New bus link up announced (From Warrington Guardian)

New bus link up announced

3:00pm Monday 1st October 2012 in News

TWO sides of Warrington have been united thanks to a new bus service which will link from Lingley Mere to Birchwood.

The number 17 orbital bus route launched on Monday morning ready to take passengers from east and west Warrington and link them with major economic hubs in the town.

David Squire, managing director of Network Warrington, said: “It’s really good news for the town. The whole point of the service is to connect people and connect them in areas like Orford to job opportunities in areas like Birchwood and Lingley Mere.

“We have a hub and spoke bus service in the town - with all routes travelling to the bus interchange generally so this is the first time we will have an orbital route which means passengers don’t have to travel to the town centre to change to get to the other side of town.

“There is a vast market to tap into, there is a market of people who have struggled to get into work.”

The new bus service is being backed by Warrington Borough Council along with private businesses like MEPC Birchwood Park and Lingley Mere Business Park.

Clr Linda Dirir, executive board member for highways, transportation and Climate Change, said: “We believe this service will make a real difference to the town by connecting people to business parks and job opportunities and we are delighted to be working with Network Warrington to make it a reality.”

And it will also offer links to places like Gemini Retail Park, Alban Retail Park, Orford Park and Birchwood Shopping Centre with a Sunday service timed to meet the opening times for the retail parks.

The service will also replace the Chapelford Connector Service.

“It’s going to be one of those all thing to all people routes,” added David. “It will have a lot of good services for people.”

The new service has received funding from a national local sustainable transport fund which will help to pay for new buses which should come into service in the spring.

David said: “We got joint funding from the Department for Transport, the benefit is it kick starts the service and after two and half years it should be commercially viable by itself.”