Reaction to reduced service levels from Wednesday 25th March

[Stu]

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.

There are still people that need to get to work, so I don't think cutting them altogether would be possible. They could still run, albeit at reduced frequencies, like hourly, if they don't already run hourly.

I would guess that some of the still more-frequent services could be reduced futher though.

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.

I think we all have to be more optimistic about this, collectively we all have to believe this will be over soon.

There is far too much negativity, doom-mongering and panic-spreading in the news and on social media for my liking.

If we can find a way to stay positive, while doing what we all need to do in the meantime, when this is over we can get back to some degree of normality.

But you are right, and it is a concern for me that the longer this goes on for, peoples' 'new habits' will become ingrained, and it will be far more difficult to return to 'normal'.

[Tony]

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.

There is several hundred buses being SORNed, but it is not as simple as everything below 4718. 4273 is still out and about for instance. I think that is the oldest bus still running

[don]

There is several hundred buses being SORNed, but it is not as simple as everything below 4718. 4273 is still out and about for instance. I think that is the oldest bus still running

Thanks for the response and interesting - yeah I guessed there would be lots of other considerations - I guess saving on some requiring MOT in the near future or other maintenance would be another consideration - then where do you put them all? I'm glad it's not me - sounds like a logistic nightmare.

[Tony]

Thanks for the response and interesting - yeah I guessed there would be lots of other considerations - I guess saving on some requiring MOT in the near future or other maintenance would be another consideration - then where do you put them all? I'm glad it's not me - sounds like a logistic nightmare.

still 1550 buses in 1550 parking spots.

Various decisions have influenced which buses are SORNed for instance all the ex Dundee Hybrids are parked up because their tax expires anyway at the end of the month. freshly painted 4911 cannot go back on the road as the MoT expired just before the automatic extensions, so it cannot be MoT'd. Buses off site etc

[don]

I think we all have to be more optimistic about this, collectively we all have to believe this will be over soon.

I think misplaced optimism doesn't help the fight to overcome the virus. Having seen self videos on our local news of young pregnant ladies and children on ventilators in local hospitals imploring people not to go out because they may result in themselves or others dying does bring this home. There are still far too many people who don't think the restrictions apply to them and over optimistic talk really doesn't help. The CEO of my American company today, on a worldwide interactive meeting told everyone that the WHO is the source of truth and that is who we should listen to - he was having to answer why a certain person expected everything to reopen in time for him to get his Easter eggs - we're talking an additional 20,000 deaths from this in the UK potentially. It's a serious matter and one where idiotic political spin is not helpful (and most people know that). Anyway, back to buses!!

[don]

still 1550 buses in 1550 parking spots.

Various decisions have influenced which buses are SORNed for instance all the ex Dundee Hybrids are parked up because their tax expires anyway at the end of the month. freshly painted 4911 cannot go back on the road as the MoT expired just before the automatic extensions, so it cannot be MoT'd. Buses off site etc

Yeah guess so. Easy enough to set aside part of a garage for SORN parking I guess.

[Steveminor]

I think misplaced optimism doesn't help the fight to overcome the virus. Having seen self videos on our local news of young pregnant ladies and children on ventilators in local hospitals imploring people not to go out because they may result in themselves or others dying does bring this home. There are still far too many people who don't think the restrictions apply to them and over optimistic talk really doesn't help. The CEO of my American company today, on a worldwide interactive meeting told everyone that the WHO is the source of truth and that is who we should listen to - he was having to answer why a certain person expected everything to reopen in time for him to get his Easter eggs - we're talking an additional 20,000 deaths from this in the UK potentially. It's a serious matter and one where idiotic political spin is not helpful (and most people know that). Anyway, back to buses!!

I totally agree, the reason Europe & America are getting hit so hard is because governments dont want to restrict civil liberties and human rights.
China are getting through it slowly by doing just that, they have no problem doing what it takes to get the job done. If we dont start slowing our society to a crawl then this will NOT be defeated until or if a vaccine is found. Remember the common cold is a coronavirus ( although a weak one)& theres never been a cure for that.

[2206]

Notice services heavily reduced from Monday:
11A/11C - Reduced to every 30 minutes from Monday.
X20/X21/X22 - Reduced to hourly each. Every 20 minutes combined.
5, 73 and X12 - Reduced to hourly.
28 - Reduced to every 30 minutes.
55 - Reduced to every 30 minutes. Presumably 94 will also be every 30 mins and they'll combine to every 15 mins.

[Stuharris 6360]

Notice services heavily reduced from Monday:
11A/11C - Reduced to every 30 minutes from Monday.
X20/X21/X22 - Reduced to hourly each. Every 20 minutes combined.
5, 73 and X12 - Reduced to hourly.
28 - Reduced to every 30 minutes.
55 - Reduced to every 30 minutes. Presumably 94 will also be every 30 mins and they'll combine to every 15 mins.

PN9 every 30 minutes
PN7 every hour
PN28 still every half hour (does someone not realise that it is already every 30 mins and it is running round empty)
PN2/2A every hour
PN6 Don't know, when you click on the link it brings up the timetable for the 5?

[Steve3229vp]

NX Buses reduced drastically from 30th March
2/3 every hour each (combine every 30 mins)
6, 7, 33 every 30 mins
934/935/937 every hour each (combine every 20 mins)
50 every 20 mins
X3/X4X/X5 every hour each (combine every 20 mins)

and that's just a few of them

[TT90]

Hi All, anyone know what the frequency of the WN 8 and X8 will be from Monday please ?

At present they are on 30 mins each, combining every 15 mins from WN to Dudley.

[Stu]

Hi All, anyone know what the frequency of the WN 8 and X8 will be from Monday please ?

At present they are on 30 mins each, combining every 15 mins from WN to Dudley.

Timetables are up on the NX Bus website:
8:
https://nxbus.co.uk/routes/west-midlands/B008d/?tab=

X8:
https://nxbus.co.uk/routes/west-midlands/BX8/?tab=

[Steve3229vp]

Timetables are up on the NX Bus website:
8:
https://nxbus.co.uk/routes/west-midlands/B008d/?tab=

X8:
https://nxbus.co.uk/routes/west-midlands/BX8/?tab=

They're both showing timetables for the 1

[Tony]

They're both showing timetables for the 1

[Stuharris 6360]

@Tony Those are the timetables that started last Sunday. According to Facebook quite a number of timetables are showing for the wrong services!