley Middleway although the route has changed to use Curzon Sreet.

That could also be because of those big red and white things at the end of Curzon Street with Road Closed signs attached to them

[Liverpool Street]

@Gareth I don't think @Liverpool Street is referring to you but the kind of people seen in Birmingham on a recent C4 program.

Bingo. Of course I'm not speaking about Gareth like thy, but first hand experience also dictates that I reckon these ...

Actually, I can't be arsed.

NX wants to maximize profits so lets and join hands and dance around the maypole for 24/7 on every route possible

[Tony]

Just reading today's evening mail and someone is complaining about the 14 bus service, claiming that people are losing jobs etc because of mis management (sounds a bit over the top in my view). It also quotes the 14 as being "this city's most difficult bus route." Any truth in that, just curious is the Alum rock rd and Stechford retail park area's still that bad? Surely most be other routes like the 11 that have much more issues.

Bet it's the same guy with 4 complaints raised on FixMyTransport!
http://www.fixmytransport.com/routes/west-midlands/14-bus--3

If you know that your journey is always getting delayed, then catch an earlier bus, simples!  :D

In the job I am currently doing I am watching the AVL screens specifically for bad delays on any routes in Birmingham. While the 14 has its fair share of delays, some of them pretty bad I have never seen a gap of anything like 50 minutes on there in the last 3 months

[Liverpool Street]

Just reading today's evening mail and someone is complaining about the 14 bus service, claiming that people are losing jobs etc because of mis management (sounds a bit over the top in my view). It also quotes the 14 as being "this city's most difficult bus route." Any truth in that, just curious is the Alum rock rd and Stechford retail park area's still that bad? Surely most be other routes like the 11 that have much more issues.

Bet it's the same guy with 4 complaints raised on FixMyTransport!
http://www.fixmytransport.com/routes/west-midlands/14-bus--3

If you know that your journey is always getting delayed, then catch an earlier bus, simples!  :D

In the job I am currently doing I am watching the AVL screens specifically for bad delays on any routes in Birmingham. While the 14 has its fair share of delays, some of them pretty bad I have never seen a gap of anything like 50 minutes on there in the last 3 months

Yes, and I bet it's just as bad on other routes on the network when there's an issue at a narrow part of the route.

[Kevin]

People deciding they don't have to pay to use the bus is a problem all over the network, even through supposedly nice areas. The issue with the 14 is the traffic, and that is pretty much just around the Rock and Stechford. Personally I'd say reduce the service up Alum Rock to terminate at Ward End, and divert the rest of the route from Marston Green via Bordesley or Washwood Heath. Much like what Claribels did with their 55, cause didn't that originally go up the Rock as well?

[monkeyjoe]

Not totally on subject, however thought maybe of interest:-


PD0001129/21 - WEST MIDLANDS SPECIAL NEEDS TRANSPORT LTD T/A WMSNT (HOLDINGS) LTD, 80, PARK ROAD, VIA UPPER THOMAS STREET, ASTON, BIRMINGHAM, B6 5PL
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Gressel Lane, Birmingham
Finish Point: Gressel Lane, Birmingham
Via: Bordesley Green, Alum Roack, Washwood Heath
Service Number: 800
Service Type: Normal Stopping/Hail & Ride
Effective Date: 02-SEP-2014
Other Details: Monday to Friday, school term time only