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Post by deerfold on Apr 6, 2023 13:43:46 GMT 1
I do hope not. I've not seen a DRT scheme that want a prelude to removal of buses or restriction to 3 or 4 hours a day. Does the Sowerby / Norland / Dean Head Ring and Ride service still exist? There's precious little information about it available. The Call Connect network in Lincolnshire has lasted a number of years & does a good job of both providing links for rural areas & acting as feeder services to the main bus & train network. And costs more than my local taxi company. And is unusual in surviving. Few do. The Sowerby Ring & Ride is still on the Calderdale Map including the number, although the dedicated page has been removed on the website so I'd assume it has been withdrawn & the map hasn't been corrected Almost as if it was provided as a sop to those complaining about the withdrawal of the service and then quietly cancelled.
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Post by Father Dougal McGuire on Apr 6, 2023 13:52:17 GMT 1
Ring & Ride and DRT schemes are an absolute waste of time and money. They don't work and have been done time and time again to not work. The only one that works is access bus because it's all old people who go to the shops etc. The rest of the public wouldn't appreciate having to book on an app or phone up, I wouldn't it would just kill off services even more so than they're doing now.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2023 14:01:22 GMT 1
The Call Connect network in Lincolnshire has lasted a number of years & does a good job of both providing links for rural areas & acting as feeder services to the main bus & train network. And costs more than my local taxi company. Do you mean costs more to the passenger to use or the council/government to fund? Bus fares in Lincolnshire (excluding the current price cap) can be quiet expensive in general, so it wouldn't be much of a surprise if the Call Connect was a fairly expensive service. The government currently are giving out numerous funds for DRTs (both including & alongside BSIP grants) so if WYCA won funding for a Halifax DRT it would at least save them 2-3 years worth of funding the current network. As like alot of the time, it does come down to how badly we fund public transport - If there was a decent amount of funding available I would more opposed to DRTs but at the moment I'd say take the service cuts now & at least get a DRT out of it for a few years.
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Post by deerfold on Apr 6, 2023 14:04:31 GMT 1
And costs more than my local taxi company. Do you mean costs more to the passenger to use or the council/government to fund? Bus fares in Lincolnshire (excluding the current price cap) can be quiet expensive in general, so it wouldn't be much of a surprise if the Call Connect was a fairly expensive service. The government currently are giving out numerous funds for DRTs (both including & alongside BSIP grants) so if WYCA won funding for a Halifax DRT it would at least save them 2-3 years worth of funding the current network. As like alot of the time, it does come down to how badly we fund public transport - If there was a decent amount of funding available I would more opposed to DRTs but at the moment I'd say take the service cuts now & at least get a DRT out of it for a few years. So it gets DRT funding, likely costing more than the current subsidy and in three years time when the funds run out?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2023 14:11:38 GMT 1
Do you mean costs more to the passenger to use or the council/government to fund? Bus fares in Lincolnshire (excluding the current price cap) can be quiet expensive in general, so it wouldn't be much of a surprise if the Call Connect was a fairly expensive service. The government currently are giving out numerous funds for DRTs (both including & alongside BSIP grants) so if WYCA won funding for a Halifax DRT it would at least save them 2-3 years worth of funding the current network. As like alot of the time, it does come down to how badly we fund public transport - If there was a decent amount of funding available I would more opposed to DRTs but at the moment I'd say take the service cuts now & at least get a DRT out of it for a few years. So it gets DRT funding, likely costing more than the current subsidy and in three years time when the funds run out? The DRT funding comes from a separate place so it wouldn't really be WYCAs problem if it costs more the current one (see the new Greater Bristol one what costs around around a similar price to tendered network it replaces, the only difference is it's coming out of a different funding pot) Going off what's happened in other areas, once DRT finishes the reduced bus network that was always on the cards gets introduced.
