Enhanced bus services to start next week

Cheshire East's supported bus services around the borough have been enhanced following a successful procurement exercise. New timetabled bus services will come into effect on Monday 31st March.

The improvement to the borough’s bus network will enable more and better-connected journeys giving access to jobs, education and essential services such as health care.    

Supported bus services are services that are contracted by the council and the positive impact of the changes will be felt boroughwide. They include the:

• reintroduction of the renumbered Nantwich rural services (51/52/53) which means that Audlem, Wrenbury and Nantwich will have a direct bus connection to Leighton Hospital; 
• 88 service between Macclesfield and Knutsford changing from two-hourly to hourly to significantly improve connectivity, including access to Macclesfield Hospital and major employment sites;
• northern section of the 391 service will now change from running every two hours to being an hourly service between Poynton and Stockport, supporting access to Stepping Hill Hospital and Greater Manchester;
• addition of evening journeys on the existing number 42 bus, which operates between Crewe and Congleton to improve links to Leighton Hospital; and
• introduction of a Saturday service on the 317 between Alsager and Sandbach 

Councillor Mark Goldsmith, chair of Cheshire East Council’s highways and transport committee, said:

“The new timetables provide a high degree of stability in our local bus network enabling residents to make travel plans with greater confidence and meaning that the bus is a viable option for many local journeys.

“At a time when the council has significant funding pressures, with the support of the government’s funding for our bus service improvement plan, we have increased our commitment to local services.”

Councillor Lata Anderson, Cheshire East Council’s public transport member champion, said:

“Whether its additional services providing better links to Leighton Hospital in the south or improving connectivity to our smaller towns and villages in the north, these changes are offering support to a wide range of bus users.

“I’m especially pleased that Audlem residents will be getting a service again.  I hope this may encourage many people not already using these supported services, to consider doing so.

“The new timetables are providing better connected services and the improvement to the connections to major hospitals is something that I know many residents will appreciate.” 

The new timetables are effective from Monday 31 March.