Convoluted Consultatioin Con-Job (2)

Getting to Greystones

From the air, Greystones, a suburb of Sheffield looks innocuous. But it isn't! If we start in the valley of the Porter Brook (aerial view top left - that is the same Pirterbrook as the train leasing company) every route is UP and very UP!

Part way UP Highcliffe Road is a left hand turn, Greystones Road, also significantly UP.

But the buses don't go that way. They turn off Ecclesall Road (the A625) which runs north to south on the aerial view above. That is the other end of Greystones Road which leads UP.

Most of the housing further UP dates from the 1930s.

At the summit of Greystones Road, just before it descends to the Porter Brook valley, the bus swings a left onto High Storrs Road ...

... which continues UP to a peak at High Storrs School.

After which it is, as they say, downhill all the way! 

Here it is on a street map.

The first bus route to the area was Sheffield Transport 74 running every hour. 

In October 1968 (fbb remembers it well?) this became service 61. Then comes 83 and 84 both ways round the Greystones "loop" but giving a much improved half hourly service.

And you might even have had the pleasure (?) of an Ailsa!

Then, (eventually) the route became just 83 but remained every 30 min. For a time there were 81a and 88a to confuse the passengers in the evenings and on Sundays.

Under the Sheffield Bus Non-Partnership a joint service ran cross city from Ecclesfield with an 83 to Greystones (First) and an 83a to Fulwood (Stagecoach).

Then, like the buses from High Storrs, it went downhill all the way! In the true spirit of omnoboligical partnership both First 83 ...

... and Stagecoach 83a ...

... had changes in timetable. This meant that the joint service became two independent and incompatible services each running roughly every half hour - and, boy, was it rough!

It wasn't helped by the PTE's messing up the timetable presentation. But the 30 minute frequency on each leg was a farce and the passengers reacted by not using the 83/83a. So First Bus simply gave up and withdrew its 83.

Stagecoach still ran the 83a, now renumbered 83!

Confused.com!

So what would the poor personages of Greystones do now?

Enter T M Travel's tendered route 6 ...

... once well publicised.

The PTE issued a new tender, won by Stagecoach, under which the already convoluted 6 was further diverted via Greystones every hour. (BROWN line on the map below).

Instead of going straight along the main Ecclesall Road on their 83, the anguished residents of Greystones have now been treated to a diversion via Endcliffe Vale Road (University Halls), Broomhill and the Hallamshire Hospital - all designed to discourage travel into the city centre.

Stagecoach's on line timetable (no printed publicity of course) doesn't even mention Greystones.

But Greystones folk also have the delight of a bus to Millhouses Tesco where they can enjoy a lavish shelter ...

... barely big enough for the crowds hurrying back, shopping bags in hand, to the hills of Greystones. No other bus service calls here!

It is the "consultation" on changes to buses to Greystones that will feature in tomorrow's blog.

Spoiler warning! IT'S RUBBISH! (the consultation, not the blog!)

STOP PRESS

fbb just just received a physical copy of the Cornwall bus timetable and map. Reviewing the timetable did not fit in with whatever the old man was doing a couple of months ago; BUT he should record that the new book is A4 size rather than one third A4.

The book no longer slips into a large-ish pocket, but it is easier to peruse. The new map is oh so much better than the previous unhelpfully small offerings in the former timetable books.

Delayed review to follow in due course!

 Next Consultation blog : Wednesday 10 july