11A/11C

[Stuharris 6360]

I am not on any committes of WMCA only elected stakeholders attend those though I am delighted  to be an advisor on bus matters to one of the attendees and attend many of the public meetings  however I attended the TfWM Bus Champion Meeting on the day and as I have posted placed the X8 on any other business which was accepted and taken forward I cannot see your point here?. By the way do you support West Midlands Travels night bus services such as the 9 as a man of principles I do not get a taxi home I use the bus home at 2am instead to support the night bus network for the good of other bus users do you? @Stuharris 6360

My point is that you seem obsessed with the WNX8 even though before on the forum you have moaned about it numerous times and even when Tony has proved you wrong you still won't accept it. Then in the new year when you said you were going to catch it, stu monitors it and it ran to time only for you to say you caught the 13A. My theory is that something about the X8 has upset you in the past and so therefore you want revenge on it, probably want to get it withdrawn and a 140ish type service returned. It ain't gonna happen.

As a bus champion and member of this forum, you have the ideal opportunity to see what is on peoples minds and to bring this to their  attention, I know that the 11A/C discussion took place after your meeting but it does need to be raised, probably the answer would be that to replace it with a number of shorter routes would inconvenience to many people, but maybe the timetable needs tweaking.

As for myself, i have an NBus Swift card and i make use of all of NX Buses and several other operators service and in the past I have used the Night Buses. Another suggestion I would make is that more of these routes are needed. With the Commonwealth Games coming in 2022, services like Night Routes are needed, look at London, there Night Bus routes are second to none yet Birmingham only has a handful.

[richardjones210368]

Just to say that the X8 complaint submission to that meeting was a bit odd when you consider the service was changed anyway as part of the general shake up of services the next weekend, which seems to have resulted in many of the problems (although @Tony did make it clear some of those complaints were not supported by data from AVL anyway) being resolved. So it's a bit unclear to some of us what the point of the 'taken offline' complaint was at all.....

Unless a 'political person' somewhere wishes to claim the improvement has resulted from their actions and lobbying - which it very clearly hasn't!!

Btw this is off topic - meant to be 11A/11C thread 😬

I will openly admit as I have posted on this forum that there has been a major improvement in the X8 this week my complaints were based on the service use prior to the recent timetable revision I may have mentioned my complaints against NXWM & the X8 previously if the new timetable  is proved to be working fine as it seems to be who am I to complain in the future if its confirmed the problems with the X8 are fixed then I am a happy man but no one can criticise me for standing up for a failing bus service previously.

[richardjones210368]

My point is that you seem obsessed with the WNX8 even though before on the forum you have moaned about it numerous times and even when Tony has proved you wrong you still won't accept it. Then in the new year when you said you were going to catch it, stu monitors it and it ran to time only for you to say you caught the 13A. My theory is that something about the X8 has upset you in the past and so therefore you want revenge on it, probably want to get it withdrawn and a 140ish type service returned. It ain't gonna happen.

As a bus champion and member of this forum, you have the ideal opportunity to see what is on peoples minds and to bring this to their  attention, I know that the 11A/C discussion took place after your meeting but it does need to be raised, probably the answer would be that to replace it with a number of shorter routes would inconvenience to many people, but maybe the timetable needs tweaking.

As for myself, i have an NBus Swift card and i make use of all of NX Buses and several other operators service and in the past I have used the Night Buses. Another suggestion I would make is that more of these routes are needed. With the Commonwealth Games coming in 2022, services like Night Routes are needed, look at London, there Night Bus routes are second to none yet Birmingham only has a handful.

The 140 bus number doesnt bother me I just want a bus at 06.48 to take me to work and whatever @Tony might say on his forum I am standing waiting in person for an X8 that didn't turn up & I would have called him a liar to his face when I was waiting for the X8 and he said it had turned up and I was still waiting at the stop if you ever stood in Blackheath waiting for an X8 and 3 turn up together then you may have a different attitude we had a great 140/241 and NXWM cocked it up and I am not a liar I am user of the X8 whatever Tony might post otherwise however the new timetable is a significant improvement the new timetable seems to be working very very well which I have been posting all week and as such I have no complaints and thank @Tony & WMT   for the excellent service we now have on the X8 and you @Stuharris 6360 you still haven't answered my question do you support West Midlands Travels Night Services REGULARLY  MOST WEEKENDS  such as the excellent PN9 I use for the benefit of keeping them commercial for the benefit of all bus users I do @Stuharris 6360 do you & your not a CAR owner are you that uses his CAR for his journeys are you that may explain your comments as I am a nBus Direct Debit holder that uses the bus for 100% of personal and business use WELL @Stuharris 6360 ?

