South Birmingham Consultation 2017

[WMT3000]

I can see only a few people will be affected by that though, not many get on/off there.
X21 will still stop along there outbound, according to Traveline WM.
The stops along Bath Row, Holloway Head, Fredrick Road and St James Road inbound are near enough to the 80/A.
Carpenter Road is near enough to the X21 at the Edgbaston Old Church stop.
Only stop that'd realy be affected would be Gilldown Place (which is inbetween) inbound, to be honest when i've used them though only a few people get on/off there - still not to far of a walk from the Edgbaston Old Church stop for someone able, google maps says 9 minutes.
Its not finishing, it just the route number thats going the 1A will stop at King Edwards once a day and will be extended to Solihull once a day, it'll follow exactly the same route as the 885 currently does.

Thanks for the reply @2206. I've seen the changes to the 1/1A so i realise there's still a service but i was wondering about the use of the actual route number.

[MasterPlan]

https://nxbus.co.uk/west-midlands/south-birmingham-service-changes/city-centre-bus-stop-information

Is there going to be enough space at Old Square for 5 routes?! Unless other routes like the 65/66/67 are moved I can't see that working well.

Looks like the 45/47 have been kicked off of Carrs Lane too.

Surely it would make some sort of sense to have the X20s share some stops with the 23/24 as opposed to the 61/63.

[Mike K]

The 48 will be a rather long route, nearly 2 hours long in each direction as well.
West Bromwich Bus Station - 07:33.
Northfield, Bell Lane - 09:25.
http://www.travelinemidlands.co.uk/wmtis/XSLT_TTB_REQUEST?language=en&command=direct&net=cen&line=33048&sup=S&itdLPxx_direction=H&project=y11&outputFormat=0&itdLPxx_displayHeader=false&itdLPxx_sessionID=CEN_EFA03_46534505&lineVer=9&itdLPxx_spTr=9&itdLPxx_operatorCodeForTTB=NXB

It's occurred to me that the 48 is so long that it fits in with both the 4x Sandwell route numbers at the West Brom end, and the South Birmingham 45, 47 and 49 at the Cotteridge and West Heath end.

Does that 2 hour journey time take account of the different time zones it passes through on its mammoth route?

[j789]

The 144 is useless to 95% of Bristol Road passengers though as they don't sell or accept Nbus and people are reluctant to pay twice. Even city bound most people just let them go now apart from OAPs. It's a shame because they do offer some cheap return tickets but hardly anyone is aware of them, or bothers to ask.

Not sure how often you use the 144 but as I regularly drive it I can tell you we do pick up a fair few paying passengers along that stretch. Also, prepaid nbus smart cards are excepted now and can be used to pay fares within the West mids county up to Leach green lane/Rubery. I doubt it will be long before all Centro type passes will be accepted again as it's clearly in everyone's interest to do so.

[V89MOA]

Not sure how often you use the 144 but as I regularly drive it I can tell you we do pick up a fair few paying passengers along that stretch. Also, prepaid nbus smart cards are excepted now and can be used to pay fares within the West mids county up to Leach green lane/Rubery. I doubt it will be long before all Centro type passes will be accepted again as it's clearly in everyone's interest to do so.

Then there is part of the problem, I have used the 144 a few times within the last couple of months and had absolutely no idea any Network products were valid again... I haven't seen a single poster, sticker or message on the website about it. Seriously they should make an effort to get that message out there, especially as these changes are going to leave a good opportunity between Northfield, Selly Oak and Birmingham.

[Sh4318]

It's occurred to me that the 48 is so long that it fits in with both the 4x Sandwell route numbers at the West Brom end, and the South Birmingham 45, 47 and 49 at the Cotteridge and West Heath end.

Does that 2 hour journey time take account of the different time zones it passes through on its mammoth route?

I noticed this by looking at the South Birmingham route changes map.

I guess the route kinda makes sense from a numbering point of view, it does create some new links, but the route is far too long, reliability will affect the 48A, as they both interwork.

Can't see it lasting

[Straightlines]

Then there is part of the problem, I have used the 144 a few times within the last couple of months and had absolutely no idea any Network products were valid again... I haven't seen a single poster, sticker or message on the website about it. Seriously they should make an effort to get that message out there, especially as these changes are going to leave a good opportunity between Northfield, Selly Oak and Birmingham.

Regrettably, the 144 often seems to be never more than half full at the Birmingham end - especially at peak times where there seems to be very little usage in/out of the City end.

Let's hope the rebrand can spark some life into it, its going to need it with the forthcoming Bromsgrove electrics.

[Dom]

Posters now being stuck into bus stops.

Disappointingly they do not contain that much information in my opinion. Simply saying changes are happening and to check the website.

[Kevin]

Posters now being stuck into bus stops.

Disappointingly they do not contain that much information in my opinion. Simply saying changes are happening and to check the website.

When they've got a perfectly good map in that document they could use for posters...

[Stu]

Posters now being stuck into bus stops.

Disappointingly they do not contain that much information in my opinion. Simply saying changes are happening and to check the website.

I suppose it's down to cost, rather than producing a number of more 'area-specific' posters with more detailed information on the changes (which would be my preference), it is no doubt cheaper to print one generic poster.

When I say 'area-specific', for example in Acocks Green, people don't necessarily need to read full details of changes to Northfield and Frankley services, but some details on changes in Acocks Green would be more useful, rather than "check the website".

[BigDaddyCool]

Defeats the object of reaching those who don't live day by day using smartphones or the internet......

All of it seems a shambles, and I give some of the changes a maximum of 12 months.

[MasterPlan]

Defeats the object of reaching those who don't live day by day using smartphones or the internet......

All of it seems a shambles, and I give some of the changes a maximum of 12 months.

You say that like they'd actually admit they're wrong and go back on any decisions they make...

[The Fox 4846]

Look at the 52/A & even the X61, both decisions were reversed as they failed.

[metrocity]

Look at the 52/A & even the X61, both decisions were reversed as they failed.

The problem is when a decision is reversed, the damage is typically done and loadings will never recover to the levels prior to the original change

[MasterPlan]

The problem is when a decision is reversed, the damage is typically done and loadings will never recover to the levels prior to the original change

Yep, and I reckon a lot of irreperable damage has been done with these changes.