Questions for Simon from Arriva

[Brick60000]

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.

As a resident of Baswich, the changes sound rather interesting. Can you clarify what you mean by partially replace the 1B? Will it be operating at the same hours (9-3) along the same route through the estate?

Certainly seems a positive step.

[l.murphy123]

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.

Sounds positive as you promised. Good to see the new 'H' service - what will be the ticket arrangements for this because there is a change from the 74 or 825 which wasn't there before? Will the bus accept 74/825 tickets for example?.

Disappointing to see there's no later 2E journeys - I hoped this could be introduced on Friday and Saturday evenings at least.

In terms of the X61 when you say "peak times, once a day" does that mean only 1 journey each day, or more than 1 journey but only at morning or afternoon peak time?

[Simon@Arriva]

As a resident of Baswich, the changes sound rather interesting. Can you clarify what you mean by partially replace the 1B? Will it be operating at the same hours (9-3) along the same route through the estate?

Certainly seems a positive step.

Hi, partially should read fully.  Same route and roughly same times.

[Brick60000]

Hi, partially should read fully.  Same route and roughly same times.

Makes sense. Logical to renumber and match with the other services that serve the area.

[BusMan Greg]

Anything happening to the 70

[l.murphy123]

Timetable suggestions -
*take the 60 off the 61|62 timetable map as it's overloaded, especially if the X61 will be on there
*more stops on the 63 timetable such as Cannock Hospital and Belt Road
*more stops on the 1|2|2E timetable such as Leamore (you're already aware it's missing Sapphire branding)
*copy the promotional information from the X65/765 timetable for Lichfield and place it in the 60 and 61/62 timetables
*...then use this idea for promoting Stafford in the 74 and 75 timetables
*add onward travel information on timetables, see examples
*add 'whats new' on the front like on the Derby timetables, e.g. "new extra early journeys" on the 63

[Simon@Arriva]

Anything happening to the 70

Later journeys - sorry I missed this off the list.

[Simon@Arriva]

Timetable suggestions -
*take the 60 off the 61|62 timetable map as it's overloaded, especially if the X61 will be on there
*more stops on the 63 timetable such as Cannock Hospital and Belt Road
*more stops on the 1|2|2E timetable such as Leamore (you're already aware it's missing Sapphire branding)
*copy the promotional information from the X65/765 timetable for Lichfield and place it in the 60 and 61/62 timetables
*...then use this idea for promoting Stafford in the 74 and 75 timetables
*add onward travel information on timetables, see examples
*add 'whats new' on the front like on the Derby timetables, e.g. "new extra early journeys" on the 63

Thanks!  Good suggestions which I will pass on.

[l.murphy123]

Later journeys - sorry I missed this off the list.

What sort of time is 'later' on the 70 and 74?
and what about 2E? Can we get a 21:10 from Walsall?

[Westy]

Is there likely to be still interworking still, because, reading on here & on Facebook, that causes issues!

[Simon@Arriva]

Is there likely to be still interworking still, because, reading on here & on Facebook, that causes issues!

Yes it will.  Some of it different from now but there is no way it can be totally eliminated without incurring costs and inefficiency.

[Simon@Arriva]

What sort of time is 'later' on the 70 and 74?
and what about 2E? Can we get a 21:10 from Walsall?

Last 70 from Wolverhampton will be 19.25 and 18.25 from Cannock

Last 74 from Stafford will be 19.28 and then on a Friday and Saturday there will be a 23.48

No later buses on 2E compared to now (it will be 20.25 instead of 20.10).  1/2/2E still needs more work next year.

[BusMan Greg]

Where will the X61 pass through

[Simon@Arriva]

Where will the X61 pass through

It is direct to/from Boney Hay and Cannock and normal route of the 61 between Boney Hay and Lichfield

[BusMan Greg]

Is the 61 close to withdrawal