Diamond seem to be following the same patterns of streamlining and rationalisation in Kidderminster and Redditch i.e. reduced frequency and combining two or three services into one.DD12 wrote: ↑21:00 Friday 6th September 2019TIM -- -- an opportunity for Diamond ??TimBrown wrote: ↑10:55 Friday 6th September 2019
Here is the link detailing the cuts;
https://www.firstgroup.com/worcestershi ... tober-2019
-- Ombersley Road -- London Road -- Norton Parkway -- Pershore ??
I think there is something in the average person's psyche that they will willingly use the bus if there is a regular 10 minute frequency and they don't need to use a timetable or hang about in the likes of Crowngate bus station waiting for up to an hour for a return service. A car is always waiting and ready to move on demand, so infrequent buses become the last resort of the elderly, single mums and schoolchildren.
Many fit erstwhile bus passengers in my neck of the woods use 'shanks's pony' to and from the city now. You even see loads of people walking up and down Rainbow Hill/Brickfields area because of bunching and unreliability of supposed 10 minute frequency 'Nimrod' 35.
I am not convinced that Diamond vehicles are up to scratch with regards to maintenance - still getting reports of buses leaving Kidderminster failing a few hundred yards from the bus station and the same happening with the replacement with all passengers having to catch the next bus running an hour later on 303. Worried that the passenger levels on the 303 seemed to be much lower last week when I had a trip over to Kidderminster compared to say twelve months ago, so just hope Diamond maintain their hourly service when First desert the 37 for good in a few months time. What a an unspeakable mess!
The cynic in me asks the question, will the announced cuts reduce the fleet by the nine Streetlite Max buses earmarked for the Leicester CAZ in 2020 thus obviating the need for more dirty exhaust Citaros?