SuperLine 301 (National Express West Midlands bus route)

National Express West Midlands Route 301 is a bus route in the West Midlands.

Present

Currently National Express West Midlands operates the 301 at slightly random intervals, ranging from 9 minutes to every 4 minutes, between Walsall and Mossley on Mondays - Saturdays. A2Z Travel also operate on the route, at more rounded departure times of every 10 minutes.

During evenings National Express West Midlands operate the 301 at a twenty minute frequency. A2Z Travel do not operate evening services.

On a Sunday National Express West Midlands are the sole operator all day, running the service at a 10 minute frequency until 6pm, then a 20 minute one for the duration of the day.

The 301 runs along the busy Walsall - Bloxwich Corridor and faces competition along here from fellow National Express West Midlands service 302 and Arriva Midlands service 1. The 302 runs every 12 minutes, whilst the 1 runs every 20.

History

Pre-1990's

The origins of service 301 go back to 1957 when the Walsall to Bloxwich trolleybus route (service number 30) was extended to the then new council housing estate of Mossley Estate (terminating at Abbey Square). The service was further extended to the present day Eagle Hotel terminus in 1959. The service number 31 came into use on 31 December 1962 and remained in use until renumbered 331 by the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive in the mid-1970s when the service was converted to one man operation. Trolleybuses had been withdrawn from this service in three stages : from March 1968 the Sunday service was converted to motorbus operation; in January-February 1970 partial conversion to motorbus operation was instituted on the Monday to Saturday timetable; Friday 2 October 1970 was the last day of normal scheduled trolleybus operation on this route, and in the whole of Walsall. On Saturday 3 October 1970 one trolleybus did operate on an enthusiasts tour incorporating Mossley Estate, whilst four others operated a last day special service operating between Walsall and Bloxwich only.

Service 31 had been operated by Walsall Corporation Transport until 30 September 1969, then from the following day by West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive which had been formed to takeover local authority bus operations in Birmingham and the Black Country.

Service 331 ceased to operate on 25 October 1986 being replaced by circular services 370 (clockwise via Beechdale) and 371 (anticlockwise via Leamore) - these circular services had in fact been introduced some years previously but only for the evenings (daily) and Sunday services - from Sunday 26 October 1986 only services 370 and 371 provided any regular service, generally at a 15 minute frequency in each direction daytime Monday to Saturday and 30 minute frequency at other times.

Post-1990

Choice Travel re-introduced the "old" service pattern between Walsall and Mossley by introducing new service 171 in the early 90's. National Express West Midlands, then West Midlands Travel, subsequently reacted to this competition in various ways - at one stage the Wolverhampton to Bloxwich bus service (560), was diverted via Mossley Estate and extended to Walsall on Monday to Saturday daytime on a regular frequency but this was later withdrawn. A more effective response to Choice Travel's 171 service was the introduction of high frequency service 301 on a similar route to Choice Travel's 171 service.

In the late 90's Choice Travel proposed to the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (Centro), that services 171/301 become a "Showcase" bus service. Centro, along with Travel West Midlands agreed and this was eventually implemented with a co-ordinated timetable on both services with Choice Travel purchasing four new Optare Excel buses specially for the service (registration numbers R742 BUW to R744 BUW) and Travel West Midlands using nearly new Volvo B10Ls with Wright Liberator bodywork. These new buses were quite striking in their specially branded livery, with each company choosing its own different livery.

Co-ordinated timetabling remained in place until 2007 when Travel West Midlands decided to introduce its own regular frequency timetable of every 6 minutes.

By this stage service 302 was again following the exact same route between Walsall and Bloxwich at a twelve minute frequency, gradually pushing Choice Travel out of the route.

Yet quite bizarely in summer 2007, A2Z Travel began operating on the 301 and the 302 at very high frequencys. A2Z Travel were using a variety of different types of bus on the 301, as were Travel West Midlands (there Volvo B10Ls had transferred for us on the 377 due to a new Centro partnership.) and Choice Travel on the 171.

Increased competition lead to many drivers 'racing' each other along the route, and the overall public opinion and patronage of the routes fell.

In March 2008, the competition become to much and Choice Travel withdrew service 171, however quite surpisingly A2Z Travel replaced these journeys with an increased frequency on their service 301. However, this increase was reversed approximately 2 months later and working hours were shortened in May 2008.

In mid-2008 A2Z Travel started offering a competitive maximum fare of £1.00 compared to the area's standard maximum single fare of £1.50 for both themselves and National Express West Midlands. Despite this fare offer it seems that National Express West Midlands were carrying the vast majority of passengers due to its advantages over A2Z Travel, such as its own Travelcard ticket and more extensive local bus route network, plus a more advantageous loading point in Walsall Bus Station.

In September 2008, A2Z Travel withdrew their Sunday frequency on the route.

Competition is still fierce between A2Z Travel and National Express West Midlands along the Walsall - Bloxwich corridor, with buses continuing to race each other.

In October 2008, the competition again became too much and A2Z Travel withdrew off the 302.

Future

No changes are expected in the near future.

Trivia

The 301 is a service that was one of National Express West Midlands first showcase routes, known as the 'superline'.

Route

* Walsall
* Walsall Magistrates Court
* NXWM Walsall Depot
* Leamore
* Bloxwich Leisure Centre
* Bloxwich High Street
* Mossley

External links