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Post by deerfold on Apr 6, 2023 15:07:15 GMT 1
So it gets DRT funding, likely costing more than the current subsidy and in three years time when the funds run out? The DRT funding comes from a separate place so it wouldn't really be WYCAs problem if it costs more the current one (see the new Greater Bristol one what costs around around a similar price to tendered network it replaces, the only difference is it's coming out of a different funding pot) Going off what's happened in other areas, once DRT finishes the reduced bus network that was always on the cards gets introduced. Unless Metro has already spent its budget and cans it as happens in many places. Not sure why you think DRT is a good idea when almost everywhere it's tried it reduces ridership at a higher cost. Feel free to provide examples where that's not been the case. DRT is good for the companies that run the schemes and the companies that sell the apps. Not so much for passengers.
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Post by mattb7tl on Apr 6, 2023 15:29:09 GMT 1
Considering how little it costs to keep the struggling routes of the entire country alive (155 million for half a year including the cost of the £2 bus cap) I think it’s very safe to say a network of hourly rural bus routes would be MUCH cheaper, and more effective than any DRT scheme.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2023 16:05:04 GMT 1
The DRT funding comes from a separate place so it wouldn't really be WYCAs problem if it costs more the current one (see the new Greater Bristol one what costs around around a similar price to tendered network it replaces, the only difference is it's coming out of a different funding pot) Going off what's happened in other areas, once DRT finishes the reduced bus network that was always on the cards gets introduced. Unless Metro has already spent its budget and cans it as happens in many places. Not sure why you think DRT is a good idea when almost everywhere it's tried it reduces ridership at a higher cost. Feel free to provide examples where that's not been the case. DRT is good for the companies that run the schemes and the companies that sell the apps. Not so much for passengers. Whilst the Call Connect network in Lincolnshire is expensive, it has been successful (otherwise it would of been axed long ago). In Wales, the original trio of DRT routes in Newport (31/62/63) seem to be going strong coming upto 10 years after they was introduced. Looking at other parts of Europe, in Switzerland when they introduced DRT Evening routes to the town of Frauenfeld to replace the skeleton network & in the space of a few years numbers grew so much that they ended up extending the daytime town network into the evenings/nights as the Sprinters could no longer cope - Basically becoming a victim of it's own success . In Sweden a number of areas are expanding the 'Flexlinjen' fleets due to demand. One other thing to consider is whilst DRT has not on the whole been successful in UK, due to how the grants have been issued & the rules that go with them (BSIP not allows to fund current tendered routes whilst DRT is getting more & more money thrown at it) it's not hard to see why areas that are facing funding shortages are accepting the money for DRT as it at least puts a sticking plaster over cuts to the scheduled network. If was a choice between improving scheduled services or DRT then I would rather improvements was made to the current networks but sadly that's not how things have gone.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2023 14:30:57 GMT 1
One change I've just thought of that includes the forums favourite route,Horsforths 30 merging it with service 31.
current route from Pudsey to Horsforth Vale, turns left at the roundabout via Victoria Drive Estate, Outwood Lane, Springfield Mount & Stanhope Dr to Horsforth Town Street then continue onto Holt Park via the current 31 route via Tinshill.
Pudsey to Holt Park should be doable within an hour, so an hourly service requiring 2 buses would reduce the overall PVR (currently 2x 30 & 1x 31). The downside is Horsforth Vale would reduce to an hourly service but with better links making better use of vehicles rather than the excess layover time. (plus once developer funding ran out it would probably get an hourly at best service anyway)
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Post by Username on Jun 2, 2023 12:19:04 GMT 1
The 532 bus service is poorly used in Halifax. I personally think I would reorganize the service into 2 circular routes known as 531/2, with 531 running a clockwise loop and 532 running anti clockwise. I would run them both hourly each leaving 25-35 minutes apart.
Out of Haifax town centre, 531 will follow the 561/3 route all the way to Elmwood, then run it down Huddersfield Road past Calderdale Royal Hospital. Then from there the route will use Dudwell Lane then onto Godfrey Road to the back of Hospital on the 561/3 route. From there it would run into Skircoat Green onto Lawrence Road and Greenroyd Avenue before joining up with the A646 or Skircoat Moor Road. From there it would use the 532 route through Scar Bottom and Washer Lane to head back up to King Cross. The service will then use the normal 532 route to Queens Road where I will have it then run along Queens Road and onto Hanson Lane following the 21 into Town. I would time these so they run half an hour apart from the 21.
