Bus routes misery

Scores of people, including several "heartbroken" pensioners, have been calling the Express & Star to complain about the changes to bus routes across the West Midlands.

The shake-up will affect 30 routes in Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Staffordshire and some services are being transferred from Travel West Midlands to other operators.

Pensioner groups say the reorganisation, revealed last week, has caused confusion and distress. A number of passengers have described how they will be affected by it.

Eileen Dando, aged 78, of Portobello, said the scrapping of the 523 Wednesbury to Bilston and Stowlawn service would leave her housebound.

She said: "I'm heartbroken. It's the only bus we've got to Bilston and I use it twice a week to do my food shopping and visit the doctor. They are taking away my independence as now I've got to rely on other people. I don't know what people my age will do, it's terrible and I have no alternative," she added.

Samuel Bailey, aged 72, of Bentley, Walsall, called to complain about the axing of the 331 Walsall to Stroud Avenue bus, which calls at the Manor Hospital.

"It is a very useful service," he said. "It's almost impossible to park at the hospital so people turned to this bus, he explained.

"I would go in my car but it's chaos trying to find a parking space and the roads of Walsall are all dug up at the moment."

Margaret Whittacker, of Rose Hill, Willenhall, said she was "absolutely disgusted" by the changes. The first set of changes will come into force on October 28.

Phil Bateman, for TWM, said a lack a passengers had led to the changes.