Futile First Failure - 95 (Part 2)

Warning :This blog will hurt you brain!

Frantically Finding Out!

On the First South Yorkshire web site, the above picture is accompanied by some meaningful text.

So, having caught the Summer Woohoo, fbb is looking for timetable changes from 1st September - information which will include then new-look 95s.

Woohoo!

We are guided from the opening headline page to details of the "more buses and more links" that we may have spotted a few weeks ago. We might even have taken part if the "Consultation", the results of which have manifested themselves in almost no alterations to the original plans.

What a surprise!

But there is a change to the 95 from Walkley. Instead of the revsed routes being numbered 95, 53 and 53a, they are now, helpfully, numbered 95, 95a, 95b and 95s. Whilst the new arrangements are complex, buses between Walkley and the city centre remain unchanged in route. 

Previously 95 and 95a, there are now four route numbers to baffle people.

But First Bus explains it all!

Indeed, so excited is the First Bus Management that they explain it TWICE as above. Note the helpful alphabetical order in the left hand panel. More details of the 95a and 95b are given in the right hand panel.

But the text above is very broad brush and is unlikely ro excite any passengers (Woohoo!) because it is totally inadequate.

But fbb, once again rejecting the use of a safety net, has begun to unravel this group of services.

95, 95a and 96b leave Sheffield via the Parkway ...

... with the city centre bottom left and, initially, runing due east.

It is a road built to carry vehicles direct to the M1 without the anguish of a grind via the suburbs of north east Sheffield. Instead there is now the grind via the Parkway traffic jams!

What we really need is a well written timetable. What may come our way, if we are persistent, is a badly written timetable from First Bus.

In passing, we note that route 95 serves the Parkway Markets which used to be the city's huge wholesale fruit and veg market and is now much reduced in market space and more an industrial area.

In fact, the 95 cannot use the first stretch of the Parkway and has to wiggle via ordinary roads - but you cannot really tell that without expert knowledge.

The text tells us that all three variants serve the ASDA store at Handsworth adjacent to the Parkway roundabout with stops on the "traditional" route east.

Of course, as we shall soon see, the actual timetable makes no mention of ASDA - good information consistency eh? But the text's right hand panel mentions the next stop along, Richmond Park Road but, obviously, the buses do not go via Richmond Park Road, they just stop at the end.

But where might you find this timetable?

"here" takes us to here :-

After vainly prodding any or both of the headers in blue, up pops the current 95/95a timetable not the upcoming major revision.

Eventually a more likely and very different list appears.

Only one and a bit of these headings appears in the box on screen, so fbb has had to scroll, screen shot and paste to give you all the options. Note (with some unease) he different city centre stops on offer!!

Two different 95s?

But when you click on any of the above service 95 collection, this page appears.

It is obvious (NOT!) that what First is giving you is a full list of every bus route (with timetables) from 1st September. 

Quite why you can't be just shown the 95s up front is a mystery of First's web site incompetence. 

But scroll away and you eventually get there.

And a click here confirms that all the 95s in their confusion and profusion are on one gurt big baffling timetable.

fbb will extrapolate but only in the privacy of his living room!

Everything, we see, runs to Handsworth ASDA or thereabouts ...

... with the 95s continuing to Rotherham via Treeton and Brinsworth.

Until 1st September this second half of the route 95 is a service 73 (LIGHT BLUE) ...

...  although the 73 follows a very different route between Sheffield and Handsworth.

Confused,com?

But worry not, perplexed passenger. From September 1st the evening and Sunday service between Handsworth and Rotherham  is still the 73.

Why? Why not a 95?

Should you be interested you can click to enlarge the above extract. But it is not worth the effort unless you are unfortunate enough to live on the daft evening and Sunday route.

Totally Confused.com!

And First Bus improvements? Here is the current 95/95a SATURDAY timetable running every 15 minutes.

And the upcoming timetable ...

... REDUCED TO EVERY 20 MINUTES.

But what about Sundays? Present ...

... every 30 minutes.

The new Sunday timetable shows ...

... an increase to every 15 minutes!

Even more Confused.com!

Something doesn't look right.

And what about the 95a and 95b running from Handsworth via two very different routes to Crystal Peaks shopping hell - sorry that should read "mall"? 

These DO appear to be brand new links! but fbb has yet to find out why.

So more to come after a good intake of tranquillisers.

Tomorrow will be a much needed intermission from the huge heap of large and confusing reorganisations (YET AGAIN) in sunny Sheffield. Tomorrow's Sheffield changes will be simple to follow but baffling in other ways.

And undoubtedly difficult for the average Sheffield Bus passenger to grasp.

 Next Sheffield Snippets blog : Thurs 15th Aug