Agenda Item No. 13

Sandwell Council

Report to the Cabinet Member for Direct

15th November 2002

Bus Showcase Route 404 Extension (Blackheath to )

1. Summary Statement

1.1 An important transport development in the is the continuing innovative Bus Showcase project, where particular routes receive a whole range of treatments as a result of partnership working, giving a high quality, frequent and attractive service.

1.2 Work is well progressed along the Bus Showcase Route 404 between and Blackheath with the vast majority of bus stop works complete and Real Time Information displays at selected stops under installation.

1.3 It has long been an important issue to the community in the southwest of Sandwell that it has poor and infrequent bus connections with the rest of Sandwell. Members, local M.P.’s and Officers have lobbied Travel West Midlands for some time now to extend the 404 service onwards from Blackheath to terminate at Cradley Heath. As part of the Council’s Transport Vision 2020 consultation process, Town Committee at its meeting on 14th February 2002, stated that it’s number one priority was the extension of the 404 service onto Cradley Heath. Rowley Regis Town Committee has also frequently stated at its meetings of its desire to see an improvement to bus services between Cradley Heath/Old Hill and Blackheath.

1.4 Following a number of recent meetings with Travel West Midlands involving Members, local M.P.’s and Officers, they have now agreed to operate an extended 404 service to Cradley Heath from Sunday 27th October 2002. The extended route from Blackheath will run along Powke Lane, up Moor Lane to Rowley Hospital, returning to Garratts Lane to Old Hill and then along Reddal Hill Road to Cradley Heath, terminating at the rail station at Forge Lane as shown on the attached location plan.

1.5 The service will operate every 15 minutes from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday and every 30 minutes from 10am to 5pm on Sundays.

1.6 Travel West Midlands will run a 404 bus from Walsall every 7 or 8 minutes to Blackheath via and Oldbury, with every other bus then carrying on at a 15-minute frequency to Cradley Heath. The service that carries on to Cradley Heath will be called the 404A. On Sundays, every 404 bus will run from Walsall to Cradley Heath at a 30- minute frequency. The 404A will not run beyond 8pm Monday to Saturday or after 5pm on Sunday. The 404 from Walsall to Blackheath will run after 8pm weekdays on the normal timetable, which is every 30 minutes and also on Sundays after 5pm on a 30-minute frequency.

1.7 The Bus Showcase infrastructure work (for example, the higher kerbs for near-level boarding) at the stops commenced in October 2002 from Cradley Heath to Old Hill as part of the Bus Showcase Route 139 improvements. Work between Old Hill and Blackheath will follow early next year, subject to Council and Centro approvals for funding.

1.8 At the meeting of the Urban Form Cabinet Advisory Team held on 29th October 2002, members felt that the extension to the route should be based on Showcase Standards. The Head of Planning and Development Services reported that the Bus Showcase infrastructure work (for example, the higher kerbs for near-level boarding) at the stops commenced in October 2002 from Cradley Heath to Old Hill as part of the Bus Showcase Route 139 improvements. Work between Old Hill and Blackheath would follow early next year, subject to funding. Members also felt that Centro should introduce, at the earliest opportunity, a subsidised service to run beyond 8pm Monday to Saturday and after 5pm on Sunday.

1.9 At the meeting the Cabinet Member for Urban Form supported the development of the Bus Showcase Route 404 extension between Blackheath and Cradley Heath and authorised the Head of Planning and Development Services to request Centro to consider introducing, at the earliest opportunity, a subsidised service along the extended route to run beyond 8pm Monday to Saturday and after 5pm on Sunday.

Further details are attached for your information

2. Recommendation

2.1 That the development of the Bus Showcase Route 404 extension between Blackheath and Cradley Heath be supported.

In accordance with the authority delegated to the Cabinet Member for Sandwell Direct, the following course of action has been agreed, which will be formally recorded in the minutes of this meeting:

(1) approval be given to the recommendation above (as amended)

(2) approval be given to the above recommendation (as amended) and that they be submitted to Cabinet for consideration

(3) the above recommendation be not approved for the reasons given in the minutes of the meeting

______Cabinet Member for Sandwell Direct

Date 15th November, 2002

Robert A. Lee Peter Whitehouse Head of Planning Head of Highways Direct and Development Services

Contact Officers

John Hawkins Keith Sansom Planning & Transportation Policy Section Traffic & Road Safety Section Planning & Development Services Highways Direct 0121 569 4221 0121 569 4149 Bus Showcase Route 404 Extension (Blackheath to Cradley Heath)

3. Resource Implications

3.1 Funds for the implementation of the infrastructure improvements, to bring the stops up to Showcase standard between Old Hill and Blackheath will come from Centro’s Bus Showcase funds via the West Midlands Local Transport Plan, subject to Centro approvals.

