Save Our Bus 33 Norton Canes (SOB 33 NC)

Tuesday 8th March 2011 ...

The new service 32 along Walsall Rd/ Norton Green Lane/ Chapel St-Church Rd does not start until 8.44am, and several people have complained that this is too late for those commuting to work and school.

This matter has been raised with the Parish Council, Arriva and Staffordshire County Council.

If this affects you, please let the county council and Arriva know about your circumstances. If they know what people want and need, they can respond!

TUESDAY 1st March 2011 ... Update ...

Arriva confirm -

Mon to Sat, service 32
Brownhills to Rugeley (to Cannock)
Calling at the stop at Norton Green Lane/ Chapel St from 8.45 (9.48 Sat) half hourly until 5.40 (5.10 Sat)

Rugeley to Brownhills (from Cannock)

Calling at the stop on Norton Green Lane/ Chapel St from 8.49 half hourly until 5.19, Mon to Sat

SUNDAYS, service 33
hourly

This service has been reinstated on a 'use it, or lose it' basis, so it is important that we all use this bus!

There are several commuters and students who will find that the arrangements above start too late and finish too early to be effective for their daily commute, and will either have to walk to the library for the 33, or seek alternative arrangements.

If you are one of these people, I suggest you write to Staffordshire County Council and Arriva at the addresses below and hopefully they will look at including an earlier and later service at the next review.

The new service 62 beginning shortly operated by Heartland Buses will NOT be running along the Walsall Rd/ Norton Green Lane/ Chapel St-Church Rd triangle.

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SUNDAY 27th Feb ...

The 33 has been running along Norton Green Lane/ Chapel St every hour, today, Sunday. Not sure if the 33 will run every Sunday, or just for this week.

There is also some talk about a service 62, operated by Heartlands bus company, but we don't have any more information yet.

UPDATE !! GOOD NEWS !!
Please see below, taken from Arriva's website Friday 25th 2011.

"Following talks today with Staffordshire County Council, Arriva Midlands is pleased to announce the reintroduction of buses to an area of Norton Canes that was to lose its links to Brownhills, Cannock, Hednesford and Rugeley from Saturday 26 February 2011.

Service 32 will be diverted in Norton Canes to serve Chapel Street, Norton Green Lane and Walsall Road to and from Brownhills, Cannock, Hednesford and Rugeley from Saturday 26 February 2011.

Keith Myatt, communications manager for Arriva Midlands, said: 'The decision to reintroduce buses to the Chapel Lane and Norton Green Lane areas of Norton Canes shows that Arriva has listened to its customers concerns and is pleased to meet the requests.'

SOB 33 NC would like to thank Arriva and Staffordshire County Council for their response, as well as Norton Canes Parish Council, Linda Florence, Cllr Beddows and MP Aidan Burley for their efforts to protect our bus service. Finally to all those who supported the campaign, collected signatures and put up posters.

Bus times are on the Arriva website, but as a rough guide, they will be running through our part of the village:
To Walsall -
10 and 40 mins past the hour from 8.40 until 5.10

To Cannock and Rugeley -
10 and 35 mins past the hour from 8.35 until 5.10 (and 5.40 weekdays)

(edited 27.02.2011) SERVICE 32 ON SUNDAYS ... PLEASE SEE ABOVE...

Arriva Customer Services, FREEPOST ANG 7624, Luton
Bedfordshire. LU4 8BR

Staffordshire County Council:

Public Transport, Staffs County Council, County Buildings
Martin Street, Stafford. ST16 2LR

publictransport@staffordshire.gov.uk