National Express West Midlands

Bus passengers in Walsall are to benefit from two new stops aimed at relieving congestion at the town’s busy Bradford Place interchange.

New Bradford Place bus stop locations (download PDF map here).

Walsall councillors sitting on Centro, the region’s transport authority, have joined forces with the town’s two biggest bus companies to support the installation of two new stops amid growing concern over the large number of services using Bradford Place.

The new stops, in nearby Bradford Street, will enable more than 26 buses an hour to be taken out of Bradford Place, which at the moment sees around 60 services arrive and depart each hour at peak times.

From this Monday (June 29) all of the 401e, 404, 404a, 404e and 405 services operated by National Express and Diamond will use the new stops and run via Caldmore Road, meaning they no longer have to go into Bradford Place.

Cllr Clarke, who had pressed for the new stops along with fellow Walsall councillors and Centro members Graham Wilkes and Marco Longhi, said: “Bradford Place has become congested at certain times of the day and as a result passengers had sometimes found it difficult to board vehicles.

“These new stops will make a real difference for passengers and I’d like to thank National Express for helping to make the changes happen and to Diamond for supporting the move.”

Nick Newcombe, Area Manager at Walsall for National Express, said; “Taking the 404, 405 and 401 services out of Bradford Place will ease the sort of congestion which had led to concerns over safety.

“Those services still using Bradford Place will now be able to have their own dedicated bus stops instead of having to share with other services. That will make it easier, safer and more convenient for passengers”

The new stops will initially operate on a trial basis and closely monitored by Centro, the bus company’s and the borough council.