Families across Hall Green and Acocks Green are to get a new replacement bus service after Centro, the region’s transport authority, stepped in with financial backing.

Centro has agreed to use taxpayers’ money to lay on the new 40 bus service between The Baldwin pub in Hall Green and Acocks Green after residents asked for a replacement for the 41 service which was withdrawn by bus company National Express West Midlands last week.

The new 40 service will cover much of the original 41 route between Hall Green and Acocks Green but, at the request of residents and councillors, will also branch off to serve the Hall Green Health Centre on the Stratford Road.

Cllr Jon Hunt, lead member for bus and highways on Centro, said: “There has been a lot of strong feeling about the withdraw of the 41 and residents and councillors turned to us for help.

“We listened carefully to what they said and to what they wanted most from a replacement service and have used this to draw up the route of the 40.

“We really do encourage people to use the bus, however, as we will be monitoring passenger figures closely to make sure it provides value for money for the taxpayer.”

The new service, which will initially be subsidised until the end of October, will be operated on behalf of Centro by bus company AM PM Travel.

It will run every hour between 7.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am to 5pm on Saturday.

Centro is now making the necessary changes to bus stops along the route and will launch the 40 on Monday February 22.