Heavy snowfall from Storm Goretti has brought widespread travel disruption to the Midlands, forcing the region's largest bus operator to suspend all services. National Express West Midlands took the drastic step of halting its entire network until at least 8.30am on Friday, 9 January 2026, citing treacherous road conditions.
Widespread Suspensions Amid Treacherous Conditions
The operator confirmed that a small number of services had cautiously resumed after the initial blanket suspension, but the vast majority of routes remained out of action as of 9am. In an official update, the firm stated the suspensions were "due to difficult road conditions and low temperatures" caused by the persistent snow.
"Thank you for bearing with us. Please travel safe," the company's message to passengers concluded. The decision was made to protect the safety of drivers, passengers, and other road users as the winter storm, named Goretti, swept across the region.
Comprehensive List of Affected Services
The scale of the disruption is extensive, impacting key routes across Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, and Solihull. Major corridors connecting town centres, residential areas, and schools have been halted.
Key suspended services include:
- Cross-City Routes: The Birmingham Outer Circle services (11A and 11C), the Birmingham to Solihull corridors (4, 4A, 5, 6), and the Birmingham to Chelmsley Wood services (14, 94, 95, 97) are all suspended.
- Major Town Links: Key connections like the 126 between Dudley and Birmingham, the X8 from Wolverhampton to Birmingham, and the 9 between Walsall and Wolverhampton are not running.
- School Transport: Numerous dedicated school services, including the 822 to King Edward VI Five Ways and the 863 to Light Hall School, are suspended. Several schools are also confirmed to be closed.
Other vital routes such as the 1 to Acocks Green, the 2 to Maypole, the 3 to Yardley Wood, the 6 to Sutton Coldfield, and the X2 and X12 limited-stop Solihull services are also out of operation. Express links to Birmingham Airport and the NEC (97A, 17A) are similarly affected.
Ongoing Travel Advice and Updates
Passengers are being strongly advised to avoid all non-essential travel and to check for the very latest information before considering any journey. The situation remains fluid, with road conditions subject to change as temperatures hover around freezing and further snowfall remains a possibility.
The disruption forms part of a wider wave of chaos caused by Storm Goretti, which has also led to the closure of airport runways, schools, and major roads across the Midlands. National Express West Midlands has urged customers to monitor its official channels for real-time service restoration announcements as its teams work to assess and clear key routes throughout the day.
