Future Services - suggestions

Bus and Coach operations, new or changed services and timetables for First Midland Red Buses Limited or its predecessor, Midland Red West Limited.
TimBrown
Posts: 1280
Joined: 05:59 Monday 4th July 2016
Location: Worcester

Re: Future Services - suggestions

Post by TimBrown » 09:38 Monday 6th March 2017

marck wrote:
11:34 Sunday 5th March 2017
Living & working in Perdiswell all I hear from locals is the lack of service 36's in the afternoon to and from Warndon & Hospital maybe a couple of extra in the afternoon would be helpful? Especially as the new swimming pool is now open, any thoughts on this?
Service 36 is a real shocker and has been a bone of contention with me for some time. The original circular route was a boon when it ran early in the morning. Though disabled, I used to walk from Grange Avenue to the top of Bilford Road to catch a bus at about 06-45 or 07-15 which took me straight to the hospital in about 25 minutes. This was ideal for early appointments, and with no need to change buses only one fare had to be paid. Now it takes two buses (one into Crowngate and one from Crowngate to hospital) and two fares before 09-30. The only reason I still use the bus is the lack of car parking space and cost of parking if the visit overruns, as it often does in our overcrowded hospital clinics. As for the new Swimming Pool, I guess most people drop their kids off by car and the rest use the 144 or the LMS 39 to Bilford Road 'Post Office' and walk back to the venue. Does the 36 carry anyone now it is only off-peak and reduced to hourly?

User avatar
AdamH
Posts: 2044
Joined: 12:17 Sunday 3rd July 2016
Location: Worcester
Contact:

Re: Future Services - suggestions

Post by AdamH » 14:01 Monday 6th March 2017

Very few people use it. I did a head count the other day and three people used the bus from the city to a location between Droitwich Road and Blackpole, and one from Warndon to the Hospital. There were others on the bus but all could have used the 144 or 35 to make the same journey.

The return journey was slightly better with one from Tesco to Droitwich Road, and about 8 from Warndon to the Bilford Road and Droitwich Road areas, or from Bilford Road to the City.

The Perdiswell and Bilford Road part of the city has always been very quiet and buses along there have run with Council funding ever since the old 36, 36A, 38 and 38A group of circular routes were withdrawn... remember the W2 and W3 park and ride circulars, which later became the X22 and X23, then finally the 31C and 31A? That money was stopped a while ago leaving First to try and make a commercial success from the area.

From what I'm told the route was just about in the black when it ran only between the City and Warndon, but since being extended to the Hospital it has slipped in to the red. The route had been ear-marked to be withdrawn on 22nd April, but the Council have stepped in with funding that has moved that deadline to September. I'm sure they will be watching the passenger numbers very closely between now and then, but the future of the route now lies with the local authority.

With local elections on the horizon, maybe now would be a good time to write to the newspaper and complain about the poor service in the area.

Post Reply

Return to “Services, Routes and Timetables”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests