(11/09/2017 10:12)childwallblues Wrote: [ -> ]Is the X30 busier than any route operated by Speke?
X30 can be heaving, it's the only direct bus route Runcorn-Chester since the 21 got cut back & withdrawn, X2 takes to long going around Ellesmere Port, arguably the hourly frequency over this section is inadequate, big problem is reliability even during the day X30 can often be 10 minutes plus late, then having a knock on affect for the return journey.
Correct me if I am wrong, I think the bulk of the passengers are Frodsham & Helsby into Chester meaning it could just go to half hourly on that section rather than all the way to Runcorn so if it was retimed to be a bit faster, it could easily run to Netherton Hall (just before Frodsham) requiring only 1 vehicle and making the frequency on that section half hourly. The problem is that though it looks packed, a lot is passes so doesn't make much money. It it a tough one.
Runcorn to warrington can be really busy too as when i use to drive them you could easily fill a bus going each direction , Even if they put the extra buses in just in peak times .
The 21 when it went chester was the bus that catered for helsby high school, stagecoach x2 caters for helsby high especially after retiming 1445 bus from chester to runcorn 15 minutes earlier, stagecoach also use deckers on trips timed for start/finish school times, can see x30 times changing as i think arriva will want all journeys starting & finishing at chester as they have done with 82
(11/09/2017 21:38)motormayhem1 Wrote: [ -> ]Runcorn to warrington can be really busy too as when i use to drive them you could easily fill a bus going each direction , Even if they put the extra buses in just in peak times.
Wow, I wasn't expecting you to say that. I thought everyone just jumped on the 110 as it is more frequent and serves more of Runcorn...
(11/09/2017 22:14)mtl97 Wrote: [ -> ]The 21 when it went chester was the bus that catered for helsby high school, stagecoach x2 caters for helsby high especially after retiming 1445 bus from chester to runcorn 15 minutes earlier, stagecoach also use deckers on trips timed for start/finish school times, can see x30 times changing as i think arriva will want all journeys starting & finishing at chester as they have done with 82
Helsby High has students from Mickle Trafford, Dunham on the Hill and even one or two along Hoole Road (surprisingly). The X2 only serves Helsby and Elton/Ince. The only reason deckers are used are because the council pay for so many seats on the service for the pupils to and from Elton. I am told that the X30 will be changing so that 1 bus will run light to Runcorn and 2 back in the evening. All others will start/end at Chester. First bus reportedly being 05:30ish.
The x2 carries a lot of school children from runcorn & frodsham also, the afternoon journey was retimed to fit in with school kids to frodsham & runcorn, im surprised that there will be empty workings to runcorn but where chester depot is located its not far from a55 & should get runcorn in just under half time using motorways so makes sense
(11/09/2017 22:35)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]Wow, I wasn't expecting you to say that. I thought everyone just jumped on the 110 as it is more frequent and serves more of Runcorn...
Helsby High has students from Mickle Trafford, Dunham on the Hill and even one or two along Hoole Road (surprisingly). The X2 only serves Helsby and Elton/Ince. The only reason deckers are used are because the council pay for so many seats on the service for the pupils to and from Elton. I am told that the X30 will be changing so that 1 bus will run light to Runcorn and 2 back in the evening. All others will start/end at Chester. First bus reportedly being 05:30ish.
A decker is used due to the volume of kids that get on, the council dont pay for anything. Every kid that gets on is a full fare paying passenger.
(11/09/2017 22:14)mtl97 Wrote: [ -> ]The 21 when it went chester was the bus that catered for helsby high school, stagecoach x2 caters for helsby high especially after retiming 1445 bus from chester to runcorn 15 minutes earlier, stagecoach also use deckers on trips timed for start/finish school times, can see x30 times changing as i think arriva will want all journeys starting & finishing at chester as they have done with 82
Not sure what times the Helsby school finishes for the day, but current X30 times going through Helsby are around xx55 to Warrington & xx00 Chester, & can often be delayed by more than 10 minutes.
(12/09/2017 08:21)PO59 MXJ Wrote: [ -> ]A decker is used due to the volume of kids that get on, the council dont pay for anything. Every kid that gets on is a full fare paying passenger.
I'm not doing all this again, I posted all this on the Stagecoach Chester & Wirral thread.
(12/09/2017 11:07)MTL0201 Wrote: [ -> ]Not sure what times the Helsby school finishes for the day, but current X30 times going through Helsby are around xx55 to Warrington & xx00 Chester, & can often be delayed by more than 10 minutes.
All school buses arrive at 08:25-08:35 and depart at 15:15-15:20 so I would say the X30 would be just too early.
In a change of plan for when the new bridge opens, the 110 will be modified around Castlefields and Astmoor:
https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/north-west/L...e-changes/
While most of the changes do look good and sensible, for me the serious drawback of the changes is the time it will take to get from Runcorn High Street to Liverpool.
Currently it takes 35 minutes on the X1 (other options also available on the 79C and 82A), but when the changes take place, the only option will be the 79C without changing buses, taking 1 hour 30 minutes, an absolutely huge increase.