(Updated) Major Bus Changes In Coventry

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The biggest set of changes to buses in Coventry since World War II are about to get underway.



In just over three weeks, transport bosses are bringing in new routes, colour-coded buses and more regular trips around popular areas.

Letters will be sent out to everyone in the city to warn them about the changes.

Centro’s Steve Hayes, which runs the network, said not enough people are using them at the moment because they think they are too confusing:

“There are lots of complicated routes which do different things at different times of the day.

“What we’ve done is really try and simplify everything so if someone catches the Number 2 services in the day, it will be the same as the Number 2 service in the evening.”

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New Coventry bus routes and timetables launched after passenger suggestions

NEW Coventry bus routes and timetables are being launched after suggestions from passengers.

The new-look network starts on Sunday, February 26, following feedback from the public.

Highlights include more frequent services to University Hospital, Ball Hill, Potters Green, Cannon Park, Canley and Keresley.

Another request was for improved Sunday and evening services.

New vehicles, real-time information and signage will also be introduced.

Households will now receive leaflets explaining the changes in more detail.

Exhibitions will also be held across the city from Saturday, February 11.

New timetables will be available at the exhibitions, and from the Network Coventry travel shop at Pool Meadow.

Public transport authority Centro worked with Coventry City Council and bus operators A-Line, Blue Diamond, Johnsons, National Express, Stagecoach and Travel De Courcey to make the changes possible.

Dudley councillor Angus Adams, chairman of West Midlands public transport authority Centro, said: “The driving force for these changes is to make bus travel a more attractive option for existing and new customers.

“We believe the new network will create long-term bus passenger growth through a simpler and easier to understand network in the city.”

Steve Hayes, Centro’s area manager for Coventry, said: “This simpler network will mean less route variants and fewer numbers, colour coded and better quality information, plus new maps and web services.”

As part of the consultation process which led to the changes, leaflets were distributed to hundreds of thousands of residents across Coventry encouraging them to attend exhibitions or fill in an online questionnaire.

House-to-house surveys were also conducted.

A Centro spokesman said: “Many people requested more frequent services and, as a result, more than 50 per cent of bus customers will now receive them.”

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Anger over decision to axe Coventry's direct bus from Tile Hill to University Hospital

PASSENGERS have criticised a decision to axe the only direct bus service from the west of Coventry to University Hospital.

The number 34 route from Tile Hill and Eastern Green is being abolished as part of a new-look timetable which starts on Sunday, February 26.

The numbers 32 and 33 cross-city routes, which travel along Ansty Road near to the hospital, are also being dropped.

Passengers will still be able to catch a bus to the hospital, but will have to change at Pool Meadow first.

The changes have sparked angry comments on the Telegraph website, including one which said: “Tile Hill must be as far as you can get from the hospital and still be in the Coventry boundary.”

Other casualties of the new timetable include the number one service, one of the oldest in the city.

Another comment said: “It will be a very sad day when the number one is axed completely.

“It is a vital link between Chapelfields and Earlsdon and the south side of the city centre.

“This clearly is a mistake and the service should be retained at least to cover the busy commuting times.”

Centro said all city residents will remain “within 400m” of an alternative service.

Whoberley councillor Bally Singh has urged Centro to reconsider its plans.

In an email to area manager Steve Hayes, he said: “The 34 is the only direct route to Walsgrave Hospital from the west of the city.

“The cross city routes 32/33/34 have served the city so well, and to now drop them is doing the people of Coventry a disservice.

“I urge you to consider keeping a cross city route, so that people in the west of the city can have direct access to Walsgrave Hospital without the added distress caused by changing buses in town.”

Under the new timetable, passengers from west Coventry travelling to the hospital can catch the numbers 6/6A or 10 to Pool Meadow, and change on to the numbers four or nine, or the De Courcey 85/585.

A Centro spokesman said: “The routes 32, 33 and 34 are being replaced by a much simpler service 6/6A which will operate a regular ten-minute frequency along Hearsall Common to Eastern Green and Tile Hill.

