Shire Connect bus service begins for north North Northants

Shire Connect bus service begins for north North Northants. Cllr Jon Ekins and CEO of Shire Connect at bus launch in Oundle

Transcript

00:00So we're here this morning launching the new Shire Connect bus service for the North of North Northamptonshire.

00:07It's funded by North Northamptonshire Council, 106 money, HS2 money from the government

00:13and it's to provide a more rural service for the North Northamptonshire.

00:18So all the villages link in, Corby, Bridgend Lakes, Allendal, Corby bus stop, Corby train station,

00:26linking up with the export to Peterborough and all the local villages surrounding.

00:32This service will run at the moment from 7 o'clock in the morning until 5 o'clock in the afternoon

00:39and come November it should be running from 0500 hours in the morning to 1100 hours at night, 6 days a week.

00:47The whole idea of this service is to bring a new bus service to the residents of North Northamptonshire

00:53who haven't had a bus service for some time.

00:56North Northamptonshire have the vision to reconnect the residents to the local towns

01:02with shopping, appointments, hospital appointments, dental appointments, doctors appointments,

01:07the local businesses being served and it's increasing the revenue across North Northamptonshire.

01:13But the most important thing is the health and well-being of North Northamptonshire residents.

01:18Bringing a new local bus service for the rural end gets people out of their houses that they haven't been out for some time

01:24and then back into the community.

01:26It's like a hybrid service, so first we're going to do, like I was saying,

01:31getting people to and from work in the mornings, then we'll switch into doing home to school

01:35for pupils who can't get from the villages into the main school areas

01:39and then we'll switch to direct response transport which is you can phone up and book a seat

01:44or we'll just pick up a seat when the bus stops at your bus stop.

01:48You can call in beforehand and pay up front and then you can then get on the bus

01:54and then go back and return again later on in the day.

01:57It's a fantastic service. The whole idea of community transport is for the community

02:03and this really does encompass the community.