Cannock bus passengers facing service changes

Timetable amendments to services operated by Chaserider Busesand Select Bus Services from Monday include school term buses and a new match day service catering for Aston Villa fans.

Among the changes is the return of the previously axed number 1 service on September 5 with a new look circular route from Huntington's Dog In Tree Estate to Great Wyrley only. It will operate hourly from Silver Birch Road from 9am to 2pm Mondays to Fridays.

Until July it operated to Walsall. But it was among a number of services halted by the company due to low customer patronage.

There will also be revisions to the number 71 bus between Cannock and Wolverhampton via Cheslyn Hay.

While a new school day service number 70A for children travelling between Featherstone and Cheslyn Hay Academy is being introduced with occasional number 70 journeys diverted on school days to serve the Cheslyn Hay school. Mondays to Friday afternoons and on Saturdays the 71 bus will run from Cannock to Essington only due to a patronage decline between Essington and Wolverhampton.

The 71 will no longer cover Park Lane, Telford Avenue, Johns Lane, Wardles Lane and Hilton Lane. This section of the route will be covered by the number 1 route.

Other changes include the number 62 serving Cannock and Lichfield via Hednesford with the 4.30pm service being withdrawn with a bus departing a 3.45pm; and changes routes serving Stafford, Brewood, along with a number 766 school day service between Whittington and Lichfield King Edward VI School.

Campaigning Hednesford passenger Hayley Page said she will be among those affected by the number 62 timetable change.

"I'm getting a raw deal with the timetable. I'll now have to dash from work to catch the 3.45pm or I'll have a long until 5pm to catch the next one. On top of that there is a massive bus diversion in place in the area at the moment I think due to roadworks.

"The bus is not calling where I live. I have to go to the other side of the estate.

"We're also finding that some of the drivers are not sticking to the diversion route. They are going where they choose. No signs have been placed on the bus stops to warn those older passengers who are not in the internet that some of the stops are currently out of use.

"Chaserider says that it is the responsibility of the councils and the road contractors to put signs and notices on the bus stops," the mother-of-two, 34, said.

Temporary diversions were introduced to several bus routes while road works are carried out in August and September. All changes will take effect on September 5.