“Because the new services are more direct, as well as being frequent, the overall journey time between west Coventry and the hospital will actually be reduced by ten minutes.

“As well as the quicker journeys this will also be possible on evenings and Sundays; times when the 34 does not even currently run to west Coventry at all.”

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1000 strong petition against Major Changes to Buses in Coventry

A Coventry MPs meeting with protesters demanding bus routes in Coventry aren’t changed or scrapped by the end of the month.

On the 26th of February most of Coventry’s buses will switch to new times or routes and a few will be stopped completely.

It’s the biggest change to buses here since World War Two and provider Centro hopes it will make things easier and faster for anyone using public transport.

But residents of Eastern Green are meeting with MP Geoffrey Robinson to raise concerns that scrapping Route 34 will leave them stranded.

They’ll be showing him a petition with over a thousand signatures against the changes.

“This service is vital to us.” One protester Fred Pierce told Mercia: “If this doesn’t get restored then the people of Eastern Green are virtually isolated from the rest of the city.”

Meanwhile Centro is saying this is all a misunderstanding.

Their representative for Coventry, Steve Hayes, said: “People need not worry. There will be a much better service from Eastern Green to the rest of the city come the 26th of February. I’m absolutley confident of that’.”

He went on to say route 34 had been stopped because a public consultation they carried out last year showed it was hugely unpopular.

It will be replaced by the Route 6 bus and Route 10 bus – which will both stop in the Eastern Green area.

To prevent further confusion Centro is launching a touring exhibition advertising the changes in Coventry.

Here are the dates and locations:

Saturday 11 February – exhibition bus in Bull Yard, Coventry city centre – 9.30am to 3pm
Monday 13 February – Opposite Post Office in Riley Square, Bell Green, 10am to 3pm
Tuesday 14 February – exhibition bus in Jardine Crescent precinct, Tile Hill, 12pm-5pm
Wednesday 15 February – exhibition at Methodist Church Hall, Earlsdon, 10am-3pm
Thursday 16 February – exhibition bus by Tesco entrance, Arena Park, 1pm to 6pm
Friday 17 February – exhibition bus outside Family centre, Moseley Avenue, Coundon, 11am to 4pm
Saturday 18 February – exhibition bus at Cannon Park shopping centre, 9.30am to 3pm
Monday 20 February – exhibition at community centre, Arundel Road, Cheylesmore, 11am to 4pm
Tuesday 21 February – exhibition in University House atrium, University of Warwick, 11am to 4pm
Wednesday 22 February – exhibition on main bus station concourse, Pool Meadow bus station, 12pm to 5pm
Thursday 23 February – exhibition bus outside main entrance, University Hospital, 1pm to 6pm
Saturday 25 February – exhibition in Lower Precinct, Coventry city centre, 9.30am to 3pmCentro

Centro says anyone who stops by can have all their questions answered.

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Passengers visit the launch of the new bus routes around Coventry



Bus passengers got a first look at the changes to Coventry’s bus services this weekend.

Between now and February 25 the Centro team will be at locations throughout the city talking to people about how the changes will affect them.

For the first session on Saturday an exhibition bus stopped off at the Bull Yard, city centre.

Picking up a new timetable for her local bus, Marion Fisher of St Austell Road, Wyken, said the changes were a bit confusing.

“From what I can see the changes won’t affect me too much,” said the 72-year-old.

“I am still not sure where the bus will drop me off in town or where I can catch it to get back home. It hasn’t been very clear.

“I go into the city centre every Wednesday to meet friends so it won’t be until that time comes that I will figure all this out.”

Another resident from Eastern Green who did not want to be named said she was disappointed buses had been suspended.

The 71-year-old said: “I really think they have messed about with the timetables. The number 34 has been stopped altogether and a lot of people are confused about where the other services are going to.

“In that sense this exhibition is good for people to speak to someone and find out what the changes are.”

The changes and new timetables will come into effect on Sunday, February 26.