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Post by Username on Jul 29, 2023 23:44:41 GMT 1
A nice 10 minute service between Halifax and Sowerby Bridge would be nice. Timing point moved from Station Road/Tesco to Tuel Lane Bottom in Sowerby Bridge with enough time to pass through ontime (-1 early/+5 late) but not that they will wait and cause obstruction. Doing this is also better for passengers as it won't be running early and then waiting 5 minutes past the main points on route. Sufficient time included after Sowerby Bridge - Sowerby/Ripponden to account for passing through late. View AttachmentView AttachmentThink a more simpler and easier timetable to work would be a 15 minute frequency between Sowerby Bridge and Halifax with 00 and 30 being the 579 and 15 being 586 with 45 being 587.
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Post by Username on Jul 30, 2023 0:38:33 GMT 1
I have noticed the Cross-Town services 541/2 between Siddal and Norton Tower via Halifax tend to get busy during peak hours and a few busy trips on Saturdays with often buses having standing loads on both sides of town. The issue is First Bus can't use a double-decker for this service due to Water Lane having a vehicle height restriction of 13 feet and 6 inches.
I would re-route the service to use double-decked vehicles between Siddal and Halifax Town Centre. The 541 and 542 will follow the same route from Backhold Lane to Siddal New Road and then will divert via Swan Bank Lane for the Nestle Factory. There could also be a new bus stop so that workers can use the bus to the factory. From there the route will continue along King Street where a new bus stop outside the Minister to allow passengers to use the service for Halifax Minister as well as Matalan. Further up along the road is the site where the on-street Halifax Bus Rail Interchange will be located so this route change fits in well. From there the service can continue along Winding Road into Halifax Bus Station.
First West Yorkshire have tried solving this in the past by running split journeys such as 541 Halifax - Hopwood Lane - Highroad Well Circular and 545 Halifax - Pellon Lane - Norton Tower but these services didn't help and weren't used as much as First Bus had hoped.
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Post by mattb7tl on Jul 30, 2023 1:07:51 GMT 1
When other companies are faced with low bridges they increase the frequency instead but they'll never do that without somebody else paying for it. The routes you mentioned are another bunch of services with some appalling treatment. I don't know how they managed to get away with no night journeys on a route with a respectable amount of usage, especially considering the length of the route.
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Post by deerfold on Jul 30, 2023 9:25:34 GMT 1
A nice 10 minute service between Halifax and Sowerby Bridge would be nice. Timing point moved from Station Road/Tesco to Tuel Lane Bottom in Sowerby Bridge with enough time to pass through ontime (-1 early/+5 late) but not that they will wait and cause obstruction. Doing this is also better for passengers as it won't be running early and then waiting 5 minutes past the main points on route. Sufficient time included after Sowerby Bridge - Sowerby/Ripponden to account for passing through late. View AttachmentView AttachmentThink a more simpler and easier timetable to work would be a 15 minute frequency between Sowerby Bridge and Halifax with 00 and 30 being the 579 and 15 being 586 with 45 being 587. Does the 579 deserve another frequency cut? It's not long ago that there were 13 buses an hour to Sowerby. In the 70s the combined services to Sowerby Bridge from Halifax were timetabled so they were every 5 minutes...
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Post by Username on Jul 30, 2023 11:20:06 GMT 1
Think a more simpler and easier timetable to work would be a 15 minute frequency between Sowerby Bridge and Halifax with 00 and 30 being the 579 and 15 being 586 with 45 being 587. Does the 579 deserve another frequency cut? It's not long ago that there were 13 buses an hour to Sowerby. In the 70s the combined services to Sowerby Bridge from Halifax were timetabled so they were every 5 minutes... Buses are pretty empty off peak hours. The demand is not there as much as it was previously. Don't get me wrong it is busy at peak so maybe it should require an every 15 minute frequency between 7am and 9am and then 3pm and 5pm and possibly some extra 577 trips too. Funnily enough demand has increased on 587 even over the tops perhaps people finally realised it is quicker than a 590.
