Proposed East Birmingham and North Solihull Service Changes.

[2206]

http://nxbus.co.uk/west-midlands/miscellaneous/have-your-say-on-proposed-airport-east-birmingham-north-solihull-bus-service-changes

Personally I think,
The 55 should become a single route to improve reliability.
The 72 should serve Kendrick Avenue/Shard End, still continuing to Solihull.
The 966 should continue from Windard Way/Kingfisher Drive to Clock Garage (following the 94 route), were passengers who want to go to the City Centre/Washwood Heath Road can change onto a 70, 72 or, 94.
The 15 should operate between Birmingham and Sutton and the 66 should operate between Kingstanding and Airport. (66 and 966 provide a 15 minute frequency between Chelmsley and the Airport.

[the trainbasher]

Personally I think the Cranes Park Express would be a good idea, but only if it was alternate trips, with it getting interworked at city with the 900, both being every 20.

The 60 should also have half hourly journey's between city and the Airport running between 2200-0500 numbered 60A, running via Cranes Park as a loop.

The 97A cut I would disagree with (in fact I would make that every 20 and send that via the current 14 route with the 97 remaining as is.

Splitting of the 966 should be done at Chelmsley with the Airport section being renumbered A1 and the Erdington to Chelmsley bit being part of the 15, not 66.  The A1 should be supplemented by a A2 Peak service between Chelmsley and Airport via the Business Park.

The 72 should be split at Chelmsley with the Solihull section being numbered 71A (for Marston Green) and the Birmingham to Chelmsley bit being numbered 54.

Alternatively they should extend the 17 from its current terminus at Tile Cross, following the current 14 route from Marston Green to Chelmsley and diverting the 14 along the current 72 route, the 71 being increased between Chelmsley and Solihull as a replacement.

[Squiz1971]

For me keeping the 72 as it currently is would be better as I regularly use the 72 to Chelmsley Wood & to Kitts Green which currently takes roughly 25/45 minutes as it is. Not sure how much more time will be added with the possible route changes

[Stu]

Personally, I would welcome more buses between Yardley Swan and Birmingham using Small Heath Highway!  8)

The 960 sounds like a good idea, as its probably more likely that people in Sheldon/Cranes Park are more likely to be travelling to Yardley or city centre, rather than Small Heath? Certainly on the times I've been on the 58/59/60 in the evening heading home, the 58/59 out of city are usually rammed full (with a half-empty 60 usually just behind) and then half-empty by the time they get to ASDA.

I think it was previously proposed at a previous East Birmingham review about curtailing the 58 and 59 at Yardley Swan Island, to which I suggested at the time of the consultation about combining the two so it was one route running between Kingshurst and Solihull via Swan Island. The downside being that passengers to/from city centre would have to change buses at the Swan, but then would enjoy faster journeys on the 900/957 (the upside being that as no travelling through Small Heath or city centre was involved it could be more reliable as a result!). There would also have to be an increased timetable on the 60 to maintain the link through Small Heath, perhaps with extra 60E journeys during the daytime as far as Swan Island?

And splitting the 966 is a great idea, and has been suggested several times previously. Some people are going to have to get used to the idea that a good effective transport network will mean having to change buses/trains/etc, we can't all get a direct link to where we want to go!

[GeminiFan1991]

In my experience I've noted the 58/59 to be rammed when leaving centre so this plan of removing the 60 from Coventry to instead use the Highway does seem somewhat strange. Even if their frequency was upped, Having a decker route can only be a good thing as it helps alleviate loads on the single deckers. If any change has to be made on the 60 then it should be made on the outbound terminus (Personal opinion)

I think the 97 works as it is, seeing as it was recently extended, I can't see another change happening so soon. Only change I could recommend is probably having having a reintroduction of the good ol 96 route ? I think it was a good route and combined frequency could still keep it as it currently is as a frequent hop to the city. 

Seeing as the 966 is getting Platinums, I can't see any drastic changes really being made.

