TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Standard ADL e200 - had it the other month from Dursley to Glos. Bit of a step up from the B7L/B7RLE on the 77 I had a few weeks ago
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West Country Independents
- Thread starter Martin1988
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Standard ADL e200 - had it the other month from Dursley to Glos. Bit of a step up from the B7L/B7RLE on the 77 I had a few weeks ago
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father_jack
Established Member
- Joined
- 26 Jan 2010
- Messages
- 1,557
The citizens of Gloucester will be appreciating all the second hand darts they've now got so that Bristol can have newish kit!
Marcus Fryer
Member
- Joined
- 27 Dec 2014
- Messages
- 892
One of five according to a driver I had a chat with this afternoon, with another three on order. I saw 1284 (YX17 NRO) and 1286 (YX17 NRV) at Southmead Hospital.
Colly405
Member
Spent night on an hour at Southmead Hospital this afternoon seeing how things were running.
Some observations:
- Wessex seem to be using a mix of tatty e200s and Plaxton Centro bodied whatevers on the 10, 11 and 11a
- Wessex and BCT seemed to be arriving up to 5 minutes early at the end of the routes at the Hospital
- the 77s seem to be using the last stop (E) rather than F as on the displays
- Stagecoach now accept the Bristol & Avon Rider tickets
- the 506 journeys all still show Smeaton Rd as the destination
- the 505 and 506 are branded for Bristol Community Transport, but the legals are CT Plus
- First now run less than half the departures in an off-peak hour from the Brunel stops
And, separately, I see that Wessex have registered a 10a today. Probably the peak shorts between Lyde Gn and UWE that were introduced recently?
Some observations:
- Wessex seem to be using a mix of tatty e200s and Plaxton Centro bodied whatevers on the 10, 11 and 11a
- Wessex and BCT seemed to be arriving up to 5 minutes early at the end of the routes at the Hospital
- the 77s seem to be using the last stop (E) rather than F as on the displays
- Stagecoach now accept the Bristol & Avon Rider tickets
- the 506 journeys all still show Smeaton Rd as the destination
- the 505 and 506 are branded for Bristol Community Transport, but the legals are CT Plus
- First now run less than half the departures in an off-peak hour from the Brunel stops
And, separately, I see that Wessex have registered a 10a today. Probably the peak shorts between Lyde Gn and UWE that were introduced recently?
Citistar
Member
The Wessex 10/11 services are incredibly slack in timings, especially off peak. Even doing the circuituous route the 10 takes, it doesn't need 80 mins end to end. Frenchay to Downend is scheduled for 20 minutes - more than double the 9 that was scheduled in the 18 some twenty years ago.
It does look like the 11, 11A and 508 need to be condensed down in to some more sensible workings too. Five buses to run local services covering such a small area is surely unsustainable, particularly when the services hit so few targets - Southmead Hospital and Westbury seems a pretty weak offering to me.
freetoview33
Established Member
Southmead Hospital - Westbury still has 3.5/4bph, 11,11A,77,508.
Colly405
Member
Probably partly due to the flyover works?
Took a trip on the 506 on Saturday, from Old Market to Horfield. A few observations:
- The brand new (old) Enviro 200s rattle too much for new buses
- CT Plus is using the same ticket machines as First on the park and ride, so hopefully contactless payment will soon be available
- Does the service even need Enviros at all? There was a total of three passengers on my journey. Does it get busier on weekdays?
- CT Plus need a new interior designer - bright yellow grabrails and a very ugly blue patterned moquette
- The buses have stop buttons on every grabrail - meaning that every seat is within reaching distance of one. Take note, First!
They'll be either leased or dealer stock so the interior will be nothing to do with CT Plus.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Surprised that this hasn't been posted
"Joint proposals to improve transport have been released by leaders of three authorities and the West's mayor. These include new park-and-rides, a railway station at Charlfield and improving walking and cycling.
The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) will meet next week to decide which proposals merit further research. WECA is chaired by regional mayor, Tim Bowles, and includes leaders from Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol city and South Gloucestershire councils. Its aim is to help deliver economic growth for the region and address challenges, such as productivity and skills, housing and transport.
