South Birmingham Consultation 2017

[Mike K]

My point is that I don't use those services in the southwest and south side of the city, so I don't really have any valid opinions to share, so I am not going to make any suggestions for that area of the review, as its not really my place.

I would hate for the consultation to be influenced by people who don't regularly use those services, but like things how they are, "because its a nice scenic route" or "its always gone that way" etc. It must be ultimately up to those passengers who rely on those routes. If there is a large demand from passengers for buses to go to the QE or University, because that is what they want, they should be listened to.

Anyway, I agree with the proposal for the 31 service, as it would become another useful route for me to get home, alongside the 37, which is actually becoming quicker for me, rather than getting the X1/X2 in the evenings. So I have submitted my comments on this area of the consultation, as it is actually relevant to me. ;)

Fair points - I think those of us moaning about the south west proposals do live on and use those routes, and I too have submitted my comments, only on the 2 routes relevant to me

[j789]

Harborne Road must be one of the few main roads into Birmingham that han't been updated or changed in the last 30 years. I grew up in Harborne and the road layout was exactly the same then as it is now, except the traffic is probably double what it was. What never seems to get mentioned is that the former Harborne Railway could be turned back into a railway or even into a tram track as this would benefit many despite the initial cost. Look at how much they spent on making the tram extend down Corporation Street, clearly it could be done if the money was there.

As for the suggestions, wouldn't it make more sense to just divert the current 29 from Quinton Road via Harborne Lane to the A38 bypass and then into the QE and then bring it back via the bus gate on Metchley Lane to take up the current route. This would save messing with other services too.

[Trident 4194]

Well if the proposed changes follow the same route as the 99, then they are total hippocrites. That service was withdrawn due to poor reliability, so let's hope they are not planning on following the same path.

Furthermore where is the Halesowen-Harborne link going? With the 244 proposed for West Brom:

[Alex]

Well if the proposed changes follow the same route as the 99, then they are total hippocrites. That service was withdrawn due to poor reliability, so let's hope they are not planning on following the same path.

Furthermore where is the Halesowen-Harborne link going? With the 244 proposed for West Brom:

And more on that note, as the 241 is in the firing line as well, albeit in the Dudley Review, and no replacement for the 244 seems to be in place between Dudley and Halesowen, this seems to me like either NX are naïve enough to think that Dudley to Halesowen doesn't need any bus service, which it does, and telling people ''Oh you can get off at so and so, to swap to another bus to get to where you actually want'' is an acceptable enough way of dealing with all of this, or NX have completely lost the plot...
Alternatively, it may be NX's way of putting deckers on the route, and if so, it's a bloody stupid way, in my opinion...

I don't usually go off on one, but i think its warranted for once, and these are just my opinions, so rant over.

[MasterPlan]

It says on the Website this is "phase 3". How many phases are there?

[MasterPlan]

2144 at Selly Oak 10:20 doing a X64 to Weoley Castle
One of a string of 4 buses on 98/X64 in the space of 5 mins

It hasn't gotten any better either. Just seen an X64 followed in convoy by 2 98s. Further proof that the Vale isn't the answer.

[MW]

It hasn't gotten any better either. Just seen an X64 followed in convoy by 2 98s. Further proof that the Vale isn't the answer.

What is the Vale, if you don't mind me asking? The only Vale I know is Castle Vale. I'm from the South East of the City which is why I'm unfamiliar with these terms.

[Kevin]

What is the Vale, if you don't mind me asking? The only Vale I know is Castle Vale. I'm from the South East of the City which is why I'm unfamiliar with these terms.

The Vale is the student village along Edgbaston Park Road

[MasterPlan]

If they're instant on combining the 29 and X64 as the consultation suggests, this is what I'd go with:

Route 25 - Northfield, Shenley Lane, Somerford Road, Weoley Castle Square, Beckbury Road, Kemberton Road, Alwold Road, Weoley Avenue, Weoley Park Road, Bristol Road (Selly Oak), Harborne Lane, Harborne Park Road, Harborne High St, Harborne Road, Five Ways, Broad Street, Birmingham City Centre.

This way the link to Five Ways, Broad St and Great Charles St is maintained whilst reconecting it with Selly Oak. As long as the 48 maintains a good enough frequency to the QE there'd be no need for the 25 to serve it.

Then you'd have the 23, 24 & 25 each possibly every 10 mins. Providing a 3 min frequency.

[2206]

If they're instant on combining the 29 and X64 as the consultation suggests, this is what I'd go with:

Route 25 - Northfield, Shenley Lane, Somerford Road, Weoley Castle Square, Beckbury Road, Kemberton Road, Alwold Road, Weoley Avenue, Weoley Park Road, Bristol Road (Selly Oak), Harborne Lane, Harborne Park Road, Harborne High St, Harborne Road, Five Ways, Broad Street, Birmingham City Centre.

This way the link to Five Ways, Broad St and Great Charles St is maintained whilst reconecting it with Selly Oak. As long as the 48 maintains a good enough frequency to the QE there'd be no need for the 25 to serve it.

Then you'd have the 23, 24 & 25 each possibly every 10 mins. Providing a 3 min frequency.

What's replace serve Birmingham Uni instead of the X64 in your proposal?
22, like the NX proposal?

[MasterPlan]

What's replace serve Birmingham Uni instead of the X64 in your proposal?

I don't think anything needs to replace that link. I've not seen anybody use that link from the Weoley Castle area. The revised 22 will serve it from Bartley Green anyway. Perhaps it could leave Bartley Green via Woodcock Lane instead, going straight down Barnes Hill to California, Quintion Road, QE and Uni.

[2206]

I don't think anything needs to replace that link. I've not seen anybody use that link from the Weoley Castle area. The revised 22 will serve it from Bartley Green anyway. Perhaps it could leave Bartley Green via Woodcock Lane instead, going straight down Barnes Hill to California, Quintion Road, QE and Uni.

Yes it doesn't need to be replaced with a bus link with Weoley Castle.

[j789]

One suggestion that has been missed out is to send the 11A/C through the QE hospital. This would allow many areas a direct link to the hospital and wouldn't add much time to the journey. When Harborne Lane was closed earlier in the year, I saw a lot of passengers being dropped off on the diversion route through the QE so I'm sure it would be popular - a bit like the late 1990s when the 11 was rerouted to directly serve City Hospital. Even if an extra bus was needed on both the A and C routes, a bus could be saved from YW by getting rid of the 84 as the 11 would serve most of its route and the 49 could cover most of the rest.

[Sayeed]

https://www.uhb.nhs.uk/Downloads/pdf/NationalExpressConsultation.pdf

[B.C Driver]

https://www.uhb.nhs.uk/Downloads/pdf/NationalExpressConsultation.pdf

X61 serving QE hospital and extended to Rubery Gt Park, Longbridge and Cofton?

Not a good idea, turn a simple direct route into a long and complicated one. Not to mention being held up at the QE hospital.

More buses are needed on X61 or 63 or both on evenings. Passenger numbers are very high between Selly Oak and City due to one of the largest Universitys in the country. In the days of the 61, 62 and 63 there was about a 7 minute gap between buses. Now its every 15 mins. Not fun on a dark cold winters night.