Village bus service gets revamp

A bus service in a Staffordshire village that was under threat less than a year ago is to get revamp and will include a Sunday service for the first time.

Arriva Midlands has announced plans to amalgamate the 63 service in Norton Canes which will maintain its current half hourly service to Cannock and Walsall.

From May 25 villagers will also get their first chance to travel on a Sunday as part of the changes.

Last year Travel West Midlands axed the route leaving many elderly residents and college students stranded with no way to get to the centre of the village or out to nearby towns.

Staffordshire County Council stepped in with a £36,000 a year subsidy to keep it going.

Residents had been concerned the changes would mean the 63 service would be scrapped totally but bosses at Arriva Midlands say the changes will help link up new services and the same route will be followed with two buses every hour.

New timetables are being printed this week ahead of a publicity campaign and a roadshow at Cannock Chase bus station on Saturday May 24. Representatives from Arriva Midlands will be on hand to explain the changes to the service.

Doreen Lilly,  aged 72, from Jackson Close, said: “This is wonderful news as we thought we were going to lose it again after some of the drivers said it was stopping.”

Joyce Cooper, aged 80, from Norton Green Lane, can’t drive and was relieved to hear the bus service would be maintained: “I think this is excellent. I use the bus four times a week and I am totally dependent on it.”

Keith Myatt, spokesman for Arriva Midlands said the new 33 service would serve the same routes.

He said: “The reason we haven’t advertised the changes is because the timetables were not ready to give out to people.”