West Midlands bus route 991

991
Overview
Operator	Midland
Vehicle	Dennis Dart
Predecessors	National Express West Midlands, Pete's Travel & A2Z Travel
Route
Start	Walsall Bus Station
Via	Rushall, Shelfield, Walsall Wood, Shire Oak, Muckley Corner, Lichfield & Lichfield Trent Valley
End	National Memorial Arboretum

The 991 is a bus route in the West Midlands and South Staffordshire areas of the United Kingdom. It is operated by Midland, from its depot in Wednesfield.

Present

The 991 is currently operated by Midland on a subsidised basis between the two busy towns of Walsall and Lichfield, before continuing during off-peak hours to the National Memorial Arboretum. It operates to a 90-Minute frequency between 6.30am and 7.20pm on weekdays, with the recently introduced Saturday timetable operating to the same frequency between 8.55am and 5.10pm. There is currently no evening or Sunday service on the route.

It is one of two routes linking Walsall with Lichfield (the other one being Midlands service 81).

From 26 March 2010, Midland Rider is now owned by Midland (formerly known as Choice Travel), in theory making it the second time this has occurred to an operator on the 991.

History

1986 - Following deregulation, West Midlands Travel introduce a series of 'Timesaver' services. One of these is the 901, linking Walsall with Birmingham, via Lichfield, as per the current 991 route between Walsall and Lichfield. Some of these journeys follow a direct route into Birmingham, whilst during shopping periods, travel via Shenstone, Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield, Erdington and the Aston Expressway. This services run at a half hourly frequency, with evening journeys also being operated.
1988 - The frequency of the 901 between Walsall and Lichfield is reduced to hourly, whilst evening services are withdrawn.
1990 - West Midlands Travel withdraw the section of the 901 between Walsall and Lichfield, instead replacing it with service 991, running at a half hourly frequency. Shortly afterwords service 991A is introduced, serving Dimbles Lane in Lichfield.
Mid-1990s - West Midlands Travel replace the 901 with services 105 and 105A which link Birmingham with Roughley, therefore completely withdrawing the section between Roughley and Lichfield. These services then become the 105 and 905 in 2000, and still run to a regular frequency to this day.
1999 - The 991 and 991A are both operated by National Express West Midlands (then Travel West Midlands) and Pete's Travel. Pete's Travel operate the 991 at an hourly daytime frequency on a Monday - Saturday, whilst TWM operate it at a half hourly frequency. The 991A is operated by both companies at irregular frequencies during peak times, in both directions. Additionally, irregular evening journeys are operated by TWM.
2000 - Pete's Travel withdraw off the 991/A.
2002 - Travel West Midlands significantly reduce the timetable on the 991, so that it now operates every 90 minutes during weekday daytimes and on Saturdays. The weekday peak timetable is irregular, with departures ranging from every 20 – 60 minutes. The evening journeys continue as they were running. The 991A is changed so that it only operates Walsall bound.
2007 - Travel West Midlands withdraw off the 991 and 991A completely. A2Z Travel step in to save the route, running it at the same timetable as previously.
April 2007 - the Express and Star newspaper published an article listing the Best Bus Routes elderly people could now travel on in the area with their new national bus passes. Despite people in the West Midlands area previously being allowed on the route, the 991 was listed due to its exceptional views of Lichfield Cathedral.
Early 2008 - A2Z Travel decide to increase the frequency of its services on the 991/A.
Mid 2008 - A2Z Travel reduce the timetable and frequency on the 991/A.
January 2009 - A2Z Travel withdraw weekday off-peak daytime journeys on the 991/A, leaving just six peak return workings only. The Saturday timetable however, is unaffected by the change.
March 2009 - After A2Z Travels license is revoked, Choice Travel step in to save the service.
June 2009 - Choice Travel announce plans to withdraw off the 991. Midland Rider state they are to become the third operator in just 18-months to 'step-in and save the service'.
July 2009 - The number of journeys is reduced to just four daily journeys to Lichfield, and five return journeys during Weekdays, with the Saturday timetable totally withdrawn as Midland Rider start operating the 991. All return journeys now also follow the same route, therefore resulting in the withdrawal of the 991A.
September 2009 - Due to Midland Rider reviving the route they decide to increase the timetable on the service back to how it used to run during the later years of National Express West Midlands operation - the service running every 90 minutes Monday - Saturday, with additional journeys during the peak hours.^[1] ^[2]
March 2010 - Midland takeover operations at Midland Rider, meaning they become operator for the second time. The timetable is reduced to every 2 hours during off-peak hours
March 2011 - Now subsidised by South Staffordshire County Council, the 991 is extended during off-peak hours to serve the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas.

References

Bus routes in the West Midlands

Birmingham and Solihull	5 6 31 X20 Stratford Road 7 8A 8C Inner Circle 9 140 141 192 Hagley Road 11A 11C Outer Circle 28 28A 28B Line 33 37 Warwick Road 45 47 Pershore Road 50 51 X51 Walsall Road 58 60 900 957 Coventry Road 61 62 63 Bristol Road 82 82 87 89 Dudley Road 144 451 'Sutton Lines'

Coventry	1 2 11 19 19W 19X 21 21C 21W 27 42 81 81E 81W 82 801 900 X17 PRN PRS Park and Ride U1 U2 U12 U17 Unibus

Sandwell & Dudley	9 140 141 192 Hagley Road 410 451

Walsall	1 2 5 19 22 51 X51 Walsall Road 77 332 549 369 370 370A 404 529

Wolverhampton	79 126 529

Bus Stations	Bearwood Bilston Halesowen Coventry (Pool Meadow) Cradley Heath Digbeth (Birmingham National Express) Dudley Merry Hill Walsall (St Pauls) Wednesbury West Bromwich Wolverhampton (Pipers Row)