Everything you need to know about bus route shake-up set to hit passengers across West Midlands this November

Passengers across the Black Country, Wolverhampton and the wider West Midlands face a widespread shake-up of bus services starting on Sunday, November 1.

The revisions, introduced by operators National Express West Midlands and Diamond Bus, include route withdrawals, new links, route diversions and altered timetables across the network.

Key changes are set to affect services in Wolverhampton and the Black Country, alongside wider adjustments across Birmingham, Solihull and Coventry.

Here is the full list of services set to face changes:

Wolverhampton and Black Country

In Wolverhampton and the Black Country, the Diamond Bus 26A service between Wolverhampton and Bilston will cease after October 31, with Chaserider’s 25 service providing replacement evening and Sunday trips.

The 27A route to Dudley will be altered to navigate around the Upper Villiers Street closure via Bromley Street, Lower Villiers Street and Drayton Street, following consultation with Wolverhampton City Council.

The West Bromwich to Harvills Hawthorne circular 44 service will see a new timetable to improve reliability, offering buses every 20 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays.

Minor timetable adjustments will affect the 54 route between West Bromwich and World’s End during weekday peaks, while Diamond Bus’s 21 service between Bearwood and Oldbury will bypass Francis Road and Shakespeare Road.

Birmingham and Solihull

Travel between Birmingham, Chelmsley Wood and Birmingham Airport will also be affected. The 17 bus will mostly end at Marston Green Station, ceasing its extension to Chelmsley Wood, although the 17A will continue with a slight reduction in Sunday frequency from every 30 to every 40 minutes. Chelmsley Wood residents will retain direct travel through service 72.

The 96 service, previously running between Chelmsley Wood and Kingstanding via Erdington and Birmingham Airport, will now terminate at Chelmsley Wood. Passengers heading to the airport or NEC must transfer to service 97A. Additionally, the 96’s route will be adjusted through Castle Bromwich to include Heath Way, Shard End Crescent, Old Croft Lane and Brownfield Road.

Buses to Amazon’s Peddimore site will be restructured: the current 64 and X64 routes will be withdrawn, replaced by a new 66A service connecting Birmingham city centre, The Fort Shopping Park, Minworth Asda and Peddimore every 30 minutes. Passengers travelling from Erdington will need to change at Star City or The Fort, as Bromford Estate will no longer be served directly.

Additional timetable changes will impact various National Express West Midlands routes (1, 2, 3, 4, 4A, 14) serving areas such as Acocks Green, Moseley, Warstock, Yardley Wood, Solihull and Chelmsley Wood.

Services 28, 68, 71, 94, 95, 97, 97A and X12 will also see changes affecting punctuality, routes, and Sunday services across Sutton Coldfield, Erdington, Birmingham and Chelmsley Wood.

Coventry

In Coventry, the 20B route connecting Coventry to Longford via Foleshill Road will be discontinued after October 31. Passengers in Woodshires Road, Wilsons Lane and Longford Novotel will be able to access the new 22A service from Oban Road.

A new 22A service will partly cover this area, linking Coventry city centre to Oban Road and extending beyond the current 22 route to serve Hillfields, Stoke Heath, Courthouse Green, Little Heath, Arena Shopping Park and Longford Road, running up to every 30 minutes from Monday to Saturday.

Alternative journeys will remain available on services 20 and 148 along Bedworth Road.

The 794 school bus between Oxley and Compton Park schools will extend its route to include Stafford Road Bee Lane, also known as Vine Island, to accommodate students living in the area.

Passengers are urged to check timetables before travelling.

For further information on bus changes, visit the Transport for West Midlands website.