National Express West Midlands Bus Route 319

Services 319 and 319A are two bus routes operating in the West Midlands, England.

The services links Walsall with Bloxwich via the deprived areas of Goscote, Harden and Blakenall.

Evening journeys by Choice travel further into Bloxwich to serve the Turnberry Road area which is a fairly new residential development which has no other bus services serving it during evenings and Sundays. The Monday to Saturday bus services that serve Turnberry Road are the 347 and 351.

Since July 2008 National Express West Midlands services have been numbered 319A to show they follow a slightly different route in the Goscote area.

History

Service number 49 was used for many years for this route, it originating from Walsall Corporation Transport, being taken over by West Midlands Transport Exceutive on 1 October 1969. Towards the end of 1970 the 49 service was one of the first in Walsall to be converted permanently to one man operation. Initially the buses used a fare box plus a TIM motorised ticket machine. On conversion to one man operation the fare scale was simplified in view of the farebox and no change given mode of operation. The TIM ticket machines were subsequently replaced by Bell Punch Autofare ticket machines. In recent years Wayfarer ticket machines have been used. In 2008, almost 38 years after introduction the farebox and no change given system, this is still in use.

Previously the route was operated by NXWM and Chase Bus Services. It moved to Arriva following the takeover of Chase by Arriva.

Evening journeys (which are subsidised) used to be operated by Central Connect, but in April 2008 passed to Choice Travel.

Future

Arriva Midlands are withdrawing their operations on the route from the 26th October.

Places served

*Walsall Bus Station
*Harden
*Goscote
*Blakenall
*Bloxwich