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Post by Father Dougal McGuire on Jul 30, 2023 13:47:34 GMT 1
It was only 4/5 years ago that the 579 was every 10 minutes. Only thing is we had to wait at Pollit Avenue for the bus coming the other way because the road is too narrow to fit a bus and a car through nevermind another bus. I'd say the 579 deserves a 15 min frequency but timed 7 mins apart from the 590/592 to provide an every 7.5 min service to King Cross because for some reason everyone catches the 590/592, even when they both were every 10 mins... we even had the time table of the 590/592 re timed in 2017 operate 1 min before the 579 so we left Halifax at xx04 xx14 xx24 etc they left at xx05 xx15 xx25
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Post by Father Dougal McGuire on Jul 30, 2023 13:59:08 GMT 1
Think the demand for the 587 increasing is a lot to do with the high number of rail strikes this year and the reduction of the 586 to 2 hourly. We never get many end to end passengers to Rochdale they all get on further down the valley.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2023 15:02:21 GMT 1
I have noticed the Cross-Town services 541/2 between Siddal and Norton Tower via Halifax tend to get busy during peak hours and a few busy trips on Saturdays with often buses having standing loads on both sides of town. The issue is First Bus can't use a double-decker for this service due to Water Lane having a vehicle height restriction of 13 feet and 6 inches. I would re-route the service to use double-decked vehicles between Siddal and Halifax Town Centre. The 541 and 542 will follow the same route from Backhold Lane to Siddal New Road and then will divert via Swan Bank Lane for the Nestle Factory. There could also be a new bus stop so that workers can use the bus to the factory. From there the route will continue along King Street where a new bus stop outside the Minister to allow passengers to use the service for Halifax Minister as well as Matalan. Further up along the road is the site where the on-street Halifax Bus Rail Interchange will be located so this route change fits in well. From there the service can continue along Winding Road into Halifax Bus Station. First West Yorkshire have tried solving this in the past by running split journeys such as 541 Halifax - Hopwood Lane - Highroad Well Circular and 545 Halifax - Pellon Lane - Norton Tower but these services didn't help and weren't used as much as First Bus had hoped. You'd need to extend operation hours if you want to try & get Nestle workers using the service (say from around 5am until 10-10:30pm,plus possibly an a couple of extra early morning trips at around 2am depending what shift times are - maybe something First or WYCA could open discussions about with Nestle) I wonder if turning the route into a circular via Calderdale Royal might be worth a shot, with one route going out via the current route to Siddal then returns via Jubilee Rd & Calderdale Royal then another going the opposite way (numbered 541/2). Run them Half Hourly each way combining to create 15Min departures from both Halifax & Siddal.
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Post by mattb7tl on Jul 30, 2023 17:53:39 GMT 1
Being bold could also provide a much better service for the area. Here's my proposal, explained the benefits down below At first glance on Google Maps, this bus route may seem peculiar, but when you consider the area's terrain, it starts to make sense. The benefits become clear, particularly with improved connectivity. Residents in Siddal can now easily access Brighouse and Southowram, and vice versa. Notably, the proximity to a large Nestlé factory opens up new opportunities for employment, making it convenient for people in Southowram and Brighouse to work there as well as making the switch from car to bus easier. Currently, those living in these areas and working at the factory may prefer driving, as the existing bus routes require multiple changes despite being close to the factory. However, this new route would provide a direct and efficient option for them. To enhance transportation options for Siddal, this new route could complement the existing 541/542 routes by operating hourly along a similiar path but extending to Southowram and Brighouse. To avoid any confusion, it should be assigned a distinct route number. In terms of funding, a smart approach would be to divert resources from the 571 route, which is entirely funded by the council. By modifying its course, it may actually become more cost-effective while delivering additional value compared to it's current route. Also providing the area with a later bus service.
