MidlandRed.net

DD12 wrote: ↑

13:21 Wednesday 30th January 2019

Depressing reading (and links).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47045872

'Use it or lose it' is a self fulfilling cliche - cuts in services and frequencies lead to reduced usage and a downward spiral. If this trend continues much longer, bus driving will be one of the few remaining 9 - 5 jobs! I would guess that the annual total route mileage at Worcester garage is down by 15 to 20 % in the last ten years - a result of stringent County Council/ Government austerity cuts to tendered services and passenger disillusionment with bus timetables in general. Does anyone have the actual figures ?

I try to use the bus whenever possible - mainly for 'spotting' and pleasure trips, but a car is essential now for the weekly shop, visits to hospital, railway station for day trips on the train and any journeys in the early morning and late afternoon; in other words most journeys I make these days.

The new timetables are now on the First Worcestershire website.

bmmoboy wrote: ↑

21:02 Tuesday 29th January 2019

From what I have gathered, there will be service reductions on Sundays, some of this is due to Crowngate offering all day parking for £1, buses cannot compete with offers like this, and increases the number of cars on the roads on Sundays. Apparantly, the 30 is reduced to hourly, as is the 31 and possibly the 35. There is additional time for some of the other services across the board and on Sundays, there will be no Malvern then 144 service immediately afterwards, as it is near on impossible to keep time.

I haven't spotted anything "earth shattering" in the new TTs yet -- -- it's more or less as reported above.
The Sunday 32 is also gone - ( "I'm alright Jack, I don't use Sunday buses" ! )

The 44S variation via Timberdine Avenue has reverted to the "plain 44", and the short Wednesday + Friday service to Littleworth / Norton village Hall will go at the end of March

As advised by bmmoboy, there are a lot of journeys which have been given more realistic
times -- -- I like the extra 10 mins allowed for the Mon-Fri X50 that arrives Crowngate 08.38 on schooldays.

One noteworthy change from the 24th, is the introduction of a SUNDAY ("daytime") 144A, which with the 144, gives a 30 min interval between Worcester and Bromsgrove.

This comes at the same time as FMR is scrapping other Sunday services, so can anyone shed some light on this ??

- Are plenty of people currently using the hourly 144 on Sundays, between Worcester and Bromsgrove ??

- Are Webbs of Wychbold going to do a promotion, including subsidised Sunday buses ??

Wasn't aware of the specific changes so did a double take when I saw an Eclipse with 144A Bromsgrove on the display in Droitwich last Sunday.

Usually see a number of people waiting at stops on a Sunday plus quite a few on the buses themselves.

The increased frequency may make the bus more attractive for some people.I rarely go to Brum these days shopping but when I did go by train on a Saturday I'd drive to Kings Norton as trains were every ten minutes rather than Bromsgrove's hourly service (pre Cross City extension) which gave me a lot more flexibility on return times.

Apparently, "First Wyvern" is now also running in Dorchester !!

https://www.firstgroup.com/worcestershi ... ce-updates

I saw that error in their Twitter page and point out at it's 130 miles away from the nearest First Worcester route. Clearly that was ignored and the error repeated on the website.

I've just realised that Dorchester does sound a lot like Worchester -- -- an easy mistake to make !!

DD12 wrote: ↑

09:53 Monday 4th March 2019

I've just realised that Dorchester does sound a lot like Worchester -- -- an easy mistake to make !!

Dooster?
Dum-te-dum-te-dum! Borchester perhaps. Oooh arrr Eddy!

TimBrown wrote: ↑

12:16 Monday 4th March 2019

Dooster?
Dum-te-dum-te-dum! Borchester perhaps. Oooh arrr Eddy!

Tim has finally lost the plot!