Bus vs Tram from Hillsborough into City..

Hello fellow forumers...

I'm just wanting to gauge some feedback about why people prefer to use the Bus or the Tram, as opposed to making use of both...

One of the main reasons for asking is that between City and Hillsborough, the trams are generally very busy, often standing loads and turning people away at rush hour, yet the vast amount of buses travelling the same route along Langsett Road into the city are often half full, if not less busy.

Working out some of the problems that I can foresee:

- Buses are seen as been less reliable due to getting caught in traffic along Shalesmoor (35/57/61/62/81/82/85), Holme Lane (61/62/81/82) and Catch Bar Lane (35/85).

- Buses are less frequent compared to trams (10 minute combined service on 81/82 and half-hourly combined service on 35/85 and 61/62).

- Buses are cheaper than trams (£2 single on 35/57/81/82/85 [unsure of 61/62]) compared with £2.40 single on the tram from Hillsborough to City. Also offer a £1 student ticket.

- Buses you can now pay Contactless for your journey (First & Stagecoach services only).

- Trams are more frequent in the evening and on Sundays (10 minute combine service at these times, compared with the half-hourly 81/82 combined service).

- Trams are generally cleaner and have a conductor onboard. Less chance of anti-social behaviour etc.

- Trams generally have less excess time to wait at timing points, unlike buses which sometimes due to light traffic can have their engines turned off for between 3-5 minutes to catch up on their time.

- Trams operated on segregated sections between Shalesmoor and University, bypassing queuing traffic and are perceived as been quicker.

Just some food for thought, but interested to see what people think...

My main thought is if the buses are cheaper, offer contactless payments and have a quicker journey time into the city (11 minutes opposed to 16 minutes on the tram [Hillsborough to Castle Square / Snig Hill area]), then why are the trams a more popular choice than the buses, which are generally rarely used that well between Hillsborough and City.

oh for the days of pre privatisation when it was cheaper by public transport than by car.

I use the tram daily. When I need to use the bus instead it's very noticeable how much longer it takes, not just because of traffic, but due to the time it takes to get people onto the bus, buying tickets, faffing about finding their money discussing with the driver what ticket they need. It's a real bottleneck. In comparison the tram stops, opens its (multiple) doors, lets people on, closes the doors and off we go.

I don't know about an 11 minute bus journey to Snig Hill, it can take 11 minutes just to get one bus-stop-load of people on!

Contactless payment is an improvement, but it's still a one person at a time process and until everyone's paid, the bus isn't going anywhere.

I use the tram daily. When I need to use the bus instead it's very noticeable how much longer it takes, not just because of traffic, but due to the time it takes to get people onto the bus, buying tickets, faffing about finding their money discussing with the driver what ticket they need. It's a real bottleneck. In comparison the tram stops, opens its (multiple) doors, lets people on, closes the doors and off we go.

 

I don't know about an 11 minute bus journey to Snig Hill, it can take 11 minutes just to get one bus-stop-load of people on!

 

Contactless payment is an improvement, but it's still a one person at a time process and until everyone's paid, the bus isn't going anywhere.

I agree with you Olive as I use the bus from Stannington to town. If I have an appointment somewhere the people you mention faffing about buying tickets etc; can really hold the bus up. How I wish when they put the Supertram in they had taken the route directly straight up into Stannington village.

I agree with you Olive as I use the bus from Stannington to town. If I have an appointment somewhere the people you mention faffing about buying tickets etc; can really hold the bus up. How I wish when they put the Supertram in they had taken the route directly straight up into Stannington village.

It was originally planned to run the Supertram to Stannington.

But this was opposed by the local NIMBYS

The original plan was for Supertram to go to Stannington but so many protested against it and it was cut back to Malin Bridge , after it opened there was another campaign to extend it to Stannington but alas the cash wasn't there any more .

The original plan was for Supertram to go to Stannington but so many protested against it and it was cut back to Malin Bridge , after it opened there was another campaign to extend it to Stannington but alas the cash wasn't there any more .

Shame. It would be great for the tram to come up here.

My OH finds it faster to go into town by bus at the time of day that he needs to go (he works shifts) and because the tram takes a much more circuitous route, but he's generally not travelling in with everybody going to work in office hours.

I get the tram because it picks me up (pretty much) right at my house and drops me off right outside my work.

Only problem is the cost, I'd use it a lot more if it was cheaper but if you're going on a day out or to the cinema/meadowhall/etc it's a lot more economic to drive.

I usually get the tram into town. Depending on the colour of the tram and the time it gets into town I'll either stay on until Nunnery Sq then walk, or get a 72 bus right to my doorstep.

This morning a tram had broken down at Shalesmoor so the whole system backed up. Luckily I was able to get on a bus to Dore and then switch to the 72 in town. It got me to Castle Sq a lot faster than the tram usually does.

I usually get the tram into town. Depending on the colour of the tram and the time it gets into town I'll either stay on until Nunnery Sq then walk, or get a 72 bus right to my doorstep.

 

This morning a tram had broken down at Shalesmoor so the whole system backed up. Luckily I was able to get on a bus to Dore and then switch to the 72 in town. It got me to Castle Sq a lot faster than the tram usually does.

A car pulled out in front of the tram and got smacked - hence the delays!

Shame. It would be great for the tram to come up here.

Off topic i know, but another big miss for the tram is not running it to both main hospitals..