Bus Services axed/changed from 1st January 2023

[Trident 4194]

I do often wonder why for example tfwm have decided to fund a Sunday service on the 142 which hasn't had one for many years, but then cut other routes?

We still have 28 on our bus stops in hasbury! 

[Rachvince53]

I do often wonder why for example tfwm have decided to fund a Sunday service on the 142 which hasn't had one for many years, but then cut other routes?

I think it's because the 28 had a Sunday service which presumably carried enough passengers to warrant continuing to run, though why the full route is running on Sundays I don't know.

[Stuharris 6360]

I think it's because the 28 had a Sunday service which presumably carried enough passengers to warrant continuing to run, though why the full route is running on Sundays I don't know.

No, the 28 has never had a Sunday service which is why it is puzzling. the last Sunday service on that route was the 287B which was many years ago!

[Stu]

I do often wonder why for example tfwm have decided to fund a Sunday service on the 142 which hasn't had one for many years, but then cut other routes?

Perhaps they see a potential opportunity for growth, that an operator wouldn't want to take a commercial risk on? Any routes that were cut were done so for good reason, ie not enough passengers using them to make them worthwhile.

The same could also be said of the A9 service - NX never operated Sunday journeys on the 58 before, however the extension to Blythe Valley is presumably to benefit any workers who commute on Sundays, as well as providing a bus service to the new housing developments that have been built there.

As a bonus, people in Kingshurst, Yardley and Olton get a bus on a Sunday they never had before. The hope has to be that enough people start using the subsidised service in order to make it commercially viable in the future.

[Rachvince53]

No, the 28 has never had a Sunday service which is why it is puzzling. the last Sunday service on that route was the 287B which was many years ago!

It didn't? I know the 297 had a Sunday service at one time so naturally I thought the 28 did too. My apologies. 

[Rachvince53]

Perhaps they see a potential opportunity for growth, that an operator wouldn't want to take a commercial risk on? Any routes that were cut were done so for good reason, ie not enough passengers using them to make them worthwhile.

The same could also be said of the A9 service - NX never operated Sunday journeys on the 58 before, however the extension to Blythe Valley is presumably to benefit any workers who commute on Sundays, as well as providing a bus service to the new housing developments that have been built there.

As a bonus, people in Kingshurst, Yardley and Olton get a bus on a Sunday they never had before. The hope has to be that enough people start using the subsidised service in order to make it commercially viable in the future.

It's like when the Wolves services were renumbered and renumbered. Service 4 replaced 514 and 504(?) This reintroduced a Sunday service along Warstones Road lost many years before giving that road a direct hourly service into Wolves. 

[winston]

Perhaps they see a potential opportunity for growth, that an operator wouldn't want to take a commercial risk on? Any routes that were cut were done so for good reason, ie not enough passengers using them to make them worthwhile.

The same could also be said of the A9 service - NX never operated Sunday journeys on the 58 before, however the extension to Blythe Valley is presumably to benefit any workers who commute on Sundays, as well as providing a bus service to the new housing developments that have been built there.

As a bonus, people in Kingshurst, Yardley and Olton get a bus on a Sunday they never had before. The hope has to be that enough people start using the subsidised service in order to make it commercially viable in the future.

The 142 / A9 etc were part of the BSIP (Bus Service Improvement Plan) package of tendered routes, hence the new Sunday services etc

[Ginger66]

Not an axed service or service change, but I caught the 10:44 40 service yesterday and myself and another passenger was the only passengers to board the bus at the terminal before heading out and between West Bromwich till the bus got to Friar Park no one got on the bus and by that point it was two off and one on.

It got me thinking are there any other day time journeys where a bus runs empty along the route carrying hardly any passengers.

[the trainbasher]

It was 2017 (when Diamond ran the Sunday tender) when the 287 was withdrawn on Sundays.


Roughly the same time as when the 142 lost its Sunday services (it was, at one stage, when ran by Arriva, linked in with the 227 and 257 on a evening!)

[the trainbasher]

The 142 / A9 etc were part of the BSIP (Bus Service Improvement Plan) package of tendered routes, hence the new Sunday services etc

Same with the 25 in Dudley

[Westy]

So basically a week or so, since the changes.

Has there been any improvement?

Just read the Stagecoach Brum thread.

Doesn't look like it so far.

An observation prompted by my sister tonight.

The Wa 9 she caught tonight was on time for once, but said vehicle was rammed, due to the previous vehicle not turning up.

This vehicle, according to Bustimes.org, was down to do the 705 from Barr Beacon School back to Gillity Village, before jumping onto the 9.

It did the 705, but instead going onto the 9 from Walsall to Wolves, it went up to the depot instead. 

Did something happen on the 705 which caused the bus to return to depot?

Unless something was up personally with the driver,  it seemed strange the duty was abandoned so early?

[Lukeee]

Could be a case of no driver to do the 705 so another driver picked that trip up as overtime.

[MasterPlan]

Does anybody know what route the 46 is supposed to be doing? Because the route it currently is taking is not what is showing on TfWM website & app.

[Stu]

Does anybody know what route the 46 is supposed to be doing? Because the route it currently is taking is not what is showing on TfWM website & app.

The map and timetable on the TfWM site appears to be incorrect, and seems to be based on the assumption that the 46 fully replaced that part of the 48.
The map on BusTimes would appear to be correct, as it plots the route specified in the tender specification, ie missing out Weoley Castle:
https://bustimes.org/services/46-kings-heath-qe-hospital#map

[MasterPlan]

The map and timetable on the TfWM site appears to be incorrect, and seems to be based on the assumption that the 46 fully replaced that part of the 48.
The map on BusTimes would appear to be correct, as it plots the route specified in the tender specification, ie missing out Weoley Castle:
https://bustimes.org/services/46-kings-heath-qe-hospital#map

I know, I've seen the Bustimes map.

Well either that, or Stagecoach are not running the route as to what was agreed with TFWM? Maybe there was some confusion?