East Birmingham Sevice Changes - 4th June 2017

[Tony]

Im pretty sure X12 and X70 will use the Expressway from 3pm onwards as the Heathlands parkway is a nightmare after 3pm will take about an hour to get through the traffic.

Heartlands Parkway (as far as Bromford Lane) isn't a nightmare unless anything has happened on the M6. I can see the Junction at Bromford Lane from my office and my colleagues from Amey can manually control the traffic lights to clear problems.

[B.C Driver]

Just wandering how many buses BC will loose in total with the 58, 59, 73 going and the 70 being cut down.

[sonic84]

The changes seem very unpopular on National Express West Midlands Facebook page too. Lots of comments about changing bus in Chelmsley, lack to services to Kingshurst and reduction in frequency in Bromford.

I'm very surprised there will be no bus linking the city with Marston Green, however presumably nxbus expect passenger are either using the train or will use it. I would have perhaps left the 14 as it was via Marston Green and then extended the 17 ever half hour to Chelmsley via the new 14 route.

Can imagine the X12 south of Chelmsley will be busy!

[2206]

The changes seem very unpopular on National Express West Midlands Facebook page too. Lots of comments about changing bus in Chelmsley, lack to services to Kingshurst and reduction in frequency in Bromford.

I'm very surprised there will be no bus linking the city with Marston Green, however presumably nxbus expect passenger are either using the train or will use it. I would have perhaps left the 14 as it was via Marston Green and then extended the 17 ever half hour to Chelmsley via the new 14 route.

Can imagine the X12 south of Chelmsley will be busy!

There is no frequency reduction in Bromford.
Its going from a every 30 minute 72, to a every 20 minute X12 and hourly X70. From 2 buses an hour to 4 buses an hour.

[Brummie45]

Why would you need a bus from the City Centre to Marston Green when there is a faster train service 7 days a week

[MW]

Just wandering how many buses BC will loose in total with the 58, 59, 73 going and the 70 being cut down.

Personally, I reckon BC will gain something from PB. Maybe the 94?

[Squiz1971]

There is no frequency reduction in Bromford.
Its going from a every 30 minute 72, to a every 20 minute X12 and hourly X70. From 2 buses an hour to 4 buses an hour.

The current 72 that passes through the Bromford estate is Every 20 mins not every 30 mins so it is 3 buses an hour not 2. As that's only on a Sunday its every half hour and after 18:00 Mon-Sat, Plus at peak time 2 hours we have 4 buses through the estate albeit 1 is a 72E to Newport Road/Clock Garage @2206. We gain 1 bus an hour that is all.

Will the X12 and X70 use all stops on the Bromford Estate or will they leave some out as the timetable isn't quite clear on all stops, well the X12 anyway??

[Stu]

Will the X12 and X70 use all stops on the Bromford Estate or will they leave some out as the timetable isn't quite clear on all stops, well the X12 anyway??

The Network West Midlands website lists all the stops that the X12 will call at:
https://journeyplanner.networkwestmidlands.com/Timetables/cen_33X12_A_H_y11/2/Outbound/0

[Trident 4194]

Personally, I reckon BC will gain something from PB. Maybe the 94?

@MW moving the x14 would be a nice easy swap- no driver training needed for new bus type??

[Stu]

Why would you need a bus from the City Centre to Marston Green when there is a faster train service 7 days a week

For some people, the bus is a much cheaper alternative to the train.

[Trident 4194]

For some people, the bus is a much cheaper alternative to the train.

Exactly otherwise the x1 wouldn't exist? 20 mins to Coventry compared with 1 hr 30? It's the intermediate stops which gets customers

[Squiz1971]

The Network West Midlands website lists all the stops that the X12 will call at:
https://journeyplanner.networkwestmidlands.com/Timetables/cen_33X12_A_H_y11/2/Outbound/0

Cheers @Stu the timetable I looked at from this thread wasn't as detailed as this one is.

[2206]

The current 72 that passes through the Bromford estate is Every 20 mins not every 30 mins so it is 3 buses an hour not 2. As that's only on a Sunday its every half hour and after 18:00 Mon-Sat, Plus at peak time 2 hours we have 4 buses through the estate albeit 1 is a 72E to Newport Road/Clock Garage @2206. We gain 1 bus an hour that is all.

Will the X12 and X70 use all stops on the Bromford Estate or will they leave some out as the timetable isn't quite clear on all stops, well the X12 anyway??

Sorry yes thought it was every 20 minutes, checked the NX website and this says every 30 which is why I put that.
http://nxbus.co.uk/routes/west-midlands/B072/?timetable[day]=&;

[Mike K]

With the 71 and 96 moving to PB, anyone heard whether PB will lose any routes as a result of these changes, other than the 77 returning to Walsall?

BC are 6 buses down as a result of the 98/99/X64 changes, and will be losing the 58, 59 and 73, plus there will be reduced vehicle requirement on the 70/X70. The increases to the 60 will presumably take up some of the capacity freed up from the 58/9, but BC will still have a reduced vehicle requirement compared to what they had in April (at a guess I'd say of 10 to 12 buses including the 6 from the 99).

Unless garage capacities needed realigning there looks like scope for moving some work from PB to BC.

[Gareth]

With the 71 and 96 moving to PB, anyone heard whether PB will lose any routes as a result of these changes, other than the 77 returning to Walsall?

BC are 6 buses down as a result of the 98/99/X64 changes, and will be losing the 58, 59 and 73, plus there will be reduced vehicle requirement on the 70/X70. The increases to the 60 will presumably take up some of the capacity freed up from the 58/9, but BC will still have a reduced vehicle requirement compared to what they had in April (at a guess I'd say of 10 to 12 buses including the 6 from the 99).

Unless garage capacities needed realigning there looks like scope for moving some work from PB to BC.

How many older Tridents without Adblue tanks are left at BC? Maybe this slight reduction in vehicle requirements is to ensure that all non compliant buses can leave.