Comments on: Brum Blog #6

By: dunc

dunc — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 22:48:05 +0000

They’re only used for sports headlines and a bit of celebrity gossip but not much else which is a massive waste, watching ceefax pages role by would be much more exciting. I wonder if it would be possible to set them up to get News 24?

I remember some routes in Wakefield got TV’s for a bit in the mid nineties, what did they play… why ‘On The Buses’ of course :)

By: Pete Ashton

Pete Ashton — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 00:51:16 +0000

I’m wondering if you’ve ever seen the TVs on the busses? ;)

By: dunc

dunc — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 00:24:27 +0000

Eeek, Ive just read that back to myself and it’s scary. Spoken like a true transport policy nerd with no grasp of the real world.

By: dunc

dunc — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 00:20:39 +0000

Oooh, do check out Sunset Cinema Club soon, they are so much better than most of the other bands they’d probably get compared to because they have melody!

WRG: Telly’s on buses. I think it’s a good idea for the following reason.

People like their cars because they view them as another room of the house. The more you can make public transport feel comfortable, the more favourable people will be to use it as an alternative to their car. I seem to remember reading this a few months back in a brief news article in Local Transport Today.

It’d be nice to see what research would say about specifically into putting tellys on buses as a method of improving public perception, and use, of public transport. I wonder if use of these buses has increased and how that compares to the buses without TVs. If it has or hasnt worked, either way it’d be an interesting study.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 07:22:50 +0000

Saw Vijay Kishore at the Quandrant Lounge in Wolves and I have to say he was fantastic, such a great voice. Big things will come of him for sure

By: Andy Pryke

Andy Pryke — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:46:50 +0000

Hi Pete,
The Birmingham Choir was actually first :-) and inspired the Helsinki one. Well, it was shown in Helsinki as part of the recruitment process, I guess the Finnish artists Oliver and Tellervo really inspired the lot :-)

See you soon!

By: Russ L

Russ L — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 01:29:59 +0000

TWM's website has mention of maximum off-peak fare's, even though they're not actually any higher than the highest fare overall. I annex this link in the name of corroboration.

By: Russ L

Russ L — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 01:26:44 +0000

It’s no different between Birmingham and the real world – mostly TWM buses operating under Centro’s Aegis.

There was a peak/off-peak division as recently as about 5-6 years ago. I am certain of this. Or cracking up, possibly, but either way it’s a vivid memory.

By: Pete Ashton

Pete Ashton — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 23:59:43 +0000

Within Birmingham (I’m not sure what happens when you enter the wilds of the Black Country) the max fare has been 1.20 for the last couple of years. Before that it was 1.10, previously 1.00.

I’ve never had cause to take a “short hop”. That’s what feet are for. No idea about peak fares – that must be going back a long time! – but I do remember the max fare being 70p around 1997 or so.

By: Russ L

Russ L — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 23:40:55 +0000

Reassure me that I’m not going mad – the maximum bus fare used to be �1.30 a few years ago when they still had peak and off-peak times, wasn’t it?

I’ve constantly had a bus pass for a long time now. Except for the last few days, since I keep forgetting to renew it.

I approve and support the bigging-uping of The Twang and The Big Bang, meanwhile. I’m not particularly keen on Sunset Cinema Club or Murdoch, but don’t let me put anyone off.

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:36:25 +0000

I see that network rail made a profit with enough to spare to rebuild New Street twice over (assuming developers pay for the shopping mall and twin towers). The question will be whether or not network rail see New Street as an important project (they say it is but actions would speak louder).

The key to the station’s future will surely be the problem of fumes from the many diesel powered trains that use the station. Having what is basically an underground station means that the only way to keep it clean and healthy would be to electrify all the services in and out of the station. This is probably not going to happen, particularly given the diesel operated cross country services with their new trains that should have a 30+ year life.

By: Jez

Jez — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 14:07:47 +0000

I suspect a short stroll past your local newsagent will confirm the bus price rise, as it was on the posters for the Birmingham Mail on Saturday. Unless, of course, newsagents in Bournville aren’t allowed to put that kind of advertising material out on the street in plain view.