Merseytravel Changes

[R557 ABA]

RE: Merseytravel Changes
The idea is to make it more manageable and maintenance free like Heswall Bus Station, as much as the canopy is there etc it still doesn't provide willing passengers with the sense of security that it could if the canopy was removed and the old toilets taken away. There is only a need for it as an interchange at two periods of the day being the rush hours, but even then there really isn't that many passengers that use the station anyway.

[Bevan Price]

RE: Merseytravel Changes
Woodside Bus Station closed for about 6 weeks for refurbishment, according to Merseytravel website, commencing 5 July 2013.

[SNL 824]

RE: Merseytravel Changes

(20/06/2013 16:38)R874 ERE Wrote:  

(20/06/2013 09:36)Valandil Wrote:  I think that Birkenhead Bus Station seems like it's almost 'state of the art' compared with many other bus stations!

When you look at the quality merseytravel maintains all its bus stop and bus stations to and compare it to say Cheshire West and Chester and their bus stations/ stops, you really can see that Merseytravel is top notch!

I agree Woodside bus station has sentimental value to a fair few of us, I also remember going there with my mum when i was little and remember going on the E1 and the 41 when the Scanias where brand new - some good memories, but as has also been said, its not really needed any more so its probably best to get rid of it, at least until woodside picks up visitors!

I remember when there was a railway station and the buses were blue with a few green ones for good measure, but I reckon it's time to do what they did at Seacombe, a couple of stops with landscaping and additional parking.

[First Class]

RE: Merseytravel Changes
Complete waste of time having Woodside. The comparatively limited services that actually run there aren't picking many, if any, customers up. The maintenance costs for Woodside must be fairly high for such a poorly used asset. That area of Birkenhead is also pretty derelict these days.

I wouldn't run any services down there except a couple during "peak hours" Monday-Friday.

Verdict: Demolish everything there, with no replacement. Enough bus stops in the surrounding area to cope.

I wonder if anyone uses Woodside as an "interchange" though - either bus-ferry, or bus-train. Doubt it!

[wirralbus]

RE: Merseytravel Changes
I would have thought though that merseytravel would still want some form of token public transport gesture with say a bus service between Woodside and Birkenhead Park .

Woodside these days seems to be so out of favour with all operators due to its low passenger head count , but you can blame that on merseytravel changing the emphasis from a frequent ferry service to a once an hour tourist service catering for the infrequent user , when that service was introduced Woodside , Seacombe and Pier head interchange for buses where changed beyond recognition .

None of the Ferry terminal bus facilities escaped unchanged .

[MPTE1955]

RE: Merseytravel Changes
Its funny when you think that when I was a child the ferry always used to be busy as did the bus station. In those days though there wasnt as many cross river services and that is probably part of the reason why the ferries stopped being used and woodside has become quiet. In those days we had the pierhead where most buses terminated and another reason why the ferry was busy.

[wirralbus]

RE: Merseytravel Changes
Deregulation screwed up Mersey Ferries , before deregulation i dont think many bus services went through the Birkenhead Tunnel .

The Cross River services used the Wallasey Tunnel 31/32/418/419.

I think it was only the Night Tunnel Bus that used the Birkenhead Tunnel .

[MPTE1955]

RE: Merseytravel Changes

(29/06/2013 08:07)wirralbus Wrote:  Deregulation screwed up Mersey Ferries , before deregulation i dont think many bus services went through the Birkenhead Tunnel .

The Cross River services used the Wallasey Tunnel 31/32/418/419.

I think it was only the Night Tunnel Bus that used the Birkenhead Tunnel .

Yes, I agree, that didnt help matters, can't remember too many buses that used the Birkenhead Tunnel either. When we used to go to Birkenhead shopping centre we always used to get the ferry and then the bus.

[WhiteVanMan]

RE: Merseytravel Changes

(28/06/2013 22:54)First Class Wrote:  I wonder if anyone uses Woodside as an "interchange" though - either bus-ferry, or bus-train. Doubt it!

The wife, and myself tried a couple months ago, to use Woodside as an interchange.

We got off the ferry at Woodside, expecting it to be as buzy as ever for buses, after waiting 15-mins, and with no buses insight anywhere, we were about to check the time of the next ferry back to Liverpool, as we were thinking that both Arriva & Stagecoach at Birkenhead must of been on strike, then we saw a stagecoach bus in the distance. Then and only then purely by chance, did we discover the new bus station, and that buses no longer serve Woodside.

Please bear in mind that the wife and myself were "Tourist" on that day, and our exprience on the date in question, has put us off visiting the wirral again!, How many more "Tourist" have been put-off visiting the wirral, due to lack of information and buses at Woodside.

Some sort of a shuttle service between Woodside and the bus station, making connections with the ferry would not go a miss.

[wirralbus]

RE: Merseytravel Changes
I agree with your sentiments on the last point .

Some operators seem to think Woodside doesnt exist on a Sunday .

The 410 operates via Woodside on its route Monday to saturday but doesnt go anywhere near on a Sunday.

Think another death knell to Woodside was Conway Park Railway Station as before then it was either a bus from Birkenhead Park or Hamilton Square to Birkenhead Town Centre.