Wolverhampton to Cannock bus service axed and another reduced

The 68 and 70 services have had their evening services withdrawn due to low usage, but will remain running during daytime hours.

The 68 service, which runs between the University of Wolverhampton and Cannock Town Centre, will see all of its evening services cut altogether.

The 70 service which runs between Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Cannock Town Centre will no longer serve the evenings on Sundays and Bank Holidays after 6pm.

Staffordshire County Council, which subsidises the evening services, has confirmed they are being dropped from the timetable because, after holding a review, they are not being used enough to justify the amount it costs the taxpayer.

The county council says it has a duty to review subsidised routes if they are not being used enough and bosses say the 68 service is only used currently by a 'handful' of people.

Bosses also say there are other routes available which serve the i54 South Staffordshire development should residents wish to travel during the evening.

Mark Deaville, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet support member for highways and transport, said: "The county council continually reviews the buses we subsidise in terms of usage, value for money and whether alternative buses are available.

"The current late evening and Sunday journeys on the No. 70 cost taxpayers £4.39 every single time a passenger gets on board and as a new bus service, serving the i54 South Staffordshire development, has been offering similar journeys since April, these off-peak services will no longer be subsidised.

"Timetables will be revised from this month."

News of the changes have not gone down well in Essington with Parish Council chairman David Clifft looking to fight to protect the evening services.

Mr Clifft said the loss of evening services in the village could well lead to more elderly people feeling isolated and unable to get out and about.

"I will be fighting hard to save these services, as many people will feel the cuts," he said.

"We are talking to Arriva, Staffordshire County Council and indeed other travel companies to ensure the service is saved in some way or form. We need to make sure there is at least one evening service for villagers who want to use the service at that time of night.

"The cuts have come as a surprise. It will affect the elderly people here as they use it to get into the city and anybody working late shifts in either Wolverhampton or Cannock, it is going to have an impact on them.

"All services it seems are going to be routed to direct people to the i54 development which is fine but it is coming at a cost to communities."