National Express West Midlands route 355 and 356

{| class="infobox" style="width: 29em;"
+ style="font-size: large;" | 356 !colspan="2" align="center" |
-! colspan="2" bgcolor="#FF0000" | Management
-
Operated by || National Express West Midlands
-
Garage || Walsall Depot
-
Vehicle || MCW Metrobus/Volvo B6LE Wright Crusader
-
Peak vehicle requirement || 3
-! colspan="2" bgcolor="#FF0000" | Route
-
Start || Walsall
-
Via || Middlemore Lane West
-
End || Aldridge
-! colspan="2" bgcolor="#FF0000" | Service
-
Level || 5 Morning Journeys to Aldridge. 2 Morning Journeys to Walsall, 3 Evening Journeys to Walsall.|-
-
Frequency || Peak hour operation only
-
Journey time || 23 Minutes

The 355 & 356 are two National Express West Midlands bus services in the West Midlands, England.

Present

Both services 355 and 356 link Walsall with Aldridge as well as other National Express West Midlands services 366, 367/368 and Premier 997.

The only difference between both routes is that service 355 serves Redhouse Lane whilst service 356 serves Middlemore Lane West.

Criticism

The 355 seems to have a very vocal group of travellers, as they have complained on numerous occasions to local newspapers and TV News stations about several issues, ranging from their departure point from Walsall Bus Station to the lack of low floor buses used on their route.

History

*Pre-1999 - National Express West Midlands (then Travel West Midlands) operates the 355 at a 20-minute-frequency on a Monday - Saturday daytime and peaks. The 356 runs irregularly at peaks only. Chase Bus Services also operate the 355 at a twenty minute Monday- Saturday daytime frequency.
*2003 - The 356 is withdrawn. Chase Bus Services and Travel West Midlands now operate the 355 at a half hourly frequency during Monday - Saturday daytime, with Travel West Midlands operating at an irregular frequency during peak times.
*2005 - Service 355 & 356 are both withdrawn and replaced by circular services, the 355A, 355C, 356A & 356C by Travel West Midlands. Chase Bus Services 355 remains unchanged.
*2006 - Services 355A, 355C, 356A and 356C are replaced by the normal services 355 & 356.
*2007 - Chase Bus Services withdraw off the 355.

Future

Unconfirmed plans are the 355 route to be withdrawn in the near future and incorporated with Premier Service 997, using the Alexander Dennis Enviro400 Double Decks on this route.

However, this is believed not to be true, as it is understood that the whole delivery of Enviro400s will be to the Birmingham Central Garage. Despite this rumours state that 2 buses may be coming to Walsall garage.

From October 26th, daytime journeys will be extended from Aldridge to Druids Heath Golf Course. These journeys will be renumbered service 355A. Peak journeys will continue to terminate at Aldridge.

Route

ervice 355

*Walsall
* Redhouse Lane
*Aldridge

ervice 356

*Walsall
*Middlemore Lane West
*Aldridge