Category: traffic

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51 bus: Crookes councillors and First/SYPTE meeting report

New timetables for the 51 bus start today
Our local councillors have met with First and SYPTE to discuss the 51 bus

Our three councillors, Sylvia Anginotti, Rob Frost and Geoff Smith, have recently met with First and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) to discuss the 51 bus route.

A report from the meeting, written by the councillors, is below.

If you have comments regarding this then the best way to get in touch with them directly is via the contact details on the Sheffield city council website.

The three Crookes councillors (Sylvia Anginotti, Rob Frost and Geoff Smith) have been made aware by individuals and through the Crosspool Forum of dissatisfaction with the 51 bus. In particular with the failure of buses to run at the published times.

We were going to have a meeting with First and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) in January but unfortunately the bad weather forced a postponement and we were not able to meet until March.

You will remember that we were promised an improved service when the Bus Partnership arrangements started at the end of October 2012. This was going to be achieved in two ways; an additional bus on the route and a change of route to avoid Broad Lane.

The additional bus was put on but the change of route didn’t happen. This was because of the number of people who protested that they would not be able to get to the NHS walk in service.

SYPTE figures for complaints show a continued high level of complaints up to January of this year and then a falling off. This could be for either of two reasons; people have become fed up with complaining or there has been some improvement in the service.

SYPTE’s own figures for punctuality at stops on the route show an improvement from 72% punctuality pre-October 2012 rising to 84% recently. This is against a target of 95%. So even by their own figures there is still some way to go.

First admit that punctuality is still not good enough. They said that double deckers were part of the problem and that from early July they will be replaced by brand new single deckers which along with ticket issue speeding up should speed up overall loading times.

They are also putting an additional bus on the route on Saturdays from the end of April and making minor timetable changes. They gave us a list of traffic hotspots on the route which cause problems and we will be taking these up with the Council.

Also they warned that the service could be affected by planned roadworks across the city.

We will continue to have meetings with First and SYPTE. We will welcome your views and experience at the next meeting of the Crosspool Forum and please keep on complaining to SYPTE if you have problems with the 51.

Sylvia Anginotti, Rob Frost and Geoff Smith
April 2013

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Broomhill roadworks to last until 4 March

The temporary traffic lights in Broomhill are not due to be removed until Monday 4 March.

Work is currently underway to excavate up to 15 meters of footway to locate high voltage cables that have caused loss of power.

The multi-way temporary traffic lights are causing delays to traffic travelling through Broomhill. During the morning rush hour tailbacks are stretching up Manchester Road all the way to Crosspool, causing delays to commuters.

Update 28 February: the wors appear to have been completed unexpectedly early, so the temporary traffic lights have now been removed.

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Do the electronic speed signs on Manchester Road really work?

Manchester Road speed signs return
Manchester Road SIDs

Drivers on the bottom end of Manchester Road will have noticed the electronic speed indication displays (SIDs) return last month. We got in touch the council to find out what data about traffic speeds the SIDs have collected.

The speed limit for this stretch of road is 30mph. The idea is that the SIDs slow cars down by making drivers aware when they are driving at unsafe speeds.

The data below from previous periods when SIDs have been installed on Manchester Road shows a reduction in average speed when they are present:

Period Average vehicle speed into town Average vehicle speed away from town
No SIDs on site 34mph 31mph
February 2011 31mph 29mph
July 2010 31mph 27mph

The SIDs on Manchester Road will be there for an eight-week period before they are rotated to another site by the Central Community Assembly.

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Electronic speed signs return to Manchester Road

Last week the speed indication displays returned to Manchester Road.

As well as showing drivers how fast they are going, the signs display a happy face for vehicles travelling under the speed limit and a sad face for those exceeding it.

The idea is that they slow cars down by making drivers aware when they are driving at unsafe speeds. The speed limit for this stretch of road is 30mph.

Speed indication displays were installed in a similar locations on Manchester Road in July 2010 and January 2011.

Background information about Manchester Road speed signs

Manchester Road speed signs return
The electronic speed signs on Manchester Road have returned
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New 51 bus timetable starts today

New timetables for the 51 bus start today
New timetables for the 51 bus start today

A new timetable for the 51 bus service starts today as part of a package of improvements to Sheffield’s bus network.

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.

In June, First admitted the 51 service fell short on punctuality. The new timetable was designed in response.

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.

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Hopes for 51 bus service to improve with new timetable

Bus 51: revised route and new ticketing proposed
51 bus: a more reliable service?

Bus operator First is expecting Crosspool’s bus service to improve with the introduction of a more resilient timetable from 28 October.

In June, First admitted the 51 service fell short on punctuality. A more resilient new timetable has been designed in response.

A First spokesperson said:

“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.

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Your views wanted on changes to 51 bus

Bus 51: revised route and new ticketing proposed
Bus 51: revised route and new ticketing proposed

There are a couple of days left to submit your views on the changes to Sheffield’s bus network.

As part of the proposals, the 51 bus could go via West Street instead of Broad Lane to improve its reliability.

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.

The Sheffield Bus Partnership is consulting on the proposals and the public have until 14 July to give their feedback. Any changes would come in at the end of October 2012.

Give your feedback on the proposed route 51 changes.

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First: 51 bus ‘falls short on punctuality’

51 bus service: First has responded to questions about frequency and reliability
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.

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Revised route and new ticketing proposed for 51 bus

Bus 51: revised route and new ticketing proposed
Bus 51: revised route and new ticketing proposed

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.

The Sheffield Bus Partnership is consulting on the proposals and the public have until 14 July to give their feedback. Any changes would come in at the end of October 2012.

Give your feedback on the proposed route 51 changes.