If you had the chance to modify or add any service, what would you do?

[BusFan94]

Who used to operate the 339 In Walsall Using the old Darts in light blue

[Lukeee]

Who used to operate the 339 In Walsall Using the old Darts in light blue

Believe it was Midland bus company

[BusFan94]

Thanks

[MasterPlan]

Has the X64 worked, since introduction freq reductions and as an X service doesn't seem to be that attractive down the Bristol Road really. What do people think?

No it hasn't. I would bring back the 21 and have it running every 15 mins, so that the 21/29 would be running every 7/8 mins from Weoley Castle Square.

[Steve3229vp]

No it hasn't. I would bring back the 21 and have it running every 15 mins, so that the 21/29 would be running every 7/8 mins from Weoley Castle Square.

It wouldn't work, the journey time on your 21 route would take longer to get to and from Weoley Castle than the 29 so they wouldn't match in frequency terms.

[MasterPlan]

It wouldn't work, the journey time on your 21 route would take longer to get to and from Weoley Castle than the 29 so they wouldn't match in frequency terms.

Would it? Explain...

[Steve3229vp]

Would it? Explain...

29 Smallbrook Queensway to Harborne jnc is 20 minutes then to Weoley Castle total time of 39 minutes.
Your 21 would take same as 29 (20 mins) to Harborne jnc, then QE Hospital up to 32 mins, then as X64 with another 16 mins. Total journey time of 48 minutes.
So if a 29 leaves Smallbrook Queensway at 00 15 30 45 mins past each hour, they would get to Weoley Castle at 39 54 09 24
Your 21 would leave Smallbrook Queensway at 07 22 37 52 mins past each hour, they would get to Weoley Castle at 55 10 25 40
So as I put in my previous reply they wouldn't match up in frequency terms.

[Mike K]

The 21 and 29, when they both ran didn't actually share many common stops in Weoley Castle anyway - it was really only Beckbury Rd and Castle Square, so can't see the need for a uniform frequency over that part of the route. I used to work with someone who lived near Castle Rd and he'd just catch the 29 as it was the quicker of the two routes.

[V89MOA]

Definitely agree with the 21 and the x64 comments. Personally I would do away with the x64 and bring back deckers on the 21, not so sure about the 29 bit however I think it should just be left alone, would seem pointless trying to combine them. Another route I'd also consider for deckers is the 98, and I would introduce a new limited stop service that followed the 63 route from Birmingham to Longbridge, or possibly even as far as Rubery.

[MasterPlan]

Definitely agree with the 21 and the x64 comments. Personally I would do away with the x64 and bring back deckers on the 21, not so sure about the 29 bit however I think it should just be left alone, would seem pointless trying to combine them. Another route I'd also consider for deckers is the 98, and I would introduce a new limited stop service that followed the 63 route from Birmingham to Longbridge, or possibly even as far as Rubery.

Yeah fair enough trying to combine them might be a lost cause but if they were to bring back the 21 it'd have to at least run at a different time to the 29. Because at the minute the X64 and 29 seem to run through the Square at near enough the same time which is pointless.
I'd also reduce the 24 to every 15 mins. Most of those buses are half-empty and wasting deckers. A slight change that would see them used more.
As for the 98 again I'd just bring the 62 and have done with it. Have it running to Rednal like before because the route is way too long at the moment and have the 63 go to Great Park instead and the 61 to Frankley. It worked well enough before.

[2206]

Definitely agree with the 21 and the x64 comments. Personally I would do away with the x64 and bring back deckers on the 21, not so sure about the 29 bit however I think it should just be left alone, would seem pointless trying to combine them. Another route I'd also consider for deckers is the 98, and I would introduce a new limited stop service that followed the 63 route from Birmingham to Longbridge, or possibly even as far as Rubery.

Unless it was rerouted, or the trees were cut back the 98 can't use double deckers.

[MasterPlan]

29 Smallbrook Queensway to Harborne jnc is 20 minutes then to Weoley Castle total time of 39 minutes.
Your 21 would take same as 29 (20 mins) to Harborne jnc, then QE Hospital up to 32 mins, then as X64 with another 16 mins. Total journey time of 48 minutes.
So if a 29 leaves Smallbrook Queensway at 00 15 30 45 mins past each hour, they would get to Weoley Castle at 39 54 09 24
Your 21 would leave Smallbrook Queensway at 07 22 37 52 mins past each hour, they would get to Weoley Castle at 55 10 25 40
So as I put in my previous reply they wouldn't match up in frequency terms.

The 29 as it is takes between 45-50 mins to get to Weoley Castle...

[V89MOA]

Unless it was rerouted, or the trees were cut back the 98 can't use double deckers.

Damn I always forget about those trees down there, still the problem was soon sorted with the 48.

[Mike K]

The 29 as it is takes between 45-50 mins to get to Weoley Castle...

In reality it probably does on some journeys but the 21 with its route through the QE and the time it took to get through Selly Oak triangle, then down through Lodge Hill took longer. Towards city the 21 also lost a fair bit of time making that right turn out of Somerset Rd onto Metchley Lane and the right turn at the Green Man. I liked the 21, it was a really useful route, but I suspect the journey times as traffic got worse were amongst the reasons why it was replaced.

[2206]

Yeah fair enough trying to combine them might be a lost cause but if they were to bring back the 21 it'd have to at least run at a different time to the 29. Because at the minute the X64 and 29 seem to run through the Square at near enough the same time which is pointless.
I'd also reduce the 24 to every 15 mins. Most of those buses are half-empty and wasting deckers. A slight change that would see them used more.
As for the 98 again I'd just bring the 62 and have done with it. Have it running to Rednal like before because the route is way too long at the moment and have the 63 go to Great Park instead and the 61 to Frankley. It worked well enough before.

Which would mean a frequency reduction from every 10 minutes to every 20 minutes between, QE, the Univesity, Five Ways and City Centre.
Unless the 84 could possibly be extended into the City Centre with extra 84E short journeys between the QE and the City Centre, replacing the 98?