January Changes in Sheffield [4]

More on those Maps.

Here is the Stannington area from the leaflet for the renumbered routes 11 ad 12. We can work out where the 81 (formerly 11) and 82 (formerly 12) terminate because labels have been added to he graphic. We can glean that the 81 runs one way round a loop of some sort although we have no clue as to which roads define this loop. In case we are very dense we are shown another clue as to the route of the 81.

But, thereafer, which services go where is a complete mystery. And in case you wondered, the timetable is no help at all..

There are no names or numbers to help us. As one of fbb's colleagues opined, "you can understand the leaflet route diagram if you compare it with a good street map and a list of the stop names." Or, to put it another way, the map in the Travel South Yorkshire [TSY] leaflet is completely useless; unless, of course, you already know where the buses go!

And a useful leaflet might highlight other services that may offer useful connectional facilities. Two stops beyond the Malin Bridge tag is the interchange with Supertam. Surrely it would be more helpful to have the label at "Malin Bridge Tram Stop"?

tram terminus top right

But our investigations must now take us to the south west of the city.

The "Greystones" is a splendid pub located at, surpisingly, Greystones (in Sheffield).

This popular hostelry is on Greystones Road which leads up the hill, surprisingly, to Greystones.

This TSY map extract shows the (current until the end of January) service 81 on its route via Greystones.

From this month's changes, the 81 (via Greystones) becomes an 84 (via Greystones) and half the 82s (map right), which follow he main Ecclesall Road, become 81s (NOT via Greystones!). Gettit! Now that change won't confuse he residents of Greystones, will it?

With this in mind we can return to the committee minutes.

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DG : Now you had a question about Greystones, Keen?

IK : Quite simple really. Does bus route 81 run via Greystones?

FB : Yes

IT : Yes

FB : I need to qualify that. It does at the moment.

IK : Sorry; I meant, does the new 81 run via Greystones?

FB : No

IT : Yes

DG : Some confusion there, gentlemen. Lets check the leaflet.

DG : There you are Keen; it's not on the cover.

IK : But it is in the list of stopping places; there on the last line.

FB : I think I know the answer. The old 81 went via Greystones but the new 81 doesn't.

DG : Well, I'm totally baffled. Our minutes say that the new route 84 will go via Greystones ...

... to Bents Green.

IT : But there is a difference, surely. he 81 will run via Greystones but the 84 will run via Greystones and Greystones Road.

IK : And FB told us that the 84 would run to Bents Green, but the stops list says it makes a double run from Bents Green to Ecclesall and then back to Bents Green.

Bents Green    /               Ecclesall             /    Bents Green

  

DG : What does the big South Sheffield map say? That will explain it.
IT : Erm ... we haven't printed new maps yet.
DG : Will they be ready for the start of the new pattern of service?
FB : I don't know, I only run the buses.
IT : I don't know, I manage the database.
IK : I don't know, I'm only a management trainee.

DG : I don't know, I'm only the Director General.

Mavis : I don't know, I'm the tea lady!

DG : So how are the passengers responding to these changes?

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This blog began by asking whether promises of improvement under the umbrella of the Partnership, ...

... especially as regards printed publicity, had been delivered in the two years plus since former Director Brown made them, face to face with fbb.

What do our blog readers think?

Some conclusions (and a proposal) tomorrow.

P.S. Both the new 81 and the new 82 are shown as running via "Greystones" in the stops list. No sane member of the Sheffield public would agree with that. The revised routes run via Hunters Bar and Banner Cross to Ecclesall. What about other services that use Ecclesall Road between Hunters Bar, Banner Cross and Ecclesall? Do they stop at "Greystones"

Clear as mud.

 Next bus blog : Thursday 16th January