[Stuharris 6360]

The 140 bus number doesnt bother me I just want a bus at 06.48 to take me to work and whatever @Tony might say on his forum I am standing waiting in person for an X8 that didn't turn up & I would have called him a liar to his face when I was waiting for the X8 and he said it had turned up and I was still waiting at the stop if you ever stood in Blackheath waiting for an X8 and 3 turn up together then you may have a different attitude we had a great 140/241 and NXWM cocked it up and I am not a liar I am user if the X8 whatever Tony might post otherwise however the new timetable is a significant improvement and unless you call me a liar the new timetable seems to be working which I have been posting all week and as such I have no complaints and thank @Tony & WMT   for the excellent service we now have on the X8 and you @Stuharris 6360 you still haven't answered my question do you support West Midlands Travels Night Services REGULARLY  MOST WEEKENDS  such as the excellent PN9 I use for the benefit of keeping them commercial for the benefit of all bus users I do @Stuharris 6360 do you?

I really give up, once again I have mentioned things in my post like the 11A/C, Night Buses and you seem more interested in moaning about the X8 and calling Forum Owner @Tony a liar. i have met Tony on numerous occasions and i can assure you this man is not a liar, why would he when there is AVL which tells exactly what every bus has done and when.

You speak about the 9 and how good it is, try telling that to people when the buses are running in 2 and 3, is this NX's fault, no. The Five Way island is shut, diversions everywhere and road works popping up daily. So suring the day I am sure the same happens with the X8 X10 13 13A n fact anything that goes across the Hagley Road into Birmingham.

And as for me regularly using the Night Bus Service, if I go out on an evening, the place where I drink doesn't have an evening service even though there is a bus stop outside the door. I have to take a taxi even though I would prefer to take a bus.

[richardjones210368]

I really give up, once again I have mentioned things in my post like the 11A/C, Night Buses and you seem more interested in moaning about the X8 and calling Forum Owner @Tony a liar. i have met Tony on numerous occasions and i can assure you this man is not a liar, why would he when there is AVL which tells exactly what every bus has done and when.

You speak about the 9 and how good it is, try telling that to people when the buses are running in 2 and 3, is this NX's fault, no. The Five Way island is shut, diversions everywhere and road works popping up daily. So suring the day I am sure the same happens with the X8 X10 13 13A n fact anything that goes across the Hagley Road into Birmingham.

And as for me regularly using the Night Bus Service, if I go out on an evening, the place where I drink doesn't have an evening service even though there is a bus stop outside the door. I have to take a taxi even though I would prefer to take a bus.

So you do not support the excellent West Midlands Travel night bus network well fancy that and because of the X8 problems I use the PN9 and PNX10 and 4H home most nights from my office in front of the roadworks at 5 ways and the 9 is FI so in the peaks there may be the occasional dual running but not often do you work at 5ways @Stuharris 6360 if not you have finally shown yourself up as the ultimate armchair pundit posting rubbish if the X8 or 13A come I get on them you have no idea what your talking about do you @Stuharris 6360 ?

[Stuharris 6360]

So you do not support the excellent West Midlands Travel night bus network well fancy that and because of the X8 problems I use the PN9 and PNX10 and 4H home most nights from my office in front of the roadworks at 5 ways and the 9 is FI so in the peaks there may be the occasional dual running but not often do you work at 5ways @Stuharris 6360 if not you have finally shown yourself up as the ultimate armchair pundit posting rubbish if the X8 or 13A come I get on them you have no idea what your talking about do you @Stuharris 6360 ?

lol, getting agitated Mr Jones, most people who are at risk of getting caught out do so.

