Merseytravel Timetable Changes

[YN05 WKE]

RE: Merseytravel Timetable Changes

(30/01/2014 21:52)St Helens Rider Wrote:  Didn't help with Warrington Coachways being known as either Warrington Coachways or Nuttalls - major cause for confusion.

could have been worse could have said Bennetts, and Nuttles and Warrington Coachways hahaha

[mr t]

RE: Merseytravel Timetable Changes
Im not a big fan of this new style changes advert its too brief - it says the 145 is having "timetable changes" but in fact its only 1 journey, then recent "timetable changes" are only minor mid journey changes to the 60 and 61 Halton, and 2 extra journeys on the 81s, people will think the whole service is changing and probably panic to find out what it is and then 1 extra journey on the 68 by Peoplesbus but it is a "New service" with no detail.
Then the real new services like the X3 and 264 last week - where do they go? its not advertising itself - not many people have time to go on the internet to download bus timetables especially if they are reading the echo or metro on the bus, not everyone has the internet especially the old dears, just give us more information like the original styles were fine . The information seems to have gone too internet focussed now, if its a "route Change" then come on, give us some detail like on the 80 is it in Speke or town and the 14A Croxteth or wherever? They may as well just send us to the VOSA website as they give just as much detail, as people get excited by new services that are just one journey or timetable changes that are one journey!

[television]

RE: Merseytravel Timetable Changes

(30/01/2014 21:19)F255ytj Wrote:  

(30/01/2014 14:01)St Helens Rider Wrote:  Only copying what Merseytravwl are circulating so there must be some confusion at Mann Island - then again these services are out in the sticks to them.

People not reading things properly again...


Merseytravel have got it spot on. Television has too by reading the timetable.

Thanks! I guess it helped being paid to read timetables for many years!

[wirralbus]

RE: Merseytravel Timetable Changes

(30/01/2014 22:48)mr t Wrote:  Im not a big fan of this new style changes advert its too brief - it says the 145 is having "timetable changes" but in fact its only 1 journey, then recent "timetable changes" are only minor mid journey changes to the 60 and 61 Halton, and 2 extra journeys on the 81s, people will think the whole service is changing and probably panic to find out what it is and then 1 extra journey on the 68 by Peoplesbus but it is a "New service" with no detail.
Then the real new services like the X3 and 264 last week - where do they go? its not advertising itself - not many people have time to go on the internet to download bus timetables especially if they are reading the echo or metro on the bus, not everyone has the internet especially the old dears, just give us more information like the original styles were fine . The information seems to have gone too internet focussed now, if its a "route Change" then come on, give us some detail like on the 80 is it in Speke or town and the 14A Croxteth or wherever? They may as well just send us to the VOSA website as they give just as much detail, as people get excited by new services that are just one journey or timetable changes that are one journey!

I agree with you , the timetable alteration notices by Merseytravel are a backward step .

[F255ytj]

RE: Merseytravel Timetable Changes

(30/01/2014 22:48)mr t Wrote:  Im not a big fan of this new style changes advert its too brief - it says the 145 is having "timetable changes" but in fact its only 1 journey, then recent "timetable changes" are only minor mid journey changes to the 60 and 61 Halton, and 2 extra journeys on the 81s, people will think the whole service is changing and probably panic to find out what it is and then 1 extra journey on the 68 by Peoplesbus but it is a "New service" with no detail.
Then the real new services like the X3 and 264 last week - where do they go? its not advertising itself - not many people have time to go on the internet to download bus timetables especially if they are reading the echo or metro on the bus, not everyone has the internet especially the old dears, just give us more information like the original styles were fine . The information seems to have gone too internet focussed now, if its a "route Change" then come on, give us some detail like on the 80 is it in Speke or town and the 14A Croxteth or wherever? They may as well just send us to the VOSA website as they give just as much detail, as people get excited by new services that are just one journey or timetable changes that are one journey!

Maybe that's the plan mr t, Make people find out more info and pick up a timetable.
The advert says you can download a copy, pick up from travel centre, ring up for a free copy to be posted to you or email. And I see you can sign up to an email every week now, so it's never been easier to get info as far as I can see. People are going to get a new timetable anyway so why waste a load of money filling the newspapers with the same words that's on a timetable?

And don't forget. 'Normal' people don't know what vosa is. They're just customers who use a bus and don't care about all the things that everyone on here talks about. They just want to catch a bus and get info about it which as far as I can see, the adverts in the paper do the job just fine.

[wirralbus]

RE: Merseytravel Timetable Changes

(31/01/2014 08:15)F255ytj Wrote:  

(30/01/2014 22:48)mr t Wrote:  Im not a big fan of this new style changes advert its too brief - it says the 145 is having "timetable changes" but in fact its only 1 journey, then recent "timetable changes" are only minor mid journey changes to the 60 and 61 Halton, and 2 extra journeys on the 81s, people will think the whole service is changing and probably panic to find out what it is and then 1 extra journey on the 68 by Peoplesbus but it is a "New service" with no detail.
Then the real new services like the X3 and 264 last week - where do they go? its not advertising itself - not many people have time to go on the internet to download bus timetables especially if they are reading the echo or metro on the bus, not everyone has the internet especially the old dears, just give us more information like the original styles were fine . The information seems to have gone too internet focussed now, if its a "route Change" then come on, give us some detail like on the 80 is it in Speke or town and the 14A Croxteth or wherever? They may as well just send us to the VOSA website as they give just as much detail, as people get excited by new services that are just one journey or timetable changes that are one journey!

