DUDLEY Wood passengers face a long-haul to hospital after being told there are no plans for direct bus links.

The 297 service was axed in July and since then passengers have had to catch at least two buses to reach Russells Hall hospital for appointments or to visit relatives.

At a meeting on October 16 around 30 angry campaigners were told by representatives from National Express and Centro there were no plans to reinstate the service.

Cllr Bryan Cotterill, who represents Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood, says passengers should not be forced to change services at the Merry Hill Centre and is leading calls for a rethink from bus bosses.

Cllr Cotterill said: “There is no bus that goes to Russells Hall Hospital, people have no alternative to go by car and pay parking charges.

“People are experiencing problems, this is putting further demands on people going for treatment and that will get worse when the new walk-in centre opens.”

Passengers were told from Sunday November 30 a half-hourly 289 service will travel from West Bromwich to Brierley Hill, through Old Hill and stop off at St Anne's Road and Quarry Road before travelling along Coppice Lane to Merry Hill where ten services per hour will leave for the hospital.

They were also told the cost of extending the 289 service to the Russells Hall hospital would be £100,000 and the money was not available.

Speaking at the meeting on October 16, Jack Kelly, head of external communications at National Express said: "I would like many more areas to have a direct link to amenities like hospitals, shops and schools but unfortunately a number of people have to catch them.

"Looking at a bus direct to Russells Hall Hospital will take time, we need to look at the changes made, how they are working and where they are working. I'm not kicking it into the long grass just being truthful.

"There will be a review of services in Dudley next year and this may form part of that, it's not something I can promise today but it's not something that has been forgotten. I can assure you we will look at it, what I can't say is that I can click my fingers and get a fix or deliver a victory on this."

Cllr Cotterill is however not convinced by the promise of a review.

He said: “People make a choice to go to Merry Hill, they often do not have a choice about going to hospital - it is a necessity.

“In my experience when we have reviews the outcome never seems to come down on the side of the user, they just seem to take services off.”