St Helens Bus Network Review (2018)

[motormayhem1]

RE: St Helens Bus Network Review (2018)

(12/09/2018 19:54)RedPanda Wrote:  What was the frequency on Gaskell Street back in 2006 roughly? I can hardly see it being frequent and Arriva on there.

Years ago it was hourly 22 and hourly 22A to a combined 30 min frequency if my memory serves me right.

[Bevan Price]

RE: St Helens Bus Network Review (2018)
I live in the Eccleston area, and in my opinion, it would be a waste of money to reinstate 137/138, 194/195. Passenger numbers were never high when I saw it, especially between Eccleston & Prescot.

As for the 38, rerouting via Kiln Lane & Bleak Hill Road was potentially more useful than the (now reinstated) direct route via Rainford Road, because a lot more people live closer to the Kiln Lane route than to Rainford Road (which has the crematorium on one side of the road, and a lot of rather expensive / "posh" houses on the other side (the type of area that generally has low bus usage.) The main problem is that the running time via Kiln Lane was inadequate if there was traffic congestion (due to roadworks, etc.), and "lateness" sometimes increased steadily throughout the day - these problems could have been eased by a cross-town link of 38 with another service (e.g. 20, 320 Ashton or 329 Warrington). The new 38B could be better timed - at present it is almost on the tail of the 37 for much of the route, so probably only gets good passenger loads if the 37 is late (and then follows the 38B out of town.)

And St. Helens as a whole -- well, in my opinion, things have gone downhill steadily ever since St. Helens Corporation buses were dragged into Merseyside PTE, and have got even worse since Arriva took over -- fewer buses, earlier finishes, evening or sunday services worse (or non-existent) in some areas....

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: St Helens Bus Network Review (2018)
I was a regular user of the 137/138 and have to say it did get quite busy, i did the 194 regular as i knew the driver and that was always dead

[St Helens Rider]

RE: St Helens Bus Network Review (2018)

(12/09/2018 19:54)RedPanda Wrote:  What was the frequency on Gaskell Street back in 2006 roughly? I can hardly see it being frequent and Arriva on there.

22 was half hourly in the daytime. In the evening and Sunday was strange situation as well as the 121/122, 196 also served the area bringing the service up to 3 buses (the evening and Sunday situation continued until the review of 2016).

[St Helens Rider]

RE: St Helens Bus Network Review (2018)

(12/09/2018 20:15)motormayhem1 Wrote:  Years ago it was hourly 22 and hourly 22A to a combined 30 min frequency if my memory serves me right.

Beat me to it MM but I have also mentioned the strange Evening & Sunday frequency in my reply (including the 196).

[St Helens Rider]

RE: St Helens Bus Network Review (2018)
[quote='Bevan Price' pid='121394' dateline='1536784597']

And St. Helens as a whole -- well, in my opinion, things have gone downhill steadily ever since St. Helens Corporation buses were dragged into Merseyside PTE, and have got even worse since Arriva took over -- fewer buses, earlier finishes, evening or sunday services worse (or non-existent) in some areas....
[/quote)

I definitely agree as regards things going downhill since Arriva took over - always seems like every change is a decrease in service or complete withdrawal. Sadly too young to remember the Corporation but as I was a teenager at dereg (won't say what age lol), I have witnessed the gradual decimation of services and would go as far as to say never known services as bad as they are now. I fear this latest review is an excuse to cut even more - time will tell.

[RedPanda]

RE: St Helens Bus Network Review (2018)

(12/09/2018 20:49)St Helens Rider Wrote:  Beat me to it MM but I have also mentioned the strange Evening & Sunday frequency in my reply (including the 196).

Thanks mm and St. Helens Rider

[St Helens Rider]

RE: St Helens Bus Network Review (2018)

(14/09/2018 17:59)RedPanda Wrote:  Thanks mm and St. Helens Rider

No worries.

[motormayhem1]

RE: St Helens Bus Network Review (2018)

(14/09/2018 17:59)RedPanda Wrote:  Thanks mm and St. Helens Rider

Anytime

[MTL0201]

RE: St Helens Bus Network Review (2018)
The 121/122, it was weird situation after the 22/22A were withdrawn, Dunriding Lane had a better evening & Sunday & bank holidays frequency than in the daytime, & earlier bus on Sunday than rest of the week.