Following a public consultation that took place last year, there will be a number of changes to bus services operated by NX Bus in the East Birmingham and North Solihull area from Sunday 4th June.
Service 14 – Birmingham – Tile Cross – Marston Green – Chelmsley Wood
- Following requests to better serve Fordbridge area, buses will serve Chapelhouse Road for Whitesmoor Neighbourhood Centre and Grace Academy, offering new direct links to Chelmsley Wood and Birmingham city centre.
- From St. Giles Road in Tile Cross the 14 will use Tile Cross Road, Bosworth Drive, Chapelhouse Road and Bosworth Drive to Chelmsley Wood interchange. Buses will return to Birmingham the same way.
- In response to feedback there will be no change to the route between Chelmsley Wood and Yorkminster Drive.
- Marston Green will be served by the 72 which will also run more often.
Service 17 – Birmingham – Hob Moor Road – Garretts Green – Tile Cross
- Buses will better serve Bell Lane, between Marston Green and Tile Cross, providing a direct link to Birmingham city centre.
- Buses will now run along The Radleys and Bell Lane towards Tile Cross instead of Mackadown Lane.
- Buses will return to Birmingham the same way, via Bell Lane and The Radleys.
Service 37 – Birmingham – Acocks Green – Solihull
- A new early morning journey has been added from Sparkbook / Acocks Green to Solihull connecting to new Platinum X12 (for direct links to the Airport / NEC) on the same bus.
Service 55 – Birmingham – Washwood Heath – Chelmsley Wood
- Buses are improved in Shard End by introducing one simpler route.
- In response to feedback buses will now run via Pithall Road, Kendrick Avenue, Freasley Road, Packington Avenue, Hurst Lane, Longmeadow Crescent and Silver Birch Road towards Kingshurst and Chelmsley Wood. Buses will return to Birmingham the same way.
- Buses will run up to every 8 minutes Monday – Saturday daytime.
- More buses will run in the evening and on a Sunday.
- Packington Avenue stops at Nearmoor Road and Freasley Road will no longer be served.
- Alternative stops are just a short distance away on Pithall Road or Freasley Road.
Service 55A – Birmingham – Washwood Heath – Chelmsley Wood
- This route will be withdrawn and replaced by an improved 55 route.
- The alternative bus stop for Longmeadow School is Freasley Road.
- The alternative bus stop for Berrowside Road is Silver Birch Road.
Service 56 – Birmingham – Shard End – Kingshurst
- The route is withdrawn and replaced by extra buses on the 55.
Service 58 – Yardley – Solihull rail station
- Buses will run more often between Yardley and Solihull, up to every 20 minutes Monday – Saturday daytime.
- Between Yardley and Birmingham the 58 is replaced by an improved 60 route, which will run up to every 8 minutes Monday – Saturday daytime.
- Connections are available at Yardley between routes 11A, 11C, 58, 60, X1 & X2.
- Buses on the 58 will run along Gilbertstone Avenue, Clay Lane, Woodcock Lane North, Barn Lane (as now), then along Richmond Road to Station Drive for connecting trains at Olton station. From Olton station buses will run along Ulverley Green Road, Castle Lane and Lode Lane to Solihull and Solihull rail station.
- Between Birmingham and Yardley an improved 60 route, will run up to every 8 minutes Monday – Saturday daytime.
Service 59 – Birmingham – Yardley – Kingshurst
- This route will be withdrawn and replaced by the following changes;
- Between Yardley and Birmingham the 59 is replaced by an improved 60 route, which will run up to every 8 minutes Monday – Saturday daytime.
- Church Road and Queens Road are served by the 73.
- Wheatcroft Road, Whittington Oval and Bembridge Road are served by igo’s 99 route.
- Lea Hall Road will not be served and alternative routes are 97 from Meadway, igo’s route 99 from Bembridge Road or rail services from Lea Hall station.
- Lea Ford Road in Lea Village has alternative igo route 99 from Gressel Lane or 14 from Kitt’s Green Road.
- Packington Avenue in Shard End has an alternative 55 route from Shard End Crescent.
- Hurst Lane (Morrisons) has the 55 from Longmeadow Crescent or 71/94 from Chester Road.
