Hopes and expectations on the buses in 2017

[Trident4590]

More bus types, different platinum bus types, i personally do not like the on and off at every bus stop

[woody38]

am I the only one on here who likes opture they've come a long way since NXWM tried them.

[BusFan94]

I like Optare

[Steve3229vp]

More hopes for 2017 (none of these have any chance of happening):

Remove black cabs and cars from Dale End to allow better flow for buses
BAN cars from Moor Street and change it into a bus station

Remove awkward stops on Platinum routes:
Adderley Street (drivers to change at Coach Station instead)
Price Street/Lancaster Circus on services 907, 934-7 and 997 (it can make up to a 3 minute difference at rush hour to pick up 1 or 2 people when the 60 or so already on board would appreciate a quicker journey.

I used the X51 a few weeks ago and was impressed by a "proper express route" (quote from an inspector), I wonder if it would be possible to do a peak period service from Birmingham to Brownhills running non-stop from the Children's Hospital to Wellhead Lane, then Perry Park, Beeches Road/Aldridge Road, Queslett (ASDA), Buffet Island, then as 997 to Aldridge, then 937 to Brownhills.

[WMT3000]

What I'd like to see is the Acocks Green 37A, formerly the 44 (the current ag37 route from City but turning off Warwick Road at Lincoln Road North and terminating at Woodcock Lane/Clay Lane), re-instated as maybe a half-hourly service in the peaks and an hourly service through the day. Mon - Sat daytime only would be fine - evening and Sunday journies would be lightly loaded if at all.

Speaking personally, I don't mind walking to Warwick Road for the 37, but there are a lot of ageing/elderly people in the area who wouldn't be able to manage it on a regular basis.

While Igo's 99 service seems good in terms of reliability and punctuality, it's hourly and necessitates changing in Acocks Green to get into the City Centre. The alternative is the Diamond 30, which can be ok when all's going to plan, but of late has been unreliable. This, however, again requires a change in Acocks Green to get into Birmingham.

At the moment, I think cars that park along Lincoln Road North might be a bit of a problem, but double yellow lines around the corners near the canal bridge would at least partially solve this. The bus would then have room to manoeuvre I should think. I think it would have to be single deckers too, as dd's haven't been allowed under the railway bridge for a good while (I seem to remember quite a lot of damage being done to the roofs of buses in the '80s on the 44 as a result of drivers not moving far enough out into the middle of the road to go cleanly under - I also remember the sound of the roof of a bus scraping the two bolts which stuck out of the brickwork at the top of the arched section of the bridge). You could quite often spot an Acocks Green double decker by the marks/dents in the roof at the front!

[MasterPlan]

My hopes, even though they won't happen, is for the X64 to go and the 21 be brought back to join up again with the 22/23/29. Maybe keeping it going to Woodgate if there was enough demand for it and doing short 21Es to Bartley Green like with the 29/29E.
Maybe extend the 18 to Weoley Castle, linking it with Cotteridge/Kings Norton. Or failing that, perhaps an 18A that would terminate at Weoley Castle Square.
The 63 terminus moved to join the X61 in town.
Maybe rerouting the 98 to leave the QE towards Town the X64 way.
Perhaps have 29 follow the 21 out of Weoley Castle Square along Weoley Castle Road, and then straight up Shenley Lane, not stopping at all until the one just past the Weoley Castle Pub, cutting some of the journey time from the Geegory Avenue part of the route.
Additionally more Hybrid buses for the Harborne routes as the current lot is not enough.

[BusFan94]

My hopes and expectations of  next year is we get more Platinum buses Envrio 200MMC's, 400MMC's and any other types.
More Scania buses probably get critics for saying that.
More Streetdecks
More new Volvo Wright combos
And Free wifi on all buses not just Platinum.
Also I hope the Presidents don't get scrapped with their owners until at least well 2019.

