New bus service off to a quiet start (From Swindon Advertiser)
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New bus service off to a quiet start
8:50am Tuesday 4th September 2012 in News
New bus service off to a quiet start
BUS users are being urged to ‘use it or lose it’ after a new service received a quiet response on its first day.
Just two people made the most of the new Service 153 from Thamesdown Transport on its first journey from Haydon Wick Asda Walmart at 7.55am yesterday.
The new service, which travels to Lydiard Park Academy and Windmill Hill, was launched after a successful trial last year, but was just as quiet on its return journey in the afternoon.
Paul Jenkins, managing director of Thamesdown Transport, said: “We expect to see a rise in passenger numbers over the coming weeks, particularly as the schools go back and more commuters from the north Swindon area see the ease and benefits of travelling by bus to Windmill Hill.
“Our trial of the route showed that there is demand for the north to west Swindon connection and so I would urge people to try it to see the potential for saving on commuting costs.
“However, it is vitally important that people use this new service in order for it to continue running, as is the case with all of our services across the town.”
As part of last year’s European Mobility Week, Thamesdown Transport ran a trial service from north to west Swindon.
“We knew that a large number of people who work at Windmill Hill travel from this area,” said Mr Jenkins. “We were sufficiently encouraged by that to now try this new service and we hope that Windmill Hill employees will find it a convenient and greener way to travel.
“Following discussions with Lydiard Park Academy, we have also designed the new service to enable students from north Swindon to travel on a direct bus to the academy for the first time.”
The service operates from Monday to Friday and starts at Haydon Wick Asda Walmart at 7.55am on each of the days.
It continues through Redhouse, Oakhurst, Taw Hill and Peatmoor to Grange Park for Lydiard Park Academy, arriving at 8.18am and Windmill Hill at 8.30am.
The return service runs from the Electron bus stop in Windmill Hill at 5.25pm arriving at Haydon Wick at 5.55pm.
On school days, there will also be a return journey from Lydiard Park Academy at 3.15pm, arriving at 3.40pm.
The single fare on the service is £2 for any journey for both adults and children.
TravelPasses, Student Travel-Passes and adult DayRiders are also accepted on the service.
DayRider tickets can be bought on the bus, however TravelPasses require a Smartcard, which can be applied for online through the Thamesdown website or at the Thamesdown Travel Shop in Fleming Way.
For more information visit www.thamesdownbus.com
Comments(9)
timt1964
says...
10:03am Tue 4 Sep 12
greenpacer
says...
10:32am Tue 4 Sep 12
ChristineT
says...
5:28pm Tue 4 Sep 12
woolster0
says...
9:18pm Tue 4 Sep 12
timt1964 wrote:buses ARE packed these days, trouble is its full of freeloaders WASTING council tax payers money
when are they going to realise noone likes buses,look at all the empty bus lanes around town.waste of our money like the park and ride schemes.we will not use a bus because we are told to! anyway give it a chance but remember mighty swindon adver,cars rule!!
at home
says...
10:55pm Tue 4 Sep 12
TAXI!
eucalyptus
says...
8:03am Wed 5 Sep 12
Anyway, if £4 a day is too much, there's always a weekly (£13.50) or monthly (£49) travelpass - then you can get about town in the evening/weekend too at no additional cost.
rmc001
says...
9:44am Wed 5 Sep 12
ChristineT wrote:The reason why you haven't heard about it ChristineT, is that this new service is only for people who live close to Asda Walmart who need transport to and from Windmill Hill and several schools in between. It only runs once in the morning, from north to west, and twice in the afternoon from west to north. You could use it on a weekday afternoon to travel to Asda Walmart, but you'd have to wait until the following morning for it to take you home! Why on earth can't they make it run in both directions???
I live in Grange Park and haven't heard that there is a new bus route? Maybe there could have been more publicity in the areas affected. It's a shame that it doesn't operate weekends, particularly on a saturday as I am sure it would have a lot more people using it to enable people to go shopping at Asda Walmart.
madridred
says...
12:47pm Thu 6 Sep 12
As I work in Blagrove, I might use this service in the winter when it's cold and raining, but WHY OH WHY is there only one service in the morning and then one (or possibly two?) in the late afternoon?!
I have friends who live in North Swindon and was looking forward to being able to just catch the one bus up there again instead of changing in town, but I can't even do that with this timetable!
What would be a great idea (as mentioned above) is to re-establish the West Swindon to North Swindon route that used to be serviced by the 19 before it was changed to terminate in Sparcells.
Having lived in two other cities of a similar size in the last 8 years with MUCH better public transport, the bus service in Swindon never ceases to disappoint me. The services finish at 6pm-ish on a Sunday still I notice... *sigh*
greenpacer says...
9:59am Tue 4 Sep 12