New ‘69’ service for Leamington
Feedback following changes to bus services in Leamington last year is resulting in an all-new ‘69’ route being launched in the town this month.
Stagecoach last year revised the 67 and 68 services as part of a depot-wide review by the bus company, and although the changes were generally welcomed, there were small areas within Lillington not catered for.
The Lillington Road area between the Cubbington Road and Sandy Lane traffic islands and particularly the Southfields sheltered housing complex were affected by the changes. A number of other sheltered housing developments near Gresham Avenue also suffered. A desire to improve the position in Lillington has driven Warwickshire County Council to arranging this new service.
The new service will get underway on April 16 and serve parts of Lillington and the Campion Terrace/Upper Holly Walk area, plus the Beverley Road/Windermere Drive area. Several journeys per day are on offer into Leamington town centre and also onwards to the Shires Retail Park.
The route will be operated by the A & M Group, which provides the ‘Flexibus’ services for the county council. Vehicles used will be wheelchair accessible and able to carry passengers with mobility problems.
The new service will be numbered 69 as a logical follow-on to the other bus service numbers 66, 67 and 68 used in the town.
Additionally the council had received requests for buses to serve the Upper Holly Walk/Campion Terrace area as well as the Beverley Road/Windermere Drive parts of town. A trial service for the Beverley Road/Windermere Drive area has been running for several months made possible by extending an existing ‘Flexibus’ service and this has proved so popular the council is keen to increase the number of journeys available to passengers.
Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “This is a good example of local people influencing the provision of public transport in their area. It’s great that we have been able to positively respond to these requests. I hope lots of people will use the bus to demonstrate that more local town bus services are needed and would be well-used in Leamington.”