Schemes include in the proposals are:
Park-and-rides on the M32, A4018, A432 and A38(S)
Orbital Metrobus
Charfield rail station
A37-Bristol Link
A4 MetroBus (Bristol to Keynsham MetroBus) and Callington Road Link
Keynsham rail station improvements
A432 MetroBus and strategic cycle route
Winterbourne / Frampton Cottrell bypass
M5 J14 improvements
Earlier this year Mayor Tim Bowles said the region could be "much more ambitious" when it came to transport, house building, business and jobs. "Together we will make decisions about what is best for our region and its residents, cutting across the divides of council boundaries," he said.
WECA hope these transport schemes would support delivery of the West of England Joint Spatial Plan. This sets out the long-term development needs of the West of England, including North Somerset, to 2036. Further funding to develop feasibility studies will be considered at WECA's next meeting on October 30."
It's interesting for what is in there and what isn't. Little for Bristol suburban rail. More P&R and more road schemes. Metrobus to Keynsham would certainly help if only if it allows easier progress through Bath Road and especially through the West Town Lane junction.
"Joint proposals to improve transport have been released by leaders of three authorities and the West's mayor. These include new park-and-rides, a railway station at Charlfield and improving walking and cycling.
The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) will meet next week to decide which proposals merit further research. WECA is chaired by regional mayor, Tim Bowles, and includes leaders from Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol city and South Gloucestershire councils. Its aim is to help deliver economic growth for the region and address challenges, such as productivity and skills, housing and transport.
Schemes include in the proposals are:
Park-and-rides on the M32, A4018, A432 and A38(S)
Orbital Metrobus
Charfield rail station
A37-Bristol Link
A4 MetroBus (Bristol to Keynsham MetroBus) and Callington Road Link
Keynsham rail station improvements
A432 MetroBus and strategic cycle route
Winterbourne / Frampton Cottrell bypass
M5 J14 improvements
Earlier this year Mayor Tim Bowles said the region could be "much more ambitious" when it came to transport, house building, business and jobs. "Together we will make decisions about what is best for our region and its residents, cutting across the divides of council boundaries," he said.
WECA hope these transport schemes would support delivery of the West of England Joint Spatial Plan. This sets out the long-term development needs of the West of England, including North Somerset, to 2036. Further funding to develop feasibility studies will be considered at WECA's next meeting on October 30."
It's interesting for what is in there and what isn't. Little for Bristol suburban rail. More P&R and more road schemes. Metrobus to Keynsham would certainly help if only if it allows easier progress through Bath Road and especially through the West Town Lane junction.
THarris123
Established Member
THarris123
Established Member
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Wonder what Greater Bristol Bus Network 2 is - 379 take 2?
Sadly not I suspect. Trying to think which major arterial routes weren't done last time...A4 London Road in Bath? Thornbury into Bristol? Clevedon and Nailsea to Bristol?
FTV33 will probably better remember what was done as part of GBBN v1
freetoview33
Established Member
Sadly not I suspect. Trying to think which major arterial routes weren't done last time...A4 London Road in Bath? Thornbury into Bristol? Clevedon and Nailsea to Bristol?
FTV33 will probably better remember what was done as part of GBBN v1
I sure do! GBBN was a good use of money overall! Although it took it's time coming It did improve routes right across the city!
There were 12 routes! Mainly to provide newer buses (This is when the Geminis came to Bristol! New bus shelters with raised curbs and real time stop info)
A370 Bristol - Weston. This was mainly new buses for the X1 and 353/1 and the improvements along Anchor Road. And the eventual increase from 3bph to 4bph, also saw off singles on the 353/1.
A369 Bristol - Portishead. I think the main points there were "Improvements" in Portishead (Which have only just been fixed now!) And simplifying the 357, 358 and 359 into the X2 and X3 and of course the 23 (Now the X3A) at the time! So it was 3bph Double deckers, that changes to 4bph single deckers.
A37 Bristol - Midsomer Norton. They were the improvements down the Wells road, and the introduction on the 379. No new buses though!
A4018 Centre - Westbury - Cribbs Causeway. Main things were improvements at College Green, up Whiteladies road and in Westbury Village, Also the 2 stupid bits of bus Lane at Cribbs Causeway! New buses for the 1, 2 and 8, 9. Part of this was the change from the 54 to the 2.
A4 Bristol - Bath. This was the changes along Bath Road through Brislington, Which was considered to be the most successful route of the whole Scheme. Also the eclipses?? I think for the 339/X39. And the merger of First trips on the 337 and 349/649 to create the 338. Also the introduction of the 177.
