RE: What would you do to change the Wirral Bus Network?
(07/04/2023 09:23)mrd97 Wrote: My takes on yours:
Moreton Circulars: don’t know why they run in the evenings. Could possibly understand a Sunday daytime service but no evening service. Basically same as you I’d have them start Leasowe (Ross Avenue) and have a ‘M1’ run via Moreton Shore and via normal route to Curlew Way, then return via Leasowe Station. And an ‘M2’ doing the opposite. No need for buses to change number at moreton cross. We already have a number 1 in the Wirral.
16/16A/17: To achieve this (running as circulars via Moreton, one way in another out) you’d need to reduce PVR to keep same frequency. Otherwise buses would not stay at an hourly frequency. By buses going via Spital station omitting Clatterbridge you could cut the PVR down to 4 buses and it would work, albeit tightly.
22: slightly later finish. But confusing only some buses serve Williaston or Mollington (one bus serves both) have them all serve Willaston. Not picking up any passengers running along the Chester High road so don’t see why they need to cut out Willaston.
38: Don’t think Sandbrook passengers would be happy at a reduced frequency. Buses have large turnovers at the Eastham and Bromborough end of the route. I would try and make the evening service more clockface, pretty confusing at the moment. I like the idea of serving Eastham Ferry on a Sunday mind.
41/42: nice idea, can’t see it taking off however.
73: for this id have it after serving Poulton Lancelyn return to Heswall via Clatterbridge and Thornton Hough, competing a full circular. Then a 73A in the opposite direction. Buses serve town lane instead of Teehay Lane.
80/81/82: They’re good routes but infrequent. If funds become available I’d double the frequency. Perhaps 80 could serve Newton Cross Lane and Woodland Road as 138 used to.
91: very confusing having a Saturday route completley difffent to weekday route. Agree with you only issue is Oxton village would then get no service.
106/107: I like this idea. Since they now serve Mount Road the route is complex in along Seabank and the side roads. I’d have buses after serving new Brighton, run via Victoria Road, Hamilton Road and Mount Road then down Mount Pleasant road, cut across Rowson street to access Egerton Road and Grosvenor Road, then follow old route to liscard, so buses don’t basically come back on themselves.
174/175/181: I like your ideas.
I would personally have 181 run to Heswall shore and 175 finish at Heswall Bus Station to interwork with the 174. As currently 1 or 2 181 journeys run to Heswall shore as wel as 175 so would simplify these routes. I’d like the 181 to run via Downham Road and Whitfield Lane and the 175 to run via Quarry Road East and Irby Road, so the routes don’t ‘crisscross’
216/217: don’t see why these run to be fair. I’d not like to see them withdrawn for simple nostalgia however!
407: does a little section of town meadow at the moment, looks odd. Better running via Pasture Road, Maryland Lane and then down Bermuda Road (instead of Millhouse Lane).
Only issue is this would mean buses to Liverpool would run up Bermuda Road rather than down. Perhaps switch the direction of the 423 round town meadow to keep them the same.
I really liked the 408/409 circulars. Reinstate them at an hourly frequency.
Don’t think 418 needs to serve Woodchurch, 41/42 do this well. I think it could be rerouted via Prenton Road West rather than Storeton Road to avoid that nasty hairpin at Prenton Lane. Increased frequency.
423: yeah have 407 run Sundays, 423 cut from town meadow. Simplify it. I agree with this.
464: I’d have 464 run via Mount Road and Church Road, and have 487 run via Borough Road. Stops them ‘crisscrossing’. Also at the moment you can access New Ferry from either side of borough road (towards Birkenhead from 41/42, from Birkenhead via 464)
471/472: only issue is in Barnston nowhere to turn around. I had an idea that a new route, 473, could replace the peak 472 barnstons. It could start from Heswall Bus station and then run via barnston route but then continue on Barnston Road back to Arrowe Park and then as normal to Liverpool.
487: yes serve Clatterbridge internal roads. Also the routes in Neston are incredibly confusing with all the different combinations. Simplify this.
492/495: yeah should serve Arrowe park. As Noctorum doesn’t have a service to Arrowe park. Evening Sunday service should be hourly. Always seemed to have half decent patronage in the past.
I really like the idea M1/M2. But I was thinking the 418 would serve Woodchurch replacing the 216/217 but they could only serve these areas in early mornings as 218. The reinstation of the 408/409 is a good idea. 464 & 487 would also be good but its probably unnecessary because is only a short walk.
The rerouting of the 38 Eastham journeys would probably improve the services reliability because its continually late around the area. So reducing the frequency would see probably like 1 bus around the area at once stopping blockages to get to bus stops.
Also I forgot there is no way to turn around in Barnston but I had another idea too. The Stagecoach 471 & 472 services could be reduced every 40 minutes. Arriva's 471 & 472 services remain every 20 minutes. New 473 by Stagecoach running from Liverpool to Arrowe Park then operates along Arrowe Park Road, Barnston Road, Telegraph Road to Heswall Bus Station running every 40 minutes combining to a 10 minute service. Then during the evenings & Sundays Arriva's services every 30 mins, Stagecoach's 471 & 472 every hour & Stagecoaches 473 run every hour combining to 15 minutes service.
41 & 42 extension will probably take off (Maybe) because is will link Arrowe Park, Woodchurch, Prenton, Birkenhead, Rock Ferry, New Ferry, Bebington, Bromborough, Eastham to Ellesmere Port & Cheshire Oaks.
22 is too confusing but I have an idea for this. Run services via Willaston every 2 hours as 22. Run services via Mollington every 2 hours as 23. I think to improve the 16 & 17 and keep the PVR to the same frequency and remain via Clatterbridge. Is the 16 & 17 wont service Digg Lane, Town Meadow Lane or Millhouse Lane and have the 407 serve these areas.
Also thanks for the feedback!
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What would you do to change the Wirral Bus Network?
