Chaserider

[Westy]

Didnt the 348 eventually end up as a Csnnock to Norton Canes off peak ssrvice?

From memory, looking at the old timetables, it was severely reduced at one point!

[Bob]

Driver on the 70 this morning is wearing an nxwm jacket. They do say imitations the best form of flattery 🤪

[Westy]

Caught the 1710 1 back from Walsall, as I had to renew my bus pass for the first time under the new arrangement, I would say roughly 10, losing 2 at Hospital Street, then me at my nearest stop!

[Michael Bevan]

Caught the 1710 1 back from Walsall, as I had to renew my bus pass for the first time under the new arrangement, I would say roughly 10, losing 2 at Hospital Street, then me at my nearest stop!

I caught the 17:35 74 from Walsall to Bloxwich earlier with a few people (and a driver I knew who was heading back to Walsall Garage). Apart from us there was only two other passengers onboard.

[metrocity]

I caught the 17:35 74 from Walsall to Bloxwich earlier with a few people (and a driver I knew who was heading back to Walsall Garage). Apart from us there was only two other passengers onboard.

Probably why the 74 is being withdrawn from Walsall then !?

[Westy]

Maybe the alteration I'd try is keep the peak 1's as they are, but daytime journeys (& a Saturday service!) to divert via Beechdale (Stephenson Avenue) & Reedswood shops.

[DJ]

I caught the 17:35 74 from Walsall to Bloxwich earlier with a few people (and a driver I knew who was heading back to Walsall Garage). Apart from us there was only two other passengers onboard.

Hello from one of the few people! I also caught the 1 back from Bloxwich to Walsall at 17:53, it wasn't busy by any means but there was around 10 passengers in total. Still, probably not a sustainable amount considering that was at peak time.

[Bob]

Maybe the alteration I'd try is keep the peak 1's as they are, but daytime journeys (& a Saturday service!) to divert via Beechdale (Stephenson Avenue) & Reedswood shops.

Wouldnt that just remove the 1 thing that the route has going for it? That its direct

[Westy]

Wouldnt that just remove the 1 thing that the route has going for it? That its direct

But if it keeps the route going, it's worth a try.

Certainly, from my point of view, it gives a link from Leamore onto the Reedswood Retail Park, without having to go to Bloxwich or Walsall first, plus it's at least a 20 mins walk from my house. You try doing that with heavy shopping and/or peeing down.

[IMarkeh]

I wonder if they would get more people going Stafford to Walsall if the 74 linked into the 1 (with the Cheslyn Hey loop being served by another route). The 1 is much faster end to end and I think offers probably better distance links than the 74 does. The only issue with it is Saturdays as the 1 doesn't run then so the 74 would have to terminate then at Cannock.

[LNational]

Number of services being withdrawn from Jan 9th on Chaserider website

[Westy]

It'll be interesting to see if certain gaps will be filled by other operators?

I'm guessing it's not far to walk from Cheslyn Hay on the nearest points on the X51 route, but the Norton Canes to Brownhills gap would one to watch, whether Staffs County Council might actually put their hand in their pocket for a change for a tender, or whether maybe NX might extend another route to Cannock.

Whether it would be the 937 or the 10 would depend on how vital the Ogley Hay loop might be.

[Wumpty]

It'll be interesting to see if certain gaps will be filled by other operators?

I'm guessing it's not far to walk from Cheslyn Hay on the nearest points on the X51 route, but the Norton Canes to Brownhills gap would one to watch, whether Staffs County Council might actually put their hand in their pocket for a change for a tender, or whether maybe NX might extend another route to Cannock.

Unfortunately not - if you take one of the furthest points of CH to the nearest at Gorsey Lane/Landywood Lane, that's a 29-35 minute walk. Granted, if you live at one of the nearest points at Station Road to the A34 then it's a short 5-10 minute walk.

Just for argument's sake (and I know there's a social and demographical difference), but imagine pulling the 31 or 32 and then having to walk to Bloxwich as your nearest bus stop. from the back of Glastonbury Crescent on Mossley or from Little Bloxwich/Lower Farm, it's a similar trek.

[Westy]

Unfortunately not - if you take one of the furthest points of CH to the nearest at Gorsey Lane/Landywood Lane, that's a 29-35 minute walk. Granted, if you live at one of the nearest points at Station Road to the A34 then it's a short 5-10 minute walk.

Just for argument's sake (and I know there's a social and demographical difference), but imagine pulling the 31 or 32 and then having to walk to Bloxwich as your nearest bus stop. from the back of Glastonbury Crescent on Mossley or from Little Bloxwich/Lower Farm, it's a similar trek.

See what you mean, so a route theoretically needs to go there anyway!

[Wumpty]

See what you mean, so a route theoretically needs to go there anyway!

Whether it "needs" to go there is dependent upon the needs of the travelling public. Just because an area has always had/never had a service, doesn't mean it needs one for the sake of having one. Clearly Chaserider (and Arriva) can't sustain the services in Cheslyn Hay, and hats off to Chaserider for even attempting to sustain services - I'm unsure if there's any firm data to show what the ACTUAL passenger demand for services is in Cheslyn Hay. It's a predominantly affluent area with semi-isolated estates with multiple car owners per household, so even if NX re-routed via Cheslyn Hay either on peak or as a part/full timetable, you'll only ever know the success by THEIR passenger figures.

If, and it's a mahoosive IF, it is deemed socially-necessary, then the relevant councils/authorities may offer subsidy (though I doubt they would on these regular weekday services).

Worth noting that if two separate bus companies have had the same low patronage, what's to say a third in NX would have a different outcome?