Trivia: Temporary bus routes that exist specifically to cover a diversion

[PTR 444]

Since the Sandbanks chain ferry has been suspended for essential maintenance, Morebus route 50 which runs from Bournemouth to Swanage has had to be significantly amended. This time round, the route has been split into two with dedicated numbers: The X50 running non-stop between Bournemouth, Poole (for connections with route 60 from Sandbanks) and Swanage before continuing to Studland every 2 hours, and the 51 running between Bournemouth and Sandbanks every hour.

This is an example of a bus route being replaced (as opposed to simply being diverted) as a result of a road closure. Have there been any other such examples?

 

[route101]

When the 6 or 66 was diverted around Busby via Waterfoot there was a Clarkston to Busby shuttle once.

 

[SCH117X]

When the bridge over the River Wharfe was damaged, and until repaired, Connexions operated a shuttle service between Linton and Wetherby whilst the X99 service, then operated by First, was diverted.

 

[JD2168]

There have been a number of these in South Yorkshire.
When the usual 32/33 at the time was diverted a M32 from Rotherham to Canklow operated when a junction was closed, used one bus normally a Solo.
A few years ago around Christmas Woodseats road railway bridge was replaced causing the 75/76 to be diverted a Solo was used on a replacement.

 

[Statto]

533 Hammersmith, Barnes, Castlenau, Mortlake, Hammersmith, circular route introduced because of the closure of Hammersmith Bridge, which has meant the 209 can't operate through to Hammersmith, think the 533 will be withdrawn when Hammersmith Bridge reopens to buses, if Hammersmith Bridge ever does reopen for buses.

 

[TR673]

When the NET (Nottingham Express Transit) tram was being extended through Beeston, throughout 2013/14 the main bus-served High Road between Beeston and Chilwell was completely cut off and the various routes diverted around. To connect the two severed ends of the road that had lost their buses, Nottinghamshire County Council ran the "Chilwell Rd & Chilwell High Rd Shop Link" with a branded Mellor Orion minibus. It was free to ride. When the road reopened, the Shop Link disappeared.

 

[Simon75]

In Crewe a few years back the bridge in Sydney was being rebuilt, the 8 was split into 3 services 8W, 8S, 8E.
Though originally the 8 was made up of 3 services (8,15,16)

 

[freetoview33]

First introduced a shuttle when the Premier Inn at Cribbs Causeway burnt down.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Between February and October 2011, Elm Bridge near Woking's Leisure Centre (Surrey) was closed for work resulting in Arriva's Camberley to Guildford route 34 having to be diverted via a more direct route between Woking and Sutton Green on its way to/from Guildford. This left the Kingfield and Westfield areas bypassed by the 34, so during this period a special temporary route 234 shuttle service was set up to run Woking - Westfield - Kingfield to enable passengers to get to/from Woking or connect onto the 34 to reach other destinations.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

First West of England almost seemed like they retained a Solo for that eventuality. Severe weather led to the A431 (back road from Bath to Bristol) being subject to a landslide and it was closed for about a year. The 319 from Bath to Kingswood and Cribbs Causeway had to be diverted via Keynsham. So the villages of Kelston, Bitton and Swineford were served, a 619 ran from those villages connecting with the 319 at Willsbridge, operated by said Solo.

The following year, there was another protracted closure at Limpley Stoke on the A36 near Trowbridge so the 265 was diverted to run via the direct A363 to Bradford on Avon and again, the Solo was employed on a 266 linking Bradford on Avon with Winsley.

 

[43055]

When London Road bridge was replaced in Derby the Arriva services via the front of the train station were diverted via Pride Park with a shuttle from the Bus Station to the front of the train station.

 

[PTR 444]

First introduced a shuttle when the Premier Inn at Cribbs Causeway burnt down.

I’m not quite sure how a building fire would necessitate the introduction of a temporary bus service.

 

[The exile]

I’m not quite sure how a building fire would necessitate the introduction of a temporary bus service.

