Triumph for bus route campaigners

A campaign to put a Shire Oak street back on the bus route has ended in success after Arriva came to the rescue.

Residents claimed they had a half-mile trek to the nearest bus stop after National Express West Midlands (NEWM) re-routed its 10A service to avoid Friezland Lane a few months ago.

Local residents and councillors campaigned for the road to be put back on a bus route.

Last week, Aldridge North and Walsall Wood councillor councillor Keith Sears handed a 332 named petition to Walsall Council.

And Arriva has now agreed to put the street on its number 61 bus route, running between Walsall and Lichfield.

The change in service started on Monday. Councillor Sear said: "When NEWM changed the route people had to walk half a mile to get a bus.

"It's fantastic Arriva has agreed to do this."

Lil Meacham, 74, of Friezland Way, who helped collect signatures on the petition, said she had been out for a celebratory meal since hearing the news.

She said: "We were so relieved. To be able to get the bus to Walsall is marvellous.

"There's are lot of pensioners up here who depend on the buses to get to doctors' surgeries and shops. A lot of them didn't go into Walsall when it stopped coming down Friezland Lane."

A NEWM spokeswoman said: ""Buses were taken out of Friezland Lane due to repetitive damage caused by the road layout. "We are in talks with the council about highway improvements, but currently consider the route unsuitable for the full size, low floor buses we operate."