At the moment, the bus network in Swindon is 95% commercially viable. However, the Council supports some well-used services, including some evening and Sunday services, and services for smaller communities. With the council facing large increases in demand and costs for services for children and young people, and vulnerable elderly residents. They are saying that they must find savings or reduce the rising cost and demand of future services by between £70m and £80m. This means reviewing the way they provide services, including bus transport services and dial a ride.
What are your thoughts on the proposed financial principles?
And your thoughts on the service principles:
Have your say www.swindon.gov.uk/busconsultation
They are also considering introducing a BusLink service. This would be a small vehicle maybe, carrying 4 -16 passengers at a time. It would replace the normal bus service at times of low usage, running on a published timetable, and from existing bus stops, to one of three transport 'hubs'. There are three hubs in mind, at North Swindon (at the North Orbital), South Swindon (in Old Town) and East Swindon (at the Great Western Hospital). Concessionary bus passes could still be used on these services.
Services that might be affected are No's 6, 7, 8, 9, 11A, 12, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 46, 46A, 48, 48A, 51, 65, 70A, 71, 72A, 90 and dial a ride.