Making out you are at important meetings at WMCA when in fact you are just at a Bus Champions meeting.  I am sure the WMCA would be interested in your behavior on this forum, people have made comments about the 11A/C on here which you could take up, no just X8 all the time, calling Tony a liar, having a go at stu I was trying to give you one last chance but no it's back on the ignore list.

And as for the 9 last night at 02:30, which you have been trying to turn the conversation to me on, you made the mistake you say it should have been 02:00. Then you forgot to post the reply, mmm strange, to be honest don't believe a word of it.

[richardjones210368]

lol, getting agitated Mr Jones, most people who are at risk of getting caught out do so.

Making out you are at important meetings at WMCA when in fact you are just at a Bus Champions meeting.  I am sure the WMCA would be interested in your behavior on this forum, people have made comments about the 11A/C on here which you could take up, no just X8 all the time, calling Tony a liar, having a go at stu I was trying to give you one last chance but no it's back on the ignore list.

And as for the 9 last night at 02:30, which you have been trying to turn the conversation to me on, you made the mistake you say it should have been 02:00. Then you forgot to post the reply, mmm strange, to be honest don't believe a word of it.

You still haven't given a satisfactory answer to if you support West Midlands Travels Nightbus PN9 as I do or are just moaning and criticising as an armchair bus user getting a kick out of bashing those of us who actually use buses and work towards getting a better bus service for all well for those of us that actually use them,? I never get agitated @Stuharris 6360 in my job far from it I enjoy exposing people who make comments about issues they frankly have no real knowledge of such as a 5 ways island roadworks when an individuals comments are so laughable The Krankies will have them in thier next panto your comments show you havent a clue on what you are saying when some of us have an office on Hagley Rd in the middle of the roadworks as for Tony he is one of the best chaps in the world but we previously didnt agree on the X8 but its looks like we do know and I fully respect him and the WMCA are fully aware of my comments on this forum and I have no importance there at all how you could come that conclusion I was exposes your posts for what they  are you have to be an elected member on WMCA meetings do you not understand that @Stuharris 6360 but there are plenty of other user testing groups I enjoy attending I am no fraud as far last night after 2 bottles of Claret I was  pissed!!!!!!

[Trident 4194]

What we are asking you, is would you stand up at a WMCA meeting and express opinions that the 11A/11C is a diabolical service. It's not difficult to answer. My bet is you wouldn't because your out for yourself and as you don't travel regularly on the 11A/11C I bet you don't care about your fellow companions who have to stand 20 mins + for a service

[richardjones210368]

What we are asking you, is would you stand up at a WMCA meeting and express opinions that the 11A/11C is a diabolical service. It's not difficult to answer. My bet is you wouldn't because your out for yourself and as you don't travel regularly on the 11A/11C I bet you don't care about your fellow companions who have to stand 20 mins + for a service

Yes @Trident 4194  as long as I have the evidence and data to prove it as I had with the X8.at the meeting.

[Dom]

Yes @Trident 4194  as long as I have the evidence and data to prove it as I had with the X8.at the meeting.

What data and evidence did you have for the X8? From what source?

[richardjones210368]

What data and evidence did you have for the X8? From what source?

The route monitoring and data collection  for H M Government over a 7 day period for:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bus-statistics

[richardjones210368]

So this is why we have situations where the Mayor is at loggerheads with Birmingham City Council over plans to demolish the Perry Barr flyover.

Whoever also attends these meetings you apparently attend clearly does not either use the Outer Circle services, nor do they listen to concerns from passengers who regularly use those services. This is why ordinary people have this perception of political leaders and transport authorities as 'burying their heads in the sand' as put by don earlier.

The Outer Circle 11A/C services suffer terribly due to traffic congestion, that is a fact. Its the responsibility of the operator to do what? National Express can't go ahead and have bus lanes and priority measures installed. What else can they do apart from increasing the running time and using more vehicles to maintain the current frequency, thus increasing operating costs? At this rate, within a couple of years, the journey time will be approaching four hours.

You might be lucky enough to experience what you believe to be an 'excellent service' operated on the Outer Circle, but I know of many people who would disagree with you, myself included.

