Changes to bus services in Dudley and Sandwell revealed

National Express has revealed that 29 services will be affected by the shake-up, which it claims will help make services "run more reliably" from Sunday, September 2.

A spokesman for National Express said: "Following an extensive public consultation, we are making a number of changes to bus routes in the Dudley and Sandwell area.

"This will include minor changes, such as timetable improvements, to help our services run more reliably.

"There are also some bigger changes to cater for new and emerging travel needs, to help us overcome increasing traffic congestion and slower traffic speeds around busier areas.

"New express services and new links will be introduced, with our Platinum buses able to serve more areas, including Blackheath, Oldbury and Smethwick.

"Many route numbers will change to create a new Dudley and Sandwell network, helping to create a new local identity for Dudley’s buses."

Changes include:

• The 4H service from Hayley Green and Halesowen to Walsall will see times altered during the evenings and on Sundays. No changes will be made to the route.

• Times will be changed to improve the reliability of the route 9 service from Stourbridge to Birmingham. Buses will now run every five minutes along Hagley Road between Quinton and Birmingham.

• Route 13 from Dudley to Walsall will now be known as the 11A. The service, along with the 11, will continue to run up to every 10 minutes between Dudley, Wednesbury and Walsall.

• Routes 27, 27A and 82 between Dudley and Wolverhampton will have times changed to improve reliability.

• The 3 and 3A will replace the 289 between West Bromwich and Merry Hill, and the 120A between Oldbury and Blackheath. Buses will run up to every 15 minutes between West Bromwich and Blackheath and every 30 minutes to Merry Hill. Rowley Regis Hospital will not be served directly by the 3, but will continue to be served by the 4M, running up to every 20 minutes.

• The new 12 and 12A will replace the 120 between Dudley and Birmingham, the 121 between Dudley and Oldbury and the 120A between Oldbury and Birmingham. Between Oldbury and Birmingham, the 12 and 12A will run along the current 120 route. Between Oldbury and Dudley, the 12 will run along City Road and the 12A along Darbys Hill Road and Tower Road Buses will run more often between Dudley, Oakham and Oldbury – up to every 10 minutes and will still run up to every 10 minutes between Oldbury, Langley and Birmingham.

• The 126 will now run between Birmingham and Dudley only.

• The new X8 will replace the 126 between Wolverhampton and Dudley and the 140 between Dudley and Birmingham. To reduce journey times, not every bus stop will be served between Quinton and Birmingham.

• The new X7 will replace the 126 between Wolverhampton and Dudley, and provide a new express service from Dudley to Birmingham. Buses will run up to every 20 minutes, and will start and finish at Colmore Row in

• The new 13A will replace the 127 between Birmingham, Brandhall and Blackheath only.

• The new 14 will replace the 241 between Blackheath and Halesowen, and the 127 between Dudley and Blackheath. Buses will run up to every 30 minutes.

• The 128 route between Birmingham and Oldbury will not change; this service will instead be

• The 205 route between Dudley, Kingswinford and Wall Heath will not change; this service will instead be known as the 5. The frequency of this service will be reduced, with buses running up to every 60 minutes,

• The 222 route between Dudley and Merry Hill will not change; this service will instead be known as the 2, and will run alongside the new 2A. The new 2A will follow the same route, but will divert along Dudley Road and Wallows Road in the Brierley Hill area.

• The 243 route between Dudley and Merry Hill will not change; this service will instead be known as the 18.

• The 244 route between Dudley and QE Hospital will not change; this service will instead be known as the 19.

• The 246 route between Dudley and Stourbridge will not change; this service will instead be known as the 6.

• The 255 and 255A routes between Merry Hill and Wolverhampton will not change; these services will instead be known as the 15 and 15A.

• The 256 route between Stourbridge and Wolverhampton will not change; this service will instead be known as the 16.

• The 257 route between Stourbridge and Dudley will not change; this service will instead be known as the 17.

• The 276 route between Dudley and Wollaston will not change; this service will instead be known as the 7.

• The X10 route will be extended from Merry Hill to Gornal Wood, via Brierley Hill and Russells Hall Hospital. The X10 will directly link Gornal Wood with Merry Hill, replacing the link previously provided by the 297.

• The X96 route between Wrens Nest and Wollaston Farm will not change; this service will instead be known as the 8.

For more information about the changes, click here.