National Express West Midlands routes 334 and 339

{| class="infobox" style="width: 29em;"
+ style="font-size: large;" | 339 !colspan="2" align="center" |
-! colspan="2" bgcolor="#FF0000" | Management
-
Operated by || National Express West Midlands/ A2Z Travel
-
Garage || Both from their Walsall garages
-
Vehicle || Volvo B6LE Wright Crusader/ Any
-
Peak vehicle requirement || 2 Per Company
-! colspan="2" bgcolor="#FF0000" | Route
-
Start || Walsall
-
Via || Darlaston
-
End || Bilston Bus Station
-! colspan="2" bgcolor="#FF0000" | Service
-
Level || 07:25 - 18:14 Monday - Friday, 07:55 - 18:20 Saturday. No Sunday Service.
-
Frequency || Every 30 minutes per company
-
Journey time || 24 minutes
-
Night || No Service

The 334 and 339 are two bus routes in the West Midlands, United Kingdom.

Present

Both services, 334 and 339, are operated by the regions biggest bus operator National Express West Midlands. The 334 is also operated by three other smaller operators, Golden Line, Sandwell Travel and Finesse Coaches and the 339 is also operated by A2Z Travel. They are the only two Walsall services which serve Bilston, and one of only 5 Walsall services to enter the City of Wolverhampton.

The routes follow the Wednesbury Road, followed by the Darlaston Road and finally the Walsall Road from Walsall to Darlaston, which is the same route as services 9 and 333 & 337 take, meaning that along this section of the route competition is rife.

From Darlaston the 339 follows the same route National Express West Midlands service 79 takes into Bilston along the Moxley Road and Oxford Street, whilst the 334 goes through the local Rough Hay estate and then The Lunt area of Bilston.

Sandwell Travel also started operations on the 334 as of 29th June 2008 running at an irregular frequency.

History

* De-regulation - 1998 Chase Bus Services introduce a brand new innovative route linking Walsall and Bilston via Moxley and Darlaston. They number this route service 6. National Express West Midlands (Then West Midlands Travel) decide this is a good idea and also begin operating the route but use service number 339. West Midlands Travel already operate a service via Bilston, the 334 to Wolverhampton.
* 1998 - Travel West Midlands shorten the 334 to terminate at Bilston. All three companies continue to operate there routes at the same frequencys, West Midlands Travel operate each route at half hourly frequency, whilst Chase Bus Services operate the 6 every 20 minutes. Also during 1998 Travel West Midlands start using brand new low floor easy access Volvo B6LEs on their routes.
*2003 - Travel West Midlands start operating the 334 on a Monday - Saturday evening. They now have competition on the route in the form of City Way Travel a small company which is part of the Thandi group. They operate the route at a half hourly weekday peak frequency and a half hourly Saturday daytime frequency.
*2003 - Following the new competition the frequency on the 6 is reduced to half hourly on weekdays, but remains every 20 minutes on Saturdays.
*2005 - Chase Bus Services withdraw their service 6. A2Z Travel quickly pick up the route, but choose to use the number 339. This service is run Monday - Saturday every half hourly.
*2006 - Golden Line Buses and J Line Buses (another Thandi Company) start operating on the 334 at hourly frequencys.
*2007 - A Sunday service is introduced on the 334 by Travel West Midlands. The route is still using buses bought new for it in 1998.
*2008 - J Line Buses licence is revoked. They stop operating the 334. Additionally City Way Travel licence is revoked, but this company is replaced by another Thandi Company, Finesse Coaches.
*2008 - Sandwell Travel start operations on the 334 on a Monday - Saturday at hourly frequencys.

Upcoming Changes

As a result of the additional operators, and the introduction of extra services along the route from Walsall to Darlaston by National Express West Midlands, A2Z Travel will be withdrawing their operations on the 339 from October 19th after over three years on the route.

Route

334
* Walsall
* Caldmore
* Darlaston
* Rough Hay
* The Lunt
* Bilston339
* Walsall
* Caldmore
* Darlaston
* Moxley
* Bilston