Campaigners in Wednesfield win bus service stops battle - WATCH
Campaigners who battled to get a bus service to make stops in Wednesfield have won their fight against transport chiefs.
They battled for the elderly and disabled to continue to use services in the Wood End area that had been disrupted due to repair work to Pinfold Bridge.
The number 59 bus route, which starts at Ashmore Park, had travelled into Wolverhampton via Pinfold Bridge before turning back the way it came.
But, transport bosses suggested a change in the route as it passed a number of sheltered homes because of the work.
The changes have seen the bus veer off its usual route due to bridge repairs, meaning bus users have had to walk down Wood End Road for half a mile or more to pick up the journey.
But now, National Express West Midlands (NEWM) has confirmed it has rerouted the 89 bus to Wood End island every 20 minutes to help vulnerable residents during the work - and cover the gap left by the 59.
Councillor Greg Brackenridge, of Wednesfield South, said: "I would like to thank all the Wednesfield councillors who helped in this campaign and councillors Daniel Warren and Judith Rowley who are Wolverhampton's representatives on the integrated transport authority.
"Most importantly I would like to thank residents who campaigned for National Express to change their minds and reroute the 89 service."
Patricia Bellingham, aged 65, lives on the Lichfield Road and had regularly used the number 59 service. She has chronic arthritis and a hamstring injury.
Responding to the news about the re-routing of the number 89, she said: "I wouldn't call it a victory so much as a bit of common sense.
"It means that people will still be able to access the village and get to Bentley Bridge without having to walk a long way."
Peter Coates, managing director of NEWM, said: "National Express would like to apologise to all our passengers who have been temporarily inconvenienced by the essential repairs to Pinfold Bridge.
"We appreciate the subsequent rerouting of our 59 bus inconvenienced the local community, so we will be diverting the 89.
Between 9.30am and 3pm Mondays to Fridays and between 930am and 6pm on Saturdays the 89 will divert to the Wood End Road roundabout to cover the gap left by the 59."
The work is expected to last until the end of April.
