Sheffield's New Market (Read 1,161 times)

[lysander]

Many people who do not regularly use buses, found the FreeBus an easy and stress free way to reach the bottom of the Moor. Upon its withdrawal, some Councillors suggested that a small charge be made ( as in the case of Leeds ). This was rejected on the grounds that "there are plenty of buses which go to the bottom of the Moor".

This is true, but a suggestion that a small windscreen sticker on those buses on a route which actually does serve the Moorfoot...to make it easier and remove the necessity to ask the driver, if uncertain, might be a cheap and easy solution to something which is adversely affecting the Market's viability( lack of footfall). This also appears to have been rejected.

This is beyond me why a simple piece of "customer service" should be a problem.

[34211]

Nov 2, 2014 9:22:36 GMT lysander said:

Many people who do not regularly use buses, found the FreeBus an easy and stress free way to reach the bottom of the Moor. Upon its withdrawal, some Councillors suggested that a small charge be made ( as in the case of Leeds ). This was rejected on the grounds that "there are plenty of buses which go to the bottom of the Moor".

This is true, but a suggestion that a small windscreen sticker on those buses on a route which actually does serve the Moorfoot...to make it easier and remove the necessity to ask the driver, if uncertain, might be a cheap and easy solution to something which is adversely affecting the Market's viability( lack of footfall). This also appears to have been rejected.

This is beyond me why a simple piece of "customer service" should be a problem.

What's wrong with asking the driver?

[swfcforever]

Could be done on LED Destination Displays for example:-76 Low Edges via City Centre and Moorfoot?

[lysander]

Absolutely nothing, but when there is a long queue of people wanting to get on, in some people's eyes, it might be considered a bit selfish and inconveniencing them. I say that with some feeling as I ask every time and listen to the grumbles behind me!!!!!

It could be done with a piece of hand-written card or a vinyl stick on!...It isn't rocket science and wouldn't cost the earth!

[dougie]

If there needs to be a solution to this (since the routes of routes that pass the market on a frequent basis like the 20/22/47/48/75/76/83/88/97/98 haven't changed in the city centre in many years then a simple idea would be the old Mainline trick of a four sided box in the windscreen.

For example, this picture (not mine) shows a 93 with Woodhouse on the destination blind, but with "Via Meadowhall" on the smaller board inside by the top right of the windscreen:

www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fc2.staticflickr.com%2F8%2F7065%2F6961578880_1479ba8e13_z.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2F24759744%40N02%2F6961578880%2F&h=389&w=640&tbnid=JG4aOXLcfNYxXM%3A&zoom=1&docid=z_bZ7hrgMaQ8XM&ei=TKNWVJC9PKXe7AaR8IGwBQ&tbm=isch&client=safari&ved=0CC4QMygPMA8&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=651&page=1&start=0&ndsp=34

You could have one showing which way the service goes as it heads out of town ("Via The Moor" / "Via West Street" / "Via Waingate" / "Via The Interchange" ?), so that a 52 to Woodhouse would show "Via Waingate" (no point in saying it was going via West Street as anyone on the Broomhill side would obviously know the route into the city centre), then "Via West Street" on it's way to Hillsborough (since anyone on the Darnall side would know it'd pass through Waingate). So, someone on High Street/ Church Street would be able to work out which routes were going along West Street versus those heading to the Moor. The driver just turns the board at the terminus, as used to theoretically happen in Mainline days.

Problem is that the accessibility requirements may mean it'd have to be written in significantly bigger text than the discreet boards that Mainline used to use (look at how London buses had to get rid of their "via" points as they weren't visible to people with eyesight problems), so it may be a non starter.

Or, maybe the leaflet that First produced when the FreeBee was cancelled (showing a simple map of the city centre with four frequent bus routes that linked most different areas - the 47/48, the 75/76, the 95 and, erm, one more that I can't remember (the 81/82/84/85?) could be up at bus stops, but then the PTE wouldn't want operator-specific information at *their* bus stops, dunno.

Not convinced its a major problem, tbh, given that most routes down the Moor have retained the same city centre route for some time.

[lysander]

It isn't a major problem...but there are many people, myself included, who have little need to use a bus ( I use the Tram...it takes me to almost everywhere in the City Centre that I need) I neither know the bus routes or where the bus stops are. I am not alone in this, either. I did carry a note with me of the bus routes and I have always found my way to the Markets...but as footfall is much lower then planned and it is reputed to be another money loser, I can only wonder why the problem wasn't anticipated when the Freebie, which connected old and new markets, was withdrawn. I must confess I never imagined that accessibility requirements or any of the plethora of other "health and safety" requirements might be a reason.

For a few quid I can travel to Barnsley or Doncaster Markets...which seem to be much better anyway!