SOME bus services in Swindon will see changes from May 27 following feedback from the public received during Thamesdown’s service consultation in March.

Over 60 members of the public responded to the proposed changes, which led Thamesdown to modify some of its plans.

Users welcomed the increase of buses on Service 2 to run every 12 minutes from 7.45am until 6pm as it was felt it would reduce crowding on the bus and improve timekeeping.

The plan to run Service 16 to the Great Western Hospital every 12 minutes but call at New College in place of Service 3 received a mixed response, with passengers welcoming the more frequent service to the hospital but raising concerns over the number of students who would be taking this route.  As a result, Thamesdown will run extra Service 13 and 14 buses between Fleming Way and New College before 9am and after 4pm.  The Monday to Friday daytime buses to and from the hospital will carry the service number 16X to signify that they call only at New College.

In response to demand, there will be two new Service 13 journeys at 4.05pm and 5.05pm from Dorcan Industrial Estate to Fleming Way and additional evening buses will be introduced on Service 15 to Haydon Wick.

Service 19B will run five minutes earlier and there will be minor timing changes on Services 19 and 19A to improve timekeeping.

Due to insufficient demand Service 20 will no longer run on Saturdays and minor changes will be made to the Monday to Friday timetable before 9am to assist punctuality.

A large number of comments were received about Thamesdown’s proposal to withdraw Service 24 to Blunsdon because it was not commercially viable.  These comments were passed onto Swindon Council for consideration and council funding was secured for a revised route and timetable. This sees off-peak buses running every two hours via Cirencester Way, Greenmeadow and Haydon Wick, with peak hour journeys via Cricklade Road and Groundwell Industrial Estate renumbered as Service 24A.

Swindon Council is also supporting additional journeys on Service 25 to Kingshill, the terminal point for which is changing from Rushy Platt to Mannington Roundabout.

Paul Jenkins, managing director of Thamesdown, said: “We felt it was important to seek our passengers’ views on our proposals before they were finalised as we recognise that changes to a bus service can have a big impact on people’s lives.

“The comments we received helped us in framing our final proposals, which are now being implemented.  We were very grateful in particular for the feedback about Service 24, which helped make the case to the council about the social need for a bus route to Blunsdon.”

All the changes are available on Thamesdown’s website www.thamesdownbus.com and timetables will be available on the buses and from the Travel Shop on Fleming Way from May 23.