Hi everybody!

I'm getting the National Express from Manchester to Standsted, where I
have to change to a different bus at Birmingham. The bus arrives at
midnight, and the bus to Standsted Airport leaves at 00:50. Is the bus
station a safe place to be around that time on a weeknight? Is it well
lit and manned pernamently? Any tips or answers to my questions would
be greatly appreciated!

Happy travelling everyone!


James.

In article ,
[email protected] (James) wrote:

    > I'm getting the National Express from Manchester to Standsted, where I
    > have to change to a different bus at Birmingham. The bus arrives at
    > midnight, and the bus to Standsted Airport leaves at 00:50. Is the bus
    > station a safe place to be around that time on a weeknight? Is it well
    > lit and manned pernamently? Any tips or answers to my questions would
    > be greatly appreciated!

Hi James

Digbeth bus station is not in the most salubrious area of Birmingham.
Though I would not go so far as to actually call it dangerous, it's
rough at the edges and some of the streets are rather dark and dingy. If
you are concerned about safety I would stay in the bus station -- not that
there is anything nearby to see or do in 50 minutes in the middle of the
night, anyway.

I don't know if the station is permanently manned per se, not having been
there quite that late, but I'm sure there will be people around -- very
likely you won't be the only one making that change. I am also fairly sure
I remember seeing CCTV cameras there.

Incidentally, the whole area is being redeveloped on a massive scale so it
may have improved in the few years since I last took a night bus from
Brum.

wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > In article ,
    > [email protected] (James) wrote:
    > Digbeth bus station is not in the most salubrious area of Birmingham.
    > Though I would not go so far as to actually call it dangerous, it's
    > rough at the edges and some of the streets are rather dark and dingy

It does front a main road into the city, which has a number of "Irish" pubs,
some real (i.e. pubs which just happpen to have a large proportion of Irish
customers) and some "Mock Mick" establishments with plastic shamrock.
Unlikely to be of any help to the OP in terms of quenching his thirst, but
there may be some post-kicking-out-time activity.

I would broadly agree with Barney's assessment and just advise James to take
normal sensible precautions, such as staying within sight of other people
waiting for the Stansted coach.

Alan Harrison

sgwennodd "James" yn neges
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi everybody!
    > I'm getting the National Express from Manchester to Standsted, where I
    > have to change to a different bus at Birmingham. The bus arrives at
    > midnight, and the bus to Standsted Airport leaves at 00:50. Is the bus
    > station a safe place to be around that time on a weeknight? Is it well
    > lit and manned pernamently?
Safe? I'd say yes.
Pleasant? Er..... not particularly.
There is a very good nightclub across the road though :-)

hwyl!
geraint.