'Warm banks' for Acocks Green
Liberal Democrat Councillor working for Acocks Green Learn more
by Roger Harmer on 21 December, 2009
National Express West Midlands have given notice that they plan the following changes to bus routes in Acocks Green from the end of January 2010. The following wording comes from Mark Kipling, their Area Manager for Acocks Green:
“41: Service 41 will operate as current from Solihull station to the Swan at Yardley. Following that it will take the existing 32 route to Acocks Green village, where this new service, numbered 42, will terminate. The section of the old 41 along Stockfield Road will be served by a diversion of the 36/C, which will continue along Wharfedale Road until the junction with Stockfield Road, where it will turn right and serve the stops vacated by the 41. Redstone Farm Road will not be served. 30 minute service.
12: Service 12 will be renumbered 3 and 3A. The line of route will stay as is currently is until Stratford Road, following which the 3A will extend to Acocks Green village, covering a combination of the 41 and 32 routes along Stratford Road, Shirley Road, Lakey Lane, Gospel Lane and the existing 32 route to Acocks Green. This will operate every 30 minutes. Service 3 will continue from Stratford Road to Solihull Station along Streetsbrook road, again every 30 minutes, giving a combined 15 minute service on the core section of the route from Haslucks Green Road to the City. This solution means new links are provided for communities in Shirley, Gospel Oak and Acocks Green. A small section of Shirley Road and Dolphin lane will be unserved by the removal of the 41 in this area. Customers who use the 41 from the Baldwin will still have the option of service 5.
32: Service 32 will be withdrawn – all roads are covered by other services.
31: Service 31 will be extended all day from Gospel Oak to Shirley Church, providing a new link from Acocks Green village to the heart of Shirley. This will run every fifteen minutes during the day from Gospel Lane, Lakey Lane, Pitmaston Road, Solihull Lane and Stratford Road. This option retains the link between Springfield and the Gospel Oak estate, albeit a longer route than the 41.”
National Express West Midlands believe these changes “give new journey opportunities to many residents in Solihull and Birmingham, as well as removing the complicated, unpopular and unreliable 41 service.” What do you think about what they are planning?
Councillor Penny Wagg and myself plan to meet Mark Kipling on Tuesday January 5th 2010 to discuss the impact of these changes, as we have concerns about their impact. If you have any views, positive or negative, please let me know before then, so we can feed them into the discussions.
6 Comments
We’ve been here once before when TWM/NXWM introduced the 41A and 41C in 2005. Then as now some people will clearly not like it that service 41 (or 3 & 3A as will be) is to be curtailed at both ends (ie will no longer serve The Baldwin and Hall Green Parade) but no doubt this is a commercial decision. Things do look a little different this time though, although I do have one question – Could you clarify with Mr Kipling whether new service 3 will serve Gospel Oak? And if not would he consider making it so (ie. adding a loop to this service between Robin Hood Island and Streetsbrook Rd) otherwise it appears Gospel Oak will lose its direct service to Solihull.
Yes Simon, will ask Mr Kipling that and post his response here.
See my post of 5 January 2010 for an update
Re. your post 5 Jan: Shame to hear there was not an opportunity for consultation. Regarding loss of direct service Gospel Oak to Solihull – this is now confimed (timetable info 1 Feb onwards now available at TravelLineMidlands.co.uk).
Note the 31 is being extended to Shirley (rather than Solihull as stated 5 Jan).
Despite the fact that my son uses this bus to and from school every day this is the first I have heard about this iminant withdrawal of service. why didn’t NEWM inform the regular users of this service? How will people travel from this side of Hall Green to Acocks Green and back now? The NEWM statement says customers who use the 41 from the Baldwin will still have the option of service 5. However I have looked at the 5 route and it doesn’t go to Acocks Green, unless thats a proposed change also.
Belated, with less than a week to go we finally have some proper info appeared on the travelwm.co.uk website!