MetroBus

[whole diary]

[johnneyw]

I have to say I'm not holding my breath in anticipation. I know it's anecdotal evidence only but not one person I know at work has told me they had any intention of using it and they are all aware of it thanks to the geological time the Aztec roundabout was subject to Metrobust roadworks.

[chuffed]

Well, today's the day when it finally launches. I hope that FT,N creator of the tag 'Metrobust' was on the inaugural run !

[martyjon]

Well, today's the day when it finally launches. I hope that FT,N creator of the tag 'Metrobust' was on the inaugural run !

Well if he wasn't don't blame him, no timetables posted at any stops information points, real time screens that can't be seen in daylight cos the sunshine is too bright where there is a real time display and according to a female MetroBus person who happened to cross my path at the Lyde Green P & R stop last week, the suns not that bright too many days of the year to cause much of a problem. No timetables distributed to households in Lyde Green and other areas formerly covered by the X48 so many are blissfully unaware that its happening today and M3 will only stop at MetroBus stops so for many of Lyde Greens residents, the only residential area M3 will travel through, it will mean at least a 10 minute walk to either the Park and Ride or The Science Park stops.

Never mind I'll try it out later this morning even though it will mean for me 3 buses for my journey into Bristol rather than the more convenient 1 direct bus on either of 3 direct routes, the X47/47/X49.

[simonw]

It will be interesting to compare the M3, Emerson Green to Bristol Metro bus service and the T1, First Bristol new service from Thornbury to Bristol Centre

[johnneyw]

As I write, I'm not on the 78 service to work that I used to take as there is not one anymore. 75 now with the extra mile walk. Well, at least it is summer.

[trainer]

As I write, I'm not on the 78 service to work that I used to take as there is not one anymore. 75 now with the extra mile walk. Well, at least it is summer.

I assume that under the current law, there is nothing to stop any bus company replacing the discontinued routes with their own if the MetroBus concept is so unpopular and people on these estates are willing to pay for the convenience of a local bus as opposed to the offered speed of the new system.  These 'old' routes would observe all the stops and be part of the traffic queues into Bristol as has hitherto been the case.  I'm not sure what the rules are for any operator using the 'bus only' lanes onto the M32: clearly only adapted vehicles will be able to use the concrete bits currently being re-profiled, but if they were allowed then commercial freedoms would allow a competing regime and only the most popular would survive. 

There will be winners and losers in a purely commercial system and a planned monopoly.

[grahame]

I assume that under the current law, there is nothing to stop any bus company replacing the discontinued routes with their own if the MetroBus concept is so unpopular ....

I believe you're correct in most circumstances including this one.   In London with their franchise system I suspect you couldn't and I'm not sure what the situation would be if there was an enhanced or advanced bus partnership in place in the area. If the local authority had implemented bus franchising, the extra services would need to operate as part of the franchise or with an exemption certificate.

[johnneyw]

For sure there will be winners and losers with the changes due to Metrobust and I know I am one of the latter. My concern is more about the actual net gain for a mere quarter billion pound investment. Looks like it is mostly a win for the road building interests to me as I return home much later now than I would have before the changes.

[simonw]

I find the idea that winners and losers must co-exist within are transport system sad.

Sure that many people on Thornbury - Bradley Stoke corridor have an improved service because of the new route of the T1 saving 15 minutes of their journey.

I thought the T2 route was the same as the old 78, with an hourly service.

[grahame]

I've been watching this thread and Metrobus from the sidelines ... but I will probably be in Bristol on Friday and wonder whether to have a ride purely for the experience.    Silly question - does this initial route take what looks like almost a perverse delight in avoiding any rail interchanges?

[froome]

A couple of weeks ago I used the 62 bus that goes from Bristol to Berkeley (and on to Gloucester), returning on it to Bristol in the early afternoon. The relevance of this is that it uses the M32 and so makes use of the bus lane that has been put in for Metrobus.

What actually happened, when we got onto the M32 a bit before 3pm (so well out of the rush hour) was that the M32 was already pretty congested with all lanes of traffic full. The bus took the outside lane, i.e. next to the central reservation, so that it could get into the bus lane when that lane started, which is quite a long way along the M32. However, when it got to that point, the traffic ahead was trying to pull over into the middle lane, as it wasn't allowed into the bus lane, and the traffic in the middle lane wasn't allowing anyone to move over. So the bus was blocked and we had to watch traffic passing us by on the inside, until the bus driver also tried to pull into the middle lane to get round the blocking traffic, which eventually did free up the lane and allowed him to get back over into the bus lane.

So what happens with Metrobus here? I didn't notice any signals to allow it onto the bus lane, but I wasn't able to see that closely, so perhaps there are some. If not, will it too be stuck in the lane like the 62 bus?

[johnneyw]

I find the idea that winners and losers must co-exist within are transport system sad.

Sure that many people on Thornbury - Bradley Stoke corridor have an improved service because of the new route of the T1 saving 15 minutes of their journey.

I thought the T2 route was the same as the old 78, with an hourly service.

You are right but it means the half hourly service between the 78 and 79 serving Aztec West roundabout from Gloucester Road A38 has been halved in frequency. This is particularly bad for some of us working into the evening to the top of the hour whereby you just miss the service and have a hour to wait. Such a decrease for such an important employment centre hardly constitutes an improvement for those not travelling from the centre.

[simonw]

Is the 73 of any use?

[johnneyw]

Is the 73 of any use?

If I get away exactly on time (unusual) and really march at the double I might just make it across Aztec to Conniston Road for the 73 but it is 50/50 at best with a long wait for the next one. Quite a few people took the old 79 service back at the same time as me. Not any more.
What is extra stupid is that evening finishers tend to finish at the top of the hour. Having the bus now arriving there at 1 minute past gives no one a chance to catch it.
Thanks for the suggestion though. ☺

[simonw]

The owners of Aztech West,  should arrange for a regular bus service from Bristol Parkway to to Aztech West.

At least from Bristol Parkway their are lots of buses, and regular train services