All change on bus rebranding
Major changes affecting bus routes across the West Midlands are set to come into force. Arriva has been given the go-ahead to alter and re-number 18 of its services under a new rebranded Chase Linx timetable from September 2.
All 66 buses in the West Midlands fleet will also be refurbished with the installation of CCTV and improved seating. Five new state-of-the-art energy-efficient easy-access vehicles costing £680,000 will take to the roads between Cannock and Stafford hospitals and on the Bloxwich to Wolverhampton route.
Members of the public were consulted on the alterations which then had to be approved by the traffic commissioners.
Under the revised schedule, services between Cannock and Walsall and Cannock and Wolverhampton will run every 20 minutes instead of 30; and the former hourly Rugeley to Cannock service will run up to every 30 minutes.
The number of buses between Cannock, Burntwood and Lichfield on Saturdays will also be doubled with a service running every 30 minutes.
Despite improvements to the overall service, passengers in High Heath, Walsall, are set to lose their 360 service from Walsall to Aldridge with Arriva bosses saying it is no longer viable.
Keith Myatt, spokesman for Arriva Midlands, said the improved co-ordination of services will provide enhanced frequencies on key corridors and regular spacing of buses.
He said: "Bus services in the Cannock Chase area have not been reviewed on such a scale for many years.
"We are sure it will more closely serve the needs of the majority of our customers and meet the region's growing travel needs and help ease congestion."
Timetable leaflets will be soon be available at local libraries, Tourist Information Centres, council offices and bus station offices at Walsall and Wolverhampton.
Customers can also visit the Arriva Midlands Roadshows between 10am and 2pm at Burntwood Library on Friday, August 31, and in Cannock Shopping Centre on Saturday, September 1.
