Halesowen bus station
Encyclopedia
Halesowen bus station is a bus station
in the town of Halesowen
in the West Midlands conurbation
of the United Kingdom
. The station is located on Queensway in front of the Cornbow Centre, which houses the new Asda
superstore plus many other shops, and opposite Halesowen’s Jobcentre Plus
and Norman Church.
Originally, Halesowen had no bus station. Instead, most buses boarded adjacent to the old library building in Hagley Street/Great Cornbow, with the Service 130 (Birmingham-Stourbridge) boarding in New Road and Services 137/138 (Birmingham-Brierley Hill) at Shenstone island, some distance from the town. However, a new bus station opposite Church Croft in Queensway was constructed adjacent to the new shopping centre in the late 1960s, enabling Hagley Street to be pedestrianised. All bus services except Services 130/137/138 boarded here. However, these services were also relocated to the Bus Station from 1983 onward, following revisions to bus links into Birmingham
.
The original bus station remain largely unchanged until part of the shopping centre frontage was sacrificed to enable it to be enlarged in 1999. However, it was soon clear that the station was outdated and it closed in March 2007 for a total redevelopment, which also saw a new Asda
superstore opened nearby as part of a multi million pound regeneration of Halesowen town centre.
The present Bus Station was constructed on the same site and opened in December 2008, along with a new Asda supermarket in the Cornbow Shopping Centre towards the end of the previous month.
Whereas the original bus station permitted two-way arrival and departure along Queensway, with some stands located on a refuge on the far side from the shopping centre, all the departure stands in the present one are located on the same side as the Cornbow Centre. It features electronic departure doors that are automatically activated by arriving buses, thus permitting full passenger segregation from manoeuvring vehicles.
ran through Halesowen
on route from Old Hill
on its way to Longbridge (old station). The last regular passenger service over the entire line ended in 1919, with a shuttle between Old Hill and Halesowen until 1927. Subsequently there are several stations that are within a few miles or accessed by bus. The closest by distance is Old Hill
only 2 miles away and served by buses from the bus station, although the destinations are limited and Cradley Heath
is located on the same line and with more services. The service list below shows the relevant rail connection however much us it is. Prior to 1973 bus services were operated by Midland Red
. Thereafter (except for services to Bromgsrove and Kidderminster
, these were operated by West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive
until de-regulation in 1986.
Currently Halesowen is served by the following bus operators services:
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
in the town of Halesowen
Halesowen
Halesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England.The population, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001, was 55,273...
in the West Midlands conurbation
West Midlands conurbation
The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen in the English West Midlands....
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The station is located on Queensway in front of the Cornbow Centre, which houses the new Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
superstore plus many other shops, and opposite Halesowen’s Jobcentre Plus
Jobcentre Plus
Jobcentre Plus was a government agency for working-age people in Great Britain. The agency was formed when the Employment Service, which operated Jobcentres, merged with the Benefits Agency, which ran social security offices, and was re-named Jobcentre Plus on 1 April 2002...
and Norman Church.
Originally, Halesowen had no bus station. Instead, most buses boarded adjacent to the old library building in Hagley Street/Great Cornbow, with the Service 130 (Birmingham-Stourbridge) boarding in New Road and Services 137/138 (Birmingham-Brierley Hill) at Shenstone island, some distance from the town. However, a new bus station opposite Church Croft in Queensway was constructed adjacent to the new shopping centre in the late 1960s, enabling Hagley Street to be pedestrianised. All bus services except Services 130/137/138 boarded here. However, these services were also relocated to the Bus Station from 1983 onward, following revisions to bus links into Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
The original bus station remain largely unchanged until part of the shopping centre frontage was sacrificed to enable it to be enlarged in 1999. However, it was soon clear that the station was outdated and it closed in March 2007 for a total redevelopment, which also saw a new Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
superstore opened nearby as part of a multi million pound regeneration of Halesowen town centre.
The present Bus Station was constructed on the same site and opened in December 2008, along with a new Asda supermarket in the Cornbow Shopping Centre towards the end of the previous month.
Whereas the original bus station permitted two-way arrival and departure along Queensway, with some stands located on a refuge on the far side from the shopping centre, all the departure stands in the present one are located on the same side as the Cornbow Centre. It features electronic departure doors that are automatically activated by arriving buses, thus permitting full passenger segregation from manoeuvring vehicles.
