Local Bus Service changes Service 50 – The contract for this service was up for renewal on 22nd October 2017 and loadings were just on the access standards minimum of 8 per hour.
Transport for West Midlands inform me that Passenger Loads were particularly poor along Primrose Lane and Park Lane. The service was withdrawn from these roads which has enabled the service to be extended to operate via Moat House Lane East and Olinthus Avenue in Wednesfield (this estate had been without a service from September 2016 when Arriva withdrew operation of Service 71).
I understand from TfWM thye have had requests from Wednesfield residents to re-introduce a service to the estate and this was the first opportunity TfWM had without using additional resources. This also meant that Service 50 does not now serve Amos Lane and the top end of Wood End Road.
TfWM tell me that both of these areas, have other direct services to and from Wednesfield and Wolverhampton. It is hoped that these changes can secure the long term future of the service 50.
Other changes that took place in October:- Service 25 Pendeford to Bilston (Sunday daytimes) – Change of operator from Diamond to National Express with no change to route or timetable.
- Service 28E Wolverhampton to Willenhall (eves and Sundays) – Evening journeys were withdrawn due to low usage (16 passengers per evening Mon-Fri and 15 on Saturday).
- The Sunday daytime journeys have been replaced by new daytime journeys on Service 69 between Wolverhampton and Walsall via New Invention, operated by National Express.
- This gives new links to Walsall and the section between New Invention and Willenhall and is still served by Service 41 (including evenings and Sundays).
Service 57 – Change of operator from Diamond to iGo, no change to route or timetable, but newer vehicles in operation.