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Post by Username on Jul 30, 2023 19:54:18 GMT 1
Being bold could also provide a much better service for the area. Here's my proposal, explained the benefits down below At first glance on Google Maps, this bus route may seem peculiar, but when you consider the area's terrain, it starts to make sense. The benefits become clear, particularly with improved connectivity. Residents in Siddal can now easily access Brighouse and Southowram, and vice versa. Notably, the proximity to a large Nestlé factory opens up new opportunities for employment, making it convenient for people in Southowram and Brighouse to work there as well as making the switch from car to bus easier. Currently, those living in these areas and working at the factory may prefer driving, as the existing bus routes require multiple changes despite being close to the factory. However, this new route would provide a direct and efficient option for them. To enhance transportation options for Siddal, this new route could complement the existing 541/542 routes by operating hourly along a similiar path but extending to Southowram and Brighouse. To avoid any confusion, it should be assigned a distinct route number. In terms of funding, a smart approach would be to divert resources from the 571 route, which is entirely funded by the council. By modifying its course, it may actually become more cost-effective while delivering additional value compared to it's current route. Also providing the area with a later bus service. That route looks like a route ideal for a smaller vehicle like a Solo or Mellor of some kind. So the HX3 isn't a copy and paste 571 maybe it should be routed via that route and instead to make them appear as buses to the public maybe they should use their Solos, E200 MMCs or Mellor Orion to attract passengers. Maybe have it say via Siddal & Southowram on the destination blind as well. Overall great idea but I would have the route also serve an estate around Siddal to make it more inclusive rather than sticking to the more busy roads. Perhaps renumbering the HX3 to service number which matches it's alternative services such as 543 or 572. A few amendments to the route in the screenshots below can be seen with the bus serving Backhold Drive like the current 541/2 and also serve two estates in Southowram to serve the village stores and the people who live to the north of the village. Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2023 20:17:24 GMT 1
Being bold could also provide a much better service for the area. Here's my proposal, explained the benefits down below At first glance on Google Maps, this bus route may seem peculiar, but when you consider the area's terrain, it starts to make sense. The benefits become clear, particularly with improved connectivity. Residents in Siddal can now easily access Brighouse and Southowram, and vice versa. Notably, the proximity to a large Nestlé factory opens up new opportunities for employment, making it convenient for people in Southowram and Brighouse to work there as well as making the switch from car to bus easier. Currently, those living in these areas and working at the factory may prefer driving, as the existing bus routes require multiple changes despite being close to the factory. However, this new route would provide a direct and efficient option for them. To enhance transportation options for Siddal, this new route could complement the existing 541/542 routes by operating hourly along a similiar path but extending to Southowram and Brighouse. To avoid any confusion, it should be assigned a distinct route number. In terms of funding, a smart approach would be to divert resources from the 571 route, which is entirely funded by the council. By modifying its course, it may actually become more cost-effective while delivering additional value compared to it's current route. Also providing the area with a later bus service. Whilst I do like this proposal, I Think it should be introduced alongside 571 rather than replacing it,as that would leave the Bank Top area with a much reduced service plus due to the width of West Lane between Southowram & Siddal it would probably require smaller buses than what Arriva currently use on 571 (also is that correct it's funded by Calderdale Council? I Thought it be WYCA/Metro that be funding it?) From Brighouse Bus Station I would look at extending it to the Clifton Business Park once built, assuming there would be early till late services to entice the Nestle workers it makes sense to bolt on the Business Park at the opposite end of the route to hopefully entice workers there as well, what would hopefully create 2 way passenger flows on an evening helping the cost effectiveness of the service.
