Connect Buses

File:Conect Buses logo.jpg

Connect Buses logo.

Connect Buses is the brand name used to cover all aspects of the Rotala Group bus operations. It operates in a number of mainly urban places in the United Kingdom, with the regional brand names reflecting the places served.

Central Connect

Central Connect is a bus operator in the West Midlands. It is made up of the merger of Zak's, North Birmingham Busways and Birmingham Motor Traction. A deal was also signed in January 2008 for the completion of the purchase of Ludlows, Halesowen.

On March 3 2008, Central Connect purchased the Go West Midlands operations from Go-Ahead. This has increased the buses owned by Central Connect by over 140, meaning that Central Connect now operates over 300 vehicles and becomes the second biggest operator in the West Midlands area after National Express West Midlands.

Black Diamond

On the 21st July 2008 a partnership between Diamond, Centro and Sandwell MBC to improve 5 key bus routes in the Black Country, the services will have new buses branded Black Diamond and operate on the following routes 401, 402, 404B, 404H, 406, 449 & 450. Routes 74, 87, 226 and 300 are consdsidered as part of Black Diamond by many workers of Diamond Bus but they are rarely operated using Black Diamond buses. These buses are mainly Diamond Plaxton Centro/Volvo B7RLE but there have been several re-painted Dennis Darts in operations.

Red Diamond

In working partnership with Worcestershire County Council, a new fleet of Red Diamond bus services are beginning to operate in Redditch, Worcestershire. These buses are mainly Diamond owned Wright Eclipse/Volvo B7RLE but there have been several re-painted Dennis Darts in operations.

Bus services operated by Central Connect, Diamond and Ludlows

Codes used: CCN' - Central Connect, DIA - Diamond, LUD - Ludlows of Halesowen, ** - Service between theses points is also run by NXWM using the same or similar route number/route, BD means these routes are part of Black Diamond and RD means these routes are part of Red Diamond

• 002 Merry Hill - Halesowen - Weoley Castle (LUD)
• 004 Merry Hill - Halesowen - Quinton, Tesco - Harborne (LUD)
• 006 Halesowen - Squirrels Estate circular (LUD)
• 007/A Merry Hill - Halesowen - Bromsgrove (LUD)
• 8 Tamworth - Belgrave - Hockley - Tamworth (CCN)
• 9 Tamworth - Belgrave - Hockley - Tamworth (CCN)
• 16 Birmingham** - Hamstead** (DIA)
• 21 Lichfield circular (CCN)
• 23 Lichfield Circular (CCN)
• 25 Erdington - Ward End (CCN)
• 50 Birmingham** - Druids Heath ** (DIA)
• 56 Birmingham - Brownhills West (DIA)
• 57 (RD) Redditch - Matchborough Circular (DIA)
• 58 (RD) Redditch -Matchborough Circular (DIA)
• 64 Birmingham - Bromsgrove (LUD)
• 70 Wolverhampton - Hednesford (CCN)
• X73 Birmingham - Hockley Tamworth (CCN)
• 74 (BD) Birmingham** - Dudley** (DIA)
• 74 Cannock - Stafford (CCN)
• 74A Dudley - Greets Green (CCN)
• 76 Wolverhampon - Stafford (CCN)
• 81 Birmingham - Brandhall (DIA)
• 86 Woodgate Valley - Rubery Great Park (LUD)
• 87 (BD) Birmingham** - Dudley** (DIA)
• 93 Bromsgrove - Charford (DIA)
• 97 Chelmsley Wood** - Birmingham** (CCN)
• 108 Birmingam - New Hall (CCN)
• 119 Falcon Lodge - Sutton Coldfield (CCN)
• 120 Birmingam** - Dudley** (DIA)
• 123 Merry Hill Centre - Perry Barr (CCN)
• 145 Kings Norton Station - Bromsgrove (DIA)
• 146 Birmingam - Redditch (DIA)
• 150 Solihull - Hockley Heath (CCN)
• 151 Solihull - Hockley Heath (CCN)
• 158 Birmingham - Bloxwich (DIA)

• 167 Sutton Coldfield - Erdington (CCN)
• 168 Sutton Coldfield - Erdington (CCN)
• 173 Solihull - Kineton Lane (CCN)
• 174 Solihull - Shirley Station (CCN)
• 175 (RD) Solihull - Inkford (DIA)
• 177 (RD) Birmingham - Inkford (DIA)
• 178 (RD) Birmingham - Redditch (DIA)
• 179 (RD) Birmingham - Redditch (DIA)
• 192 Birmingham - Kidderminster (CCN)
• 202 Halesowen – Bromsgrove (LUD)
• 204 Halesowen – Bromsgrove (LUD)
• 208 Dudley - Cradley Heath (DIA)
• 226 (BD) Merry Hill - Dudley (DIA)
• 230 Cradley Heath - Old Hill - Halesowen (LUD)
• 243 Dudley** - Timbertree Estate** (DIA)
• 247 Evesham - Redditch (DIA)
• 255 Wolverhampton** - Merry Hill** (DIA)
• 267 Kingswindford - Stourbridge (DIA)
• 292 Kidderminster - Bewdley - Ludlow (CCN)
• 298 Stourbridge - Pedmore Fields (DIA)
• 299 Stourbridge - Pedmore Fields (DIA)
• 300 (BD) Walsall - Merry Hill (DIA)
• 311 Stourbridge** - Dudley** (DIA)
• 313 Walsall** - Dudley** (DIA)
• 342 Walsall - Willenhall (DIA)
• 343 Catshill - Redditch (DIA)
• 350 Worcester - Redditch - Alexandra Hosp. (DIA)

