Service Changes Jan 2025

[Rachvince53]

There were far worse companies than them in the 1980 and 1990s to be fair to them.

True. 

[Ingleboro261F]

He may have been thinking of Travel Express (Lets Go) whose e200s certainly aren't the best maintained in my opinion. They were operating the 63/64/65 & 303 tenders until June .

The 56, 57s and 58s definitely live up to that comment 

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

The 56, 57s and 58s definitely live up to that comment

They sounded like Sheds and I heard one person a College Student with Nbus Bus pass say he could get any bus back when asked why didn't he get the approaching Let's Go Number 1 rather than moaning at the NX1 being late I believe due to Roadworks in Tettenhall he commented No asked why he said it looks like a big of Nails he actually said another word that wasn't as nice and I think that was one of the afformented buses plus they have that cheap nasty Urban 90 seating, I've had bad backs of those seats going over Speed Humps on Sandwell Travel Darts to put myself through that again

[Jack D]

Any updates?

[Stu]

Any updates?

Surely you can answer your own question by looking at this topic and seeing that nobody has posted anything?

Come on, please have a little patience!

[Midland 2541]

Come on, please have a little patience!

As annoying as the repetition is, there's a valid point there. 

We're now at the 6 weeks mark until these changes will kick in, and we currently know... next to nothing.

These are likely to be fairly major changes too, not just some tweaks to timetables, and people do rely on these services; services that may well be unrecognisable come January. 

The fact that even just the changes to the services can't or haven't been published yet, and even if it is with a disclaimer ("The timetables and operator have not been finalised yet, please check back later for up to date timetables." or something in that vein.), reflects extremely poorly on TfWM. 

And this is a problem TfWM have had before - the January 2023 changes were almost ridiculous in how short notice and how poor quality the information provision was - so for them to make the same mistake again would be emblematic of a far greater problem in the system... 

[cardew]

We're now at the 6 weeks mark until these changes will kick in, and we currently know... next to nothing.

These are likely to be fairly major changes too, not just some tweaks to timetables, and people do rely on these services; services that may well be unrecognisable come January.

New tenders aside, hopefully other changes won't be as widespread as was feared because WMCA approved the Network Support Grant for commercially operated services to be extended from January 1st 2025 until 31st March 2025. 

Time will, as ever, tell.

[B7RLE]

According to Lukeee in the Carolean Coaches thread, they have won the 3 (evenings), 23, 41 and 224

[metrocity]

According to Lukeee in the Carolean Coaches thread, they have won the 3 (evenings), 23, 41 and 224

@j789 will be delighted at this news 😂

[jasmine]

As annoying as the repetition is, there's a valid point there.

We're now at the 6 weeks mark until these changes will kick in, and we currently know... next to nothing.

These are likely to be fairly major changes too, not just some tweaks to timetables, and people do rely on these services; services that may well be unrecognisable come January.

The fact that even just the changes to the services can't or haven't been published yet, and even if it is with a disclaimer ("The timetables and operator have not been finalised yet, please check back later for up to date timetables." or something in that vein.), reflects extremely poorly on TfWM.

And this is a problem TfWM have had before - the January 2023 changes were almost ridiculous in how short notice and how poor quality the information provision was - so for them to make the same mistake again would be emblematic of a far greater problem in the system...

I can vouch for the last sentence, I went to Germany over new year's 2023 and I came back to my local route being entirely withdrawn. without knowing what happened.

[fleetline6477]

As annoying as the repetition is, there's a valid point there.

We're now at the 6 weeks mark until these changes will kick in, and we currently know... next to nothing.

These are likely to be fairly major changes too, not just some tweaks to timetables, and people do rely on these services; services that may well be unrecognisable come January.

The fact that even just the changes to the services can't or haven't been published yet, and even if it is with a disclaimer ("The timetables and operator have not been finalised yet, please check back later for up to date timetables." or something in that vein.), reflects extremely poorly on TfWM.

And this is a problem TfWM have had before - the January 2023 changes were almost ridiculous in how short notice and how poor quality the information provision was - so for them to make the same mistake again would be emblematic of a far greater problem in the system...

My understanding is that tender awards were released to operators on November 4th with operators having 14 days to confirm there acceptance (or otherwise) of the tenders and terms awarded to them. Once this has happened awards will be made public, so hopefully will be this week.

[Coventrybususer95]

https://www.tfwm.org.uk/plan-your-journey/ways-to-travel/buses-in-the-west-midlands/upcoming-bus-service-changes/#


Some of the new changes are listed here if anyone is interested 

[monkeyjoe]

So ditching the Alpha routes with numerical numbers , wondering if the Acocks green to airport still on the cards?

[Stu]

So ditching the Alpha routes with numerical numbers , wondering if the Acocks green to airport still on the cards?

I'd wait and see how that TfWM page gets updated as it doesn't look to be completed yet.

Yes, it seems the Solihull A-prefixed routes are being renumbered into 6xx series, however it says the A3 is being partly replaced by a new A6 service!

[jasmine]

https://www.tfwm.org.uk/plan-your-journey/ways-to-travel/buses-in-the-west-midlands/upcoming-bus-service-changes/#


Some of the new changes are listed here if anyone is interested

Does anyone know how the 54 (Hamstead Village to Perry Barr) will work now? it says it will serve scott arms and then go to perry barr, but it already terminates at perry barr on the other end? so is it just a circular now? and if it isnt, why not? it basically already is because scott arms and hamstead village by proxy is really not far from perry barr at all. also will it serve scott arms how the old 46 did (via old walsall road) or will it follow the 16 route (via hamstead road and newton road) into scott arms?

it's just extremely unclear how the 54 will work once it reaches Hamstead Village now, and all plausible ways just seem stupid. if the route were to serve scott arms (we don't even know HOW it will serve it once it hits hamstead village) and then go to perry barr, as the changelog says, it's essentially a circular route, but they've not called it as such at all.