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Post by Username on Jul 30, 2023 20:20:29 GMT 1
I have noticed the Cross-Town services 541/2 between Siddal and Norton Tower via Halifax tend to get busy during peak hours and a few busy trips on Saturdays with often buses having standing loads on both sides of town. The issue is First Bus can't use a double-decker for this service due to Water Lane having a vehicle height restriction of 13 feet and 6 inches. I would re-route the service to use double-decked vehicles between Siddal and Halifax Town Centre. The 541 and 542 will follow the same route from Backhold Lane to Siddal New Road and then will divert via Swan Bank Lane for the Nestle Factory. There could also be a new bus stop so that workers can use the bus to the factory. From there the route will continue along King Street where a new bus stop outside the Minister to allow passengers to use the service for Halifax Minister as well as Matalan. Further up along the road is the site where the on-street Halifax Bus Rail Interchange will be located so this route change fits in well. From there the service can continue along Winding Road into Halifax Bus Station. First West Yorkshire have tried solving this in the past by running split journeys such as 541 Halifax - Hopwood Lane - Highroad Well Circular and 545 Halifax - Pellon Lane - Norton Tower but these services didn't help and weren't used as much as First Bus had hoped. You'd need to extend operation hours if you want to try & get Nestle workers using the service (say from around 5am until 10-10:30pm,plus possibly an a couple of extra early morning trips at around 2am depending what shift times are - maybe something First or WYCA could open discussions about with Nestle) I wonder if turning the route into a circular via Calderdale Royal might be worth a shot, with one route going out via the current route to Siddal then returns via Jubilee Rd & Calderdale Royal then another going the opposite way (numbered 541/2). Run them Half Hourly each way combining to create 15Min departures from both Halifax & Siddal. I had not thought of that idea linking the service with the hospital will strengthen the A629 corridor as well as provide an opportunity for Siddal residents to access the hospital easier.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2023 20:26:23 GMT 1
Being bold could also provide a much better service for the area. Here's my proposal, explained the benefits down below At first glance on Google Maps, this bus route may seem peculiar, but when you consider the area's terrain, it starts to make sense. The benefits become clear, particularly with improved connectivity. Residents in Siddal can now easily access Brighouse and Southowram, and vice versa. Notably, the proximity to a large Nestlé factory opens up new opportunities for employment, making it convenient for people in Southowram and Brighouse to work there as well as making the switch from car to bus easier. Currently, those living in these areas and working at the factory may prefer driving, as the existing bus routes require multiple changes despite being close to the factory. However, this new route would provide a direct and efficient option for them. To enhance transportation options for Siddal, this new route could complement the existing 541/542 routes by operating hourly along a similiar path but extending to Southowram and Brighouse. To avoid any confusion, it should be assigned a distinct route number. In terms of funding, a smart approach would be to divert resources from the 571 route, which is entirely funded by the council. By modifying its course, it may actually become more cost-effective while delivering additional value compared to it's current route. Also providing the area with a later bus service. That route looks like a route ideal for a smaller vehicle like a Solo or Mellor of some kind. So the HX3 isn't a copy and paste 571 maybe it should be routed via that route and instead to make them appear as buses to the public maybe they should use their Solos, E200 MMCs or Mellor Orion to attract passengers. Maybe have it say via Siddal & Southowram on the destination blind as well. Overall great idea but I would have the route also serve an estate around Siddal to make it more inclusive rather than sticking to the more busy roads. Perhaps renumbering the HX3 to service number which matches it's alternative services such as 543 or 572. A few amendments to the route in the screenshots below can be seen with the bus serving Backhold Drive like the current 541/2 and also serve two estates in Southowram to serve the village stores and the people who live to the north of the village. I'd agree with serving the Siddal estates but not too sure on the Southowram diversions - Fairfax Dr loop would be best added onto the 571 if attempted whilst Adgil Crescent is less than 5Minute walk from the top to the nearest bus stop. If your wanting to entice workers then you need to strike a balance on how many diversions off the direct route you take as otherwise they will just continue in their cars.
