Wirral Bus Network Review

[iMarkeh]

RE: Wirral Bus Network Review

(29/06/2020 14:36)H101GEV Wrote:  Out of interest, when did the 418 curtailment to New Ferry occur? That seems a surprising move and a virtual concession to Stagecoach as far as buses in South Wirral go.

Didn't it happen at the last Wirral Review where Arriva pulled out of south Wirral entirely (which then resulted in the 38 being extended to Eastham Ferry).

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Quote:216/217 routes could be withdrawn as there is no equivalent commercial service any more and tinker with other routes to cover the holes from existing services whether they be contracted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

[wirralbus]

RE: Wirral Bus Network Review
Im not sure where you can extract more buses from the same amount of buses and drivers at the two major operations on the Wirral.

It will be a rob Peter to pay Paul without another operator appearing on the Wirral.

[Raawwwrrr!]

RE: Wirral Bus Network Review

(29/06/2020 14:36)wirralbus Wrote:  Think Woodside and Hamilton Square Station are slowly becoming irrelevant , as a good majority of buses now dont operate down there any more , the centre of bus operations being Birkenhead Bus Station now.

I have always found it strange how well served Woodside has been over the last few years considering there’s not very much down there in the way of businesses, and it’s a reasonable walk to the town centre (Though could be better sign-posted for ferry leisure travellers).

Surely just one frequent route would suffice such as the 410 in both directions?

[iMarkeh]

RE: Wirral Bus Network Review

(29/06/2020 18:03)wirralbus Wrote:  Im not sure where you can extract more buses from the same amount of buses and drivers at the two major operations on the Wirral.

It will be a rob Peter to pay Paul without another operator appearing on the Wirral.

I think in some cases you are taking services away to put others in but as has been mentioned in this and other threads, some of the services barely carry anyone or the resources aren't used as efficiently as they could be. With some rejigging of the resources, you could get a much better network while inconveniencing very few people.

(29/06/2020 21:50)Raawwwrrr! Wrote:  I have always found it strange how well served Woodside has been over the last few years considering there’s not very much down there in the way of businesses, and it’s a reasonable walk to the town centre (Though could be better sign-posted for ferry leisure travellers).

Surely just one frequent route would suffice such as the 410 in both directions?

Woodside is very well served as you say. I don't think it's well served because people use the buses to/from there but more, it's a useful place to start/terminate buses since you can't really do that at Birkenhead Bus Station due to the lack of layover space. (Only 1 route officially terminates at Birkenhead Bus Station regularly and that is the 91. The 418 is officially down as a circular so the bus station is nothing more than a timing point)
If Arriva could get away with terminating the buses at Birkenhead Bus Station, I don't think Woodside would be served even half as much.

[motormayhem1]

RE: Wirral Bus Network Review

(29/06/2020 21:50)Raawwwrrr! Wrote:  I have always found it strange how well served Woodside has been over the last few years considering there’s not very much down there in the way of businesses, and it’s a reasonable walk to the town centre (Though could be better sign-posted for ferry leisure travellers).

Surely just one frequent route would suffice such as the 410 in both directions?

Most probably to do with arriva having a drivers canteen and allocations office down in Woodside as it's used as a driver change over point.

[wirralbus]

RE: Wirral Bus Network Review

(30/06/2020 07:54)motormayhem1 Wrote:  Most probably to do with arriva having a drivers canteen and allocations office down in Woodside as it's used as a driver change over point.

I think when they decided to remodel Hamilton Square , that was the beginning of the end for that area .

There then followed changes which extended a lot of bus services to Liverpool which bypassed the main reason Hamilton square was used for .

Birkenhead town centre is a tale of two parts now , The area to the North of Conway Street being business and the area to the South of Conway Street being retail , until that's sorted out Hamilton Square and surrounds will slowly get quieter. Even the Banks are slowly moving out , Hamilton square used to have a bank on just about every corner at one time .

[MTL0201]

RE: Wirral Bus Network Review

(30/06/2020 08:25)wirralbus Wrote:  I think when they decided to remodel Hamilton Square , that was the beginning of the end for that area .

There then followed changes which extended a lot of bus services to Liverpool which bypassed the main reason Hamilton square was used for .

Birkenhead town centre is a tale of two parts now , The area to the North of Conway Street being business and the area to the South of Conway Street being retail , until that's sorted out Hamilton Square and surrounds will slowly get quieter. Even the Banks are slowly moving out , Hamilton square used to have a bank on just about every corner at one time .

I'd go further back than that, with the expansion of cross river bus services at d-reg, before d-reg you only had the 31/32 & 418/419 going cross river[X7 too but that went non stop Hooton-Liverpool], if you where going to/from Liverpool using the bus you had to change at Hamilton Square or Woodside for the train/ferry, after d-reg the reduction in the ferries too, more passengers went to using train & cross river buses.

Woodside is still useful for layover, driver changeover, plus canteen, not sure if they still can but, drivers could cash in at the Arriva office at Woodside too.

[iMarkeh]

RE: Wirral Bus Network Review
Noted at the recent Transport Committee meeting (10th Dec 2020) in the Quarterly Bus Review, it has been noted that the outcomes of the Wirral Bus Review will not take place this financial year.

[L401CJF]

RE: Wirral Bus Network Review
Arriva have announced they are permanently closing the canteen and office at Woodside from the April timetable changes, much to the pleasure of all the staff! Everything will shunt out of Laird St.