But it Really Doesn't Matter

Yet Again W S Gilbert's Ruddigore is Prophetic

My eyes are fully open to the awful situation –

I shall go at once to Sheffield and visit the bus station.

The services are changing and I cannot find find out whether,

The changes are significant; I'm quite beyond my tether.

All I want's a leaflet that will help my bus progression, 

To get to know the timings is a reasonable obsession,

But it only lasts the holidays, so goes the local chatter, 

And the times are not so frequent, but it really doesn't matter!

They're keeping it a secret 'cos it really doesn't matter

Who cares about the timings, no it really doesn't matter

They won't be printing leaflets but it really doesn't matter

Publicity production is as mad as any hatter ...

But it really doesn't matter

     matter, matter matter, matter ...

But it really doesn't matter

     matter, matter matter, matter ...

Yesterday, fbb revealed that one of his Sheffield correspondent, David, had visited the city centre enquiry office and found, firstly, a negligible selection of bus leaflets (none at all from First Bus who operate the majority of routes) and nothing for the changes due today. David did ask the counter clerk who "really did not know but did not think there would be any leaflets for the changes".

So what is happeneing?

For many a year First has reduced Monday to Friday services during the school summer holidays. Every five minutes becomes every six; every six reduces to every 7/8 and so on. So service 3 from Nether Edge via City to Firth Park and Meadowhell is usually every 10 ...

... becomes a sort of every 12.

So, if you turn up for the 0906 or the 0918 you will have missed the bus. But it really doesn't matter.

The 24/25, normally jointly every 6 ... 

... reduces to approximately every 7/8 minutes

Once again, if you turn up for the 1052 or the 1105 service 25, you will have missed the bus. But it really doesn't matter.  To add to your furstration, it is not necessary to walk to Stradbroke Road to catch the 25; it leaves from the same Cross Street stop as the 24 ...

... but TSY don't want you to know that.

Some changes are mysterious. The 27, for example ...

... seems to have lost its schoolday journey - a bit of a school holiday surprise to TSY - with everything else unchanged.

In this case it real really doesn't matter.

A couple of stagecoach services are changing irrespective of the school term/holiday dates (57 and 265), so are there any leaflets for these in the Sheffield racks?

According to correspondent David, the answer is no. Nothing later than May 2016.

But it really doesn't matter.

Because there will be lots more changes on September 4th, why bother with the July 17th lot. It really doesn't matter.

A Sheffield MP has demanded urgent talks with bus bosses after a fresh round of service cuts and shake-ups. South East MP Clive Betts ...

... has reacted angrily to the news buses serving parts of Tinsley are to be scaled back from three to one an hour.

A new X1 service will not serve a large majority of the Tinsley area where a previous bus route did. Mr Betts claims residents will be left ‘isolated’ and cut off’ as a result of the changes. The news comes from a fresh shake-up of timetables and routes which will come into force on September 4.

In another twist, 1,300 of Sheffield and South Yorkshire First Bus drivers are threatening strike action over pay and conditions which could cause even more disruption.

Will there be any printed publicity for these September changes?

fbb has requested copies of the new timetables as soon as possible. Will the operators respond?

Maybe it just doesn't matter.

And the new X1?

It is the proposed Sheffield to Rotherham Bus Rapid Transit route. It is due to run every ten minutes replacing the long-standing route 69 currently every 20 minutes..

It follows the main road (like the 69) but is shown as running via Meadowhall Way (the wiggle top right) but not calling at the shoppping centre itself.

To avoid traffic cloggage at Tinsley a new bit of bus only road has been constructed (the red bit on the map below) ...

... which means it cannot serve Tinsley itself, about the only block of housing left on the road.

A replacement service of one bus an hour may be "sufficient", but it doesn't inspire confidence in public transport.

But it really doesn't matter!

Or does it?

 Next bus blog : Monday 18th July