• 357 Walsall - Aldridge (Circular) (DIA)
• 376 Walsall - Kingstanding (CCN)
• 399 Walsall - Wednesbury (DIA)
• 401 (BD) West Bromwich** - Bilston** (DIA)
• 401E(BD) Walsall - Yew Tree (DIA)
• 402 (BD) West Bromwich** - Tipton** (DIA)
• 404B(BD) West Bromwich - Blackheath (DIA)
• 404E(BD) West Bromwich** - Walsall** (DIA)
• 404H(BD) West Bromwich - Merry Hill (DIA)
• 406 (BD) West Bromwich** - Scott Arms** (DIA)
• 410 West Bromwich** - Wednesbury** (DIA)
• 417 Hayley Green** - Halesowen** - West Bromwich (LUD)
• 424 Birmingham - Aldridge Road (CCN)
• 425 Great Barr (Scott Arms) - Hamstead (CCN)
• 446 Smethwick - Brandhall (CCN)
• 449 (BD) West Bromwich circular (DIA)
• 450 (BD) West Bromwich circular (DIA)
• 510 Wolverhampton** - Perton** (DIA)
• 523 Portbello - Wednesbury (DIA)
• 531 Rocket Pool - Bilston - New Cross Hospital (DIA)
• 532 Wolverhampton** - Northwood Park** (DIA)
• 533 Wolverhampton** - Northwood Park** (DIA)
• 544 Wolverhampton** - Dudley** (DIA)
• 581 Wolverhmpton** - Dudley** - Merry Hill (DIA)
• 600 Erdington (Circular) (CCN)
• 616 Perry Barr - Foundry Lane (Black Patch) (CCN)
• 627 West Heath - Rubery (CCN)
• 630 The Roundabout - Worlds End (CCN)
• 663 Erdington - Smiths Wood (CCN)
• 669 Shirley - Kings Heath (CCN)
• 739 Perry Barr Train Station - St. Francis of Assisi School (CCN)
• 740 Newton Road, Hamstead - St. Francis of Assisi School (CCN)
• 836 Minworth - The Arthur Terry School (CCN)
• 901 Chasetown - Sutton Coldfield (CCN)
• 904 Birmingham** - Sutton Coldfield** (CCN)
• PRN Coventry - Austin Drive (CCN)

Surrey Connect

Surrey Connect ticket from 2006

Surrey Connect was formed in 2005, when Rotala purchased the Addlestone, Surrey operations of Centra. The operated a number of tendered routes for Surrey County Council, the main ones being the 400 (Staines - Shepperton), 426/446 (Staines - Woking) and 472 (Woking - Byfleet). They also operated a number of other less frequent and schools routes. In June 2007, the operations were partly sold to Wiltax, who were (and still are) based next door. Routes were transferred to Wiltax, along with three buses; the others were transferred to other parts of Connect Buses. The exceptions were that routes 426/446 were taken over by Travel London (West), now Travel Surrey, which also acquired the fleet of buses branded for the service. Routes 236 (East Grinstead - Westerham) and 540 (Woldingham - East Surrey Hospital) are still run with Surrey Connect branding, but from the Heathrow Depot of the Flights Hallmark part of Rotala.

Wessex Connect

Wessex Connect was founded in Bristol by Rotala, through its subsidiary company Flights Hallmark to provide Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council with an alternative to the near monopoly currently held in the city by First Group.

In a deal which was finalised in March 2007 Wessex Connect took over two of the City's park and ride schemes. The Long Ashton operation was won from Bristol City Council while car park firm NCP gave Wessex Connect the contract for the Avonmouth scheme.

Approximately 68 buses run by South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach Company were taken over in late 2007 and most will be replaced by newer environmentally friendly easy access vehicles. Routes, which are currently contracted from Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council to South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach Company will transfer to Wessex Connect. The change of ownership will take place gradually as each contract is due to be renewed with the relevant local council.

The third line of attack was developed in collaboration with The University of the West of England, 'Ulink', a new high quality low cost bus service for students and staff.

Bus services operated by Wessex Connect

Park and Ride

A4 Portway - (Service 902)

Long Ashton (Service 903)

Council supported bus services

503 Totterdown - Windmill Hill - Bedminster - Broadmead

510 Bedminster Down - Bedminster - Hotwells

511 Stockwood - Knowle - Bedminster

517 Emersons Green - Downend - Frenchay - Parkway Station - Filton - Southmead - Westbury - Shirehampton - Avonmouth

518 Emersons Green - Downend - Frenchay - Parkway Station - Filton - Southmead - Westbury - Shirehampton (Dursley Road)

558 Knowle - St Anne's - Broomhill - Brislington Village

559 Knowle - St Anne's - Broomhill - Brislington Tesco

584 Kingswood to Sea Mills

585 The Centre to Sea Mills

586 The Centre to Hotwells

587 Kingswood to Hotwells

626 Bristol Centre to Wotton under Edge

627 Yate - Charfield - Wotton under Edge

686 Wotton under Edge - Chipping Sodbury - Kingswood, Bristol

689 Centre, Bristol - Staple Hill - Mangotsfield - Pucklechurch - Westerleigh - Yate

Ulink

U1: Frenchay - Victoria Street, Temple Meads and Bower Ashton

U2: Frenchay - Victoria Street

U3: Frenchay – Glenside, St Matthias and Victoria Street

U4: Frenchay - Victoria Street (non-stop service)

U5: Frenchay - Upper Maudlin Street, Filton Avenue and Clifton Down

See also

• Bus services in Bristol
• Transport in Birmingham

External links

• Connect Buses Website
• Rotala Group Website
• Flights Hallmark Website
• Wessex Connect Website
• Bristol City Council - Park and Ride
• Bristol UWE - Bus Services