Not the case here but imagine double-decker served route with a significant intermediate call (eg hospital) which only has2 access roads - one of which has a low bridge. Building fire leaves building in danger of collapse onto the other one - but you can’t divert the double deckers because of the low bridge - hey presto, shuttle.

 

[Magdalia]

In 2019 Mill Road in Cambridge had an extended closure to enable Network Rail to reconstruct the bridge that crosses the railway at the north end of Cambridge station. Some major road works in Mill Road were done simultaneously, I can't remember if that was gas or water.

Stagecoach Citi 2 route was diverted via Coldham's Lane, but this could have left all of Mill Road without a bus service. Temporary routes 2A and 2B operated either side of the bridge, using minibuses because there was nowhere to turn full length buses at the temporary termini either side of the bridge. The 2A ran Emmanuel Street to/from Gwydir Street and the 2B ran Brooks Road Sainsburys to/from Mill Road Broadway. The 2A was a bit of a moveable feast depending on the exact location of the road works in Mill Road, but the 2B followed the normal Citi 2 route. Each route ran a service every 30 minutes with one minibus, the 2B operated quite well but punctuality on the 2A was dire because of traffic congestion.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I’m not quite sure how a building fire would necessitate the introduction of a temporary bus service.

Because the two top floors front elevation (i.e. the exterior walls) collapsed onto the main road outside. The fire took nearly two days to put out, and then there was some immediate demolition to make it safe.

Hence the road was closed and services diverted. I can't recall the shuttle service but @freetoview33 is local and I trust him to be right.

 

[freetoview33]

Because the two top floors front elevation (i.e. the exterior walls) collapsed onto the main road outside. The fire took nearly two days to put out, and then there was some immediate demolition to make it safe.

Hence the road was closed and services diverted. I can't recall the shuttle service but @freetoview33 is local and I trust him to be right.

It ran from Henbury to Cribbs Causeway via Southmead and Filton. With 1,2,3,4 76 all terminating in Henbury.

Yes it was a nightmare.

 

[Snow1964]

London had one few summers back when gas main was being relaid in Petersham (the only road between river and Richmond Park). Numbered 565 and 571 were basically a shuttle from Kingston, out via 65 route, back via 371 route and alternative.

There was one for few weeks this summer in Winsley due to closure of a road to build shared cycle and pedestrian route, with a free shuttle from Bath to Winsley as main D1 service was diverted between Bradford-on-Avon and Bath.

 

[LiviCrazy]

Back when First ran the 28 to Kirknewton, whenever there was work on the level crossing, they used to run a regular shuttle bus between Wilkieston and Kirknewton. Not sure if that still happens with Lothian Country.

 

[PTR 444]

It ran from Henbury to Cribbs Causeway via Southmead and Filton. With 1,2,3,4 76 all terminating in Henbury.

Yes it was a nightmare.

That is quite some diversion. The next road due east of the A4018 is the A38 two miles east at the other end of Filton Aerodrome. If road traffic was diverted that way it would have caused some rather lengthy tailbacks around northern Bristol and the M5.

 

[philjo]

Stagecoach ran a minibus shuttle between Grasmere and Keswick when the main road was blocked by a landslide after Storm Desmond in December 2015. The 555 had been diverted via the A6.

 

[PTR 444]

Stagecoach ran a minibus shuttle between Grasmere and Keswick when the main road was blocked by a landslide after Storm Desmond in December 2015. The 555 had been diverted via the A6.

I’m aware that the same storm also knocked out Pooley Bridge, cutting off its namesake village from the A592. What arrangements were made to the 508 route before the temporary bridge was put up?

 

[RELL6L]

I’m aware that the same storm also knocked out Pooley Bridge, cutting off its namesake village from the A592. What arrangements were made to the 508 route before the temporary bridge was put up?

