Councillors from neighbouring Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire got a taste of cross-border buses on demand on Wednesday November 18. They took a trip on the new County-Connect service between Towcester and Stowe.
County-Connect is an on-demand rural transport service, which goes wherever residents want within a designated area.
Area 4 - connecting eight villages north of Buckingham and six in south Northamptonshire with Towcester and Brackley - is jointly funded by Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire County Council and operated by Kier. The service features:
• No fixed timetable: passengers book in advance and can travel whenever they want between 7am and 7pm on weekdays and 8am and 6pm on Saturdays.
• Great value: fares are based on traditional bus routes and Concessionary Bus Passes are valid.
• Brand new: high-specification vehicles, with full seat belts and tie-down tracking for wheelchair users, provide the service
Councillors Michael Clarke and Ian McCord, from Northamptonshire , joined Buckinghamshire County Council Transport Cabinet Member Mark Shaw, his deputy, Paul Irwin, and local Members Robin Stuchbury and Warren Whyte to try the new community service.
Mark Shaw said: 'This is an excellent solution to provide accessibility to rural areas with limited or no traditional bus routes. Having travelled on one of the buses I can certainly recommend it to those living in the villages served.'
Michael Clarke, Portfolio Holder for Transport, Environment and Infrastructure at Northamptonshire County Council said: ‘We are delighted to continue the cross border arrangements with Buckinghamshire, under the new 'Heart of England' Alliance, this means we can provide even better bus services and and great connection for users. Working together with partners with the same ambition means that we can explore how we can develop a more efficient and accessible service. It is fantastic to be able to work collaboratively to provide the County Connect service that goes where and when users need it within the designated areas’.
To register and book a journey call 0345 456 4474 (local call rate) or visit www.county-connect.co.uk
County Connect, Area 4 serves:
• Biddlesden, Lillingstone Lovell, Lillingstone Dayrell, Westbury, Shalstone, Dadford, Turweston and Stowe in Buckinghamshire.
• Brackley, Towcester, Radstone, Evenley, Helmdon, Syresham, Whittlebury and Silverstone in Northamptonshire
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