Nottingham City Transport

[SCH117X]

Loss of the 3 means the final nail in the coffin the former Barton 14/54 which once ran upto every 10 minutes. Much key custom having been taken by the 10. Whilst they are saying custom has been taken by the tram its a quite a walk from parts of the route no longer served. Also surprised the the main use of the 3A is stated as being Silverdale to Clifton

 

[LeoJBH]

The only thing I thought would happen is the 57 would go to that new estate next to that roundabout on mapperley plains (near the crematorium). Also technically the N26 isnt gone cuz the 26 is replacing it.

 

[edwin_m]

Loss of the 3 means the final nail in the coffin the former Barton 14/54 which once ran upto every 10 minutes. Much key custom having been taken by the 10. Whilst they are saying custom has been taken by the tram its a quite a walk from parts of the route no longer served. Also surprised the the main use of the 3A is stated as being Silverdale to Clifton

The 8 will still serve Boundary Road but not later in the evenings (when the nearest bus is the 7 on Melton Road, this might improve if the 7 and 8 are ultimately through-routed). They note the 10 is nearest for Southern Cemetery but it's further away than the current stop on the 8/9. Kinch 9 will still serve the part of Loughborough Road that NCT doesn't, and now has a number clash at more stops.

 

[joieman]

The 8 will still serve Boundary Road but not later in the evenings (when the nearest bus is the 7 on Melton Road, this might improve if the 7 and 8 are ultimately through-routed). They note the 10 is nearest for Southern Cemetery but it's further away than the current stop on the 8/9. Kinch 9 will still serve the part of Loughborough Road that NCT doesn't, and now has a number clash at more stops.

Does anyone intend to do anything about the duplicate numbering?

 

[SCH117X]

The 8 will still serve Boundary Road but not later in the evenings (when the nearest bus is the 7 on Melton Road, this might improve if the 7 and 8 are ultimately through-routed). They note the 10 is nearest for Southern Cemetery but it's further away than the current stop on the 8/9. Kinch 9 will still serve the part of Loughborough Road that NCT doesn't, and now has a number clash at more stops.

That may the case but the 3/14/54 go/went via Wilford to Ruddington

 

[edwin_m]

That may the case but the 3/14/54 go/went via Wilford to Ruddington

Wilford area is very well served by the tram.

Looking at their times at Victoria Centre, I think the 7 and 9 are interworking. Also the times of the 7 and the 8 no longer look compatible with them being combined into a circular.

 

[Deerfold]

Does anyone intend to do anything about the duplicate numbering?

Who do you suggest? Kinch and NCT don't seem to have any interest in avoiding it.

 

[edwin_m]

Who do you suggest? Kinch and NCT don't seem to have any interest in avoiding it.

It's something EMCCA really ought to tackle, especially now two of the three routes serving Ruddington will have the same number. Kinch reverting to their old number of 99 would put it outside NCT's number range.

 

[joieman]

It's something EMCCA really ought to tackle, especially now two of the three routes serving Ruddington will have the same number. Kinch reverting to their old number of 99 would put it outside NCT's number range.

Kinchbus seem to prefer low route numbers, probably for being more memorable, but there aren't really any other low route numbers available as all the numbers below 13 are taken up either at the Nottingham end or the Loughborough end, or even both.

(Also, I think the 99 was Arriva's number rather than Kinchbus's.)

 

[Andyh82]

They are displayed as a 9 in either a green box or a yellow box on bus stop flags in the Nottingham area to differentiate

 

[Eloise]

The 99 goes back to Midland Fox days from memory, and through to Coalville.

Back to NCT. The 16C is a remnant of a phase of peak extensions around some estates, there was one north of Flamsteed Road at Strelley, the 501 used to do the circuit of Snape Wood, Greenhill Road in Bakersfield... Not surprised by the 57. I have a vested interest in that route and asked NCT once if they would consider the 56 double running to the Newcombe Drive terminus once an hour but they declined. Obviously no demand there. Maybe the same extending anything to Catfoot Lane. Looking at Google Maps the new house are not that far from Howbeck Road and the 59 given a cut through, and uphill walk home. Doubt there is enough there to warrant a bus service.

