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National Express West Midlands and transport authority Centro have announced plans to extend several bus services to take customers closer to the city's shopping centre.

Services 501, 510, 525, 535, 543 and 682 were rerouted for the redevelopment of Wolverhampton bus station and currently terminate at temporary stops on Darlington Street. Subject to approval from the Traffic Commissioner, the extended routes will soon travel via Garrick St, Market St, Princess St and Lichfield St –taking passengers on a loop around the city centre.

National Express and Centro have taken on board passengers' comments and have worked closely together to look at alternative routes for the services, which are amongst up to 200 buses an hour that have been diverted out of the bus station. The extended services are scheduled to start in mid-May.

Lawrence Wilson, Area Manager for NXWM, said: “After speaking to customer’s we immediately began planning alternative stopping locations for bus services in Darlington Street. We have now finalised an extended route which will take passengers closer to shops, the Metro and Wolverhampton train station.”

As a result of the route extension some other stopping locations in the city centre will also change. New leaflets will be distributed shortly and notices will be displayed on affected bus services. 

Stephen Rhodes, Director of Passenger Services at Centro said: “Bus passengers have been very understanding about the need for services to operate from street locations.

“We’ve listened carefully to people’s concerns around the route taken by the 501, 510, and 543 since the arrangements were introduced. We’re pleased we have been able to address these problems by creating revised bus routes that provide a loop around the city centre giving people much better access to shops, the market and the rail station.”

National Express spent several months working on their service diversions in partnership with Centro and Wolverhampton City Council. The company is now closely monitoring all services to see where further improvements can be made.

Lawrenceadded: “The bus station was a major hub in our network and relocating our services has been challenging. In order to extend these routes several other stopping locations have been amended to ensure buses can safely access stops without causing traffic congestion or overcrowding. Our staff are doing everything possible to minimise disruption throughout the redevelopment and we look forward to returning to the new station next year.”

Details of the new stopping locations:

501, 510, 543: Routes changed to Chapel Ash Island, Salop Street, Cleveland Street, Garrick Street, Market Street, Princess Street, Lichfield Street, Queen Square, Darlington Street, Chapel Ash Island.  Pick up and set down locations: CQ, CF, AS, BB (501/510), BC (543), BF, BG.  No longer serving BQ (510), BH (501), BJ (543).

525: Route changed to Bath Road, Ring Road, Stafford Street, Lichfield Street, Queen Square, Darlington Street, Chapel Ash.  Pick up and set down locations: BA, BD, BG.  No longer serving BL.

535, 682/A: Route changed to Waterloo Road, Ring Road, Stafford Street, Lichfield Street, Queen Square, Darlington Street, Waterloo Road.  Pick up and set down locations: BA(682/A only), BC (535 only), BD, BJ.  682/A no longer serving BQ.

512, 513, 514 and 515: 512, 513, 514 and 515: route unchanged but will no longer serve BA. Alternative stops are ZG (514/515), ZH (512/513), CA (512/514/515), BF (513)

126: Route is unchanged but will no longer serve BB.  Alternative stops are ZD and CB.

504, 505, 506, and 507/A: Routes travel through Waterloo Road, School Street, Salop Street, Cleveland Street, Garrick Street, Market Street, Princess Street, Lichfield Street, Queen Square, Victoria Street, Skinner Street, School Street, Waterloo Road.  Pick up and set down locations BL, CS, CF, AS, AU, CT, BK.  No longer serving BC.