Central Connect Diamond route 56, Choice Travel route X56 and A2Z Travel Route 56A

The 56, X56 and 56A are bus routes in the West Midlands, United Kingdom.

Service 56 and 56A both link Birmingham with Brownhills West with service X56 linking Birmingham to Boney Hay.

History

* 06th September 2008 - Choice Travel service X56 is withdrawn. A new contract has been issued to Midland Rider for service X56.

* 11th May 2008 - A2Z Travel start running the 56A under contract to Centro evenings and Sundays. Diamond Bus withdraw their service on the 56A which was run commercially and amend the timetable for the 56.

* 02nd September 2007 - Choice Travel replace Diamond Bus on the X56 under contract to Staffordshire County Council. Diamond Bus also reduce their frequency to every 20 minutes, with service 56A running evenings and Sundays every 30 minutes.

* 29th April 2007 - Diamond Bus renumber the service from 156 to 56 and 56A (56A denoting services serving Hundred Acre and finishing in Brownhills high street). Both services run during the daytime every 30 minutes each giving a combined frequency of 15 minutes.

Present

Service 56, Diamond Bus

Currently run by Diamond Bus, the 56 serves Birmingham, Perry Barr, Kingstanding, Aldridge and Brownhills before reaching Watling Street. On journeys going out of Birmingham the service runs express and does not stop in Newtown or at One Stop Shopping Centre. After this, it serves all stops up to the terminus. However, on journeys going into Birmingham it serves all stops in Perry Barr and Newtown. Service currently takes 1 hour to complete. Vehicles mainly used on this service include Wright Cadet's and Dennis Dart's.

Diamond Bus currently charge £1.50 maximum fare.

Service X56, Midland Rider

Currently run by Midland Rider under contract to Staffordshire County Council, service X56 provides a peak hour service between Birmingham and Boney Hay. The service runs one journey in the morning from Boney Hay to Birmingham, and one return journey in the opposite direction in the evening. Unlike Diamond Bus and ATZ Travel, this service serves all stops in Newtown and calls at One Stop Shopping Centre, Perry Barr, however it does not call at Aston University. Currently it takes 1 hour 5 minutes to complete.

Service 56A, ATZ Travel

Currently run by ATZ Travel (also known as Travel A2Z) under contract to Centro, service 56A provides a hourly Monday - Saturday evening service from 19:00 and all day service on Sundays between Birmingham and Brownhills. Like sister service 56, this service runs express and does not stop in Newtown or at One Stop Shopping Centre. On journeys going into Birmingham it serves all stops in Perry Barr and Newtown. The reason why the service is re-numbered 56A is due to the vehicles serving Hundred Acre after a certain time. Service currently takes 55 minutes to complete. It is currently unknown whether or not ATZ Travel accept Diamond Bus Freedom tickets.

Current route

;Service 56, Diamond Bus
*Birmingham
*Birmingham City University
*Kingstanding
*Aldridge
*Brownhills High Street
*Brownhills West;Service X56, Midland Rider
*Birmingham
*Perry Barr, One Stop Shopping Centre
*Birmingham City University
*Kingstanding
*Brownhills High Street
*Ogley Hay
*Chasetown
*Burntwoood
*Boney Hay;Service 56A, ATZ Travel
*Birmingham
*Birmingham City University
*Kingstanding
*Hundred Acre
*Aldridge
*Brownhills High Street
*Brownhills West

External links

* [http://www.connectbuses.co.uk CentralConnect]
* [http://www.diamondbus.co.uk Diamond Bus]
* [http://west-midlands-buses.fpic.co.uk West Midlands Buses (Photographs)]