I can understand simplifying things, I'm surprised the 16C lasted as long as it has and it is probably carrying fresh air, albeit maybe at a marginal cost but all the little bits add up. Looking at the 53, 54, 55 changes has blown my mind to be honest, that seems overly complicated!

As an aside the 56, 58 and 59 have remained completely unchanged since about 1983/4 with the exception of city centre road changes. North of the Vic Centre they are unchanged. 16 and 17 too.

 

[edwin_m]

Kinchbus seem to prefer low route numbers, probably for being more memorable, but there aren't really any other low route numbers available as all the numbers below 13 are taken up either at the Nottingham end or the Loughborough end, or even both.

(Also, I think the 99 was Arriva's number rather than Kinchbus's.)

Seems to me 99 is just as memorable as 9, especially as it was previously the number for this part of the route. I'm not sure that formerly belonging to an operator that has no interest in running it today is a reason not to re-use the number.

The 99 goes back to Midland Fox days from memory, and through to Coalville.

Back in the day there was an X99 all the way to Birmingham, but this appears to have gone via Long Eaton not Loughborough.

They are displayed as a 9 in either a green box or a yellow box on bus stop flags in the Nottingham area to differentiate

They are, but not particularly distinctive. It's this sort of confusion that makes those that might use the bus by choice conclude they are confusing and irrelevant.

 

[Deerfold]

It's something EMCCA really ought to tackle, especially now two of the three routes serving Ruddington will have the same number. Kinch reverting to their old number of 99 would put it outside NCT's number range.

Do they have any powers to tackle this?

 

[edwin_m]

Do they have any powers to tackle this?

Not sure - they are taking over transport in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire but Leicestershire opted out so I'm not sure who is responsible for cross-border operations that are based in Leics.

 

[SCH117X]

Not sure - they are taking over transport in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire but Leicestershire opted out so I'm not sure who is responsible for cross-border operations that are based in Leics.

https://democracy.eastmidlands-cca.gov.uk/documents/s3250/Transition of Bus Operations Functions.pdf says

4.1 EMCCA now oversees bus service delivery, contract management and partnerships with private bus
operators. It also manages funding and subsidies to support bus services where required, including
negotiating arrangements for cross-boundary services with neighbouring authorities on all its borders
such as with Transport for Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire MCA. Existing bus service contracts
have been transferred on 31st January 2026 and those due to end in the months up to transition have
been extended to ensure there is no impact on service continuity.

 

[Andyh82]

Is there any evidence of confusion, or just enthusiasts who like everything in an orderly fashion, think there is confusion?

 

[edwin_m]

https://democracy.eastmidlands-cca.gov.uk/documents/s3250/Transition of Bus Operations Functions.pdf says

However, Leicestershire isn't in one of the Mayoral combined authorities, so this may not apply to them.

Is there any evidence of confusion, or just enthusiasts who like everything in an orderly fashion, think there is confusion?

Could be the other way round - enthusiasts would be aware of the difference but the general public less so.

 

[SCH117X]

However, Leicestershire isn't in one of the Mayoral combined authorities, so this may not apply to them.

Leicestershire would fall under the reference of working with neighbouring authorities on cross-boundary routes

 

[Deerfold]

Not sure - they are taking over transport in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire but Leicestershire opted out so I'm not sure who is responsible for cross-border operations that are based in Leics.

Transport bodies in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire couldn't have done anything about duplicated numbers. Why would the new body have these powers?

 

[joieman]

Transport bodies in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire couldn't have done anything about duplicated numbers. Why would the new body have these powers?

Obviously there must be some way that it can be done, as Leicester City Council, to name an example, have actually made an effort to do away with duplicate route numbers in Leicester.

