VIEWS on possible changes to bus routes are being sought from Solihull borough residents and those further afield.
National Express West Midlands says its wants to improve services between Birmingham and Solihull – and tackle congestion to the south of the city.
Routes under consideration for changes which include Solihull include the bus numbers 5, 6, 31, 37, 49 and 76.
The bus operator is working with Birmingham City Council and Transport for West Midlands.
Managing Director of National Express West Midlands, Tom Stables, says: “We want to provide fast, reliable and punctual bus journeys. But traffic in south
Birmingham gets worse every month.
“This makes the buses slower. Some routes are now 10 minutes slower than they were three years ago. In the last three years, we’ve had to use 47 more buses to run the same routes – just more slowly.
“This puts people off travelling by bus, and that’s bad for the economy and for social inclusion. Or people switch to cars, which makes congestion and pollution worse.
“Congestion also brings higher fares. If traffic was at the level it was in 2014, we could put the fares back to what we charged in 2014.”
Options for change include altering bus routes in south Birmingham,re-timing traffic lights, putting in bus gates or extending bus lanes to free up traffic pinchpoints.
Areas being examined in particular include the patch between the Bristol Road and the Warwick Road, Longbridge, Rubery, Frankley and Allens Cross.
Mr Stables added: “The solutions will depend on local circumstances. With bus services, it could mean faster journeys that take different routes, and new express routes which cut journey times by skipping some stops.
“It might mean splitting long routes, so passengers in quieter areas are not delayed by traffic several miles away.
“Please tell us what you think is the best option. You can fill out the consultation on the NX Bus website. Or there are paper copies at our travelshops, bus stations and community centres.”
The consultation is open until August 21.
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The routes under consideration are:
1 Five Ways – Moseley – Acocks Green – Gospel Oak
2 City – Wake Green – Warstock – Maypole
3 City – Wake Green – Yardley Wood
5 City – Springfield – Hall Green – Shirley – Monkspath – Solihull
6 City – Springfield – Hall Green – Shirley – Solihull
6A City – Springfield – Hall Green – Shirley – Monkspath – Solihull
18 Bartley Green – Northfield – Kings Norton – Brandwood End – Yardley Wood
27 Hawkesley – Northfield – Bournville – Kings Heath – Warstock – Maypole
29 City – Harborne – Weoley Castle – Northfield – Allens Cross – Frankley
31 City – Springfield – Acocks Green – Gospel Oak – Shirley – Solihull
35 City – Moseley – Kings Heath – Brandwood End – Hawkesley
37 City – Tyseley – Acocks Green – Olton – Solihull
45 City – Stirchley – Kings Norton – West Heath – Longbridge
47 City – Stirchley – Kings Norton – Turves Green – Cofton Hackett
48 West Bromwich – Bearwood – QE Hospital – Weoley Castle – Northfield
49 Northfield – Allens Cross – Longbridge – West Heath – Kings Norton – Solihull
50 City – Moseley – Kings Heath – Maypole – Druids Heath
50A City – Moseley – Kings Heath – Maypole – Wythall
63 City – Selly Oak – Northfield – Rubery
76 QE Hospital – Kings Heath – Yardley Wood – Shirley – Solihull
84 Hawkesley – Cotteridge – Selly Oak – QE Hospital
98 City – QE Hospital – Selly Oak – Northfield – Rednal – Great Park
X61 City – Selly Oak – Northfield – Frankley
