Questions for Simon from Arriva

[Bob]

Hi, no plans for putting announcements on the refurbed Sapphire bus.

Minor changes to route 1 only.

When will these changes be listed on Vosa?

[Simon@Arriva]

When will these changes be listed on Vosa?

Registration sent by end of this week but I will update on here before the end of this week.

[Bob]

Registration sent by end of this week but I will update on here before the end of this week.

Cool cheers

[Simon@Arriva]

Registration sent by end of this week but I will update on here before the end of this week.

A little teaser of the changes we are making in January:

- Some increased frequencies at peak times
- Some later journeys
- Some better co-ordination
- Some more direct journeys
- Some improvements for punctuality

Not been able to introduce anything on a Sunday but we are looking at the Outlet Village at Mill Green and what this will mean for us.

More in a couple of days.

[Bob]

The 'more direct journeys' is interesting

[Cheese]

The 'more direct journeys' is interesting

Between Lichfield and Stafford perhaps? The huge loop round the Haywoods and Colwich is now a bit of a pain...

[Bob]

Between Lichfield and Stafford perhaps? The huge loop round the Haywoods and Colwich is now a bit of a pain...

Maybe the return of the X25 lol.

In Cannock the return of the odd X70 would be ace

[Westy]

Did you have a look at the section of the 1 & 2 between Bloxwich & Walsall as per a previous post of mine?

It seems a shame you cant make more of that section, bearing in mind the other lot have got that corridor sewn up, as per a previously suggested rerouting.

[l.murphy123]

A little teaser of the changes we are making in January:

- Some increased frequencies at peak times
- Some later journeys
- Some better co-ordination
- Some more direct journeys
- Some improvements for punctuality

Not been able to introduce anything on a Sunday but we are looking at the Outlet Village at Mill Green and what this will mean for us.

More in a couple of days.

Sounds positive! Later journeys will be much appreciated in particular. I hope it is marketed well as this isn't one of the Cannock strong points in my opinion. Will the later journeys be all week or just Friday-Saturday?

[l.murphy123]

@Simon@Arriva Last week I mentioned they have changed the next stop screen on the Sapphires 1/2/2E and changed correct spellings to incorrect ones... Made a note of the wrong ones:

*Wearwell Lane instead of Wharwell Lane
*Jaycobs Hall Lane instead of Jacobs Hall Lane
*Roomer Hill Road instead of Rumer Hill Road
*Lee Croft Lane instead of Leacroft Lane
*Bradstone Avenue instead of Broadstone Avenue

Bizarre.

[Westy]

@Simon@Arriva Last week I mentioned they have changed the next stop screen on the Sapphires 1/2/2E and changed correct spellings to incorrect ones... Made a note of the wrong ones:

*Wearwell Lane instead of Wharwell Lane
*Jaycobs Hall Lane instead of Jacobs Hall Lane
*Roomer Hill Road instead of Rumer Hill Road
*Lee Croft Lane instead of Leacroft Lane
*Bradstone Avenue instead of Broadstone Avenue

Bizarre.

Forest Lane not Forest Avenue too.

Addenbrooke Street, not Addenbrook Road too.

[l.murphy123]

Forest Lane not Forest Avenue too.

Addenbrooke Street, not Addenbrook Road too.

and "Low Streeet" in Cheslyn Hay. Those have been wrong for a while though, what I don't get is why the correct ones have been changed. Attention to detail isn't good, you notice a lot as a passenger.

[Simon@Arriva]

and "Low Streeet" in Cheslyn Hay. Those have been wrong for a while though, what I don't get is why the correct ones have been changed. Attention to detail isn't good, you notice a lot as a passenger.

I am on the case with all of these.  Thanks for pointing out.

[Simon@Arriva]

As promised, here is some information about the changes being made from 26 January.  It is an evolution of the network rather than a massive change, picking up on feedback we have had and work made by the local team.  The impact of the Colwich bridge issues has also had to be taken in to account.

Overview of key changes to Arriva's Staffordshire bus network, 26th January 2018:

•   1 – Huntington/Cannock/ Walsall: Slight revision to timetables to offer better coordination with route 2, between Walsall and Bloxwich and route 74, between Cannock and Huntington.

•   H – Stafford/Stafford Hospital: A new shuttle service which will replace routes 74 and 825 to provide a frequent and reliable service to Stafford Hospital direct from the town centre. Buses will operate every 15 minutes during off-peak Monday to Friday, half hourly at all other times during the day.

•   10 – Wolverhampton/Perton: The route is being revised on its way into Wolverhampton to serve shops located on Darlington Street and Lichfield Street, with all buses terminating at the bus station. A simplified anti-clockwise loop of Perton is also being introduced.

•   22 – Rugeley/Etching Hill: The timetable is being revised so that is offers better co-ordination with services on route 825/6 (Stafford to Lichfield).

•   25/26 - Cannock/Pye Green: The timetable is being revised so that is offers better co-ordination with connecting services across Staffordshire.

•   60 – Cannock/Lichfield: The timetable is being revised so that is offers better co-ordination with trains arriving at Lichfield City train station as well as to improve punctuality.

•   X61 – Cannock/Lichfield: A new, more direct service between Cannock and Lichfield operating at peak times (once a day).

•   63 – Cannock/Rugeley: Additional early morning journeys towards Rugeley are being introduced at 5.50am and 6.50am, Monday to Fridays. Further journeys in the direction of Cannock will be added to evening timetables, Monday to Saturday at 6.25pm and 7.25pm.

•   74 – Cannock/Stafford: This service will benefit from an improved 20 minute frequency towards Stafford in the morning peak, and back to Cannock in the evening peak, along with the introduction of a late night bus introduced on Friday and Saturdays. It will no longer service the hospital, but will offer connections from the same town bus stops to the newly introduced 'H' hospital shuttle. The railway station will also be omitted from the route due to the delays often incurred by congestion.

•   825/826 – Stafford/Lichfield: Together, these services will provide a more direct route between Lichfield, Rugeley and Stafford, resulting in an increased 20 minute frequency for journeys from Rugeley to Stafford in the morning, and returning back to Stafford in the afternoon, plus journeys between Lichfield and Stafford every 30 minutes.  The 825 will operate a more direct route between Rugeley and Stafford so that journey times are improved.  A number of early morning Saturday journeys will be removed due to low patronage. The frequency of buses serving the villages of Colwich, Little Hayward and Great Haywood reduced to hourly to better match demand, however, the new timetables will better co-ordinate with evening trains arriving at Lichfield City train station. A number of early morning journeys will also be removed due to low patronage.

•   827 – Stafford/Baswich: A new hourly service which will partially replace route 1B, and co-ordinates with routes 825 and 826 to offer a bus every 20 minutes between Stafford and Baswich.

•   828 – Stafford/Great Haywood: A new service which will serve Blessed William Howard School, replacing the 1B/1C.


Registrations are with the Traffic Commissioner today and we will be promoting this in early January.  The marketing department within Arriva covers all depots in the Midlands so no reason why Cannock would ever have less/worse marketing than anywhere else.

[Simon@Arriva]

Did you have a look at the section of the 1 & 2 between Bloxwich & Walsall as per a previous post of mine?

It seems a shame you cant make more of that section, bearing in mind the other lot have got that corridor sewn up, as per a previously suggested rerouting.

Being looked still and couldn't get it done for January.

The issue is trying to match up bus station slots in Walsall, frequency co-ordination with the 74 north of Cannock etc.