Under the Leicester Buses enhanced partnership, Arriva withdrew their service 14 (Leicester to Kirby Frith) that directly competed with First's services 14/14A and renumbered their service 26 (then Leicester to Coalville) the 28, while Centrebus ceased running their service 54A that competed with First's service 54, while taking over First's service 22.

 

[SCH117X]

Duplicated bus service numbers have historically existed in Nottingham; the general lack of them today is down to TrentBarton not using numbers for most services. Bartons numbeing was 1 upwards as was Nottinghams so numerous totally different services coexisted with the same numbering, Some shared the same route in part notably the 12, 14 and 24 over Trent Bridge.
The same issue exists in Leeds as a result of Transdev Harrogate renumbering their 77 (previously 770 ) service to 7 while First Leeds have a totally different 7 which does briefly share the same route.

 

[Andyh82]

How Nottingham’s bus network works is fairly well established. It’s not like if it was First Nottingham where they would have gone from no branding to coloured branding to back to not having branding and having all the colours mixed up umpteen times over the same 20 years or so since Nottingham introduced their Go2 network.

The vehicles might have changed but the NCT 9 has been a green bus for yonks now.

Therefore I doubt there is any confusion on the ground.

 

[adrianjohnson]

Therefore I doubt there is any confusion on the ground.

I've been on a Kinchbus 9 and another passenger wondered why it was going the "wrong way" as they thought it was the NCT 9. The key thing about the confusion here is not just the same number but that they also share the same route in some places. If they went to opposite ends of Nottingham that might be easier.

 

[edwin_m]

The vehicles might have changed but the NCT 9 has been a green bus for yonks now.

The current NCT route has run since 2005 but I don't recall if the predecessor took the number 9.

The Loughborough 9 has been turquoise, red and now blue and yellow.

 

[Deerfold]

Obviously there must be some way that it can be done, as Leicester City Council, to name an example, have actually made an effort to do away with duplicate route numbers in Leicester.

Under the Leicester Buses enhanced partnership, Arriva withdrew their service 14 (Leicester to Kirby Frith) that directly competed with First's services 14/14A and renumbered their service 26 (then Leicester to Coalville) the 28, while Centrebus ceased running their service 54A that competed with First's service 54, while taking over First's service 22.

Yes. There's an enhanced partnership.

However that seems to be more about reducing competition, rather than ensuring route numbers are unique.

 

[38291018]

The current NCT route has run since 2005 but I don't recall if the predecessor took the number 9.

The Loughborough 9 has been turquoise, red and now blue and yellow.

As I understand from googling around the history of Loughborough to Nottingham being x99/99/red9/kinch9 has stemed from 1987 with the story I have wrote below...

This is important later but in 1929 Midland red started a X99 Birmingham to Nottingham service via Tamworth, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Castle Donington and Long Eaton.

In 1981 Midland red was broken up into 4 companies (Midland red east, Midland red north, Midland Red south, and Midland red west)
Midland red east covered Leicestershire, south Derbyshire and east Staffordshire (Midland Fox in 1984) and Midland red north (now arriva Midland north) covered Staffordshire, Shropshire and parts of the West Midlands.
This ment the X99 which ran through Midland Red North and Midland Fox territory now was jointly operated by coalvile and Tamworth depots respectively.

In 1986, Midland fox started the 128 which went Coalville-Loughborough

In 1987 Midland fox then integrated it with the X99 Birmingham to Nottingham service as Midland Red North pulled back of the route, so Midland Fox rerouted the 128 from Coalville to nottingham via Loughborough and split the X99, which then ran via Coalville and Loughborough creating a new diverted version of the X99 now providing combined frequencys between the x99 and local Midland Fox routes like the 125, 127, and 128.

In 1989 the long distance X99 birmingham segment was dropped so they renumbered the short Coalville to Nottingham 128 journeys as the 99 route.