Services
The Halesowen RailwayHalesowen Railway
The Halesowen Railway line was a standard gauge railway line from Old Hill railway station to the site of the present Longbridge railway station...
ran through Halesowen
Halesowen railway station
Halesowen railway station was a railway station in Halesowen, England, on the Great Western Railway & Midland Railway's Joint Halesowen Railway line from Old Hill to Longbridge....
on route from Old Hill
Old Hill railway station
Old Hill railway station serves the Old Hill area of Sandwell, in the West Midlands of England. The station is managed by London Midland, who provide the majority of train services; Chiltern Railways also operate a small number of trains. It is situated on the Birmingham-Stourbridge...
on its way to Longbridge (old station). The last regular passenger service over the entire line ended in 1919, with a shuttle between Old Hill and Halesowen until 1927. Subsequently there are several stations that are within a few miles or accessed by bus. The closest by distance is Old Hill
Old Hill railway station
Old Hill railway station serves the Old Hill area of Sandwell, in the West Midlands of England. The station is managed by London Midland, who provide the majority of train services; Chiltern Railways also operate a small number of trains. It is situated on the Birmingham-Stourbridge...
only 2 miles away and served by buses from the bus station, although the destinations are limited and Cradley Heath
Cradley Heath railway station
Cradley Heath railway station serves the town of Cradley Heath in the West Midlands of England. It is located on the Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster Line...
is located on the same line and with more services. The service list below shows the relevant rail connection however much us it is. Prior to 1973 bus services were operated by Midland Red
Midland Red
Midland Red was a bus company which operated in the English Midlands from 1905 to 1981. It was the trading name used by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company , which was renamed Midland Red Omnibus Company in 1974...
. Thereafter (except for services to Bromgsrove and Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
, these were operated by West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive
West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive
The West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive , sometimes known as Centro, is a local government organisation responsible for certain transport services in the West Midlands county in England....
until de-regulation in 1986.
Currently Halesowen is served by the following bus operators services:
Diamond Bus
- 002 Weoley Castle to Merry Hill Centre via Bartley Green & Quarry Bank (Terminates at Merry Hill Bus Station)
- 007 Bromsgrove to Halesowen via Hunnington (Rail: BromsgroveBromsgrove railway stationBromsgrove railway station serves the town of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. It is located at the foot of the two-mile Lickey Incline which ascends at a gradient of 1-in-37.7 towards Barnt Green on the line between Birmingham and Worcester. The station opened as part of the Birmingham and Gloucester...
) - 142 Halesowen to Stourbridge Bus Station via Hasbury & Stourbridge Junction Station (Rail: Stourbridge JunctionStourbridge Junction railway stationStourbridge Junction railway station is a railway station on the Birmingham, Worcester and Kidderminster Line in West Midlands, England. Stourbridge Town Branch Line runs from the station to Stourbridge town centre...
& TownStourbridge Town railway stationStourbridge Town is a railway station near the centre of Stourbridge, West Midlands, England. It is situated at the end of a short branch line linking the station with Stourbridge Junction just 0.8 miles away, where passengers can change for mainline train services...
stations) - 202 / 204 Halesowen to Bromsgrove via Quinton & Rubery (Rail: BromsgroveBromsgrove railway stationBromsgrove railway station serves the town of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. It is located at the foot of the two-mile Lickey Incline which ascends at a gradient of 1-in-37.7 towards Barnt Green on the line between Birmingham and Worcester. The station opened as part of the Birmingham and Gloucester...
) - 230 Halesowen to Cradley Heath via Quinton, Blackheath & Old Hill
- 417 Hasbury to West Bromwich via Blackheath & Oldbury (Rail: Sandwell & Dudley & West Bromwich Central)
Central Connect
- 192 Birmingham to Kidderminster via Halesowen, Bearwood, Quinton & Hagley (Rail: Birmingham stations, passes in front of Birmingham Snow Hill and KidderminsterKidderminster railway stationKidderminster railway station is the main station serving the large town of Kidderminster, Worcestershire. The station is operated by London Midland.-Facilities:...
)
National Express West Midlands
- 9 Stourbridge Bus Station to Birmingham via Lye, Quinton & Bearwood (Rail: Stourbridge TownStourbridge Town railway stationStourbridge Town is a railway station near the centre of Stourbridge, West Midlands, England. It is situated at the end of a short branch line linking the station with Stourbridge Junction just 0.8 miles away, where passengers can change for mainline train services...
, LyeLye railway stationLye railway station serves the Lye area of Stourbridge, in the West Midlands of England. The station is managed by London Midland, who provide the majority of train services; Chiltern Railways also operate a small number of trains...
and Birmingham Snow Hill with a short work to the other Birmingham stations) - 222 Halesowen to Dudley Bus Station via Cradley Heath & Merry Hill (Rail: Old Hill & Cradley HeathCradley Heath railway stationCradley Heath railway station serves the town of Cradley Heath in the West Midlands of England. It is located on the Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster Line...
) - 231 Halesowen to Blackheath via Quinton (Rail: Rowley RegisRowley Regis railway stationRowley Regis railway station serves the town of Blackheath and the Rowley Regis area of Sandwell, in the West Midlands of England. It is located on the Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster Line...
) - 241 Halesowen to Dudley Bus Station via Quinton & Blackheath
- 244 Hasbury to Dudley Bus Station via Old Hill & Netherton
- 636 Halesowen to Birmingham via Quinton & Harborne (Rail: Birmingham stations)
- 141 Halesowen to Birmingham via Merry Hill & Stoubridge