WINTER 2017-2018 - Snow Service Updates

[GeminiFan1991]

The ignorance of some people, truly is mind boggling. If the roads aren't safe for Cars and they're are sliding about, how the hell do they expect a bus to make a safe journey !

My new Swift card starts tomorrow but then again do I really want to go to work ......

[Tony]

This is the message that has just come through


"The 37 route has been checked and it is not safe to operate. The conditions in South Birmingham are deteriorating and black ice is now forming on many of the roads. "

If a main route like the 37 is dangerous no hope of any others

[Stuharris 6360]

And this one.
"Weve had it worse than this and still your buses were running not seen one bus at all today where i live"
Where have they been today then?

"Unbelievable shame on you nxwestmidands no buses running in a city like Birmingham #thirdworldstuff"
Can't have seen the heavy snow and dangerous roads, that have caused the buses to become suspended then.

More than likely a car owner who didn't want to risk using his car today, so thought I will catch the bus and obviously they aren't running.

[don]

This is the message that has just come through


"The 37 route has been checked and it is not safe to operate. The conditions in South Birmingham are deteriorating and black ice is now forming on many of the roads. "

If a main route like the 37 is dangerous no hope of any others

Unfortunately, with such low temperatures predicted over the next couple of days it's unlikely to improve greatly, other than lying snow being cleared from one traffic lane per direction - I suspect the Police and transport operators may have to take a pragmatic approach unless the region is to not operate for a couple of days. In the past conditions like these have lasted weeks with no hope of buses getting into kerbs to unload without getting stuck and worse still, sliding round at 90 degrees on trying to get out of the camber of the road - I well remember Metrobuses loading/unloading in the traffic lane on All Saints Way and Hollyhedge Road for days in late 1981/early 1982 - lane 2 of dual carriageways eventually were cleared using JCBs.

Sounds like a recipe for a chaotic morning peak tomorrow.

[B.C Driver]

Once a bus (or any vehicle) hits ice and starts to slide the driver is powerless to control it, resulting in it sliding into cars, lamp posts, or at worse pedestrians.

[Mike K]

There is a tendency for the press to overplay wintry weather, but today's snowfall has been unprecedented. I also don't get all this cobblers about the UK grinding to a halt once a few inches of snow falls. The last time we had conditions like this in the Midlands was 7 years ago, so why spend millions on the infrastructure and equipment to be able to deal with heavy snow when it would be unused and redundant for years on end.

In parts of Europe where heavy snow is the norm, they have to be geared up for it, it's illegal not to change to winter tyres in winter, and not surprisingly they cope better. That's not the case in the UK, so we have to accept that heavy snow is going to cause disruption.

[Stu]

There is a tendency for the press to overplay wintry weather, but today's snowfall has been unprecedented. I also don't get all this cobblers about the UK grinding to a halt once a few inches of snow falls. The last time we had conditions like this in the Midlands was 7 years ago, so why spend millions on the infrastructure and equipment to be able to deal with heavy snow when it would be unused and redundant for years on end.

In parts of Europe where heavy snow is the norm, they have to be geared up for it, it's illegal not to change to winter tyres in winter, and not surprisingly they cope better. That's not the case in the UK, so we have to accept that heavy snow is going to cause disruption.

I agree, it has been some time since I've seen snow like this. There were lots of complaints across social media today along the likes of "where are the gritters?". The truth is that there is not a lot that gritting will do when you get heavy snowfall like we've had today, grit is not 'magic dust' as more than one commenter put it.

After the bus services were suspended, it was also incredible to read many comments by people complaining about their Uber bookings being cancelled or reassigned. Seems that as well as expecting buses to be magical vehicles, they also expect Uber taxis to also have magical powers too.

While I do sympathise with people who have had to travel (to go to work) and then found themselves stranded, some people are just so ignorant of what is going on around them that they then expect others to deal with their own ill-preparedness.

[John]

No NX buses will be running till 6am at the earliest tomorrow. And only on treated main roads. Just posted on Twitter

[Steveminor]

I remember years back when it was like this & I worked at am pm. Myself & a national express inspector were at Chelmsley Wood telling everyone that was getting off the buses that both companies were going to suspend services very shortly  (central connect & claribels had already stopped) people didn't listen & just walked to the shops. Half hour later as the very last bus an am pm 72 left chelmsley people were still walking round the shops oblivious to the fact they would be stranded.

[Westy]

Did Walsall depot manage to get any buses out before services were suspended?

Looking at earlier posts, the only ones that I think managed to run were the 51's that started around 7am!

[DJ]

Did Walsall depot manage to get any buses out before services were suspended?

Looking at earlier posts, the only ones that I think managed to run were the 51's that started around 7am!

I recall hearing from my brother about the 11/13 having to terminate at Castle Gate Island, but that may have been on Saturday.

[Michael Bevan]

Did Walsall depot manage to get any buses out before services were suspended?

Looking at earlier posts, the only ones that I think managed to run were the 51's that started around 7am!

I saw 6732 running up the Kingstanding Road 'Not In Service' after service was suspended...I assume that was either a 934 or 937A.

[Kevin]

PB 52 appears to be running but Walsall Road only, just seen one start in service at Scott Arms

[Michael Bevan]

Looks like the 33 is a straight run today...Only going as far as Kingstanding, and also only using the Kingstanding Road before returning to normal line of route (missing out One Stop)...

[Jack6101]

121 using the 126 from Dudley towards oldbury