Then in the 1990s Arriva swallowed up Midland Fox and kept the 99 number as it was untill it got axed in 2009 replacing part of its service with the 126, which went from Coalville to Leicester.

In 2009 premier then took it over operating Loughborough to Nottingham originally as X9 later red9.

Following premiers collapse in 2013, Kinch then took over it as there number 9.

In conclusion since around 1987 Loughborough to Nottingham had the X99 (birmingham service when lomgeaton was dropped and was combined woth other local services) then 1989 it has the 99 from Coalville to nottingham lasting to 2009 then premier took it on as there X9/red9 then kinch got it following premiers collapse in 2013

 

[Eloise]

Think we need to weigh up how big an issue this is vs expense to make the change. All the timetables would need redoing and physical bus stops and any branding, behind the scenes stuff in planning etc.

 

[LeoJBH]

They are displayed as a 9 in either a green box or a yellow box on bus stop flags in the Nottingham area to differentiate

I guess also showing the bus company on the new bus screens helps too (idk these are in place in duplicate areas)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 May 2026 ==

How Nottingham’s bus network works is fairly well established. It’s not like if it was First Nottingham where they would have gone from no branding to coloured branding to back to not having branding and having all the colours mixed up umpteen times over the same 20 years or so since Nottingham introduced their Go2 network.

The vehicles might have changed but the NCT 9 has been a green bus for yonks now.

Therefore I doubt there is any confusion on the ground.

Even before the branding buses were green

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 May 2026 ==

Also I guess it could have been easier to make the 8 go to clifton and Ruddington and the 9 go to wilford Hill, but this would make the layout, as going from east to west it goes 5 to 10.

 

[joieman]

As I understand from googling around the history of Loughborough to Nottingham being x99/99/red9/kinch9 has stemed from 1987 with the story I have wrote below...

This is important later but in 1929 Midland red started a X99 Birmingham to Nottingham service via Tamworth, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Castle Donington and Long Eaton.

In 1981 Midland red was broken up into 4 companies (Midland red east, Midland red north, Midland Red south, and Midland red west)
Midland red east covered Leicestershire, south Derbyshire and east Staffordshire (Midland Fox in 1984) and Midland red north (now arriva Midland north) covered Staffordshire, Shropshire and parts of the West Midlands.
This ment the X99 which ran through Midland Red North and Midland Fox territory now was jointly operated by coalvile and Tamworth depots respectively.

In 1986, Midland fox started the 128 which went Coalville-Loughborough

In 1987 Midland fox then integrated it with the X99 Birmingham to Nottingham service as Midland Red North pulled back of the route, so Midland Fox rerouted the 128 from Coalville to nottingham via Loughborough and split the X99, which then ran via Coalville and Loughborough creating a new diverted version of the X99 now providing combined frequencys between the x99 and local Midland Fox routes like the 125, 127, and 128.

In 1989 the long distance X99 birmingham segment was dropped so they renumbered the short Coalville to Nottingham 128 journeys as the 99 route.

Then in the 1990s Arriva swallowed up Midland Fox and kept the 99 number as it was untill it got axed in 2009 replacing part of its service with the 126, which went from Coalville to Leicester.

In 2009 premier then took it over operating Loughborough to Nottingham originally as X9 later red9.

Following premiers collapse in 2013, Kinch then took over it as there number 9.

In conclusion since around 1987 Loughborough to Nottingham had the X99 (birmingham service when lomgeaton was dropped and was combined woth other local services) then 1989 it has the 99 from Coalville to nottingham lasting to 2009 then premier took it on as there X9/red9 then kinch got it following premiers collapse in 2013

Kinchbus briefly ran the 9 in competition with Premiere before pulling out prior to Premiere's collapse

 

[callum3490]

NCT have announced on facebook that the omnidekkas will be withdrawn after this coming Saturday, they will spend a final day in service on the 48 this Saturday before being withdrawn