Arriva X31

[Bob]

I caught the X31 to & from Birmingham today, it was 15 mins late getting into town & coming back was 20 mins late!! As well as the stupid roadworks  near Albert St causing queues, it must be impossible to run reliably down the M6, this will probably be the death of the route. Why not just extend the Number 1 on from walsall down the A34 or re route the X31 down it? im sure it would be far more reliable

[4504]

I think the best solution would be to extend all X51 journeys, it may not be the quickest way into Birmingham from Cannock (I'm not sure), but at least then people that live in Cannock would have a direct route to Birmingham

[Bob]

NXWM have no interest in operating into cannock full time

[winston]

That could always change if Arriva were to start up commercial operations against NXWM from their West Bromwich depot

[notepanel]

I've said this a few times before, but in my opinion out of Birmingham it should travel via the A34 joining the M6 at J7. This avoids the bulk of the roadworks and congestion along the expressway and at most times is not that much longer.

Several drivers already do this, but if it were to be made official, with additional stops at The Scott Arms & The Co-op this could also increase revenue for the route, whilst increasing reliability.

There is something about the X31 though that makes people not overstruck on using it. For example, I live a short distance from a stop on the X31 route, yet during the morning peak I would rather catch the bus into Walsall and then the X51. I think I mainly do this, as if if one bus fails to run I've another to get, whereas if the X31 didn't show I'd be stuck. However, it's not just me who does this, there are 4 people from my stop who travel into Walsall rather than get the X31 who all know it exists and use it at other times.

I think to try and attract the younger passenger Arriva may need to think more technological. For instance, they could maybe introduce an App or install a tracking device so you can see where the bus is. If you can see it's on time people will wait for it, whereas if you don't know where it is people are more likely to go via Walsall. Likewise the other day one was 30 minutes late, I was unaware of this, so when I got to the bus stop in Birmingham I just went straight on an X51 and as we pulled off an X31 came in, which I'd have got if I'd known it was due.

[Discodave]

I've said this a few times before, but in my opinion out of Birmingham it should travel via the A34 joining the M6 at J7. This avoids the bulk of the roadworks and congestion along the expressway and at most times is not that much longer.

Several drivers already do this, but if it were to be made official, with additional stops at The Scott Arms & The Co-op this could also increase revenue for the route, whilst increasing reliability.

There is something about the X31 though that makes people not overstruck on using it. For example, I live a short distance from a stop on the X31 route, yet during the morning peak I would rather catch the bus into Walsall and then the X51. I think I mainly do this, as if if one bus fails to run I've another to get, whereas if the X31 didn't show I'd be stuck. However, it's not just me who does this, there are 4 people from my stop who travel into Walsall rather than get the X31 who all know it exists and use it at other times.

I think to try and attract the younger passenger Arriva may need to think more technological. For instance, they could maybe introduce an App or install a tracking device so you can see where the bus is. If you can see it's on time people will wait for it, whereas if you don't know where it is people are more likely to go via Walsall. Likewise the other day one was 30 minutes late, I was unaware of this, so when I got to the bus stop in Birmingham I just went straight on an X51 and as we pulled off an X31 came in, which I'd have got if I'd known it was due.

Good idea but people will still get NXWM too doninant nobody likes arriva in the west midlands as mentioned before almost everyone has an NX travelcard with regards to being off route A34 is the alternative route when the M6 is really knackered,  info from driver.

[Discodave]

I caught the X31 to & from Birmingham today, it was 15 mins late getting into town & coming back was 20 mins late!! As well as the stupid roadworks  near Albert St causing queues, it must be impossible to run reliably down the M6, this will probably be the death of the route. Why not just extend the Number 1 on from walsall down the A34 or re route the X31 down it? im sure it would be far more reliable

The 1 already covers the old 22 route why should it cover more

[Bob]

22 route? Cannock didnt have a route 22

[Discodave]

The huntington to cannock was the 22 route until 1 was extended and 22 withdrawn.  I should know I was a driver there and done the route many times or does this mean more minus scores for being right.  Tony should know and confirm

[Bob]

oh yea sorry for some reason i thought that was 23, but the routes only a couple of miles what difference would it make

[Discodave]

well going on experiance you only need to be a little behind getting to huntington and people moaned like mad extending the 1 to bham would be good but terminate at cannock and leave the local section to a local route joining too many routes always means problems or an area missed as the bus is turned when late 

[Bob]

Do you think they'll do something like that? Cause the X31 is just dying slowly at the moment, they put a crap V reg B10BLE on it the other day as well which wasnt a very good image to project

[4504]

Couldn't they just limit running times to peak times?

[Bob]

what then we wont have a regular service into brum at all??

[Tony]

what then we wont have a regular service into brum at all??

Biggest problem is the fares you have to charge on a route route that to make it commercially viable end up being more than you have to pay on the train that gets to Birningham quicker and suffers less problems than the M6!

A direct debit monthly pass on the train is £61 pounds, about £2 per day, or as most people make only about 20 trips per month £3 per day or £1.50 per single journey, and then off-peak you can take a companion with you for £1 return. The bus stands no chance pof competing with that and making a profit