Kings Norton Routes Adjust for Highway Work
Kings Norton bus routes 35 and 48 diverted April 22-23 for Edgewood Road maintenance
Kings Norton Bus Routes 35, 48 Reroute April 22-23
Two Kings Norton bus routes will take temporary detours next week as highway crews close Edgewood Road for maintenance work. NX West Midlands announced Wednesday that services 35 and 48 will be diverted from 9:30am to 2:30pm on April 22-23, 2026, affecting riders traveling to and from Hawkesley. Service 35 will be rerouted only on Wednesday, while service 48 will run altered routes both days.
Highway Work Prompts Temporary Route Changes
The road closure is necessary to complete highway maintenance on Edgewood Road, a key corridor for bus services connecting Hawkesley with Birmingham and West Bromwich. Transit officials said the work requires full road closure during daytime hours when bus service is active. The agency scheduled the work across two days to minimize disruption, though officials didn't specify what type of highway maintenance requires the closure. Road work affecting bus routes typically involves resurfacing, utility repairs, or infrastructure improvements that can't be completed with partial lane closures.
Buses Will Use Longdales Road, Shannon Road Detour
Service 35 buses heading toward Hawkesley on Wednesday will continue along Longdales Road, pass the Edgewood Road junction, and rejoin the normal route after Shannon Road junction. Service 48 will follow a different detour on both days, diverting from Bracken Way onto Longdales Road, then turning right onto Shannon Road and terminating at the old terminus. Buses heading toward Birmingham and West Bromwich will follow the reverse of their respective diversion routes. Officials didn't say whether the detours will add travel time or how many riders typically use the affected route segments.
Diversions End Thursday Afternoon
The temporary route changes will remain in effect from 9:30am to 2:30pm on both Wednesday, April 22 and Thursday, April 23, 2026. Services will return to normal routes once the highway works are completed Thursday afternoon. NX West Midlands said the diversions are temporary and limited to the five-hour closure windows each day, meaning morning and evening peak services should operate on regular routes.
Riders Should Plan for Route Changes
Passengers who regularly use services 35 and 48 during midday hours should allow extra time for their journeys and check for updates before traveling. The route changes affect connections to Hawkesley, with service 48 terminating at a different location than usual on both days. Moovit provides real-time bus tracking and route updates for NX West Midlands services, helping riders navigate temporary diversions and plan alternative connections during the highway work.
