Arriva X31

[Tomjusttom]

Seen on VOSA:

PD0000478/291 - ARRIVA MIDLANDS NORTH LTD T/A ARRIVA, THURMASTON GARAGE, 852 MELTON ROAD, THURMASTON, LEICESTER, LE4 8BT
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Cannock Bus Station and Birmingham, Carrs Lane given service number X31 effective from 02-Jun-2012.

[Bob]

no way!! thats shockin its a really busy route! :-( i use it a lot

[Bob]

Apparently its been cancelled from June :-((((

[don]

But has it been replaced by something even better ;)

[Bob]

i dont know??? theres no mention of a replacement, if there isnt, it means there'll be no regular bus link between Cannock & Birmingham :-(

[arrifirststage]

I think it must have dawned on operators by now that there is either no call for a Cannock-Birmingham link or that given the traffic conditions it is not operationably workable.
I can go back to the old Midland Red service 104 (which went via Sutton ,Streetly and Brownhills )and even at it's best it only ran every 2 hours,being withdrawn in the 1970's.
Nothing since has ever been successful over a long period.

[Bob]

But the X31 has been quite successful, often leaving birmingham full, if the m6 is busy it usually goes along the A34 instead. I think there is a market for a route between Cannock & Birmingham, Arriva ran a 156 for years, which followed same route as diamond 56 then continued to Cannock.

[winston]

If it was that successful, Arriva would still be running it.

Maybe NXWM may step in with increased X51 journeys through to Cannock

[Bob]

Apparently it might be being re routed by arriva...

[Stu]

If it was that successful, Arriva would still be running it.

Maybe NXWM may step in with increased X51 journeys through to Cannock

One of the recent April 1st changes was that more peak-time X51 journeys would be introduced, presumably the only times of day when they're needed.

Apparently it might be being re routed by arriva...

In which case it will be a new route (and number) altogether, if they've cancelled the current registration.

[Bob]

i doubt nxwm would return to operating in cannock full time, they pulled out of the 351 a couple of years ago, shame because they used to be very much the dominant operator in the town

[don]

You get the impression that Arriva and NXWM have some sort of understanding regarding each other operating in Cannock and Walsall.

Is it not possible to get from Cannock to Walsall or Wolverhampton by bus and then change to X51 or the tram or train at Wolverhampton?

[Bob]

not without buying two seperate tickets, because cannock is just out of the west midlands area by about 2 miles. I caught the X31 at 1130 yesterday into birmingham, the bus was full!

[Tony]

You get the impression that Arriva and NXWM have some sort of understanding regarding each other operating in Cannock and Walsall.

Is it not possible to get from Cannock to Walsall or Wolverhampton by bus and then change to X51 or the tram or train at Wolverhampton?

Most people from Cannock who go to Birmingham do use the train which is why London Midland have had to put 4 carriage trains on some services now, and even one of these is always full & standing. The X31's biggest problem is that a lot of off-peak passengers are Concessionary Card holders from within the West Midlands where Arriva only get pence for each one

[Bob]

midland MIGHT introduce a Birmingham to Cannock route??? Do you know something I dont? Are there any plans in the pipeline??