FMR Service Changes September 2016

[AdamH]

OK, all the necessary paperwork has been filed in all the right places so I'm free to post a summary of the changes here. I don't have copies of the timetables yet.

Service 32
Minor timetable changes to add extra journeys between Worcester City Centre and St. Peter's to replace that section of the Service 382 on off-peak journeys that are withdrawn.

Service 33
Route extended from Glovers Needle to run via, Cranham Drive, B4639 Cotswold Way, Blackpole Road, Windermere Drive, Tetbury Drive and Sheepscombe Drive back to the Glovers Needle. Then current route to City Centre. Service 33 will no longer connect with Service 36. Timetable adjusted to accommodate the route change but frequency remains the same.

Service 34
All journeys will run via Wainwright Road (along the current 34A route) on Monday-Saturday. No change on Sundays. The route number '34A' will become redundant and no longer used.

Service 36
Route extended to Worcestershire Royal Hospital during off-peak hours only. New timetable with hourly frequency.

Service 38
New timetable with 12-minute frequency (from 15-minute) and additional running time.

Service 382
Certain off-peak journeys withdrawn, including all Saturday journeys. Route changed to serve Birlingham between Pershore and Defford.

Service 420
Minor timetable changes with the morning journey departing 4 minutes later from Flaggoners Green. This will now connect with the DRM bus from Hereford which will terminate at Bromyard. Through tickets will be accepted by First for passengers who boarded the DRM bus between Hereford and Flaggoners Green. (DRM are also withdrawing one lunch time journey between Bromyard and Worcester).

Service 551
Most journeys that terminate at Upper Moor are extended to Lower Moor, with minor timetable changes to accommodate this. One notable exception is the 1035 from Worcester that will terminate at Pershore Broad Street and then operate a short Service 382 from Pershore to Eckington. This is to partly replace the 1005 Service 382 from Worcester which is withdrawn.

Schools
There are some changes... Details to follow.

[AdamH]

A correction to my above post...

Service 38 will have frequency reduced from 15-minutes to 12-minutes, not 10 as in my original post.

[AdamH]

Some additional information...

There will be timetable changes to Service 144 to try and help improve reliability. There has also been a review of the bus stops used by the 144 in Birmingham, and there are some changes.

I'll post more details about the Birmingham bus stops later.

[AdamH]

Quite surprised nobody has made any comments on these changes... Everybody happy then?!

A few additions...

Rugby Services X18 (Redditch) and X19 (Kidderminster) will not run next season, so there will no longer be the odd random photo of a First bus in Diamonds territory cropping up!

[MattW]

I made mine the other night

Maybe you should offer an express service from Bromyard to Hereford - you've got four spare seats and plenty of luggage space

[DD12]

Quite surprised nobody has made any comments on these changes... Everybody happy then?!

The forthcoming timetables are now on the First Worcestershire website (except for Schools).

I think the further reduction of the 382, and it's partial integration with the 551, was inevitable - especially bearing in mind that Astons "ditched it" completely.

The demise of the X18/19 gets rid of an awkward peak demand for 2 buses and 2 drivers on some Friday PMs.

"Everything is Heavenly !"

[DD12]

P.S. Notices + Proceedings was published today, and I was surprised there are no changes registered for the S1-S4, S23, S45 (yet).

(S55 was never registered as a public service - If I recall correctly).

[AdamH]

...I was surprised there are no changes registered for the S1-S4, S23, S45 (yet).

Were you expecting some? As far as I know the only change is to the S23 which is being downgraded from a double-deck to a single-deck. A change which does not require an update to the registration.

Meanwhile, New Service 382 Timetable now on this website.

[DD12]

...I was surprised there are no changes registered for the S1-S4, S23, S45 (yet).

Were you expecting some? As far as I know the only change is to the S23 which is being downgraded from a double-deck to a single-deck. A change which does not require an update to the registration.

Meanwhile, New Service 382 Timetable now on this website.

Thanks for that clarification/confirmation, Adam.

[TimBrown]

OK, all the necessary paperwork has been filed in all the right places so I'm free to post a summary of the changes here. I don't have copies of the timetables yet.

Service 36
Route extended to Worcestershire Royal Hospital during off-peak hours only. New timetable with hourly frequency.

Whilst driving back from town the other evening along Bilford Road I happened to to glance right towards Perdiswell and noticed that the huge new swimming pool building is nearing completion. It looks well in hand to meet the target opening at beginning of 2017. A brand new bus shelter has also appeared recently near the site entrance in anticipation of increased bus usage. In the name of good marketing is this September really the best time to reduce the 36 route frequency from every 30 minutes to hourly? Hopefully, First Worcester will change this in January, or February, to coincide with the grand opening and offer incentives to swimmers of all ages to use that service - perhaps not judged on past experience!