West Midlands bus route 303

303

Management
Operated by	Diamond Bus
Garage	Tividale
Vehicle	Dennis Dart or Optare Solo
Peak vehicle requirement	1
Route
Start	Bilston Bus Station
Via	Willenhall Town Centre
End	County Bridge Estate, Devon Road
Length	About ?? miles
Service
Level	Daytime 09:30 - 15:25 Monday - Saturday off peak, No Sunday Service
Frequency	every 60 minutes
Journey time	25 minutes
Night	No Service

The 303 is a bus route in the West Midlands area of England. It is operated by Diamond Bus under subsidy to Centro.

Present

The 303 is currently operated by Diamond Bus using Dennis Darts or Optare Solos. It runs to an hourly off-peak Monday - Saturday frequency under subsidy to the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive, Centro.

History

Previously the 303 was operated by Pete's Travel on a commercial basis at a similar timetable to present. In 1999 it was known that National Express West Midlands (then Travel West Midlands), also operated journeys on the route at irregular frequencies, but by 2000 these were withdrawn.

In 2004, following the merger of Pete's Travel and Diamond Bus following their takeover by Go-Ahead, the Pete's Travel name was scrapped, in favour of the Diamond Bus brand. The continued to operate the route until 2007, when due to large losses many services by the company were withdrawn, including the 303.

Recently formed A2Z Travel instantly stepped in to save the route, however, shortly before the end of the year they announced they were to withdraw off the route, due to a lack of patronage. The West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive then put the route to tender, which A2Z Travel then won.

By now A2Z Travel was in trouble with the West Midlands Traffic Commissioner and VOSA for poor vehicle standards and was struggling to pay fines and keep its licence.

The companies licence was revoked in 2008, however, due to numerous appeals the company was able to continue operating.

In February 2009, it was announced that Diamond Bus were once again to operate the route. Having been sold by Go-Ahead to the Rotala Group, the company was rapidly expanding and won close to thirty tenders in the round. The change of operator was due to take place from April 26th 2009.

However, A2Z Travel's licence was finally revoked on March 31st 2009 after they had lost their final appeal, meaning Diamond Bus started operating the service 25 days earlier from April 1st.

Diamond Bus hold the route on a three year long tender.

Route

• Bilston Bus Station
• Willenhall Town Centre
• Bentley
• County Bridge Estate