New Dudley proposals

[winston]

Isn't that because AG/PB made gains? Routes like the 71/72. In both their current guises, the total PVR is still 20ish, same as it was before, only now 6 of those buses are ran out of another Garage.

AG previously ran the 966, PVR of 6. Now the PVR of the X12 is what, 9? 10?. Those extra 3-4 buses would have been 3-4 buses that BC lost on routes like the 70/90 or whatever it was called.

BC also lost the 58 in favour of AG

[Tony]

BC also lost the 58 in favour of AG

It is PB, WA & WN that have gone up this year

[Trident 4194]

BC also lost the 58 in favour of AG

BC lost 99 to PN too

[winston]

It is PB, WA & WN that have gone up this year

WN's allocation went up during the Metro replacement bus services, but has since fallen back.
PN's is the lowest it's been for a while & edging nearer 100.
Obviously allocations will soon be increased due to forthcoming JLR contract, but that's new work.

[Jack]

BC also lost the 58 in favour of AG

73 to AG too

[Sh4318]

These are the first set of changes in a while that I'm actually impressed with. I can see myself using the X7 quite a bit. To me, at least, it makes sense to have the 9 as the frequent service and the 140 & 141 (now X10) as the express services as they're less frequent.

The 127 already covers a bit of the 129 route, can't say I'm surprised to see that go. Lion Farm loses its direct service to Birmingham & Bearwood (again), but it makes sense to change in Oldbury for a plentora of services to both destinations, the doubled frequency to West Brom will be useful I think.

The 15 at an every 15 minute frequency seems a bit low, replacing an every 10 minute frequency, I would expect it to be at least every 10-12 minutes.

Exciting times ahead!

[paulb1973]

Looking at the total vehicle allocations across the NXWM (bus fleet). Is this about right?

Acocks Green
2 Dart/E200 (733-4)
33 E200MMC (2201-33)
27 B7/ALX (4225/27-31/34/42/50/52/60/66/76-78/92-301/3-4)
79 Gemini (4500-19/21-34; 4635-79)
10 E400MMC (6701-10)
___
151


Birmingham Central
19 B7RLE (2124-42)
58 Trident (4148/66/72/76-77/79/85r; 4444-49/55-74; 4610-34)
41 E400 (4871-80/95-913/38-49)
18 B5H (5501-18)
68 E400MMC (6825-92)
___
204


Bordesley
49 Scania (1788-1836)
__
49


Coventry
10 E200 (840-44/71-75)
35 B7RLE (2143-77)
45 Trident (4144/90/203-4/6-7/9-23; 4395-400/2-14/50-54)
10 B7/ALX (4415-24)
54 E400 (4763-76; 4830-42/81-94; 4983-95)
___
154


Pensnett
22 E200 (758-60/801-4/23-30/64-70)
31 B7RLE (2081-111)
5 Wright StreetDeck (3301-5)
23 Trident (4139r/50r/80r/98; 4425-43)
30 E400MMC (6101-22; 6711-18)
___
111


Perry Barr
4 E200 (761-64)
47 Scania (1863-77; 1898-907/25-31; 7019-33)
13 B7/ALX (4279-91)
35 Gemini (4475-99; 4687-96)
4 Scania DD (4777-80)
43 E400 (4799-815/17-29/43-55)
29 E400MMC (6796-6824)
___
175


Walsall
6 E200 (855-60)
46 Scania (1837-62/78-97)
32 B7RLE (1750-73; 2112-19)
43 Trident (4125/27; 4305-9/26-32/46-54/56-59; 4594-4609)
20 E400 (4733-37; 4856-70)
40 E400MMC (6719-58)
___
187


West Bromwich
28 E200 (757; 805-22/31-39)
19 Scania (1918/36-53)
29 B7/ALX (4236-37/39-41/43-47/49/51/53-54/57-59/62-64/67-75)
82 E400 (4738-62; 4914-37; 4950-82)
___
158


Wolverhampton
19 E200 (751-56; 845-54/61-63)
55 B7RLE (2001-29/59-80; 2120-23)
70 Trident (4136/52/60/63; 4310-25/33-34/43-45; 4535-64/78-92)
21 E400H (5401-21)
37 E400MMC (6759-95)
___
202


Yardley Wood
19 Scania (1909-17/19-24/32-35)
17 E200MMC (2234-50)
56 Trident (4130r/81r/83r; 4335/37-40/42/60-90/92-94; 4565-77)
15 E400 (4718-32)
26 E400MMC (6123-48)
___
133


