South Yorkshire Bus Service Needs Improvement

[RollingJ]

3 minutes ago, Irene Swaine said:

I don't mean the ones at the Interchange, I mean the ones on the actual street, where the 120 stops towards Fulwood for example.

OK, but there a number of stops that don't have them in the city centre - those on Arundel Gate southbound, for instance.

[Irene Swaine]

2 minutes ago, RollingJ said:

OK, but there a number of stops that don't have them in the city centre - those on Arundel Gate southbound, for instance.

Yes, it's a shame they weren't all fitted when they were rolled out several years ago.

[Jeffrey Shaw]

On 09/11/2023 at 17:28, Irene Swaine said:

It's a great shame that the Real Time Departure screen have been rolled out so erratically. For example, there are none for North East bound services on Ecclesall Road

Not true. The inbound stop at Banner Cross has one, for a start- and so does the inbound stop at Hunter Bar.

[Irene Swaine]

1 hour ago, Jeffrey Shaw said:

Not true. The inbound stop at Banner Cross has one, for a start- and so does the inbound stop at Hunter Bar.

Banner Cross , not Ecclesall Road main strip. 

[Andy C]

Timetable change to bus 257 from 2 December includes withdrawal of the recently introduced evening service - guess nobody actually used it. If people don't buy tickets then such services aren't sustainable.

 

The 257 runs from Sheffield Interchange and Moorfoot to the University of Sheffield, Broomhill, Crosspool, Yorkshire Bridge, Bamford, Hathersage, Grindleford, Calver, Baslow and Bakewell.

 

Currently the last bus of the day departs Sheffield at 23:30 Monday to Saturday.

 

https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/transport-roads/public-transport/news-notices/bus-service-changes/forthcoming-changes-to-bus-services.aspx

Edited November 17, 2023 by Andy C

[Resident]

1 hour ago, Andy C said:

Timetable change to bus 257 from 2 December includes withdrawal of the recently introduced evening service - guess nobody actually used it.

And that's the crux of most cancelled or reduced services. People seem to think that they run on fresh air and drivers are volunteers. 

[Irene Swaine]

It's sad that the 257 is being scaled back. Obviously, Hulley's have no choice if they are making a loss. Good on them for trying though. I do wonder if a lack of marketing could be a contributing factor in the lack of patronage, the same as with their Manchester buses. I'd have expected to see posters/leaflets/Facebook adverts to let people know about the enhancements. Oh well.

[Andy C]

1 hour ago, Irene Swaine said:

It's sad that the 257 is being scaled back. Obviously, Hulley's have no choice if they are making a loss. Good on them for trying though. I do wonder if a lack of marketing could be a contributing factor in the lack of patronage, the same as with their Manchester buses. I'd have expected to see posters/leaflets/Facebook adverts to let people know about the enhancements. Oh well.

It was a Derbyshire County Council initiative using Bus Service Improvement Plan funding, the same as other improved evening/Sunday services such as on the 218 Sheffield to Bakewell via Totley and the 44 Sheffield to Chesterfield via Coal Aston. The introduction of the Peak Sightseer open top bus tour was a BSIP supported initiative too and that has generally been seen as a success I believe.

 

Whilst Derbyshire generally have promoted bus initiatives on their patch, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority don't seem to do the same in Sheffield. As you say, I wonder for example if the people of Crosspool realised they had more than just the 51 into town? Our local politicians don't seem to be interested in promoting or supporting bus travel, they just want to loudly shout that buses are rubbish and would be better if they were in control of them rather than those horrible private companies (whilst not doing a very good job of the bits they are already responsible for!)

 

People seem to vocally complain such services don't exist but then don't support them when they are tried.

Edited November 17, 2023 by Andy C

[Irene Swaine]

6 hours ago, Andy C said:

It was a Derbyshire County Council initiative using Bus Service Improvement Plan funding, the same as other improved evening/Sunday services such as on the 218 Sheffield to Bakewell via Totley and the 44 Sheffield to Chesterfield via Coal Aston. The introduction of the Peak Sightseer open top bus tour was a BSIP supported initiative too and that has generally been seen as a success I believe.

 

Whilst Derbyshire generally have promoted bus initiatives on their patch, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority don't seem to do the same in Sheffield. As you say, I wonder for example if the people of Crosspool realised they had more than just the 51 into town? Our local politicians don't seem to be interested in promoting or supporting bus travel, they just want to loudly shout that buses are rubbish and would be better if they were in control of them rather than those horrible private companies (whilst not doing a very good job of the bits they are already responsible for!)

 

People seem to vocally complain such services don't exist but then don't support them when they are tried.

I completely agree with everything you say. The 257 is especially handy for getting to Broomhill/Crosspool from the rail station/Interchage and as a family, we have always taken advantage of having a direct bus to the Peak District on our doorstep. As you say, some locals in Crosspool don't seem to know about it and will often let it pass the bus stop in Broomhill, favouring the well known 51. When TM ran it as the 242/273, some services even extended to Chesterfield. 

 

That Oliver Coppard arranged for a poster to be put in the window of Crosspool Pet Supplies, advertising a vigilante type thing and saying that the bus service in the South West isn't good enough. The irony is that it would be if he would leave it alone.

 

If the pointless "Connect" city clipper was axed, that money could be used to tender services elsewhere, such as more buses to Stocksbridge, a link between Killamarsh and Crystal Peaks, and reinstating a bus along Lydgate Lane. 

 

I think what he really wants is to copy Andy Burnham up in Manchester and take the services back under local authority operation. I think that will all end in tears.

[hackey lad]

41 minutes ago, Irene Swaine said:

I completely agree with everything you say. The 257 is especially handy for getting to Broomhill/Crosspool from the rail station/Interchage and as a family, we have always taken advantage of having a direct bus to the Peak District on our doorstep. As you say, some locals in Crosspool don't seem to know about it and will often let it pass the bus stop in Broomhill, favouring the well known 51. When TM ran it as the 242/273, some services even extended to Chesterfield. 

 

That Oliver Coppard arranged for a poster to be put in the window of Crosspool Pet Supplies, advertising a vigilante type thing and saying that the bus service in the South West isn't good enough. The irony is that it would be if he would leave it alone.

 

If the pointless "Connect" city clipper was axed, that money could be used to tender services elsewhere, such as more buses to Stocksbridge, a link between Killamarsh and Crystal Peaks, and reinstating a bus along Lydgate Lane. 

 

I think what he really wants is to copy Andy Burnham up in Manchester and take the services back under local authority operation. I think that will all end in tears.

Coppard is a Poundland Burnham .