Wirral Bus Network Review

[iMarkeh]

RE: Wirral Bus Network Review

(28/06/2020 21:04)Jw88 Wrote:  Just seen online the respones from the wirral bus review, Merseytravel got quite a bit of criticism this time. frequent routes that were mentioned included the 16/16A/17, 22, 38/38A, 81, 91 and the 492/495 There was also mention of the lost links e.g. Heswall to Clatterbridge, evenings and sundays between Heswall and West Kirby, etc.

Link: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/6...sthrough=1

I'm very glad I put in that FOI and having read through the majority (back when the response came through), it was interesting to see the common themes and to be fair, there were a LOT of them. Commercial and tendered services.

The Avon 10/10A was the most requested as well as lots of complaints of overcrowded buses (which is an interesting claim. Why aren't Arriva and Stagecoach putting more buses on when they are overcrowded as surely you end up leaving passengers behind. They complain when passenger numbers go down but don't adapt to overcrowded buses.

Quote:216/217 routes could be withdrawn as there is no equivalent commercial service any more and tinker with other routes to cover the holes from existing services whether they be contracted journeys or de minimus journeys on coimmercial services.

After spending quite a bit of time analysing timetables, I found most of the 216/217s were useless between Birkenhead and Arrowe Park via Noctorum as they were duplicated by the 418. Woodchurch has no bus during the day normally to Arrowe Park but has plenty of buses to/from Birkenhead. The only area which loses out with with no replacement buses is Oxton.

I do think that this review may result in some decent changes to the Wirral buses. A lot of proverbial has hit the fan with the Wirral network over the past few years and this is the first review since Avon ceased so with any luck, the people will be listened to.