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Post by Username on Jul 30, 2023 20:53:41 GMT 1
That route looks like a route ideal for a smaller vehicle like a Solo or Mellor of some kind. So the HX3 isn't a copy and paste 571 maybe it should be routed via that route and instead to make them appear as buses to the public maybe they should use their Solos, E200 MMCs or Mellor Orion to attract passengers. Maybe have it say via Siddal & Southowram on the destination blind as well. Overall great idea but I would have the route also serve an estate around Siddal to make it more inclusive rather than sticking to the more busy roads. Perhaps renumbering the HX3 to service number which matches it's alternative services such as 543 or 572. A few amendments to the route in the screenshots below can be seen with the bus serving Backhold Drive like the current 541/2 and also serve two estates in Southowram to serve the village stores and the people who live to the north of the village. I'd agree with serving the Siddal estates but not too sure on the Southowram diversions - Fairfax Dr loop would be best added onto the 571 if attempted whilst Adgil Crescent is less than 5Minute walk from the top to the nearest bus stop. If your wanting to entice workers then you need to strike a balance on how many diversions off the direct route you take as otherwise they will just continue in their cars. Thanks for the suggestion. After posting I was having the same opinion as yours on the Adgil Crescent diversion and was wondering if that section of the route will be unnecessary. An interesting idea though about diverting the 571 service though through the Fairfax Estate loop. Perhaps that will increase the flow of customers using the 571 as at the minute it does provide a poor service for Southowram.
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Post by mattb7tl on Jul 30, 2023 21:28:48 GMT 1
Being bold could also provide a much better service for the area. Here's my proposal, explained the benefits down below At first glance on Google Maps, this bus route may seem peculiar, but when you consider the area's terrain, it starts to make sense. The benefits become clear, particularly with improved connectivity. Residents in Siddal can now easily access Brighouse and Southowram, and vice versa. Notably, the proximity to a large Nestlé factory opens up new opportunities for employment, making it convenient for people in Southowram and Brighouse to work there as well as making the switch from car to bus easier. Currently, those living in these areas and working at the factory may prefer driving, as the existing bus routes require multiple changes despite being close to the factory. However, this new route would provide a direct and efficient option for them. To enhance transportation options for Siddal, this new route could complement the existing 541/542 routes by operating hourly along a similiar path but extending to Southowram and Brighouse. To avoid any confusion, it should be assigned a distinct route number. In terms of funding, a smart approach would be to divert resources from the 571 route, which is entirely funded by the council. By modifying its course, it may actually become more cost-effective while delivering additional value compared to it's current route. Also providing the area with a later bus service. Whilst I do like this proposal, I Think it should be introduced alongside 571 rather than replacing it,as that would leave the Bank Top area with a much reduced service plus due to the width of West Lane between Southowram & Siddal it would probably require smaller buses than what Arriva currently use on 571 (also is that correct it's funded by Calderdale Council? I Thought it be WYCA/Metro that be funding it?) From Brighouse Bus Station I would look at extending it to the Clifton Business Park once built, assuming there would be early till late services to entice the Nestle workers it makes sense to bolt on the Business Park at the opposite end of the route to hopefully entice workers there as well, what would hopefully create 2 way passenger flows on an evening helping the cost effectiveness of the service. Great suggestion, and it raises the question of whether it's worth considering a further extension at that point. The proposed extension presents a great opportunity to address the issue of poor service in Hartshead and Roberttown, particularly after the rerouting of the 229. I've taken your idea one step further and extended the route all the way to Dewsbury, as depicted on the map below. By reallocating funding from the 250 and investing it in this extended route, it could potentially create a flagship bus service that surpasses the success of the one or two routes it would replace. This extended route would not only serve numerous workplaces but also become the sole connection from Kirklees to Calderdale. With a planned hourly schedule, there's a strong likelihood that people from Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, and Brighouse would make use of this route. Moreover, Arriva seems to have a love for managing long-distance bus routes. I'd even say it has the potential to run commercial. I'm unsure about where it should enter Heckmondwike, after Roberttown. I feel like down the least served street was the best option but from the map it doesn't look very ergonomic and might feel kind of annoying when using the bus route on a regular, thoughts?
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