[Stu]

At the moment, I think cars that park along Lincoln Road North might be a bit of a problem, but double yellow lines around the corners near the canal bridge would at least partially solve this. The bus would then have room to manoeuvre I should think. I think it would have to be single deckers too, as dd's haven't been allowed under the railway bridge for a good while (I seem to remember quite a lot of damage being done to the roofs of buses in the '80s on the 44 as a result of drivers not moving far enough out into the middle of the road to go cleanly under - I also remember the sound of the roof of a bus scraping the two bolts which stuck out of the brickwork at the top of the arched section of the bridge). You could quite often spot an Acocks Green double decker by the marks/dents in the roof at the front!

When I first moved to Acocks Green in 2008, Metrobuses were the norm on the 30, and they had no problems getting under that bridge.

[woody38]

More hopes for 2017 (none of these have any chance of happening):

Remove black cabs and cars from Dale End to allow better flow for buses
BAN cars from Moor Street and change it into a bus station

Remove awkward stops on Platinum routes:
Adderley Street (drivers to change at Coach Station instead)
Price Street/Lancaster Circus on services 907, 934-7 and 997 (it can make up to a 3 minute difference at rush hour to pick up 1 or 2 people when the 60 or so already on board would appreciate a quicker journey.

I used the X51 a few weeks ago and was impressed by a "proper express route" (quote from an inspector), I wonder if it would be possible to do a peak period service from Birmingham to Brownhills running non-stop from the Children's Hospital to Wellhead Lane, then Perry Park, Beeches Road/Aldridge Road, Queslett (ASDA), Buffet Island, then as 997 to Aldridge, then 937 to Brownhills.

can't see that coming they have just withdrawn the X56 which provided a fast link to Brownhills peaks

[j789]

NXWM buying Worcester garage off First. Think it would be a good deal for both companies as could help NXWM extend into Worcestershire and First could focus on its core areas as Worcester is very much on its own now. I'd happily work for NXWM there.

[Sayeed]

NXWM buying Worcester garage off First. Think it would be a good deal for both companies as could help NXWM extend into Worcestershire and First could focus on its core areas as Worcester is very much on its own now. I'd happily work for NXWM there.

Thank god someone posted it, I had the same thought before but maybe it is obvious for some or I was just afraid to share it. I would love to see that especially buying just the bus operation but without buses like First bought Finglands Coachways in Manchester

[MW]

When I first moved to Acocks Green in 2008, Metrobuses were the norm on the 30, and they had no problems getting under that bridge.

Which bridge is this? Lincoln Road bridge only 13 feet (4m(according to the sign)). Double deckers are 14 foot plus.

Are you confusing it for Ulverley Green bridge Stu? Or has the bridge changed? Or am I confusing it?

[Stu]

Which bridge is this? Lincoln Road bridge only 13 feet (4m(according to the sign)). Double deckers are 14 foot plus.

Are you confusing it for Ulverley Green bridge Stu? Or has the bridge changed? Or am I confusing it?

The bridge on Lincoln Road. Metrobuses used to get under, if they went down the middle of the road. Perhaps the height restriction has changed since then, but I used to get the 30 every day, the usual allocation was Metrobuses until it was initially withdrawn and replaced with the S3.

[Steve3229vp]

My hopes, even though they won't happen, is for the X64 to go and the 21 be brought back to join up again with the 22/23/29. Maybe keeping it going to Woodgate if there was enough demand for it and doing short 21Es to Bartley Green like with the 29/29E.
Maybe extend the 18 to Weoley Castle, linking it with Cotteridge/Kings Norton. Or failing that, perhaps an 18A that would terminate at Weoley Castle Square.
The 63 terminus moved to join the X61 in town.
Maybe rerouting the 98 to leave the QE towards Town the X64 way.
Perhaps have 29 follow the 21 out of Weoley Castle Square along Weoley Castle Road, and then straight up Shenley Lane, not stopping at all until the one just past the Weoley Castle Pub, cutting some of the journey time from the Geegory Avenue part of the route.
Additionally more Hybrid buses for the Harborne routes as the current lot is not enough.

Why would you bring the 21 back when it would take longer than the X64 ?

[MasterPlan]

Why would you bring the 21 back when it would take longer than the X64 ?

Because it was much more reliable than the X64 is. I'd rather a bus take a little longer ans turn up than not turn up at all...