(27/08/2019 19:31)mrd97 Wrote:  How long has it been known the 211 is going?

(27/08/2019 20:22)The Falcon Wrote:  For the past month. ArrivaClick are showing the buses and explaining how it’s going to work this week at Morrison’s Speke. Also representatives from ArrivaClick and Merseytravel will be on the current 211 at various times to explain the new service too.

Whilst the 211 is going this new zone will cover the whole of the Speke estate on demand which in effect means more journeys than the current service.

(27/08/2019 20:41)mrd97 Wrote:  So is it like a taxi service? Can people use concessionary passes?

(27/08/2019 21:05)Walton 46 Wrote:  Concessionary passes will be valid on Click in the Speke area. Any pass holder who doesn't have a smartphone will be able to call a special Merseytravel number to book their journey.

Merseytravel pre-paid tickets such as Solos WON'T be valid though. Merseytravel's explanation is that very few people who used the 211 were pre-paid ticket holders

(27/08/2019 21:12)mrd97 Wrote:  Ah okay, thank you. Was the withdrawal of the 211 just a cost cutting exercise or is it barely used?

(27/08/2019 21:20)Walton 46 Wrote:  Not sure, but I am aware in the London Borough of Sutton, TFL are currently trialling a similar demand responsive bus trial. The scheme launched in May this year and is running for 12 months. Perhaps Merseytravel have looked at it and thought a similar scheme could be adopted for certain areas in Merseyside

(28/08/2019 07:40)Gillmoss 0324 Wrote:  When I used the 211 around a year ago when Halton had it, it did seem reasonably well used although most of it's passengers either used it from Morrisons to the Eastern side of Speke or got on it in West Speke to Morrisons. Yes generally they were pass holders although I think a odd fare may have been taken. To me it certainly seemed as busy as routes like the 167 Garston Circular, former 165 Belle Vale Circular and busier than the 206 Crosby - Hightown Circular as a comparison.

I might have used it around the time most people were shopping so might not be fully representative of how busy or quiet the 211 really is and would've been interesting to see how different it might have been before Morrisons and the retail park opened too. It certainly does/did roads in Speke the normal routes didn't operate on.

I don't remember/know about the situation in MPTE days but I know in Merseybus/MTL's 89's did Tarbock Road/Millwood Road to Eastern Avenue and Liverline's 32 did a loop around Critchley Road/East Damwood Road before it was cut back to Garston. I think these was the only real variation from the Western/Eastern Avenue pattern most of Speke's 8*'s routes tended to do.

Could be interesting that Merseytravel could be looking at demand responsive services and could provide links where they've been lost. But if these like the 211 are being aimed at mainly senior/pass holder users they might not be the most tech savvy to get the most out of them and as mentioned hope it's not another means to cost-cut and cut further routes which maybe do have a need for them. Hopefully this move by Arriva/Merseytravel will work and maybe develop. Hope it does.

(28/08/2019 11:32)mrd97 Wrote:  Hmm. I’d welcome such an initiative but on an area where a link had been lost. Not withdrawing a currently still running service to do so.

I struggle to see how it would work for the more elderly passengers as you mentioned. They aren’t tech-savvy enough. I don’t want this to be used as an excuse to withdraw all their subsidised services to replace them with this, however.

(28/08/2019 13:32)dca529x Wrote:  Those without smartphones (or I assume those who don't want to) will be able to book their journeys on the Arriva Click Speke Zone service, through the Merseytravel Contact Centre by calling 0151 330 1000.