Diamond 202 to Bromsgrove.

[hartshill busman 724210]

I`ve heard various reports that the reliability on this service leaves alot to be desired.Any one have any thoughts?

[Ash]

I never use the service but i know it uses the royale centro's so it's not down to the unreliabilty of the condition of the buses ie: there too slow like most of the darts are as the centro's are very quick buses

[hartshill busman 724210]

Thanks Ash.Heard some passengers moaning about the service at Halesowen saying it was often late or a no show.

[fleetline6477]

I think that it may be partly down to lack of layover time at the Halesowen end. Route is timetabled to arrive at Halesowen at 25 minutes past each hour and depart at 25 minutes past. Interestingly the return trip arrives at 17 minutes past at Bromsgrove to depart again for Halesowen at 25 minutes past. I cannot understand why the Halesowen - bromsgrove journey takes 8 minutes less than the return journey.

This is also why relaibility and timekeeping is such a problem on the 002 as buses only get 1 minute turn around time at both Merry Hill and Weoley Castle.

[Ash]

Ive noticed the 404E is supposed to be every 6 minutes but now in West Brom bus station its now every 7/8 minutes on the destination screens but the buses recently on them have been 3/4 solos daily and the small darts no cadets at all seem to have been taken off the service.

[Diamond Geezer]

Thanks Ash.Heard some passengers moaning about the service at Halesowen saying it was often late or a no show.

It's a long route so any hold ups along the route have a knock on affect for the rest of the day with little recovery time at each end.  You'll find the majority of problems are down to the M5 junction J4a - if there's a lane closure or entire closure the traffic comes off at this junction and brings everything to a stand still so the 202 is caught in the jams.

[Isle of Stroma]

Thanks Ash.Heard some passengers moaning about the service at Halesowen saying it was often late or a no show.

It's a long route so any hold ups along the route have a knock on affect for the rest of the day with little recovery time at each end.  You'll find the majority of problems are down to the M5 junction J4a - if there's a lane closure or entire closure the traffic comes off at this junction and brings everything to a stand still so the 202 is caught in the jams.

At the moment, there's also some temporary lights just past Bromsgrove Bus Station. Traffic queues back at busy times & the wonderfully inept motorists of Bromsgrove have a habit of thus blocking the entrance & exit with said queue....

[Mike360]

So that must be why because it is always late leaving Halesowen and never goes on time at 25past and always seems to run around 10 minutes late and have been on it and seen it to be nearly half an hour late. I do think the timetable needs changing to allow more time for delays to catch up so there not running late all day and does anyone think it would be a good idea to extend it to every 30 minutes because it is a quite popular route.

[Isle of Stroma]

So that must be why because it is always late leaving Halesowen and never goes on time at 25past and always seems to run around 10 minutes late and have been on it and seen it to be nearly half an hour late. I do think the timetable needs changing to allow more time for delays to catch up so there not running late all day and does anyone think it would be a good idea to extend it to every 30 minutes because it is a quite popular route.

Running times are tight between Lapal & Rednal but there is recovery time at both ends.

As Diamond Geezer has pointed out, the M5 junction can cause problems & traffic queues along the route at peak times don't help.

Can't see it going every 30 mins myself. For most of the day, I'm surprised it's not a one bus two-hourly job.

[sonic84]

The 202 seems to have impressive loadings leaving Halesowen, whenever I have seen it anyway.  I'm not sure about since the 002 was increased in frequency, but it seemed to carry a fair few passengers between Halesowen and Kitwell.

[Diamond Geezer]

So that must be why because it is always late leaving Halesowen and never goes on time at 25past and always seems to run around 10 minutes late and have been on it and seen it to be nearly half an hour late. I do think the timetable needs changing to allow more time for delays to catch up so there not running late all day and does anyone think it would be a good idea to extend it to every 30 minutes because it is a quite popular route.

Double your frequency, double your overheads.  Double passengers ?

[Nathan4775]

The 202 seems to have impressive loadings leaving Halesowen, whenever I have seen it anyway.  I'm not sure about since the 002 was increased in frequency, but it seemed to carry a fair few passengers between Halesowen and Kitwell.

Is that becuase the 002 & 202 follow same line of route from Halesowen - Kitwell ? or roughly the same 

[sonic84]

I know an extension to Merry Hill has been tried before, but I wonder if now the 007 has been cut short at Halesowen, whether a Bromsgrove - Merry Hill service would be more popular now?

[s94]

I would like to see the 007 return. Doubt it would however. The 217 provides the old 007 link between Merry Hill and Halesowen. Some loadings are modest though its rarely busy, at least around Merry Hill. Dont know what 007 loadings are like.