Passengers have been told that the new timetable for the Crosspool service will be more resilient, with longer journey times to reflect delays and greater recovery time at Lodge Moor before departure on the next journey.
At Thursday’s Crosspool Forum AGM/Open Meeting, local councillors Geoff Smith and Rob Frost pledged to meet with SYPTE and First if the expected improvements to the Crosspool service do not happen.
As well the new 51 timetable, other changes being made to the bus network in an attempt to simplify and improve the overall service. These include co-ordinated timetables that change less often, a new range of tickets, more services on some routes and more buses with low-floor access.
“The new timetable will be much more resilient, incorporating longer journey times to reflect delays and greater recovery time at Lodge Moor before departure on the next journey. More buses and drivers will be required to operate it but deployed to maintain the present level of service where we’re falling short.”
Another expected output from the Sheffield Bus Partnership consultation was that the 51 route would change, with the bus would going via West Street instead of Broad Lane and the drop-in medical centre on Rockingham Street. It doesn’t appear that this change has been implemented in the new timetable.
A new citywide ticket which can be used on all bus and tram services in Sheffield will also be introduced on 28 October.
Changes to ticketing arrangements are also on the table including a single ticket to let you to travel anywhere across the city, even if you have to change buses. The cost of a day ticket would also come down by 70p to £4.30.
51 bus service: First has admitted that it falls short on punctuality
First, the operator of Crosspool’s main bus service, has admitted that the 51 falls short on punctuality at certain times of day.
The operator carried out a month-long review of the service and identified several issues that the timetable doesn’t adequately allow for.
In response, a more resilient new timetable is being designed and extra buses and drivers will be deployed to improve the service. These changes will be implemented from late October to coincide with any route changes arising from the current Sheffield Bus Partnership consultation.
If these changes don’t make a difference then Crookes ward Councillor Geoff Smith intends to hold a meeting with First to discuss the 51 bus service. In the meantime, he will be at the next Crosspool Forum Open Meeting on Thursday 26 July if anyone wants to make any comments.
Full information from First regarding the 51 bus service below:
We’ve just completed a month’s study of issues and factors affecting the punctuality of the 51. Inputs to this have been:
Satellite bus tracking data that records a time at every bus stop on every journey.
Observations of traffic and other delays.
Journey monitoring to simulate the passenger’s experience, i.e. waiting at bus stops, travel on buses at times of delay (identified from above).
Comments from bus drivers, passengers and supervisors.
The conclusion reached is that, yes, the service does fall short on punctuality at certain times of day. This review has perhaps been long overdue as for key periods during the day the timetable lacks the robustness to withstand the external forces exerted on it. Having said that the journey time within the timetable does expand and contract to reflect known delays but here are a few examples of issues that we don’t adequately allow for.
The start of the school day at Crosspool, the operation of the crossings and the characteristics of the school time bus journeys. That certain buses encounter large numbers of children travelling out from the City and then encounter similar numbers from Lodge Moor. So a delay to Lodge Moor through this, the school run traffic and the crossings and then the same on the way back.
Peak traffic around the hospitals and University remains at buoyant until 0930-1000 hours.
Similar characteristics exist at the end of the school day to those at the start but it’s perhaps more intense as there’s less of a stagger.
Crossing Brook Hill roundabout continues to be a source of significant delay particularly when travelling out from City. Traffic crossing the roundabout from right to left slows entering Upper Hanover Street and obstructs the exit from Broad Lane.
Traffic queues on Rockingham Street at peak times.
Difficulty negotiating Mappin Street due to parked vehicles.
You may have noticed that on the Sheffield Bus Partnership consultation there is a proposed route change to avoid Broad Lane.
So where do we go from here? Well, hopefully the above route change will be implemented, together with a new timetable that is presently being designed. The new timetable will be much more resilient, incorporating longer journey times to reflect delays and greater recovery time at Lodge Moor before departure on the next journey. More buses and drivers will be required to operate it but deployed to maintain the present level of service where we’re falling short.
I hope this is good news. The date of introduction is 28 October 2012 to coincide with the launch of the Sheffield Bus Partnership. Generally, during the summer period there is an improvement in punctuality anyway as school and university related traffic subsides.
The 51 bus could go via West Street instead of Broad Lane to improve its reliability as part of proposed changes to Sheffield’s bus network.
It would mean that the drop-in medical centre on Rockingham Street would no longer be included on the route.
Changes to ticketing arrangements are also on the table including a single ticket to let you to travel anywhere across the city, even if you have to change buses. The cost of a day ticket would also come down by 70p to £4.30.
Temporary traffic signals have gone up on Manchester Road, causing delays to commuter traffic.
The area affected is between the junction of Tapton Mount Close and Tapton House Road. The work by Yorkshire Water is scheduled to last until 13 June 2012.
A bus stop on the south side of Manchester Road has also been temporarily moved further up the street to accommodate the roadworks.
More information on the work from Balfour Beatty:
This work is being carried out as part of our ongoing schemes to renew water mains throughout Yorkshire in order to help prevent bursts and boost the drinking water quality.
This work consists of renewing a section of 4 inch cast iron water main at Manchester Road between Fulwood Road and Tapton House Road which will take approximately 8 weeks to complete.
We will be starting work 8 May 2012 at the Junction of Tapton House Road, progressing towards the junction of Sale Hill using 2 way traffic lights for safety. The work between Sale Hill and the junction of Fulwood Road will only be carried out on Sundays or during school holidays using 3 way traffic lights for safety. Â Traffic lights will be manned at peak times to aid with traffic flow.
We understand the inconvenience these road works and traffic management cause to motorists but hope you appreciate this is in place for everyone’s safety while we carry out these essential water improvement works.
The South West Community Assembly website reports on some upcoming roadworks on Manchester Road which will cause some disruption. They are due to start on 27 February 2012:
Yorkshire Water will be carrying out at Manchester Road, Sheffield.
This work is being carried out as part of our ongoing schemes to renew water mains throughout Yorkshire in order to help prevent bursts and boost the drinking water quality. This work consists of renewing a section of 4 inch cast iron water main at Manchester Road between Fulwood Road and Tapton House Road which will take approximately one month to complete.
We will be starting work 27 February 2012 at the Junction of Tapton House Road, progressing towards the junction of Sale Hill using 2 way traffic lights for safety. The work between Sale Hill and the junction of Fulwood Road will only be carried out on Sundays or during school holidays using 3 way traffic lights for safety. Traffic lights will be manned at peak times to aid with traffic flow.
Snow arrived in Crosspool on Saturday afternoon, causing problems on local roads and delays to public transport services.
Saturday lunchtime: snow starts to fall in Crosspool precinct
Major roads were gritted in preparation for the snowfall, which was over 10cm deep on some areas by the morning.
By Sunday afternoon the 51 bus service was back to normal and most of the main roads through Crosspool were passable. However, surface snow and ice on side roads were continuing to cause trouble for cars, with evidence of at least one minor accident in the neighbourhood.
The thaw appears to have already started and no further snow is forecast over the next few days. However, as temperatures remain low, any lingering snow and surface water may turn to ice so drivers and pedestrians are advised to take care – particularly on Crosspool’s hilly roads.
Do also check up on your neighbours who may feel isolated and vulnerable during the bad weather.
Sunday lunchtime: main roads through Crosspool such as Watt Lane were clear
Crosspool News - crosspool.info 