A38 Henbury - Hartcliffe. Now this was the First route to be completed back in 2003/4! This involved new buses for the 75/76/77. Raised curbs along the whole route, You can tell where this was as they introduced those White Plastic looking bus stop poles along the route and up Gloucester Road. It was an improvement at the time, But a lot of these stops have since been upgraded again, and 76/77 merged. There was also the almost split of the 75/76/77 into the 75/76, 95/96. The 75/76 being the same as they are now from the Centre to Cribbs Causeway and a new 95/96 covering the Southern Half of the route from the Centre - Hengrove but it would of included a loop around Broadmead and Temple Meads. I was in favour of that change as TGW knows!
A420/A431 Bristol - St George - Kingswood/Hanham. This was the Second route to be completed back in 2006. And involved new buses for the 42, 43, 44, 45. Also as part of this I think was when the 41 and 43 got split into the 40/41 and 42/43. This is when we saw changes to Old Market and the stops in the middle of the road. Priority Lights and changes to the Kingswood centre layout to become 1 way. After they changed the plans from Pedestrianising the whole thing.
M32 Centre - U.W.E - Basically the initial bit of bus lane at the bottom of the M32! Then the rest of the plans became absorbed into Metrobus (The bus only junction, which should be opening in a few weeks time!)
A432 Bristol - Chipping Sodbury, this was quite a big route! Involved the changes along Fishponds road, which are still complained about to this day! Mainly the banning of the left turn by Morrisons. New buses for the 48 and 49! Which had long be forgotten about! At one point they even wanted to get rid of the 48 altogether! Also they did start to change the services to Yate, but I forgot which changes actually happened then! As It's a long time since the X30 and X40!
A4174 Filton - Emersons Green. - To be honest this never really happened, and again was absorbed into Metrobus, the idea was to create an orbital route, which did come in the form of the X18, which didn't last! There were a few changes to the junction at Frenchay and the section from Frenchay to Abbey Wood, but this has since been changes again for Metrobus.
Bradley Stoke - This was basically the route the 73 took from Filton Ave to Cribbs Causeway. - The main change there was the introduction of the 74 which gave a service to Bradley Stoke South again! There were a few improvements along Filton Avenue but nothing major, as the Northern Part of the route was then included in Metrobus.
Finally! the A367 Bath - Radstock - I'm not 100% on this route as it was never on the original plans, but I think it was a few changes to the road around Odd Down, and maybe a few of the changes that happened in Radstock.
You could argue the Portway was upgraded too around this time, but that was more to do with the Portway Park & Ride opening, although it did serve as a good template for the improvements, e.g bus lanes, real time info ect.
So overall it did improve a lot of routes, but half of the routes never had proper funding to complete the works properly. Then someone got the clever idea of Metrobus and focus switched to that.
Although there were always talks of expansions to the GBBN, mainly from Aztec West to Thornbury.
Personally if there is a 2nd one I think the routes that would be done are:
A38N Bristol - Thornbury. To be honest Gloucester Road could do with a look at again and a resurface/tidy up, maybe a look at routes too! Thornbury has fewer buses for a place of that size!
A38S Bristol - Bristol Airport. This has long been complained about, and there will be some changes to the A1 with Metrobus. But I think the rest of the route to the Airport needs a look at.
And just really a look into the main arterial routes again to see if any further improvements can be made. And add in lots of Park & Rides! (Which I don't whole heatedly Agree with)
They are from Dawsons.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Thanks for that.
The A367 corridor did see RTPI and new shelters along the route from Midsomer Norton and Radstock to Bath, as well as the Odd Down bus lane. There have been other changes in Radstock with the road layout and stops but are really associated with the new building developments on the old rail site.
I remember the Church Road/Two Mile Hill scheme being implemented, living in the area at the time. The NC Olympians that were employed were sent off to the 48/49 for a year or two with a wholesome fleet of new B9TLs. The problem was, and still is (yet even worse) is that they can speed down to A420/431 junction but then still grind through the traffic in St George, Lawrence Hill and Old Market - that could certainly be improved!!
One thing though - I think the change to the 337/349 to create the 338 came a little later.
The locations for the new P&Rs are intriguing enough. The A38 South is a little bit odd as it is now relatively simple to drop down on the SBL to Long Ashton but perhaps capacity is finite!
An inbound bus lane would help! It really used to wind me up sat on a bus looking at an empty outbound bus lane and pedestrians disappearing off into the distance.
