Coventry Service Changes - September 2022

[stellasteve]

Was just looking through the bus registrations on the government website and saw that there were some changes for Coventry services for September. As it's the registrations this is only speculation but it says the 7A is going to be cut back to Belgrade Theatre - Bell Green (obviously a big loss for the 3 people who used to service as far as Coundon) and there is going to be new service 5B instated whilst the destination for the 5 registration has been changed to Chapelfields via Coundon. All of the other variations just state timetable changes so far but should be interesting to see what they do now with these changes - almost seems like we should make a national holiday out of this yearly occurrence!

[JPC]

Bustimes has further details for the 5/5A/5B revision

[Coventrybususer95]

Looks like the 5 will no longer serve the Arena park

[JPC]

Looks like the 5 will no longer serve the Arena park

However it is improved to half-hourly up until Holbrook Lane where users can change to a service 3, this will offer more regular travel options for those who require the link between Coundon/Radford and Arena Park despite the required change of bus.

[stellasteve]

However it is improved to half-hourly up until Holbrook Lane where users can change to a service 3, this will offer more regular travel options for those who require the link between Coundon/Radford and Arena Park despite the required change of bus.

I can't see why they just wouldn't send it the couple of minutes down the road to the Arena or even down Arbury Road if they wanted to be quick about it. A lot of elderly people rely on that number 5 bus and some will probably think it is too much of a hassle to change buses at Holbrooks Lane and this cuts a further vital link that people may need to get to a supermarket. Not something that I didn't expect in the near future though - after they put the B7RLE vehicles on the 5 its been in decline ever since from a cross city route to every half hour down to every hour (if it ever arrived). I once waited nearly 2 hours for a service 5 a couple of months back just to find that none were running at all that day. Let's hope the buses can actually run more reliably once this change happens!

[Danthebusman]

I can't see why they just wouldn't send it the couple of minutes down the road to the Arena or even down Arbury Road if they wanted to be quick about it. A lot of elderly people rely on that number 5 bus and some will probably think it is too much of a hassle to change buses at Holbrooks Lane and this cuts a further vital link that people may need to get to a supermarket. Not something that I didn't expect in the near future though - after they put the B7RLE vehicles on the 5 its been in decline ever since from a cross city route to every half hour down to every hour (if it ever arrived). I once waited nearly 2 hours for a service 5 a couple of months back just to find that none were running at all that day. Let's hope the buses can actually run more reliably once this change happens!

The 5s seem to be running perfectly fine over the last week as well.

[paulb1973]

The 5s seem to be running perfectly fine over the last week as well.

I work around Keresley Rd/Wallace Rd areas - and see the 5 on a regular basis. It seems, in general, to be running alright.

The 5B goes to the Cherry Tree Pub (Lythalls Lane) only - with the 5 doing occasional extensions to the Arena Shopping Park - is that correct? While the 5A is to Chapelfields (the old service 1 Westbury Rd terminus) via Coundon? Does the interworking with the 7/7A continue.

[stellasteve]

I work around Keresley Rd/Wallace Rd areas - and see the 5 on a regular basis. It seems, in general, to be running alright.

The 5B goes to the Cherry Tree Pub (Lythalls Lane) only - with the 5 doing occasional extensions to the Arena Shopping Park - is that correct? While the 5A is to Chapelfields (the old service 1 Westbury Rd terminus) via Coundon? Does the interworking with the 7/7A continue.

I believe that the 7A has finished down Coundon so the 5A can turn around opposite the Tescos at the old terminus for the 1 whilst the 5 is only going to the Cherry Tree and the 5B is going round the Everdon Estate then coming back into town. In recent weeks reliability has got better on the 5 - maybe they listened to my own and other people I know's complaints once and for all.

[Coventrybususer95]

I believe that the 7A has finished down Coundon so the 5A can turn around opposite the Tescos at the old terminus for the 1 whilst the 5 is only going to the Cherry Tree and the 5B is going round the Everdon Estate then coming back into town. In recent weeks reliability has got better on the 5 - maybe they listened to my own and other people I know's complaints once and for all.

Just need to improve the 2 now 

[JPC]

Some of the new timetables are on the TfWM or Traveline websites... and there's another surprise in the timetable for service 3 - Sunday journeys seemingly start/finish at Hen Lane.
Should we really be surprised as Arena Park is a car-centric retail park.

Lythalls Lane fares slightly better with having evening and Sunday service re-instated.
It should be pointed out Lythalls Lane terminus isn't really that far from Arena Park, only about a 7/8 minute walk to the middle of Tesco concourse and when you take into account the new 5 will miss out Everdon Rd along with the 4/5 mins the bus took from LL to AP plus the two minute walk from AP bus station to Tesco - A journey from Coundon to Tesco will likely take less time (for a normal fit person) despite extra walking.

[the trainbasher]

What gets me is bus changes always seem to cater for those who are able bodied, yet what about the passengers who are of limited mobility? They seem to get shafted.

[Coventrybususer95]

It's seems that 3 school routes are being cut including the S36, 58, 58A, 

[JPC]

It's seems that 3 school routes are being cut including the S36, 58, 58A,

I am all for this, they need to concentrate on providing a reliable service on core public bus routes which are currently suffering with missing journeys on a daily basis... and don't get me started on the jollies of 'Private Hire' which you mentioned in the tracker thread.

I agree with your desire to improve service 2, although it didn't carry huge loads it still fared much better than service 1 which to this day I still don't understand the purpose of.

[Coventrybususer95]

I am all for this, they need to concentrate on providing a reliable service on core public bus routes which are currently suffering with missing journeys on a daily basis... and don't get me started on the jollies of 'Private Hire' which you mentioned in the tracker thread.

I agree with your desire to improve service 2, although it didn't carry huge loads it still fared much better than service 1 which to this day I still don't understand the purpose of.

It looks like a change is happening to the 2 from the 25th of September let's hope there adding the other bus back 

[JPC]

It looks like a change is happening to the 2 from the 25th of September let's hope there adding the other bus back

There is, as yet, no variation on the registration for service 1 which likely indicates the change on the 2 isn't going to be anything significant such as improved to half-hourly, in spite of last year's reduction being fobbed off as "temporary".  The variation detail does say 'Timetable change to reflect passenger demand' but I would expect it is just a tinkering of some journeys at the edges of the daytime such as the hours of 6am or 7pm.