National Express West Midlands Routes 256, 257 297 and 297A

The 256, 257, 297 and 297A routes are bus routes in the West Midlands County, United Kingdom.

256
This routes were origianally route 256 between Stourbridge and Kingswinford/Wolverhampton.

257
This route was originally routes 257 and 257A (Both Weekday and Sunday Services). The number 257A comes from the commuter peak journeys of the 257 in the evening heading towards Stourbridge Junction Rail Station operated by Travel Merry Hill. The 257A was withdrawn during the Dudley network review in 2008.

297/A
These routes are a combination of former Travel Merry Hill route 242, current 297 and former routes 236, 236A and 237 between Gornal and Merry Hill

Present
These services currently run every 30 minutes between Dudley/Wall Heath and Stourbridge.

Fares
National Express West Midlands currently has a maximum single fare of £1.50 on the route.

Future
There is possible plans to replace route 259 with the 205 between Kingswinford and Wall Heath and between Stourbridge and Kingswinford with short workings of 256/257 numbered 253, 256E, 257A or 257E.Using the number 253 will utilise another old Travel Merry Hill route number. The 205 replaces route 2509 between Kingswinford and Wall Heath from 28 April 2012.

256 – NXWM (Wolverhampton Depot)

 * Stourbridge
 * Audnam
 * Wordsley
 * Kingswinford
 * Wall Heath
 * Himley
 * Womborne
 * Spring Hill
 * Penn
 * Blakenhall
 * Wolverhampton

257 – NXWM (Wolverhampton Depot)

 * Stourbridge
 * Audnam
 * Wordsley
 * Kingswinford
 * Wall Heath
 * Tansey Green
 * Gornal Wood
 * Stickley Estate=
 * Lower Gornal
 * Miloking Bank
 * Dudley

297/A - NXWM (Pensnett Depot)

 * Halesowen
 * Coombeswood
 * Old Hill
 * Cradley Heath High Street
 * Cradley Heath Interchange
 * Quarry Bank
 * Merry Hill Centre
 * Brierley Hill
 * Harts Hill
 * Holly Hall
 * Russells Hall Hospital
 * Holly Hall
 * Pensnett
 * Pensnett Trading Estate
 * Tansey Green
 * Gornal Wood
 * Stickley Estate