But for all the failings, I do not blame National Express at all.

@Stu I have sent you a PM with the contact details of the best chap to contact at TfWM & if can be of any help with your website at all just let me know how I could help buses need all the positive publicity they can get and at the end of the day whatever our personal thoughts we are both working to a common goal.

[Bus Man K2]

I know that the 11A/C suffers with delays and congestion. All I know is that there are no plans for NX to amend the timetable withdrawn journeys of the timetable. All the current Passenger know it's a turn up and go service. I know passengers don't like to see buses running in tandom or having to wait 20+ mins for a bus. However there is nothong NX can do about this as they are already at capacity for this serive. I know passengers don't like to see buses turning short or  as E journeys but this is the world that we live in now. With regards to buses turing short on this route, they simply can't turn sort so scrub waht I sad about turning short.

[Stuharris 6360]

You still haven't given a satisfactory answer to if you support West Midlands Travels Nightbus PN9 as I do or are just moaning and criticising as an armchair bus user getting a kick out of bashing those of us who actually use buses and work towards getting a better bus service for all well for those of us that actually use them,? I never get agitated @Stuharris 6360 in my job far from it I enjoy exposing people who make comments about issues they frankly have no real knowledge of such as a 5 ways island roadworks when an individuals comments are so laughable The Krankies will have them in thier next panto your comments show you havent a clue on what you are saying when some of us have an office on Hagley Rd in the middle of the roadworks as for Tony he is one of the best chaps in the world but we previously didnt agree on the X8 but its looks like we do know and I fully respect him and the WMCA are fully aware of my comments on this forum and I have no importance there at all how you could come that conclusion I was exposes your posts for what they  are you have to be an elected member on WMCA meetings do you not understand that @Stuharris 6360 but there are plenty of other user testing groups I enjoy attending I am no fraud as far last night after 2 bottles of Claret I was  pissed!!!!!!

You see Mr Jones, exactly what I have said, the best defence is to attack.

You are a bus champion, nothing more, nothing less which means you attend meetings and discuss bus services. You have been asked by members of this forum to make known there comments about the state of the 11A/C which you refuse to do because you say the service is perfect when you use it.

Then there is the 9, I have to travel to Birmingham regular and I always catch the 9 even though the train station to me is just as close as the bus station (me supporting local bus services). Ever since they closed off the Five Ways tunnels, especially the City bound one, the 9 gets caught up in traffic there along with all the other Hagley Road routes. This means that 9s get bunched together and it isn't uncommon to see 2 or 3 9s together. Whether you choose to believe me is irrelevant, it happens. There is nothing NX can do about it, however to say that it doesn't happen is scandalous. If your office is on Hagley Road, I suggest you oipen the blinds and see what is happening in real time.

[Stu]

As I'm not going to get a straight answer from our resident Bus Champion about what goes on or is discussed at these meetings, lets back on topic.

I used the Outer Circle again today for a short shopping trip to and from Kings Heath this afternoon.

No problems with the 11C journey into Kings Heath, app was showing them seemingly running on time.

But on my way back home, there were two 11As following each other.

One issue that causes delays on the 11A service is with the stupid road layout in Selly Oak, in particular the Harborne Lane island where the entrance to the new retail park is.

Northbound 11C journeys aren't affected as much, as they use the slip road onto Harborne Lane which bypasses the island.

The problem is that the southbound 11A journeys have to go round that island, which gets blocked by vehicles queuing up to enter the shopping centre car park. This in turn also causes delays to the 48, X20 and X21 services approaching this island from the A38.

Badly designed road layout. I have seen this myself with my own eyes on various occasions. Even my dad complains to me about this junction, as he drives through Selly Oak to get to my house when he's coming to give me a lift, and he's made the same observation.

This is but one observable explanation of why the 11A/C suffers with reliability, and I'm sure there are others.

On this occasion, on disembarking from the 11A that I caught, I noticed on the ticketer screen that it was showing as 'Late 8', so presumably the one following close behind - which managed to overtake us at Billesley fire station - was about 23 minutes late (or 7 minutes early!).