Pensnett Garage

[Mike K]

I hadn't really appreciated that the 99 was that unreliable, although ironically I saw 2 in convoy heading into town on my way home this evening.

There are a lot of points where the service hits delays. Holloway Head (to city), Wheeleys Lane (from city), Edgbaston Park Rd, Harborne Green Man / High St To name a few, although most of these also apply to the 98.

I guess the 99 has fallen victim to the trend of constantly extending routes to the point that they become unreliable. Some years back it was the QE - Harborne - Quinton 'Harborne Hopper', a very short route by today's standards.

[Mike K]

Think a lot of people will be upset to lose their direct link to Birmingham if the 99 is cut is half, particularly along Worlds End and Welsh House Farm.

They may be losing their direct link to the city centre for work or shopping, but they can console themselves with the fact that at least they'll have a direct link to Netherton  ;)

[Trident 4194]

We've had Trident 4194 telling us about late running on the 243/4 for ages, so NX try and make it more reliable by making it shorter. .

Why has it screwed up the 4H?

The second paragraph just deserve contempt

I just don't understand why they didn't run the 4H the same route as old 244 round Hayley green. The 243/244 was completely broke in all fairness.

All it needed was time tabling changes

[winston]

We've had Trident 4194 telling us about late running on the 243/4 for ages, so NX try and make it more reliable by making it shorter. .

It's wasn't the Hasbury section that caused delays for the 244, it was prior to it arriving in Halesowen along some of the narrow roads it serves, which is still the case even in the revised shorter format. The 244 has only been shortened temporarily for 2 months prior to it being made even longer.

[monkeyjoe]

Why not make all the changes all at the same time, less admin, less cost and confusion etc etc. Curious

[Trident 4194]

It's wasn't the Hasbury section that caused delays for the 244, it was prior to it arriving in Halesowen along some of the narrow roads it serves, which is still the case even in the revised shorter format. The 244 has only been shortened temporarily for 2 months prior to it being made even longer.

Exactly the nx had 20 mins to go round Hayley green which is more than enough considering diamond did it in 15 minutes

[sonic84]

Why not make all the changes all at the same time, less admin, less cost and confusion etc etc. Curious

This is what I don't understand. Why cut it back to 30 minutes and shorten the route, only to extend it and presumably increase the frequency back to 20 minutes a couple of months later.

[Dom]

Exactly the nx had 20 mins to go round Hayley green which is more than enough considering diamond did it in 15 minutes

There's a reason why Diamond did it in 15. Because they don't give a toss unlike NX. NX do not drive with doors open, diamond do. Diamond avoid dropback in Hayley Green. NX have a minute if not a couple.

[j789]

I still think it is a big shame about the 99 but I guess its happening. I just wish more thought would go into extending connections as sometimes I don't think NXWM are willing to take enough risks with trying new things. If the 99 had to change to the 244, were any alternatives considered. One I think that is a good opportunity for new links that would be used would be extending the 76 through Harborne. Surely that route could have been extended to Halesowen even (albeit not via the narrow estates) but via the 24 route to The Boulevard and then around the old 10 route in Quinton (new links again) and up to hagley road into Halesowen. The 244 could then have replaced the 99 route as well but at a reduced 30 minute frequency to maintain its most recent frequency change. That way new links would be created on the 76 for Harborne/Quinton/ Halesowen residents to Kings Heath/Shirley/ Solihull which I think would be used as there are not significant delays on that route between Harborne and Halesowen as it avoids the narrow roads..

[Trident 4194]

There's a reason why Diamond did it in 15. Because they don't give a toss unlike NX. NX do not drive with doors open, diamond do. Diamond avoid dropback in Hayley Green. NX have a minute if not a couple.

They also put the foot on the gas. Nx 244 was always late leaving Halesowen and couldn't never make the time back up- so that 1 or 2 minute dropback was useless

[Dom]

They also put the foot on the gas. Nx 244 was always late leaving Halesowen and couldn't never make the time back up- so that 1 or 2 minute dropback was useless

So you've just backed up my point and invalidated your own.

[Stuharris 6360]

Why not make all the changes all at the same time, less admin, less cost and confusion etc etc. Curious

One theory I have is that, in order to run the 244 to the QE they are going to need extra buses because the PVR will change.

Now if they were to drop the 243 down to half hourly on its own, it would stand out, so instead, they drop both the 243/4 down to half hourly (even though both services are well used) under the pretext that they are poorly used. This happens at the end of February so people won't associate it with anything.

Next NE say that because of unrealiability, the 99 is withdrawn and the 244 will extend to the QE. So where do the buses come for it, simple they are already there. The people on the 244 get there 20 min frequency back and it is just the passengers on the 243 that suffer.

[Stuharris 6360]

There's a reason why Diamond did it in 15. Because they don't give a toss unlike NX. NX do not drive with doors open, diamond do. Diamond avoid dropback in Hayley Green. NX have a minute if not a couple.

No but in a way Diamond aren't the villans of the piece this time.

How many times on this forum, have we lambasted Diamond for running on route where NE (or other operators) are running and trying to take the passengers off them, well this time it's really the opposite. Diamond have run the 4H to Hayley Green for a while, now NE try and get a piece of the action.

[Mercedes1665]

Diamond driving with doors open. I'm sorry but that's complete nonsense.

[GeminiFan1991]

Diamond driving with doors open. I'm sorry but that's complete nonsense.

It does happen. The other operator on the Outer Circle (Social Travel I think ?) are also guilty of this. I've been on 1 bus and the driver drove between stops without closing the door.