New bus stops put up as services are scrapped
Wednesday 28th July 2010, 11:30AM BST.
When six new bus stops went up on a Dudley estate it seemed like a cause for celebration.
But the new stops have rubbed salt into the wound for residents – because services on the Priory estate were scrapped just days ago. It has left campaigners bamboozled about the need for the new stops when the travel operator said there is insufficient demand for the buses.
Five signs at stops in Forest Road and one in Woodland Road say they will no longer be used with the exception of school services.
The 206 and 207 bus routes into Dudley town centre were scrapped last Sunday because operator National Express said not enough people used them after demolition of homes.
Centro put up the stops two months ago because it said passengers had had to hail down buses. It says it is in talks with other operators about replacement services.
Ward Councillor Ken Finch said people were puzzled about why other providers would run services if the reason for axing the 206 and 207 was low passenger numbers.
He said: “If these routes were uneconomical there is no need for stops. People are being encouraged to use public transport and I agree with that but in reality facilities are being taken away without consultation.”
Centro spokesman Steve Swingler said: “We were informed last week that National Express which operates the 206 and 207, had decided to withdraw the services for commercial reasons caused by low passenger numbers.
“While National Express has taken a decision to withdraw these two services, in our role as the region’s transport authority we will continue to talk to other private bus operators about the possibility of providing new services for the area.
“We are also talking to Dudley Council about their longer term proposals to redevelop the Priory Estate and its future public transport requirements.”
UK News
Most Commented
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
It doesn’t surprise me that Centro declined to comment.
They withdrew services from the end of my road on sunday as well, with very little advance notice and haven’t responded to emails about it.
It has been replaced by a service running on a parallel route that is already well served by other buses, so I question the logic (if any) of their planning department, and the arrogance of their spokespeople in failing to explain why they have taken these decisions.
I have emailed my local counsellor about it as well, but haven’t received a reply yet.
I suggest if anyone is irritated by these changes, they should contact their local counsellor as well, since they are interested in reducing congestion and pollution. The increase in use of cars that will result from withdrawing bus services will not be helping them to achieve these goals.
Report abuse
It is obnvious that the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing, run a bus company its a good job they do not organise partys in brewerys
Report abuse
In reply to Telwolf & jeffb, there are actually two different organisations here.
1) The private bus company National Express West Midlands, who have every right to amend their services as they wish, just like every other private firm can alter their business. They withdrew the services not Centro.
2) Centro who are the local authority body covering Public Transport. They, and councillors have no direct control over what private bus firms do. All they can do is to try to get another bus firm to take over the service either commercially or subsidised with Taxpayers money.
Report abuse
Where is Bateman when you want him?
Report abuse
As Paul says, National Express West Midlands is one of several private bus companies who run bus services in the West Midlands. Unfortunately it could no longer run the 206/207 sercives due to low passenger numbers.
Centro, the Integrated Transport Authority for the West Midlands, looks at the impact of all bus service withdrawals by private companies to see if they can be replaced by another commercial bus service or with taxpayers money. As Steve Swingler says in his comment in the article, Centro will continue to talk with other bus companies to see if any new bus services can be provided in the area.
The new stop poles were installed in early May, some weeks before the bus company decided to stop running the service and notified Centro and the traffic commissioner. Centro has decided not to remove the poles yet in case alternative services can be provided by another operator in the area.
Report abuse
I’m afraid they really do not know what they are doing, constantly making changes to services & routes, tinkering with what works well without consulting the people who rely on public transport. And you only get a few days notice. I travel between Brierley Hill and Quinton every day for work, they withdrew the 99 back in March which meant I then had catch 2 buses each way, the 222 and the 9. Now they’ve changed the route of the 222 which has a direct impact on my journey. They reckon these changes are to improve connections for getting to and from work. I don’t think so!! I have lodged a complaint with National Express, waiting for a response. I currently buy my bus pass from them, £42 per month but am seriously considering switiching to a one I can use on all buses which is £7.50 extra each month but Nat Ex would only get a percentage. Maybe more of their ‘loyal’ passengers should pull their funding they might begin to listen to us.
Report abuse