West Midlands Route 52 Adjusts for Road Works

Route 52 buses in Great Barr will detour via Walsall Road during Turnberry Road closure

Great Barr Route 52 Reroutes March 20

Bus riders in Great Barr will face a temporary detour on Route 52 when Turnberry Road closes for highway maintenance Friday, March 20, 2026. NX Bus West Midlands announced the closure will affect the section between Beeches Road and Booths Farm Road from 9:30am to 2:30pm. Service 52 will be diverted during the five-hour closure, with buses following alternate routes through the area.

Context

The temporary closure is part of scheduled highway works in the Great Barr area, according to NX Bus West Midlands. The company, which operates as part of Mobico Group, serves the West Midlands region with multiple bus routes connecting residential areas to Birmingham city center. Officials said the work requires a full road closure during daytime hours to ensure worker safety and project efficiency. Transit agencies typically coordinate with local highway departments to minimize service disruptions during infrastructure maintenance.

Details

Buses heading toward Birmingham will continue along Beeches Road, pass Thornbridge Road junction, and turn left onto Walsall Road to rejoin the normal route, according to the transit agency. Buses heading toward Perry Beeches will follow the reverse of this diversion route. The detour adds several turns to the standard Route 52 path through the neighborhood. Officials said passengers should allow extra time for travel during the closure period, though they didn't specify how much additional time the diversion might add to typical journey times.

Timeline

The road closure and bus diversion will be in effect from 9:30am to 2:30pm on Friday, March 20, 2026. Services will return to normal routing after 2:30pm once highway works are completed and the road reopens. NX Bus West Midlands said the diversion is temporary and limited to the single day of construction activity.

Impact

Passengers are advised to plan their journeys accordingly and allow extra time for travel during the closure period. Riders can check current schedules and service updates through real-time transit apps. Moovit provides live bus tracking and route planning for NX Bus West Midlands services throughout the region, helping riders navigate temporary detours and service changes.