Bus stops axed to speed up journeys

ALMOST 60 little-used Birmingham bus stops are to be scrapped in an attempt to speed up journey times for passengers.

The stops along six of the city’s busiest routes will be suspended for a six-month trial starting on Sunday, October 1.

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which oversees the region’s bus stops, says that there are some stops just 130 yards apart, while others have fallen into disuse as businesses have closed or shopping habits have changed.

TfWM’s Jon Hayes said: “As time has gone on many of these stops are simply no longer needed are still occasionally used.

“Increasing congestion, particularly at this time of year, is continually eating into passenger journey times and we know that this puts people off using the bus, adding further to congestion.

“We need to try to break this cycle, encourage more people to use the bus and take cars off the road. Removing bus stops we don’t need any more is one way of tackling this.”

It is estimated each stop adds at least 35 seconds to journey. TfWM insists that every home will still be within 400 metres of a bus stop. yet

Tom Stables, managing director of National Express West Midlands, said: “Every time a bus stops to allow one passenger to get on or off can take up to 35 seconds.

“Add that up along a whole route and that can result in a significant impact on overall journey times.

“This trial will help us and TfWM balance our passengers’ need for bus stops that are easy to get to with bus journeys that get them where they want to get to on time.”

The redundant stops will not be removed during the trial but notices will inform passengers they are no longer in use.