FMR Changes from Jan 2020.

[TimBrown]

The 144 is being reduced to an hourly service for most of the day, with the Cathills staying the same, and a service to Bromsgrove only in between.

A couple of points;

Does that mean that Catshill will be getting three buses an hour i.e. three at 15 minute intervals with a half hour gap? If so it might be prudent to run the short 144 services through to Catshill and maintain a regular 15 minute timetable frequency - at least on paper!

How many fewer buses will be required to operate the revised 144, and does it mean that some of the green 'Salt Road' Volvos will become spare in January 2020?

[ex MRW]

Off-peak it would require 2 less buses. The peak requirement is difficult to calculate without seeing the timetable.

[AdamH]

And I remember the days when the 144 ran direct between Bromsgrove and Birmingham without mucking about going over speed bumps around Catshill.

[asb]

Going round Catshill must have made the service less attractive than before. It probably needs the through buses omitting Catshill and Rubery, with a short working still serving them, but that will be tricky with a Worcester crewing base!

[AdamH]

When we ran the 144 direct and the 142 via Catshill you could hear the moans as you turned off the main road when working the 142. It’s only a few minutes on paper but it feels like a lifetime when you’re a passenger.

Just like diverting the X50 through the villages, it puts off the through passengers and now the X50 is direct again it’s doing OK. So I’m told.

[Charliedaffin]

X144 anyone

[chason]

And I remember the days when the 144 ran direct between Bromsgrove and Birmingham without mucking about going over speed bumps around Catshill.

And they lost a regular passenger in me as it's a 25 minute walk now from my home to catch a 144. Much easier to get the car out and drive to the station (Barnt Green or Bromsgrove).

[DD12]

With the Birmingham Clean Air zone due sometime in 2020, has First made a mistake in halving the frequency of the Bromsgrove + Birmingham section (144) ?

( But, later on, could we see the introduction of a revised service that caters for car owners who will no longer use their cars in + out of central B'ham ?)

( - And a different route / stopping places, compared to the train ?)

Time for some whizz-kid at STAGECOACH to get into the market, ( - like they have done in Bristol) ??

P.S. - The date given on Ns+Ps for the 144 changes is Jan 26th.

[ANDREW]

And I remember the days when the 144 ran direct between Bromsgrove and Birmingham without mucking about going over speed bumps around Catshill.

And further back , when the 143 went to Brum via The Lickeys.

[ANDREW]

Time for some whizz-kid at STAGECOACH to get into the market, ( - like they have done in Bristol) ??

Did not Diamond try competing on the 144 route some years ago - but with a different service number ??