Quicker bus journeys promised in Arriva overhaul
An overhaul of bus services across the Black Country and Staffordshire has been revealed, with bosses saying services will be more frequent and journeys quicker.
New timetables have been drawn up for Arriva routes through the region.
It includes quicker links between Cannock and Wolverhampton, new routes to the Orbital park in Cannock and more frequent services between Cannock and Penkridge in the evenings.
A new weekday service 71 is being launched this week supported by Staffordshire County Council and running from Cannock to Wolverhampton.
It includes a loop of Wolverhampton city centre and will run every 60 minutes daytime Monday to Saturday. The route will also be co-ordinated with service 2 to run every 15 minutes between Cannock and Cheslyn Hay.
Service 1 from Huntington to Walsall will be combined with numbers 74 and 75 to provide buses every 15 minutes between Cannock and Huntington.
Meanwhile the number 61 together with services 62, 70/X70 will run up to every 15 minutes daytime Monday to Saturday between Cannock, Cannock Hospital, Chadsmoor and Hednesford
And the 76 from Wolverhampton to the i54, Coven, Penkridge and Stafford will now loop around the city centre for shoppers.
Services 23, 24 are replaced by new service X70 running up to every 30 minutes daytime Monday to Saturday between Brereton, Rugeley, Pear Tree Estate, Hednesford, Chadsmoor, Cannock, Featherstone and Wolverhampton.
Service 26 is replaced by services 826 and 828 which together provide buses up to every 30 minutes daytime Monday to Saturday between Stafford, Tixall, Great Haywood, Little Haywood, Colwich, Wolseley Bridge, Springfields Estate, Etching Hill, Rugeley and Brereton. Some journeys on service 826 continue to and from Lichfield.
Dan Flanagan, Arriva's local manager said: "We've given the network of local bus services a makeover introducing a raft of new links, quicker journey times, improved frequencies and making sure each journey is punctual.
"We're holding a number of roadshow events where you can pick up your new timetable leaflet and our promotions team will be on-hand to assist with any questions you may have relating to your new bus routes and times."