I've often felt as though the 8A/C could do with a frequency increase at peak as well.

[2206]

In my experience I've noted the 58/59 to be rammed when leaving centre so this plan of removing the 60 from Coventry to instead use the Highway does seem somewhat strange. Even if their frequency was upped, Having a decker route can only be a good thing as it helps alleviate loads on the single deckers. If any change has to be made on the 60 then it should be made on the outbound terminus (Personal opinion)

The 58E/59E journeys to the Swan could possibly be operated by Deckers.

[monkeyjoe]

Interesting pretty all expected apart from the 900 and 66 ones.

On a separate note if you go to the nxwm website how is the average joe blogs meant to find that page or will they give it a separate banner soon , as I struggled to find it??

[Stuharris 6360]

So that's the Dudley bus review further down the pile again.

[BK63 YWP]

@Stuharris 6360 it will be October at this rate!!

I just wonder what frequency the 960 will have?

[Stuharris 6360]

looking at the proposals I have a couple of comments to make

firstly, I agree with an earlier comment that the 60 should be supplemented by the 960 rather than replaced by it. Once again journeys will be disrupted to give faster journeys for other people if the 960 completely replaces the 60.

I agree because of traffic problems the 97 should no longer serve the Airport, however I disagree with the removal of the night service. Unless the 97 is operated all night between Birmingham and Chemsley Wood, customers will loose the ability to travel from the Airport to the City Centre during the night.

[Tony]

I agree because of traffic problems the 97 should no longer serve the Airport, however I disagree with the removal of the night service. Unless the 97 is operated all night between Birmingham and Chemsley Wood, customers will loose the ability to travel from the Airport to the City Centre during the night.

They will because if you look at the Airport changes it tells you that the 900 is going properly 24 hour

[Stuharris 6360]

They will because if you look at the Airport changes it tells you that the 900 is going properly 24 hour

@Tony the 966 is going 24 hour, but not the 900 or the consultation doesn't say that at any rate

[2206]

@Tony the 966 is going 24 hour, but not the 900 or the consultation doesn't say that at any rate

The Airport and NEC Summary says, 
Service 900 would operate every 20 minutes during the day and would also operate through the night.

[Stuharris 6360]

@Tony the 966 is going 24 hour, but not the 900 or the consultation doesn't say that at any rate

Where does it say that @2206 I only see

"  We are looking at whether to change the service so that buses operate every 20
   minutes between Birmingham and Coventry. Extra buses would operate at peak
   times between Birmingham and the airport/NEC.
  We are also looking at whether the service should operate via Birmingham Business
   Park (Bickenhill Parkway) and Chester Road between the airport and Stonebridge on
   the A45."

Ah I see it now at the very bottom, however they haven't made it clear in the rest of the document.

Apologies @Tony
 

[2206]

Where does it say that @2206 I only see

"  We are looking at whether to change the service so that buses operate every 20
   minutes between Birmingham and Coventry. Extra buses would operate at peak
   times between Birmingham and the airport/NEC.
  We are also looking at whether the service should operate via Birmingham Business
   Park (Bickenhill Parkway) and Chester Road between the airport and Stonebridge on
   the A45."

At the bottom of page 2.

"Service 97A would no longer extend to the airport and would be replaced by the
improved 966. Customers on the 97 route would still be able to travel the airport late
at night and early in the morning by connecting with the 966 at Pine Square.
Service 966 will possibly have new Platinum buses allocated to it.
Service 966 would operate more frequently and would also operate throughout the
night to provide connections to the airport from Pine Square and Chelmsley Wood.
Extra buses would operate on services 55, 94 and 97 late at night and early in the
morning to connect with service 966 in Pine Square.
We are also looking at late night and early morning connecting buses on services
such as the 6, 37 and 49 in Solihull to allow shift workers to reach the airport.
Service 900 would operate every 20 minutes during the day and would also operate
through the night.
Service 900 would provide a regular link from Birmingham, the airport and Coventry
to Birmingham Business Park"