South Birmingham Consultation 2017

[SO6597]

The X20 route runs Edgewood Road, Cliff Rock Road and Leach Green Lane inbound and Ashill Road, Edgewood Road outbound.

The original proposal was to run via Ashill Road in both directions but was changed just before introduction, possibly to address the issue of inbound/outbound buses potentially crossing on Ashill Road which is much narrower than Edgewood. WMT had big problems with this road when the 49 was rerouted for a brief period in the latter part of 1993 before returning to the Bristol Rd a few months later.

Having ridden the route from start to finish a couple of weeks ago, Cliff Rock Road is a very tight fit to say the least!

[MasterPlan]

Also, interestingly the X20 I'm on atm has used the old 98/X64 route into town round Five Ways, just using Wheeleys Road all the way to Islington Row instead which was a hairy experience on a double decker. Also stopped at Five Ways, not sure if he was meant to

The X21 I was on has done the same, stopping at Five Ways and all along Bath Row. What is going on? All this tripe about avoiding Five Ways because of the traffic and yet here we are again. Caught a few people out too; great amount of notice given to the public as ever.
And yes going up Wheeleys Road was a little dodgy with all of the parked cars along it.

[Kevin]

The X20 route runs Edgewood Road, Cliff Rock Road and Leach Green Lane inbound and Ashill Road, Edgewood Road outbound.

The original proposal was to run via Ashill Road in both directions but was changed just before introduction, possibly to address the issue of inbound/outbound buses potentially crossing on Ashill Road which is much narrower than Edgewood. WMT had big problems with this road when the 49 was rerouted for a brief period in the latter part of 1993 before returning to the Bristol Rd a few months later.

Having ridden the route from start to finish a couple of weeks ago, Cliff Rock Road is a very tight fit to say the least!

Interesting. Because the one I caught yesterday to city went straight onto Ashill Road

[Mike K]

The X21 I was on has done the same, stopping at Five Ways and all along Bath Row. What is going on? All this tripe about avoiding Five Ways because of the traffic and yet here we are again. Caught a few people out too; great amount of notice given to the public as ever.
And yes going up Wheeleys Road was a little dodgy with all of the parked cars along it.

I've just seen 3 X20s / X22s come down Bath Row inbound so they must have changed the route? Incidentally, the Holloway Head / Bath Row traffic is queueing from Holloway Circus virtually to Five Ways - absolutely horrendous. At this point in time, the X20/21/22 must be the slowest routes to town in the whole of the city.

[2206]

I've just seen 3 X20s / X22s come down Bath Row inbound so they must have changed the route? Incidentally, the Holloway Head / Bath Row traffic is queueing from Holloway Circus virtually to Five Ways - absolutely horrendous. At this point in time, the X20/21/22 must be the slowest routes to town in the whole of the city.

I notice NX Bus have said on the twitter page its on diversion due to badly parked cars on Wheeleys Road (Presumably they mean Wellington Road).
https://twitter.com/nxwestmidlands/status/1036637041818324992

[Mike K]

I notice NX Bus have said on the twitter page its on diversion due to badly parked cars on Wheeleys Road.
https://twitter.com/nxwestmidlands/status/1036637041818324992

Isn't the normal route inbound supposed to be from Edgbaston Old Church via Wellington Road and Bristol Street into city? I thought they weren't even supposed to use Wheeleys Road inbound? I'm more confused than ever.

Edit: and another thing - it's no use blaming badly parked cars on that section of Wheeleys Road, a residential street which is wholly unsuitable for any sort of two way traffic, let alone buses.

[2206]

Isn't the normal route inbound supposed to be from Edgbaston Old Church via Wellington Road and Bristol Street into city? I thought they weren't even supposed to use Wheeleys Road inbound? I'm more confused than ever.

I assume they mean Wellington Road, yes.
As you can't go from Wheeleys Road over onto Bath Row without going via Five Ways anyway.

[MasterPlan]

Isn't the normal route inbound supposed to be from Edgbaston Old Church via Wellington Road and Bristol Street into city? I thought they weren't even supposed to use Wheeleys Road inbound? I'm more confused than ever.

That was only a diversion until the bus gate is done (which they kept quite when announcing the charges). But yes, also no notice of them going down Wheeleys Road inbound at all. Passengers confused on the X21 this morning as it went down Arthur Road. Then using stops it shouldn't at Five Ways and along Bath Row.

[Sh4318]

Isn't the normal route inbound supposed to be from Edgbaston Old Church via Wellington Road and Bristol Street into city? I thought they weren't even supposed to use Wheeleys Road inbound? I'm more confused than ever.

I've honestly lost track of which way all three routes enter and leave the city centre

[Mike K]

That was only a diversion until the bus gate is done (which they kept quite when announcing the charges). But yes, also no notice of them going down Wheeleys Road inbound at all. Passengers confused on the X21 this morning as it went down Arthur Road. Then using stops it shouldn't at Five Ways and along Bath Row.

So is the bus gate finished now? What a shambles these QE 'express' routes are.

[MasterPlan]

So is the bus gate finished now? What a shambles these QE 'express' routes are.

Well they can't be as they're not using it, but who even knows anymore? I wouldn't be surprised if we got diverted via Wolverhampton at this point. As you say absolutely shambolic.

[MasterPlan]

I've honestly lost track of which way all three routes enter and leave the city centre

"The X20, X21 and X22 will currently be operating in both directions via Wheeleys Road. Inbound to city will be left onto Lee Bank Middleway and right into Bath Row to Holloway Circus."

[Kevin]

"The X20, X21 and X22 will currently be operating in both directions via Wheeleys Road. Inbound to city will be left onto Lee Bank Middleway and right into Bath Row to Holloway Circus."

Ha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
They really haven't ever seen Wheeleys Road have they? Jesus wept this is going to be hilarious

[Mike K]

Ha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
They really haven't ever seen Wheeleys Road have they? Jesus wept this is going to be hilarious

Seriously, I used to drive that way home - if you meet another car coming the other way on that first section of Wheeleys Road after the traffic lights, everyone is partially mounting the pavement to squeeze past. If two buses meet...

No good blaming badly parked cars, it's badly routed buses.

[don]

I can't help thinking that running two such wide-ranging reviews with relevant changes, including vehicle requirements, infrastructure such as junction works, bus stop changes etc, along with the added complication of the two 'joint' WM Bus routes in Walsall and West Bromwich concurrently is potentially over-ambitious in terms of programming for operators, TfWM and contractors alike. It's hardly surprising that everything's not in place in time.