- Over Green Drive (northern end) alternative routes are 71 from Chester Road, or (southern end) 55 from Over Green Drive.
- Fordbridge Road (Kingshurst) alternative routes are 55 from Gilson Way or 71 from Cooks Lane.
Services 59A, 59C – Birmingham – Yardley – Chelmsley Wood
- These routes will be withdrawn and replaced by route 72 between Chelmsley Wood and Garretts Green or route 60 between Yardley and Birmingham.
Service 60 – Birmingham – Yardley – Cranes Park
- Between Birmingham and Cranes Park buses will run more often, up to every 8 minutes Monday – Saturday during the daytime.
- A new timetable to help to improve reliability.
Service 70 – Birmingham – Washwood Heath – Coleshill – Chelmsley Wood
- Most journeys will now be replaced by the new X70 route.
- One journey will remain to Birmingham, Washwood Heath and Castle Bromwich to serve Park Hall Academy. A return afternoon journey will also run.
- Dunster Road and Craig Croft will no longer be served, the nearest alternative stops are Yorkminster Drive on the 14, or Chelmsley Road on new Platinum X12.
Service 71 – Chelmsley Wood – Sutton Coldfield
- To help improve reliability, buses will run between Chelmsley Wood and Sutton Coldfield only.
- Between Chelmsley Wood and Solihull an improved 72 route will run. Connections can be made at Chelmsley Wood between routes 71 and 72.
- Buses will serve Chester Road, Cooks Lane and Chelmsley Road between Castle Bromwich and Chelmsley Wood for CTC Kingshurst Academy and John Henry Newman Catholic College.
Service 72 – Chelmsley Wood – Solihull station
- To help improve reliability, buses will run between Chelmsley Wood and Solihull only.
- Buses will run along Moorend Avenue and Alcott Lane between Chelmsley Wood and Marston Green.
- The 72 will replace all 71 journeys between Chelmsley Wood and Solihull. Connections can be made at Chelmsley Wood between routes 71 and 72.
- Between Birmingham and Chelmsley Wood the 72 is replaced by new Platinum X12 whilst Berwicks Lane in Chelmsley Wood is served by new X70.
- Drews Lane between Bromford and Washwood Heath will not be served. Alternative stops are either Bromford Road for new Platinum X12, or Washwood Heath Road for the 55 and 94.
- In the evening a new 72A will continue to serve Berwicks Lane and Coleshill Road. During the day this area will be served by Claribel Coaches new 71A service.
- Double deck buses will be used on the route to help cater for demand at busier times.
Service 73 – Heartlands Hospital – Yardley – Solihull station
- Buses will run more often, up to every 20 minutes Monday – Saturday daytime.
- Buses will run between Heartlands Hospital and Solihull only, to help improve reliability.
- All buses will serve Yardley Green Road, Belcher’s Lane and Bordesley Green for access to the main bus stops outside Heartlands Hospital.
- Route 17 is an alternative link between Birmingham, Heartlands Hospital and Yardley.
Service 94 – Birmingham – Washwood Heath – Chelmsley Wood
- Buses will use Chester Road and Moorend Avenue between Smiths Wood and Chelmsley Wood.
- At school times a new 94C service will run between Castle Bromwich, Smiths Wood, Cooks Lane and Chelmsley Road.
- Cooks Lane and Chelmsley Road will be served by 71.
NEW Service 96 – Kingstanding – Erdington – Fort Dunlop – Chelmsley Wood
- New local route replacing route 66 between Kingstanding & Erdington and route 966 between Erdington & Chelmsley Wood.
- Buses will run up to every 30 minutes Monday – Saturday daytime.
Service 97 – Birmingham – Meadway – Chelmsley Wood
- Buses will run more often, replacing 97A between Birmingham and Chelmsley Wood.
Service 97A – Birmingham – Meadway – Chelmsley Wood – Airport/NEC
- Withdrawn and replaced by new Platinum X12 between Chelmsley Wood and the Airport/NEC.
- Connections can be made at Chelmsley Wood Interchange between the 97 route and new Platinum X12 for onward travel to Airport/NEC
- Buses run more often between Chelmsley Wood and the Airport/NEC, up to every 20 minutes, on new Platinum X12 route.
