A black country version of the outer circle

[Ash]

This is probably the most stupid post ever but was just thinking what if there was a black country version of the outercircle linking all major towns in the area. For example Walsall-Wednesbury-West Bromwich-Dudley-MerryHill-Stourbridge-Halesowen-Blackheath-Oldbury (Birchley Island) express to Wolverhampton (via Wolverhampton Road) then express to Walsall loops back round to Wednesbury. This was just a 5 minute thought so the places could be changed and order adjusted but would link places together like Walsall and Merry Hill 7 days a week and a new link between West Brom and Stourbridge. It could be operated by a variety of garages like Wolverhampton, Pensnett, West Bromwich and Walsall using a mixture of buses or brand new buses if sucessfully worked after a trial. Using a 10 minute frequency. Doubt anything like this would happen in the sandwell review lol. Im waiting for the negative comments  :-\

[PM]

This isnt a negative comment. Actually, with work it could be made into a very good idea. The good thing is it would offer new travel combinations and improve existing ones. Definitely worth considering in my view

[Roy]

The main purposes of the Inner and Outer Circle services is to enable people to travel between two points in the Birmingham suburbs using routes not served by other bus services without having to travel through the City Centre and probably change bus.  I would guess that the majority of journeys only cover a quarter of the circle or less.  For instance, somebody in Acocks Green would probably use the Outer Circle to get to Kings Heath, Selly Oak or Stechford but not to get to Handsworth as it is quicker to catch a 37 followed by a 74/75.

The problem with what is suggested in the Black Country is that each adjacent point is already operated by a decent bus service 311/313 - 75/79 - 74 - X96/276/81 - X96 - 9 - 241/417 - 404/404A - 126 - 529.  In addition, you would not travel from Walsall to Merry Hill via Wednesbury, West Bromwich and Dudley or Stourbridge to Wolverhampton via Halesowen and Oldbury.  The existing inter-town services would prove a lot quicker even with a change. 

With regards to the Sandwell Bus Review, I would like to see the 311 or 313 extended to Merry Hill to provide through journeys from Wednesbury and Tipton.

[Discodave]

311/313 to merry hill no the old 311/313 was cut to make them more reliable extending them will just put it back to how it was late quicker to travel from tipton into wednesbury loads of buses go to west brom then the 238 or better still a 404h like on saturdays just a thought talking from experiance of driving the old 311/313 route spent more time running dead then in service

[Roy]

311/313 to merry hill no the old 311/313 was cut to make them more reliable extending them will just put it back to how it was late quicker to travel from tipton into wednesbury loads of buses go to west brom then the 238 or better still a 404h like on saturdays just a thought talking from experiance of driving the old 311/313 route spent more time running dead then in service

Well I've read some rubbish in my time but this one wins the gold medal.  I could walk from Tipton to Merry Hill quicker than catch the bus by the route suggested.  It's just under 5 miles so could be walked in less than 90 minutes. 

On a bus, from Tipton to Dudley takes 8 minutes on a 311/313, with Dudley to Merry Hill taking 19 minutes on an X96.  Even allowing for a 20 minute wait at Dudley, you would do the journey in 45-50 minutes.  A through bus service would do the journey in less than half an hour.

Tipton to Wednesbury on a 311/313 takes 20 minutes, with a wait there of 0-10 minutes.  Wednesbury to West Bromwich takes another 20 minutes, where you may have a 30 minute wait if you just miss a 238.  West Bromwich to Merry Hill takes 55 minutes on both the 238 and 404H.  Thus it would take a minimum of 95 minutes and a maximum of 135 minutes to follow the suggested "quickest" route.

[Discodave]

and where would this so called extention of the 311/313 go all routes to merry hill are full of traffic you queue down pedmore road, going through brierley hill traffic no one abides by the bus lanes plus the traffic coming out of dudley down to holly hall be realistic

[Ash]

I agree with this idea of the black country outer circle being lenghty but maybe the buses would only stop at major stopping points so would work as some kind of limited stop/express service

[j_rp_wright]

I personally couldn't see this route running, perhaps more seperate localised circulars around Wolverhampton, Dudley/Sandwell and Walsall.  Though bus companies do want to 'make travel simple' they still don't want it too be too easy otherwise other services may suffer and a loss in profits due to less bus service changes to get to places.

[Discodave]

There were lots of circle routes in the local black country areas Walsall had 370/1 and 372/3 and 392/3 Wolverhampton had the pendeford circles 504/5/6/7 and 506/7A most were gone due to reviews and it seems people wanted direct services the one circle service which survives is the 532/3 now the 32/33 Northwood park routes 

[Trident 4609]

Reading the timetable and i saw a peak at the drivers rota i think the 59 is a circular and in the bus station by the stand it says 59-Ahmore park circular.

[Roy]

The 59 isn't strictly a circular.  It just runs clockwise around Ashmore Park and then returns to Wolverhampton via its outward route.

In Dudley, we had the 206/207, 247/248 and 264/265 (274/275 in the evening), plus in the 1970's the D3/D4 around Russells Hall (which I think became 273/274).  Stourbridge also had a number of circulars including the 289/290 and 294/295.

[j_rp_wright]

I was suggesting circular routes around these towns rather than just suburb circular routes. I used to driver wolves buses and the pendefords were popular, they have split the routes simply to make more money one journey now takes a bus change over in pendefords interchange.

[Discodave]

I was a wolves driver too the pendefords were ok in the day but anti social behaviour in the evening was torrid was on the rota to start with glad I went to wombounres everyone in pendeford was a child even though they were well developed and got drunk in the clubs at night at least now being split they make money though I think Tony and co are doing well to sort out these problems

[Stu]

The Birmingham Outer Circle 'works' as it has a ready-made ring road (the A4040) that it can follow (with a few deviations in Bearwood, Acocks Green, Hall Green and Kings Heath) and it was originally introduced to link the various suburbs on this route for which passengers would have previously had to travel in and out of the city centre to reach.

A 'Black Country' version wouldn't be feasible, as there isn't such a road, and there are already plenty of services that cross the area and link towns together.

[Badger]

It would almost work for Wolverhampton (which did have a planned ring road, but only part of it was ever built) but it doesn't have the density of Birmingham.

That would be Vine to Codsall (Wobaston Road) to Perton (Jenny Walkers Lane), you can make out the shape on google maps, clear quarter circle. From there it would face winding lanes until Wombourne, then taking the A463  to Sedgley, up the Black Country route to Willenhall, then the A462 to Essington, curving onto Bognop Road, a straightened Moseley Lane, then Greenfeld Lane, finally taking the A449 to the Vine again.



Although just because a circle exists doesn't mean it would work of course.