Calls for bus service to return to Oldbury
Bus passengers are demanding the return of a service after it was withdrawn from parts of the Black Country.
More than 250 people have signed a petition calling for the return of the number 89 to Oldbury and Blackheath after it was re-routed.
The National Express service took people from the area into Birmingham but it changed its route following a shake-up of services earlier this year.
A petition signed by people living in Oldbury, Langley and Smethwick has been handed to Transport for West Midlands.
National Express announced changes to some of its services earlier this year.
The 89 now runs from Birmingham to West Bromwich rather than to Oldbury.The 120A service was put on to run to Oldbury instead but the change left people in some areas unhappy.
Malcolm Hazlewood, who lives in Oldbury and has had meetings with transport chiefs over bus services in Sandwell, believes the change has made it a postcode lottery in terms of the level of service.
He said: "If people living in Oldbury are going to Smethwick or that way, the 120 goes a different route.
"The 89 used to go around all the houses in Smethwick. Why it was changed to West Bromwich I don't know.
"But in other areas there is now three buses and hour rather than two."
Bosses at Transport for West Midlands are now set to investigate the complaints.
Smethwick councillor Yvonne Davies said it was important the views of residents were listened to.
She said: "We are always looking at how bus services can be improved.
"Changes are made and sometimes it doesn't suit everybody. The community need to have their voices heard."
The 89 runs every half an hour, starting from Grand Central shopping centre in Birmingham, running through parts of Smethwick and on to West Bromwich.
Passengers travelling between Oldbury and Smethwick can also use then number 87, while the 120 and 128 also runs between Oldbury and Birmingham.
A National Express spokesman said: "The change to divert the 89 to West Bromwich rather than Oldbury was intended to ensure that passengers from Hales Lane, Londonderry Lane, Brasshouse Lane, Dartmouth Road and Kenrick Park could still have a direct bus to West Bromwich.
"National Express West Midlands' ticket data showed that more customers were adversely affected by the 89 continuing to operate to Oldbury compared to the 89 going to West Bromwich.
"In addition, congestion in Oldbury from Highways England works on the M5 would have badly affected the 89 if it had continued on its old route."