Maybe that's the plan mr t, Make people find out more info and pick up a timetable.
The advert says you can download a copy, pick up from travel centre, ring up for a free copy to be posted to you or email. And I see you can sign up to an email every week now, so it's never been easier to get info as far as I can see. People are going to get a new timetable anyway so why waste a load of money filling the newspapers with the same words that's on a timetable?

And don't forget. 'Normal' people don't know what vosa is. They're just customers who use a bus and don't care about all the things that everyone on here talks about. They just want to catch a bus and get info about it which as far as I can see, the adverts in the paper do the job just fine.

Some people just want a brief idea what is going on with the service and that is what happened with the old set up , but the way the new way it is produced is not really fit for purpose if it just says operator changed and you then have to find out who the new operator is , the name off the game is to give as much information at the first port of call which used to be the press advert .

[Sprinterdriver]

RE: Merseytravel Timetable Changes
Ooooo! Tetchy!

Looking at it on the website it could be read either way. It would be much better if it said something like:

156: Now operated by xxxxxxxxxx

Did Nuttalls run anything interesting on it?

SD.

(30/01/2014 21:19)F255ytj Wrote:  

(30/01/2014 14:01)St Helens Rider Wrote:  Only copying what Merseytravwl are circulating so there must be some confusion at Mann Island - then again these services are out in the sticks to them.

People not reading things properly again...

The "run for Merseytravel by..." Shown in the newspaper advert and online relates to the current operator of the service. In this case, it was nuttalls.
On the Travel News Update section on the Merseytravel website you then click the service number to show the timetable where you can read the full change.

Then if you actually look in the timetable you'll see who runs each trip. The little M symbol relates to a code who tells you who runs each journey.

Merseytravel have got it spot on. Television has too by reading the timetable.

[mr t]

RE: Merseytravel Timetable Changes
Well at least some people agree I know i get the info from Merseytravel, and here, and VOSA, but I would say the vast majority of passengers (that is probably mostly the kids and older folk) dont come on here or VOSA, and if anything the Merseytravel website unless they know what they get told what to look for - people on the bus who see the advert in Metro or the Echo cant exactly go on the webstie can they, and if yes they can go to a travel centre but only if they are on the way to town - in the old adverts it clearly stated what was changing and when and if it was new then it gave details - joe public like to be reassured, if they see "timetable changes" or "route changes" they instantly think the whole route or timetable is changing when it fact it is only 1 road or journey. If a service is changing operator, then who this new operator? It seems to create an unneecssary fear and confusion and not everyone will remember to check the website when they get home.
Yes words and dates are often repeated in the normal ads - this can still be reduced with the summarised headings of timetable changes/route changes and from dates - My example would be

Timetable changes
145 - 0741 journey runs 5 minutes earlier
60 - Some midjourney times revised
61 - Eazbius Sunday journeys retimed
360 - Frequency Increased
Route Changes
14A - evening journeys rerouted in Croxteth
168 - rerouted to omit Thomas Lane
80A - curtailed at Liverpool Airport no longer serving Speke
Operator Changes
129 now run by Eazibus
156 am /256 now run by Fairbrothers
New services
X3 run by Stagecoach linking Scotland Road, Everton, Fazakerley and Kirkby every 30 minutes daytimes.

I think that style is still far quicker and less repetitve than the old way but gets the message across

[wirralbus]

RE: Merseytravel Timetable Changes

(31/01/2014 13:31)mr t Wrote:  Well at least some people agree I know i get the info from Merseytravel, and here, and VOSA, but I would say the vast majority of passengers (that is probably mostly the kids and older folk) dont come on here or VOSA, and if anything the Merseytravel website unless they know what they get told what to look for - people on the bus who see the advert in Metro or the Echo cant exactly go on the webstie can they, and if yes they can go to a travel centre but only if they are on the way to town - in the old adverts it clearly stated what was changing and when and if it was new then it gave details - joe public like to be reassured, if they see "timetable changes" or "route changes" they instantly think the whole route or timetable is changing when it fact it is only 1 road or journey. If a service is changing operator, then who this new operator? It seems to create an unneecssary fear and confusion and not everyone will remember to check the website when they get home.
Yes words and dates are often repeated in the normal ads - this can still be reduced with the summarised headings of timetable changes/route changes and from dates - My example would be

Timetable changes
145 - 0741 journey runs 5 minutes earlier
60 - Some midjourney times revised
61 - Eazbius Sunday journeys retimed
360 - Frequency Increased
Route Changes
14A - evening journeys rerouted in Croxteth
168 - rerouted to omit Thomas Lane
80A - curtailed at Liverpool Airport no longer serving Speke
Operator Changes
129 now run by Eazibus
156 am /256 now run by Fairbrothers
New services
X3 run by Stagecoach linking Scotland Road, Everton, Fazakerley and Kirkby every 30 minutes daytimes.

I think that style is still far quicker and less repetitve than the old way but gets the message across

In a way yes that set up could work as well by heading them up with the main alteration as a heading with a briefer idea beside the route number , one problem still is duplicate route numbers there isnt many now in the Merseytravel area would have to have the area bracketed .

To be honest some people like it the way it was , some people like it the way it is now and some would change it again , you are never going to please all of the people all of the time are we ?

[mr t]

RE: Merseytravel Timetable Changes
But everyone was pleased with the old way (werent they?) so if it aint broke dont fix it kind of thing. Maybe they need to have 2 style adverts, one online like the new one that links to the timetables, but the weekly paper/Echo/Metro ones definitely need to stick the old format.