Total 1524

(4130 may have left YW - I'm not sure / 4133-34 seem to have left WN / it does seem BC, PB and more recently WN have seen slight falls but others have grown slightly)

[metrocity]

Really? How many PVR does this save then?
If that was the main aim how is it that after all previous reviews the total PVR is roughly the same as two years ago

Presumably as a result of continued increases in traffic congestio there is an ongoing requirement to increase running time on a number of core services, thus adding additional vehicles to maintain existing frequencies (and ultimately a slower journey for passengers)

[Tony]

Presumably as a result of continued increases in traffic congestio there is an ongoing requirement to increase running time on a number of core services, thus adding additional vehicles to maintain existing frequencies (and ultimately a slower journey for passengers)

What about routes like the 80 that when it started was a bit of a backwater  route just every 20 in. Now an extremely  profitable route every  10 minutes. The X51 that started as a 20 frequency using just 3 grams buses, now a high frequency route thst struggles to cope. The 997 that was hourly using just 2 metrobuses for a time, now another 10 minute frequency route.

[Trident 4194]

What about routes like the 80 that when it started was a bit of a backwater  route just every 20 in. Now an extremely  profitable route every  10 minutes. The X51 that started as a 20 frequency using just 3 grams buses, now a high frequency route thst struggles to cope. The 997 that was hourly using just 2 metrobuses for a time, now another 10 minute frequency route.

What exactly are you proposing to do with the 9. Just give it more time??? Thus adding PVR surely

[PinkBus]

Silly question I know and please don't jump on me for asking, but I take it the 87 will run it's current route alongside the X bus? Glad the 89 is being left alone, selfishly it's nice to have a bus that stops right outside where I live to take me to Birmingham or West Bromwich. Also I'm guessing the new X bus will stop at the new hospital if it ever gets built!

Interesting changes, like others have said, sad to see the 120, 121, 126, 127, 128 and 129 numbers go, especially the 120, 128 and 129 which were the buses I caught the most when I lived in Bearwood in the '80's.

Does anyone know when these new services are likely to start?

[DJ]

It seems a bit silly that they're going to introduce another '13' route, when one already exists between Dudley and Walsall. I can understand that both routes don't meet each other, but it still must be a little confusing for some passengers.

[2206]

It seems a bit silly that they're going to introduce another '13' route, when one already exists between Dudley and Walsall. I can understand that both routes don't meet each other, but it still must be a little confusing for some passengers.

If they don't meet, nobody is going to get confused between them.
Nobody gets confused between the route numbers that are already duplicated across the West Midlands:
such as the 5 - Birmingham - Sarehole Mill, Hall Green - Shirley - Solihull.
and the 5 - Sutton Coldfield - New Oscott - Kingstanding - Queslett - Great Barr - West Bromwich.
So if they don't meet, I doubt it'll be confusing for anybody.

[DJ]

If they don't meet, nobody is going to get confused between them.
Nobody gets confused between the route numbers that are already duplicated across the West Midlands:
such as the 5 - Birmingham - Sarehole Mill, Hall Green - Shirley - Solihull.
and the 5 - Sutton Coldfield - New Oscott - Kingstanding - Questlett - Great Barr - West Bromwich.
So if they don't meet, I doubt it'll be confusing for anybody.

I'm sure a lot of people won't get confused, but it just seems like it's adding unnecessary duplication. I don't see what was wrong with having a 3, 4, 5 etc before the route number to indicate what town/garage it's from, it certainly made a lot more sense to me.

[don]

If they don't meet, nobody is going to get confused between them.
Nobody gets confused between the route numbers that are already duplicated across the West Midlands:
such as the 5 - Birmingham - Sarehole Mill, Hall Green - Shirley - Solihull.
and the 5 - Sutton Coldfield - New Oscott - Kingstanding - Queslett - Great Barr - West Bromwich.
So if they don't meet, I doubt it'll be confusing for anybody.

These proposals have a 13A from Dudley to Birmingham; a 13 from Oldbury to Birmingham; and there is an existing 13 from Dudley to Walsall - they're all geographically much closer - although people making very local journeys and regular travellers will no doubt cope without a problem, it's a potential nightmare for non locals trying to plan a journey and the catch the right bus. The 13 A and 13 at Dudley seem destined to confuse.