I've defected to the P&R now and can't see I'd go back to the 44/45 again especially after I had cause to a few weeks back and 6 out of 10 journeys for the week were cancelled.
freetoview33
Established Member
Considering how much they spent on Old Market it should work! Just parked cars and the bus priority lights don't always seem to work which does mess things up, also at times the sheer number of buses. If there is a bus in front which is slow like the 43, then you're on the 35 behind, you can be held up for quite a while, waiting for it to move.
On the topic of splitting routes.
The splitting of the 20 into the 20 and 50 didn't work in the end! Although at the time it made sense, but some how First ran both routes into the ground!
The splitting the 41 and 43 into the 40/41/42/43 worked well, I think all 4 routes have done better since the split.
Now 75 and 76, we have admitted that when metrobus starts a split will look more likely again. I personally think it is a good idea, as the time keeping on the 75/76 is awful! Like the 43 used to be before that was split. Many a time I have been waiting for the 76 for half hour and 3 turn up at once! There is also the how many buses will kept being added to the route to try keeping it to time.
diffywood
Member
still no start date for metro-bus
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/metrobus-launch-still-unclear-bosses-470443
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/metrobus-launch-still-unclear-bosses-470443
I think the fact that a lot of the dedicated roads are nowhere near finished is more of an issue than a couple of ticket machines really!
However it's the right approach not to anounce a date until they're sure they can deliver it, dispite what the post want!
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
It's almost like the Post have some sort of populist, anti Metrobus agenda....
Agree - get it all sorted and then press the button rather than go off half cocked!
diffywood
Member
Somerset County Council was notified by Coombs Travel on Tuesday (October 3) that it would "be ceasing to operate" services from yesterday (October 4) - including eight school bus contracts across Somerset.
http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/somerset-bus-company-reaches-out-579274
http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/somerset-bus-company-reaches-out-579274
I saw a Stagecoach bus on a Bristol urban service today (route 77). Timetable doesn't seem to be online yet but according to Travelwest seems to be the same hourly service according to the text description. Where are the buses based out of, does anyone have an idea of the fares? Are Stagecoach planning on expanding in the area?
Marcus Fryer
Member
- Joined
- 27 Dec 2014
- Messages
- 892
If you look at the Stagecoach West & South Wales forum you'll see plenty on this and other South Gloucestershire services that Stagecoach have been running since 4 September. They are running out of the SGBC depot at Patchway.
diffywood
Member
just noticed this
Section 3.5– Cancellations of Existing Services
PH1107086/26
CROSVILLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, UNIT 2, WESTLAND
DISTRIBUTION PARK, WESTON - SUPER - MARE, BS24 9AB
Operating between TESCO, BURNHAM - ON - SEA and THE BOTOUGH,
WEDMORE given service number 67 effective from 12 November 2017.
PH1107086/27
CROSVILLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, UNIT 2, WESTLAND
DISTRIBUTION PARK, WESTON - SUPER - MARE, BS24 9AB
Operating between Bridgewater Bus Station and Axbridge Town Hall given service
number 66 effective from 12 November 2017.
PH1107086/24
CROSVILLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, UNIT 2, WESTLAND
DISTRIBUTION PARK, WESTON - SUPER - MARE, BS24 9AB
Operating between Weston super Mare, Regent Street and Bridgewater College
given service number 62 effective from 12 November 2017.
Section 3.5– Cancellations of Existing Services
PH1107086/26
CROSVILLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, UNIT 2, WESTLAND
DISTRIBUTION PARK, WESTON - SUPER - MARE, BS24 9AB
Operating between TESCO, BURNHAM - ON - SEA and THE BOTOUGH,
WEDMORE given service number 67 effective from 12 November 2017.
PH1107086/27
CROSVILLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, UNIT 2, WESTLAND
DISTRIBUTION PARK, WESTON - SUPER - MARE, BS24 9AB
Operating between Bridgewater Bus Station and Axbridge Town Hall given service
number 66 effective from 12 November 2017.
PH1107086/24
CROSVILLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, UNIT 2, WESTLAND
DISTRIBUTION PARK, WESTON - SUPER - MARE, BS24 9AB
Operating between Weston super Mare, Regent Street and Bridgewater College
given service number 62 effective from 12 November 2017.
At least it wont effect their Bridgwater services!