A PLAN to divert a bus route to include a Cradley Heath estate but miss out an area with a high elderly population has been condemned.

National Express announced last week that the 4H would be routed onto the Lodgefield estate in the wake of protests over the axing of the 297 and 205 services.

But pensioner John Raybould said many people were “outraged” that the company would not include Station Road in the diversion – despite the large number of elderly people living in the surrounding streets.

The 72-year-old, of High Haden Road, has urged National Express to run the single decker 244, which could negotiate the low bridge on Station Road and also take in Lodgefield Road.

He believes the route would be viable as the diversion would only take a few minutes and would miss out a short stretch of Dudley Road which is catered for by two other services.

Mr Raybould, who was one of more than 100 irate bus passengers at a recent public meeting about the axing of the 297 and 205 with National Express, said the company had missed the point.

He said: “There was only a handful of people from Lodgefield and we did ask for a bus along Station Road.

“This is causing a great deal of distress which could be easily overcome. A saw a man yesterday who had walked to Old Hill – he’s 82 – and he just put his thumb down.”

Jack Kelly, head of external communications with National Express, said people at the meeting told him they would be satisfied if a bus was put back on Lodgefield Road.

He said: “Changing bus routes is quite complicated, it’s not a simple equation, with many things to take into account including supply of vehicles and the knock on effect further along the route.”

But Mr Raybould believes his solution would work and is urging National Express to trial it ahead of next year’s review of services by the passenger transport authority, Centro.