West Midlands Bus Area Map and Guides

[Ian Hardy]

I thought that one of the remit's of West Midlands Network was to provide transport publicity, but if they do not then the operators should produce their own.

But why should NXWM produce timetables showing their competitors services, those operators should produce their own leaflets and provide them to the travel centres. If they are operating on the same route as NXWM then pay NXWM to show their services in the NXWM leaflet.

For example Go Ahead's Brighton & Hove operation produces a Brighton Bus Times book twice a year. It shows all bus services in the Brighton area including those operated by Stagecoach, The Big Lemon & Compass Bus. However these other operators pay B&H a fee for inclusion of their services in the book. 

[Bus Man K2]

I thought that one of the remit's of West Midlands Network was to provide transport publicity, but if they do not then the operators should produce their own.

But why should NXWM produce timetables showing their competitors services, those operators should produce their own leaflets and provide them to the travel centres. If they are operating on the same route as NXWM then pay NXWM to show their services in the NXWM leaflet.

For example Go Ahead's Brighton & Hove operation produces a Brighton Bus Times book twice a year. It shows all bus services in the Brighton area including those operated by Stagecoach, The Big Lemon & Compass Bus. However these other operators pay B&H a fee for inclusion of their services in the book.

WMN do publicise timetables and map, but with the uncertainty of Covid on the bus industry they have decided not to publicise new editions of any documents. As the operators keep changing what services are operating to what services are suspended. just look at the 80 and 80A. Both of these were running and now they are operating all journeys as 80A, which mean NO 80. Another is a tendered service 228 all through lockdown it was operating at every 2 hours but no timetable was produced. now it's been replaced by the 242 theres still no timetable, and the 242 now operates hourly between Stourbridge and Kinver.

I'm not saying NX should produce all operators timetables but if they could have a range of timetables all be it photocopies of other operators ones that would help passengers. I understabd that they would be adevtising competetors operations but it's all in the interest of customers.

May be your example coyld be taken forward by operators. I know that not all operators are on  this forum but the ones that are might benefit for being mentioned on NX leaflets?

May be @Adam 404  could talk to all operators concernd and come to some agreement?

[Westy]

This seems the best thread for this question.

Are the Travelshops, now they have the screens up, classed as 'essential'?

Will they be closing for at least a month, from next Thursday or not?

[2206]

This seems the best thread for this question.

Are the Travelshops, now they have the screens up, classed as 'essential'?

Will they be closing for at least a month, from next Thursday or not?

I would assume they will close as in the previous lockdown, so they will close again.
Unless they are offering some sort of service that can't either be done on line or over the phone, I don't know as I don't use them?

But I would have thought you'd be able to purchase, passess and find timetables on line. People making essential journeys would be familiar with the journeys they are making I would have thought. 

[Westy]

I would assume they will close as in the previous lockdown, so they will close again.
Unless they are offering some sort of service that can't either be done on line or over the phone, I don't know as I don't use them?

But I would have thought you'd be able to purchase, passess and find timetables on line. People going to work and school kids would be familiar with the journeys they are making.

I would've thought, now the screens are up, they shouldn't need to close.

Personally, my current pass is up this weekend, & there's no way to renew it, except at the Travelshop, as I signed up for the Swiftcard, when they had that leaflet flyer in there a few years ago, & it didn't say on said leaflet, that you could not renew it online, until the lady in Walsall Travelshop told me, the first time I renewed it.

I wasn't going to reapply again, so I kept it, plus surely the Travelcard agents should be upgraded to issue Swift as well, but they're not!

[2206]

I would've thought, now the screens are up, they shouldn't need to close.

Personally, my current pass is up this weekend, & there's no way to renew it, except at the Travelshop, as I signed up for the Swiftcard, when they had that leaflet flyer in there a few years ago, & it didn't say on said leaflet, that you could not renew it online, until the lady in Walsall Travelshop told me, the first time I renewed it.

I wasn't going to reapply again, so I kept it, plus surely the Travelcard agents should be upgraded to issue Swift as well, but they're not!

It does seems like unnecessary travel to catch the bus to the travelshop and a bus back just to renew the pass though. At a time when people are supposed to be travelling less.
If it can't be renewed online it would make sense for them to make it possible at least temporarily, for it to be renewed either on the phone or online.

[Westy]

If it can't be done online. It seems like unnecessary travel to catch the bus to the travelshop and a bus back just to renew the pass. At a time when people are supposed to be travelling less.
If it can't be renewed online it would make sense for them to make it possible to be renewed over the phone.

I have to go out, for my work lunch shopping anyway at the weekend , or get my magazines, so it isn't an hardship to go to Walsall to renew, otherwise if I'm asked to go to the chippy in Leamore on the way home, it's easier to go via Walsall instead, but at other times I do use the 326 from Bloxwich to Willenhall, for my commute or do my work lunch shopping in Bloxwich or Leamore instead.

[JPC]

I have to go out, for my work lunch shopping anyway at the weekend , or get my magazines, so it isn't an hardship to go to Walsall to renew, otherwise if I'm asked to go to the chippy in Leamore on the way home, it's easier to go via Walsall instead, but at other times I do use the 326 from Bloxwich to Willenhall, for my commute or do my work lunch shopping in Bloxwich or Leamore instead.

Assuming you want to purchase a 4-week nBus Walsall or Regional, the WMN website says Swift smartcards can be renewed at over 800 'Payzone' retailers across the West Midlands, there's about 15 within a mile of Leamore, including 4 on Bloxwich High St, certainly a higher concentration compared to the traditional travelcard agents - of course some may close for the lockdown.

[Westy]

Assuming you want to purchase a 4-week nBus Walsall or Regional, the WMN website says Swift smartcards can be renewed at over 800 'Payzone' retailers across the West Midlands, there's about 15 within a mile of Leamore, including 4 on Bloxwich High St, certainly a higher concentration compared to the traditional travelcard agents - of course some may close for the lockdown.

I'll have a look.

Thanks

[Adam 404]

This seems the best thread for this question.

Are the Travelshops, now they have the screens up, classed as 'essential'?

Will they be closing for at least a month, from next Thursday or not?

@Westy
Travelshops are essential and will remain open at their current hours.

[Westy]

@Westy
Travelshops are essential and will remain open at their current hours.

Cheers

[Bus Man K2]

Hi all


I need to know observations for the Birmingham Area map if any asap.

Thanks

Bus Man K2

[SO6597]

Hi all


I need to know observations for the Birmingham Area map if any asap.

Thanks

Bus Man K2

Hi. The revised 145 route in the Rubery and Rednal area is absent although I understand the 202 is returning imminently so it may not be an issue for too much longer anyway.

[DJ]

Hi. The revised 145 route in the Rubery and Rednal area is absent although I understand the 202 is returning imminently so it may not be an issue for too much longer anyway.

I believe the 145 route is changing back alongside the 202.

[Bus Man K2]

Hi. The revised 145 route in the Rubery and Rednal area is absent although I understand the 202 is returning imminently so it may not be an issue for too much longer anyway.

I believe the 145 route is changing back alongside the 202.

Has the 202 change been confirmed yet? Or is Diamond having trouble with Worcestershire CC?