Service 966 – Erdington – Fort Dunlop – Chelmsley Wood – Airport/NEC – Solihull
- The route will be withdrawn and replaced between Erdington and Chelmsley Wood by new 96 route and between Castle Bromwich, Smiths Wood, Chelmsley Wood and Solihull by new Platinum X12 route.
Service X1 – Birmingham – Airport/NEC – Coventry
- Buses will run more often between Birmingham and Coventry, up to every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime.
- At peak times buses will run up to every 10 minutes Monday – Saturday daytime between Birmingham and Airport/NEC.
- Buses will not stop at some bus stops on the Coventry Road, to help make journeys faster.
- The stops that will be longer be served on the Coventry Road towards Birmingham city centre are Wagon Lane, Clay Lane and Deakins Road.
- The stops that will be longer be served on the Coventry Road towards Coventry are Deakins Road, Yardley Swan (before) and Clay Lane.
Service X2 – Birmingham – Solihull station
- New timetable will see buses running up to every 20 minutes during the day between Birmingham and Solihull.
- Extra buses will run at peak times.
- Old Lode Lane between Sheldon and Lode Lane will see buses run up to every 10 minutes combined with the revised 73 running up to every 20 minutes.
- Buses will continue to service Solihull station.
- Buses will not stop at some bus stops on Coventry Road, to help make journeys faster.
- The stops that will be longer be served on the Coventry Road towards Birmingham city centre are Wagon Lane, Clay Lane and Deakins Road.
- The stops that will be longer be served on the Coventry Road towards Coventry are Deakins Road, Yardley Swan (before) and Clay Lane.
NEW Platinum Service X12 – Birmingham – Bromford – Chelmsley Wood – Airport/NEC – Solihull station
- New express Platinum route linking Birmingham and Bromford, Castle Bromwich and Smiths Wood with faster and more direct buses.
- Buses will run non-stop along the fastest route between Birmingham and Bromford, normally Heartlands parkway or Aston Expressway.
- Between Bromford, Smiths Wood, Chelmsley Wood and Solihull buses serve all stops and provide an improved link to/from the Airport/NEC with buses running up to every 20 minutes.
- New early & late journeys run for improved access to the Airport/NEC.
- The first bus of the day (at 0300) on the 37 from Sparkhill and Acocks Green will continue as new Platinum X12. Stay on the bus to reach the Airport/NEC. At all other times change at Solihull Station Road.
NEW Service X70 – Birmingham – Bromford – Castle Bromwich – Coleshill – Chelmsley Wood
- New express route linking City and Bromford, Castle Bromwich and Coleshill.
- Buses will serve Hams Hall distribution centre Monday to Saturday for shift times at 0600 and 2200.
- During the day buses will run up to every hour to/from Birmingham, with extra buses running between Chelmsley Wood and Coleshill Parkway up to every 30 minutes.
- At peak times extra buses run to/from Birmingham.
- From Chelmsley Wood to Coleshill, buses will use Moorend Avenue, Berwicks Lane, Helmswood Drive, Chelmsley Road and Coleshill Heath Road.
- From Coleshill to Birmingham buses follow current 70 route to Coleshill Road/Chipperfield Road, then along Chipperfield Road and Bromford Drive. From Bromford Drive buses will run fast (non-stop) to Birmingham using the quickest route, either Heartlands Parkway or Aston Expressway, dependent upon traffic conditions.
Service S1 – Solihull – Damsonwood circular
This service will be operated by Central Buses from 5th June, operating Monday to Saturday off-peak only. View timetable here.
With regards to other operators, Discount Travel will continue to operate their 966 service on a limited basis, and I also understand that Claribel Coaches are not planning to alter their 55 or 94 services to match NX Buses alterations, so they will continue to follow their current routes.
Claribel Coaches will be renumbering their current 71E service as 71A, which will be extended from Chelmsley Wood to Kingshurst.
Claribels will also be operating their S16 service (Solihull Mell Square to South Yardley Swan Island) Monday to Friday, rather than just on Fridays, this will cover part of the 58 route where it has been altered to serve Olton station.
igo will be extending their 99 service (Lea Village to Shirley, via Acocks Green), along Lea Ford Road, Packington Avenue and Hurst Lane to Chester Road, to cover part of the withdrawn 59 service.
Information on NX Buses service changes taken from their website.