4. Policy Implications

4.1 The Bus Showcase works help to achieve the West Midlands Local Transport Plan objectives of promoting travel by public transport and actively promoting alternatives to car use.

5. Crime and Disorder Implications

5.1 Bus Showcase is intended to be attractive to all sectors of the community. Parents with pushchairs, the elderly and people with mobility problems will all find the route easy to use. Improvements to street lighting in the vicinity of stops will be implemented where necessary. Increased use of public transport will reinforce community confidence and reduce fear.

6. Sustainability Implications

6.1 A more efficient and attractive bus system will be developed. This will help to reduce private car use and will have positive benefits for air pollution, our health and the environment in which we live and work.

7. Implications for Young People

7.1 The ‘Bus Showcase’ standard bus stops allow passengers to enter the bus at level. This is particularly beneficial for carers with pushchairs and will hopefully encourage greater use of public transport. Use of public transport from an early age makes this method of travel more acceptable in later life. Young people should be given every encouragement to live a more healthy life. Walking in conjunction with reliable and efficient public transport supports the sustainability of a healthy environment.

8. Background Details

8.1 Bus Showcase involves a quality partnership between the bus operator, who provides low floor buses and customer care trained drivers, Centro, who provide high quality shelters and the Local Authority, who provide bus priority measures and bus stops with raised kerbs to allow near level boarding.

8.2 Numerous routes within the West Midlands have already been upgraded to Showcase standard. Members will be aware that Showcase work along the Walsall to Blackheath Bus Route 404, the to Brierley Hill Route 139 and the Hagley Road and Outer Circle Route 11 schemes are either underway or due to start construction.

8.3 It has long been an important issue to the community in the southwest of Sandwell that it has poor and infrequent bus connections with the rest of Sandwell. Members, local M.P.’s and Officers have lobbied Travel West Midlands for some time to extend the 404 service onwards from Blackheath to terminate at Cradley Heath. As part of the Council’s Transport Vision 2020 consultation process, Rowley Regis Town Committee, at its meeting on 14th February 2002, stated that it’s number one priority was the extension of the 404 service onto Cradley Heath. That Committee has also frequently stated at its meetings of its desire to see an improvement to bus services between Cradley Heath/Old Hill and Blackheath.

8.4 Up to now, Travel West Midlands have been reluctant to extend their 404 service onto Cradley Heath due to financial considerations, believing there was not sufficient demand for through passengers from Walsall, West Bromwich and Oldbury to run to Cradley Heath on a 10 minute frequency.

8.5 Following a number of recent meetings with Travel West Midlands involving Members, local M.P.’s and Officers, they have now agreed to operate an extended 404 service to Cradley Heath from Sunday 27th October 2002. The extended route from Blackheath will run along Powke Lane, up Moor Lane to Rowley Hospital, returning to Garratts Lane to Old Hill and then along Reddal Hill Road to Cradley Heath, terminating at the rail station at Forge Lane as shown on the attached location plan.

8.6 The service will operate every 15 minutes from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday and every 30 minutes from 10am to 5pm on Sundays.

8.7 Travel West Midlands will run a 404 bus from Walsall every 7 or 8 minutes to Blackheath via West Bromwich and Oldbury, with every other bus then carrying on at a 15-minute frequency to Cradley Heath. The service that carries on to Cradley Heath will be called the 404A. On Sundays, every 404 bus will run from Walsall to Cradley Heath at a 30- minute frequency. The 404A will not run beyond 8pm Monday to Saturday or after 5pm on Sunday. The 404 from Walsall to Blackheath will run after 8pm weekdays on the normal timetable, which is every 30 minutes and also Sundays after 5pm on a 30-minute frequency.

8.8 The Bus Showcase infrastructure work (for example, the higher kerbs for near-level boarding) at the stops commenced in early October 2002 from Cradley Heath to Old Hill as part of the Bus Showcase Route 139 improvements. Work between Old Hill and Blackheath will follow early next year, subject to Council and Centro approvals for funding.

Source Documents

Minutes of the Urban Form Cabinet Advisory Team held on 29th October 2002.