Anger as Diamond bus route serving Merry Hill is scrapped
A bus service in the Black Council will be scrapped because not enough people are using it - but the decision has sparked anger from residents.
The 282 Diamond bus service runs from Merry Hill shopping centre to Gornal Wood via Dudley Wood.
Councillor Bryan Cotterill, who represents the Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood Ward, has spoken of his outrage, saying the loss of the service will leave residents feeling 'isolated'.
But bosses from Transport for West Midlands argued that the service could no longer be run due to 'commercial reasons'. They said they had been 'subsidising' it for years and now the number of people using it has dropped below the minimum threshold.
Angry residents urging the route to be saved gathered outside of the children's centre in Woodland Avenue, Quarry Bank, earlier this week.
Councillor Cotterill explained: "I am extremely angry that they are taking that route off.
"It's elderly people that are primarily affected."
"There is one lady who is gone 90, and her husband is in care. She relies on this bus to go and see him every day. To be told that instead you've got to get a taxi, that's very expensive when you are just on a pension."
"It is leaving people isolated and stranded."
"They said it was scrapped because of lack of use."
The hourly daytime service runs from 10.45am until mid afternoon and travels through a number of housing estates.
A Transport for West Midlands spokesman said: "Using public money to provide bus services that private companies cannot run for commercial reasons is important in making sure that people can properly access employment, education and leisure opportunities.
"However, in order to protect the public purse we have strict criteria that need to me met in order to justify using taxpayers' money.
"We have been subsidising the 282 for some years now but unfortunately the number of people using it has dropped below the minimum threshold and the cost of providing the service is above the cost per passenger figure set out in our subsidy requirements.
"However, for those passengers who have limited mobility the Ring and Ride service may be a suitable alternative if the walking distance to the alternative bus services that operate on the main road is too far."
It is believed that the service will stop running later this year.