Bosses at Centro say the alterations were made following a consultation exercise last year, which saw more than 1,650 people in Coventry give their views on the bus service.

Peter Sharples, from Centro said: “Last year we asked people to give us their views on their bus and we used these comments to come up with a new network.

“The changes were needed partly because of Broadgate being closed off and because some of the routes have been in place for almost 30 years, providing for an area where businesses and factories once were but are not there anymore. So we are now taking into account new developments, business parks and new housing estates to make sure those areas are better served.

“There is always going to be some opposition to bus changes but we are asking people to try them out and see what they think.

“If they are still not happy they can come back to us and we will have another look and make any further changes if they are needed.”

Over the next two weeks the exhibition bus will visit different areas, including Riley Square, Bell Green; Jardine Crescent, Tile Hill and Arundel Road, Cheylesmore. To see if it coming near you visit http://www.networkwestmidlands.com/busreview.

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Bus route change 'could cost dozens of National Motorcycle Museum workers their jobs'

DOZENS of long-serving workers at the National Motorcycle Museum could be forced out of their jobs by the re-routing of a National Express bus service from Coventry.

Bosses at the museum, near the NEC, are angry the transport firm plans to switch the route of the No.900 Coventry to Stonebridge Island service, leaving many staff without any means of transport.

Museum director Nick Hartland said the centre’s 40-strong group of casual workers would be particularly hard hit by the move – with no alternative public transport to the site available.

Mr Hartland said: “We have been informed by National Express that they are ceasing their bus service to the National Motorcycle Museum on February 28.

“This will result in a number of long-serving employees having to find alternative employment or join the unemployment register.

“I have spoken to National Express and this appears to be a cost-cutting exercise. They say they are wasting their time by going down the slip road, and then having to wait by the island.

“We have a lot of casual workers who rely on public transport and some of them will not be able to get to work. Unless they are able to get lifts from people, it is going to be very difficult for them.”

Mr Hartland said the nearest stop to the site would be a “good 20-minute walk” and added: “This is a real kick in the teeth to many people, some on the minimum wage.

“As a privately-owned, privately-funded business we find the National Express decision flies in the face of government policy and their objectives. Why are we spending billions on a London to Birmingham rail link, when local public transport links are breaking down?”

A spokesman for National Express said: “We are currently working with Centro to make the bus network around Coventry more efficient, reliable and punctual.

“The changes that will be made to local services will be based on existing customer numbers and aims to meet their expectations for our services.

“The 900 route is one of the services ourselves and Centro are discussing but no final decision has been made.”

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Canley roadshows for passengers affected by cancellation of number 34 bus

BUS passengers in Canley and Tile Hill who are affected by the cancellation of the number 34 bus can speak to Centro staff at two rioadshows.

Bus changes and revised timetables will be on display in the exhibition bus when it stops off at the Cannon Park Shopping Centre on Saturday.

From 9.30am until 3pm staff will be on hand to offer advice, information and answer questions on the changes to bus routes.

Then on Tuesday they will be at the University of Warwick in the University House atrium, off Kirby Corner Road, Canley from 11am until 4pm.

For details of other bus exhibitions taking place in the city until February 25 visit http://www.networkwestmidlands.com

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Canon Park bus service restored for Burton Green shoppers

A BUS service from Burton Green to the shops at Cannon Park will be restored for commuters who lost the facility in September.

Following an extensive review carried out by transport operator Centro of all its bus services in Coventry, there will be changes to the service used by Burton Green residents travelling to and from city.

The current 81 service operated by National Express West Midlands will be replaced with an 87 service operated by Johnsons Excelbus. The last day of operation for the 81 bus will be Saturday February 25 and the new 87 bus starts on Monday February 27 to ensure continuity.

The new service will continue to provide an hourly bus service for the village from Mondays to Saturdays.

Cllr Peter Butlin, responsible for transport and highways at Warwickshire County Council’s, said: “We are pleased that Centro has decided the new 87 service will be routed via Cannon Park.”

Details of the new 87 timetable are available on 412760 or online.

http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/busservicechanges