South Birmingham Consultation 2017

[Bus1237]

The whole of the 37 route isn't having a slight frequency decrease, its only Acocks Green to Solihull is having a slight frequency decrease to every 10 minutes.
Acocks Green to City Centre will be every 5 minutes.

I know but between Acocks Green and Solihull it is always really busy... I cannot see why there is a decrease in frequency - if anything the 1 should be decreasing rather than increasing!

[MW]

I know but between Acocks Green and Solihull it is always really busy... I cannot see why there is a decrease in frequency - if anything the 1 should be decreasing rather than increasing!

I reckon the 4 (current 37) will be Gemini operated, and the 4A will get the MMCs, to compensate.

Maybe they'll run 4Es between Solihull & Acocks Green.

[metrocity]

Thank you for sharing this

@Tony - Any idea if this has increased or reduced the PVR at the Respective Garages?

A significant deduction I suspect. Bear in mind not all route cacncellations have been revealed yet - 84 etc..

[Jack]

Why is the 37 getting a frequency decrease?! Why mess with something that is perfectly fine as it is? It is always busy during the daytime and peak time?

It is fine in it's current form, you are correct. It currently works fine combined with the 6 as well as the other Stratford Road services.

I personally don't get this obsession with 'simplification' of numbers, and I don't think routes into Birmingham need it. They're already simple and most people aren't retards. The 37 has been around for donkeys years, changing the number is more likely to cause confusion than simplification. And often, a simpler network is just politician speak for reducing the number of routes serving a corridor, and often reducing the number of buses per hour along most of that corridor.

I fully agree with you on this.

A significant deduction I suspect. Bear in mind not all route cacncellations have been revealed yet - 84 etc..

Aren't bus links to the QE very highly needed though? Even though the road system there can be awful at times.

I reckon the 4 (current 37) will be Gemini operated, and the 4A will get the MMCs, to compensate.

Maybe they'll run 4Es between Solihull & Acocks Green.

E200 MMC's on the 4A, can see this happen, but there is some tight turns around Gospel Oak. A few times I've ridden them on the 31 they have on some journeys got stuck. I remember the same story with the Omnilinks and Urban 2's.

[JoNi]

I personally don't get this obsession with 'simplification' of numbers, and I don't think routes into Birmingham need it. They're already simple and most people aren't retards. The 37 has been around for donkeys years, changing the number is more likely to cause confusion than simplification. And often, a simpler network is just politician speak for reducing the number of routes serving a corridor, and often reducing the number of buses per hour along most of that corridor.

Ever thought by saying we are introducing route 4 every 10 minutes it sounds more positive than saying the 37 to Solihull is being cut back to every 10 minutes. Not very original!
I remember a senior manager of a company held in high esteem in the industry saying theres more to successful city bus operation than new vehicles. Familiar numbers serving city centres.

[Steve3229vp]

Another day goes by and still no publication of the changes, this is getting ridiculous now because they start 28 days from Sunday !

[BigDaddyCool]

It's ridiculous.....  they seem to forget that not everyone has access to, or uses the internet, and therefore good old fashioned notices need to go on buses also....! People need time to get their heads round it, even if they are not accepting of it, it gives people that little longer to get used to the changes.

[Trident 4194]

Notice how the hierarchy on this forum and nx are not getting involved in this thread. Interesting. Suggestions that they know the changes are going to make people worse off and try not to engage in conversation?

[monkeyjoe]

The cynical side of me would say the 37 only became really frequent when it gained additional competition of whole route and am I right that these days that corridor doesn't have any competitors? Nx is a private profit making firm I guess

[MW]

The cynical side of me would say the 37 only became really frequent when it gained additional competition of whole route and am I right that these days that corridor doesn't have any competitors? Nx is a private profit making firm I guess

Obviously it's a private profit making firm. As are all the other operators.

37 has no competition anymore nope. But it's always had regularly investment/ every few years it tends to get new buses. Speaking of which, it's due some in the next couple years.

[monkeyjoe]

Your right shame it's has;  not consistent across the network. Couldn't resist lol.

[MW]

Your right shame it's has;  not consistent across the network. Couldn't resist lol.

The 37 had a frequency increase when it became a single deck route. But it must make them a lot of money for them to be able to justify reinvesting. Over the years it's had new Plaxton Presidents, Gemini's, Eclipse Urban 1s, Scania Omnilink & now E200MMCs. And then there's the rumour of the hydrogen buses, if that's still happening.

The 50 is another route that's seen a lot of investment over the years. But again, it must generate a lot of profit. I've always thought that the 50 would be an ideal candidate for Hybrid buses. If the Camp Hill line reopens in the coming years, it will no doubt be bad for business for the 50.

[D10]

For many years the 37 and the 44 ran in combination until Acocks Green then the 44 went off the other side of Acocks Green to terminate in Lincoln Road North. I have an early 1980's timetable where they both ran every 10 minutes at the busiest so there was then a 5 minute frequency over the City to Acocks Green part.

So this seems to be a return to having the highest frequency between the City and AG only then the lesser frequency continuing along the Warwick Road into Solihull which probably best meets the demand.

[OH25]

Are we not going to mention that these proposed changes include a new X20 route despite there already being one that goes to Stratford Upon Avon?

[MasterPlan]

Are we not going to mention that these proposed changes include a new X20 route despite there already being one that goes to Stratford Upon Avon?

Because that route number isn't going to cause confusion with a certain Johnsons route.