MidlandRed.net

Having reported the non-arrival of the 08-57 number 37 from Green Lane Terminus to the City Centre on numerous occasions and also reported that other intended passengers of this 'ghost' bus have been left waiting for over half an hour for the 09-29 service on many, many days since the services were revised for 'better reliability!', I took a risk this morning and went down to the New Inn, Ombersley Road bus stop by 08-50 and waited, and waited, and then some, but that pesky bus just didn't show up once again. This is just not good enough when there is already an unnecessary gap of 62 minutes between the number 32 double-deck school bus and the 08-57 service on what is claimed to be a half hourly frequency. The gap once again stretched out to 94 minutes this morning as, thankfully, the 09-29 was on time. Please don't think I am a non-paying pass holder, as I use a pre-paid ten trip ticket for early morning journeys.

I realise that a number of buses are off the road, including 44511 and an Enviro 400 decker, plus the fact that 35156 went up the Ombersley Road and back down again on test around 09-15 (which went down a treat with your's truly!) but there seems to be no effort to maintain the scheduled service at this sparsely served time on a route which is only 2.5 miles out from the centre of a city with over 100,000 population.

All the more galling when I observe buses hunting up and down the 35 route in packs with as many as two or three together and see 44/44A's running in two by two most times of the day! If anyone says that it doesn't matter because nobody uses the 08-57, I think I have given a strong answer as to why; passengers have just given up in disgust! It is not good enough - a failing service on this 'withered arm' route.

I think this is a disgrace, and an unacceptable bad attitude from First, and an insult to all the residents along the route.

Even IF the newly revealed financial results mean that WR is making a loss (?) it should be possible to take (bunched) buses off the 35, 30/31 - surely ?
( - and put one back onto these services when one is available and where needed)
- if not - could someone please explain why not ( - I have poor logic etc) !

At the moment, this situation makes it look like First isn't even trying to run their own advertised services, and if the residents were to write to the Traffic Commissioners and the County Council, I wouldn't blame them !

If Diamond or Kev's Cars or LMS were to start running the 37 (and maybe the 35 !) I wonder if First would "let the service go"?

I haven't studied the "realities", but I like the idea of the 35 ("at frequent intervals") being redesigned so that it arrives in Warndon by a certain route to a TERMINUS, so that when there is bunching at that end, one bus can be switched onto the 37 or 144 if needed (by radio-control or some other technology).
Maybe there could be some partial integration of the workings of the 35, 37, 144 (single-deckers) ? -
I've always felt that Droitwich has potential for more bus customers and that the estates that are currently served by Diamond could do with "through" services to Worcester via Blackpole.
( - and how many customers have been lost in recent times, between Droitwich and Worcester due to unreliability of the 144 ?)

Apologies to the professional staff at First who have to make things work in the REAL WORLD, but I'm disappointed by the lack of innovation in recent years in the Worcester area.

Tim,

I had intended to make enquiries on your behalf regarding this, but I'm sorry to say it totally slipped my mind.

AdamH wrote: ↑

16:56 Thursday 12th January 2017

Tim,

I had intended to make enquiries on your behalf regarding this, but I'm sorry to say it totally slipped my mind.

As a follow up and update I took a chance this morning and walked down to catch the 08-58 number 37 from The New Inn, Ombersley Road into the city centre and pleasantly surprised that it was running today. Not only that, it was only 5 minutes late which is commendable when you consider the amount of traffic clogging up the roads out of Worcester in the peak period. Hope this is good omen for the future of this timing!