31 May 2017, 11:09 am
#407
(31 May 2017, 10:57 am)Venturego Strongly Agree! - Often on 21, the bus has already reached the stop before announcement is broadcast - Far too late for anyone, especially elderly or with slight disability to have time to ring bell for bus to have time to stop (if it wasn't stopping already at that point)
I'm guessing it's all activated by GPS, but surely this can be re-calculated or as in some cases have the next stop announced as soon as bus leaves previous stop.
Recently I was in Geneva, where this is the case, and also displayed on video screen showing immediate route with next 4-5 stops indicated - Next Immediate stop is shown in Bold type. Audio announcement made after leaving preceding stop.
On a separate issue, with Nexus planning expensive Metro extensions to Washington, Team Valley, Metro Centre etc.. Would new style trolley buses either running on existing roads (west-end) or dedicated roads (instead of laying rail tracks) be more cost effective?
Geneva images:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xpyfMY9kZY
New Style (Overhead power or Independent Battery (For roadworks/diversions etc..):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v97eyrLPJdE
Sweden(Malmo):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUWwBklUoT0
Most of the plans for Extenstion's are on Mothballed/Underused lines around Tyne and Wear, So it's much a case of electrification, Replacing Some track and updating the Signalling, And there you have it.
Building a Trollybus System would take atleast a Year or more in the planning, Adding that to Planning Permission etc for infrastructure, Sorting a contract with a contractor and procuring a whole new fleet of Trollybuses, So id heavily doubt Nexus are going to be wasting there time on these things when extending the existing Metro over mostly Railway land, And will do the job, Aswell as saving time/Money.
From a enthusiast's point of view, I wouldn't mind them for some Variety.
