In January 2013 there will be significant changes to bus services provided by Thamesdown Transport to the Great Western Hospital, which will have an effect on the local bus network.
Most of the bus services to the Great Western Hospital are currently provided by Thamesdown Transport and a number of these services have been supported by Section 106 Planning Agreement funding that is managed by Swindon Borough Council. Over the years the bus services have been revised to form the present level of service provision.
In January 2013 there will be significant changes to bus services provided by Thamesdown Transport to the Great Western Hospital, which will have an effect on the local bus network.
Most of the bus services to the Great Western Hospital are currently provided by Thamesdown Transport and a number of these services have been supported by Section 106 Planning Agreement funding that is managed by Swindon Borough Council. Over the years the bus services have been revised to form the present level of service provision. These bus services provide a service for patients, visitors and hospital staff as well as assisting the Hospital in coping with its parking capacity. The Section 106 funding that has supported these services ceases in December 2012 and therefore only commercial services will be provided from January 2013.
Following discussions between Thamesdown Transport, the Great Western Hospital and the Borough Council to ascertain whether any of these bus services could be provided commercially, Thamesdown Transport have decided that from January 2013 they will provide the following services on a commercial basis (i.e. with no financial support either from the Council or the Hospital):
Service 16 Swindon Fleming Way – GW Hospital – the daytime Monday to Friday service will continue as present because it is already operated on a commercial basis. The evening Monday to Friday service will continue to operate but the frequency will be reduced to 30 minutes from 15 minutes. The Saturday and Sunday service will continue but with a reduced frequency of 30 minutes on a Saturday to make it the same as Sunday.
Service 20 Swindon – Gorse Hill – Kingsdown – Lower Stratton – Greenbridge – Covingham – Eldene – Liden – GW Hospital- will operate on Mondays to Fridays every 45 minutes as opposed to the current service level of every 30 minutes. However, the Saturday service will only run between the Town Centre, Kingsdown and Greenbridge Retail Park, on an hourly frequency; it will no longer go to the Hospital. This means that in order to reach the Hospital on Saturdays passengers from Covingham, Eldene or Liden will need to travel into town on Services 2, 13 or 14 and change in the Town Centre to Service 16. There will be no late evening journeys on Service 20.
Service 24 Swindon Fleming Way – Old Town – Lawn – GW Hospital- will be replaced by a new Service 12 between Blunsdon, Fleming Way, Old Town, Lawn and the Hospital which will operate every 30 minutes as now. Please note there will no longer be an evening service between the Town Centre and the Hospital on this route
The following services will no longer operate:
Service 20B Greenbridge – Covingham -Eldene – Liden – Croft (Nationwide) – Old Town – Swindon Bus Station
Service 30 Fleming Way, Walcot East, Cavendish Square and the Great Western Hospital. For journeys to the hospital , passengers can board Service 16 at New College, or Service 12 along Queens Drive. The town centre can be reached by using alternative journeys on Services 2,17 and 18.
