Diamond Bus recently confirmed that some of its services are currently under review with the risk of some service cuts.
Vital Government funding that enabled essential bus services to continue operating during the Coronavirus pandemic will end later this year. Government funding gave a life line to bus companies over the previous two years, however the long reaching effects of the pandemic are still being felt by bus operators with passenger numbers still dramatically lower than pre-covid levels.
Whilst we appreciate the news about proposed service cuts causes concern to passengers, we want to reassure you we are doing all we can to resolve this situation.
Updates on Diamond Bus Service Review
While most of the changes concern Diamond services in Worcestershire and Warwickshire, there are a few that affect their services operating in the West Midlands area.
UPDATE: Diamond Bus are pleased to announce that following a period of review with Transport for West Midlands, a number of services in the West Midlands area have been saved from cancellation or a reduction in service levels at the end of this month.
From Sunday 14th August 2022
X20 – Stratford-upon-Avon to Coventry
Will operate current timetable in full until 14/8/22.
From 14/8/22: Coventry to Solihull section will be operated by Diamond Bus Monday to Saturday on behalf of Transport for West Midlands.
Solihull to Stratford section will be operated by Stagecoach Monday to Sunday on behalf of Warwickshire County Council.
From Sunday 28th August 2022
16S – Castle Bromwich to Kingsbury School
X16 – Birmingham to Tamworth
Services will be withdrawn due to being unsustainable at current passenger levels
35 – Walsall to Lichfield
Service will be withdrawn, due to being unsustainable at current passenger levels
35A – Walsall to Leighswood
An enhanced timetable will be introduced.
61 – Perry Barr to West Bromwich
Some timetable changes
76 / 76A – Sutton Coldfield to Tamworth
Service will be continued with a reduced frequency between Tamworth and Kingsbury and a revised timetable introduced. Service 76A (early morning and late afternoon) continues, with a revised timetable.
87 / 87A – Solihull to Coventry
88 / 88A – Solihull to Balsall Common
These services will no longer be operated by Diamond following award of TfWM contract to Stagecoach.
94 – Birmingham to Chelmsley Wood
Some timetable changes
X20 – Solihull to Coventry
This service will no longer be operated by Diamond following award of TfWM contract to Stagecoach.
The following services which had changes planned are now postponed until 31st December 2022.
- 002 – Weoley Castle to Merry Hill
- 4 / 4H – Walsall to Blackheath / Hayley Green
- 13 – Merry Hill to Halesowen
- 89 – Solihull to Coventry
- 202 – Halesowen to Bromsgrove
- 226 – Merry Hill to Dudley
- 424 – Perry Barr to Queslett ASDA
More details on these can be found at: https://www.diamondbuses.com/news/wm-august-service-changes/
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I have been using services far less than 10 years ago mainly due to Warley bus changes over the years and that its now much harder to access local centres and to travel within my town. Covid had very little impact. Most people were put off by the constant changes over the years, I am now learning to drive. The sad reality is its much easier and quicker to go by car locally and as shops and facilities are spread out a car is more practical as unlike say Halesowen we arent a centralised town where there are a number of buses going into one town centre and districts well served. Buses just arent providing that flexibility of destination and ease of access, cars, taxis are just more practical. In fact I can get to Bearwood and Oldbury centres in 8-10mins in a car, it would be two buses or loads of walking and one bus taking 30-40mins. The hassle isnt worth the bus fare and more practicality by car which you arent getting by local buses. Before local buses served local communities now they are serving Birmingham or some other area so locals feel disconnected to their local services which are now not very local. I cannot see people ever changing or changing back to a bus. The bus situation was much more flexible in past and much easier to change bus and less walking to get to locals.
Passenger numbers arent just low due to covid, its also due to lack of services and buses locally not going where people want. For example in my area of Smethwick it takes 15-20mins uphill to get to known locally as 40late (48). As the bus serves other areas of Birmingham its constantly late add to that the extra walk (as no Bearwood buses serve Smethwick now) its not worth locals walking the extra uphill and waiting for late bus. The 89 another example known locally as always late due to it going to Birmingham (when most locals want Bearwood or Oldbury, West Brom or Cape Hill) 30mins bus getting stuck in Brum or cancelled no wonder people stop using it or numbers. All the reasons of low passengers arent just covid there are a variety of complex issues going on why people arent using buses. It would help if buses serving residential parts just went to local centres local train and Metro stations, people can easily change for Birmingham or further afueld I do that all the time as long as my local bus isnt stuck somewhere far away. I know loads of elderly disabled stop using local buses as they didnt turn up very late didnt go where they wanted. They had to change bus to go up the road which is too hassly for them and they couldnt walk extra to direct bus.
Does anyone know how the Select 36 is doing?
Would’ve thought that routing via Wall, Shenstone & Stonnall might have been better for the 35?
Personally as someone who uses the 4H daily I think the proposed changes are both measured and reasonable & in effect reflect the current passenger usage of the 4H what is more interesting that in the first time since the service was created 10 years ago National Express West Midlands will have more buses on the route than Diamond between Blackheath & Halesowen giving it a significant competitive advantage on the corridor