Reaction to reduced service levels from Wednesday 25th March

[2206]

Claribels services 55, 94 & 75 business park shuttles (not the sutton runs) are suspended until further notice.
This has been a VERY hard & upsetting decision.

Passenger numbers on Claribels 94 seemed to be very low earlier today.
Only 1 - 3 people on the ones I saw at about 10AM.
Hopefully this virus doesn't go on for too long and they make a return soon.

[Justin Tyme]

Claribels services 55, 94 & 75 business park shuttles (not the sutton runs) are suspended until further notice.
This has been a VERY hard & upsetting decision.

I bet it was upsetting.  My best wishes to all operators, particularly SMEs, in these uncertain times.

[Steveminor]

Some drivers who have over 20 years service were almost in tears at the news.
Our tendered services remain & hopefully when we defeat this virus we'll be back to full strength.

[Stu]

Some drivers who have over 20 years service were almost in tears at the news.
Our tendered services remain & hopefully when we defeat this virus we'll be back to full strength.

Judging by the number of passengers I've seen using buses in the last couple of days, I'm not surprised by this, its a bold decision to make, and this situation will hit the smaller operators harder than the bigger ones.

One can only hope that within a few weeks, the worst will be over and things can start to get back to normal again.

Best wishes to you and your staff Steve!

[2206]

NWM Site States:
"RK Travel
From Wednesday 25 March service 11A will operate a Saturday service."

So does that mean no service then and that they will also be suspending services? As  RK Travel/DTS don't operate a Saturday service?

[karl724223]

MORE CHANGES TO COME SOON.   VERY SOON

[winston]

Judging by the number of passengers I've seen using buses in the last couple of days, I'm not surprised by this, its a bold decision to make, and this situation will hit the smaller operators harder than the bigger ones.

One can only hope that within a few weeks, the worst will be over and things can start to get back to normal again.

Best wishes to you and your staff Steve!

I think you're being very optimistic thinking this will be over in a few weeks.

Also, many people are switching to buying online / having food & goods delivered to their front doors, some may never return to the High St / fetching it themselves. Same with some employee's / employers seeing the benefits are remote working from home. Even with the Government support, a lot of businesses will go to the wall before it arrives and the numbers of unemployed will rocket.

[Stuharris 6360]

MORE CHANGES TO COME SOON.   VERY SOON

To me they have to change those timetables which were issued yesterday, the PN28 still being 1/2 hourly was one service which didn't make sense, when I have seen it pass my flat window it has a maximum of 3 people on it.

[Steve3229vp]

West Midlands buses partnership routes will be revised from the 1st April, they've been reduced as follows:

31/32 - Combined frequency every 10 minutes (Every 15 minutes on Sundays)


40 - Every 30 minutes


42/43 - Combined frequency every 30 minutes


Judging by this I would expect NXWM to reduce the services even further very soon.

[BK63 YWP]

West Midlands buses partnership routes will be revised from the 1st April, they've been reduced as follows:

31/32 - Combined frequency every 10 minutes (Every 15 minutes on Sundays)


40 - Every 30 minutes


42/43 - Combined frequency every 30 minutes


Judging by this I would expect NXWM to reduce the services even further very soon.

Probably an enhanced Sunday timetable still starting with the first bus and late buses as per Monday to Friday and Saturday services

[Steve3229vp]

Probably an enhanced Sunday timetable still starting with the first bus and late buses as per Monday to Friday and Saturday services

I don't think it will be an enhanced Sunday timetable as most shops will be closed, I would expected first and last buses as Monday to Saturday but then similar to Evening frequencies. If you look at the 31/32 timetable which I attached you will notice that it will be every 15 minutes instead of the usual every 5 minutes, so an enhanced Sunday service it will not be.

[John]

Sounds like NX services are been drastically reduced from Monday. I'm now off for 3 months so don't know whats happening

[2206]

NWM Site States:
"RK Travel
From Wednesday 25 March service 11A will operate a Saturday service."

So does that mean no service then and that they will also be suspending services? As  RK Travel/DTS don't operate a Saturday service?

NA52AWZ is out on the 11C so DTS are still operating today.
It had 1 passenger on it.
RK Travel also are still in operating on the 11A as well with NA52AXN on there.

[2206]

I don't think it will be an enhanced Sunday timetable as most shops will be closed, I would expected first and last buses as Monday to Saturday but then similar to Evening frequencies. If you look at the 31/32 timetable which I attached you will notice that it will be every 15 minutes instead of the usual every 5 minutes, so an enhanced Sunday service it will not be.

Would services which don't run on Sunday's still run, or see any changes?
Such as the 58, Sutton section of the 66, BC 25, 10S, Diamond 25.

[don]

Whilst personally confined to home (although working), I was wondering what effect this emergency will have on operator's fleets. Presuming a 40% service reduction, then this would enable vehicles to be SORN temporarily. I doubt that a 40% service reduction would result in the same fleet reduction but say it was 30%. Theoretically, that could amount, pro rata, to over 250 NXWM double deckers and over 100 single deckers not required for the time being. That could amount to all double deckers under 4718 not required, potentially. On the positive side, presumably they're still operating, release of vehicles for Euro 6 upgrades and repaint may be more easily achieved.

Small operators like Diamond and Claribels would have even bigger problems as far less flexibility. 

Presumably a country-wide problem. Nice little dilemma to think about. I'm sure every operator has a similar challenge.

Is there any official comment on this.