Cllr Nadine Watts: Number 22 Bus To Be Retained And Improved

Councillor Nadine Watts has welcomed Thamesdown Transport’s decision to introduce a fully commercial daytime bus service for the people of Old Town and Okus. This service will run from Thamesdown Transport’s Bus Depot at Barnfield through Okus Road to St Helen’s View and will run on a half-hourly basis, rather than an hourly basis as it does currently. The new service is due to start at the end of October.

Councillor Nadine Watts has welcomed Thamesdown Transport’s decision to introduce a fully commercial daytime bus service for the people of Old Town and Okus. This service will run from Thamesdown Transport’s Bus Depot at Barnfield through Okus Road to St Helen’s View and will run on a half-hourly basis, rather than an hourly basis as it does currently. The new service is due to start at the end of October.

Following the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Groups supporting a cut of £200K to the Council’s bus subsidy budget at the February Full Council Meeting, there had been fears amongst Ward Councillors and Okus residents that the daytime number 22 bus service which is currently subsidised by Swindon Council, would be lost. This would have left Okus and Angel Ridge residents with no bus service passing through it.

Since Full Council’s decision to cut the bus service, Councillor Nadine Watts has been in regular contact with Thamesdown Transport encouraging the bus company to retain the service for Okus and Angel Ridge residents. This included a meeting with the Managing Director of Thamesdown Transport in March this year.

At the Cabinet Meeting on Wednesday evening, there is a proposal for Swindon Borough Council to subsidise an evening part of the number 22 bus service to ensure the bus service runs seamlessly throughout the day and evening. Councillor Nadine Watts welcomes this proposal and urges the Cabinet to vote through this proposal at Wednesday’s Cabinet Meeting.

Old Town Councillor, Nadine Watts, said:  “I am absolutely delighted that Okus and Angel Ridge residents will be getting this improved bus service, particularly as we had fears the service wouldn't continue at all. Moving the service to half-hourly, will mean that Okus and Angel Ridge residents will get a bus service they deserve. Thamesdown Transport have shown faith in Old Town residents through delivering this new service on a fully commercial basis, so I would urge as many Okus and Angel Ridge residents as possible to use this bus service to ensure its longevity.

Since Council decided to cut its bus subsidy budget by £200K, I have been in regular contact with Thamesdown Transport urging them to keep this service. I am really pleased that I played my part in them not only retaining the service, but also making it more regular.

Thamesdown Transport had considered re-routing the service through the Angel Ridge Estate rather than through Okus Road, but I think it was sensible not to do this because lots of Angel Ridge residents rely on the residential roads for car parking.

The last hurdle before this service is fully ready, is Cabinet agreeing to the Council subsidising an evening service for the 22 bus and this is what has been proposed to them for their meeting on Wednesday.”

Cllr Nadine Watts
Old Town Councillor