Enhanced bus service launched for Alconbury Weald
- 02.09.2024
Alconbury Weald’s master developer has been working with Dews and Stagecoach to increase the bus provision to support residents and employees to get about sustainably. The new service - which launched on 2 September - is subsidised by Urban&Civic and responds to resident feedback about the times they need to connect to Huntingdon and Peterborough.
The existing bus times from the AW1 and 904 services ensured a half hourly service between 6.30am and 6pm, but the new services will extend this to tie in with later train and bus services.
The new AW1X will offer an express service between Alconbury Weald and Huntingdon Town Centre at 6.50pm, and from Huntingdon to Alconbury Weald at 7.15pm, to tie in with train times and help commuters make sustainable travel choices. A new service from The Boulevard to Huntingdon at 7.45am on Saturdays is also being introduced.
The AW1 bus service - which uses a specially designed low carbon vehicle - launched in January 2022 to connect Alconbury Weald and the surrounding villages to Huntingdon town, and bus and rail station. Last summer, the service was extended through the development and additional bus stops were incorporated into the route.
This further extension supports commuters and leisure users to make better use of the services. The route will continue to evolve as the development rolls out and the team is working hard to drive up passenger numbers to support continued increase in frequency of services.
“Getting the approach on bus services is always challenging and we are subsidising these early services to ensure they are available to provide real alternatives to the car. It has been important to work with the community to help shape the services they need now, and ensure they are viable in the long term."
“We hope the increased frequency and the fantastic smart buses and friendly drivers encourage more people to make use of the service – whether they live or work here: and we continue to work with local travel partners to drive other ways of supporting people to get about sustainably. It has been great to see passenger numbers rise, and we hope this will draw more people to use this great service.”
The new timetable came into effect on 2 September 2024 and is available to view online at https://dews-coaches.com/
Residents or employees based at Alconbury Weald can also join a car share scheme – LiftShare - to find people doing the same trips as them, and a range of additional active travel support is available from the Communities Team.