I’m sure that when I took the 508 from Bowness to Penrith in 2019 it turned left just before reaching Pooley Bridge and went straight to Penrith. Meanwhile there was a ‘shuttle’ service covering just Penrith to Pooley Bridge.

 

[freetoview33]

That is quite some diversion. The next road due east of the A4018 is the A38 two miles east at the other end of Filton Aerodrome. If road traffic was diverted that way it would have caused some rather lengthy tailbacks around northern Bristol and the M5.

Yes, it's only way through. Few times lately at night when cribbs causeway has closed buses have been on that diversion

 

[busestrains]

A couple of years ago Reptons Coaches ran their 465 which was a route run to cover a part of the route that the normal RATP operated 465 was unable to cover due to a diversion.

 

[freetoview33]

That is quite some diversion. The next road due east of the A4018 is the A38 two miles east at the other end of Filton Aerodrome. If road traffic was diverted that way it would have caused some rather lengthy tailbacks around northern Bristol and the M5.

Here is a link from recently showing the extent of the diversion routes take when the road "Cribbs Causeway " is closed.

A4018, Cribbs Causeway - CLOSURE - (1, 2, 3, 4 & 76)

The A4018 between Station Road in Henbury and Lysander Road heading towards Cribbs Causeway only will be closed overnight between 20:00 and 06:00 Friday 24th November (One Night) to facilitate carriageway works. This one way closure will increase the journey times and we apologise for any...

www.firstbus.co.uk

 

[madannie77]

Stagecoach ran a minibus shuttle between Grasmere and Keswick when the main road was blocked by a landslide after Storm Desmond in December 2015. The 555 had been diverted via the A6.

That was a fun journey. It was operated by Enviro 200s borrowed from Carlisle depot which ran in pairs on an hourly basis. The road around the western shore of Thirlmere is rather narrow and the road was closed to all other traffic. There was only one place on that road with enough room for the buses to pass each other, so some waiting around happened occasionally. There was also a section of temporary road between the southern end of Thirlmere and Dunmail Raise.

I’m aware that the same storm also knocked out Pooley Bridge, cutting off its namesake village from the A592. What arrangements were made to the 508 route before the temporary bridge was put up?

Oddly enough I can't remember what arrangements were made immediately the old bridge was destroyed. I would think it would be very similar to what happened when the temporary bridge was removed to facilitate the erection of the new bridge (mentioned below).

I’m sure that when I took the 508 from Bowness to Penrith in 2019 it turned left just before reaching Pooley Bridge and went straight to Penrith. Meanwhile there was a ‘shuttle’ service covering just Penrith to Pooley Bridge.

When the new bridge was being built at Pooley Bridge in 2019/2020 the 508 ran direct to Penrith via the A592 past Rheged. Pooley Bridge was served by a route 108 (although the route number 508 was often displayed on journeys to Penrith) which ran three times a day. When I used route 108 it was Optare Solos or Versas.

 

[mb88]

Back when First ran the 28 to Kirknewton, whenever there was work on the level crossing, they used to run a regular shuttle bus between Wilkieston and Kirknewton. Not sure if that still happens with Lothian Country.

The past couple of times when this has happened there has been a taxi service provided by West Lothian Council which had to be pre-booked and would meet the bus in East Calder.

 

[bussnapperwm]

In 2013, National Express West Midlands ran a dedicated service 100 in Chemsley Wood (every 20 minutes, 1 bus) to cater for a part road closure which would caused the 94/71 services (combined via the closed road up to 12bph each way!) to have about 2 miles of extra running a trip (and a double run) otherwise to cover the less than half mile closure...

... yet this year during roadworks in Saltley, they ran services 94/95 (12bph each way) via a ridiculous double run just to avoid putting on a dedicated shuttle.

They also ran a dedicated ALX200 ran service 11E to cover a road closure on the 11A/C Outer Circle as well a few years ago

(Image attached is a screenshot from a busmiles map of the route the 100 shuttle took in Chemsley Wood, calling at all stops)