New U18 service to be provided by Wessex Connect and progress on the 20A/C route!
The University of Bath Students’ Union are delighted to announce the introduction of a new bus service provided by Wessex Connect.
For years students, staff members and local residents have been keen to see improvements to the 418, 18 and 20A/C services. Customers are particularly concerned with punctuality, ticket costs and infrequency of the current services.
The recent news that First were pulling out of the 20A/C route in the middle of the student exam period infuriated students and deeply concerned the University and Students’ Union. Ian Robinson (SU General Manager) and Alex Nicholson-Evans (SU President) met with Wessex Connect, a bus service provider working successfully in partnership with UWE (University of West England) to discuss the possibility of Wessex Connect working in the Bath area, particularly on the 20A/C and 18 routes. Representatives from B&NES and the University have also been heavily involved in the discussions.
Wessex Connect have now bid for the contract to run the 20A/C service as of the 10th May. Although there are still final details to be resolved, Wessex Connect is currently the Council’s preferred bidder for the tender.
Proposals have also been drawn up by Wessex Connect to provide a service from the University of Bath campus through to the Lower Oldfield Park loop (to be called the U18) from 06:55 until 20:30, Monday to Friday. This service will run approximately once every 10 minutes and will be supplemented by a slightly less frequent weekend service (similar to First). The service will be student focused with a pricing strategy to match.
The University of Bath Students’ Union are looking for this service to run along side the routes provided by First and the Wessex Connect timetable has been drawn up to complement the current service. We want to provide our students, the University staff members and the local residents with the best possible bus service, one that truly meets the growing demands. Wessex Connect are committed to running a customer focused service and improving the transport provisions in the Bath area. For 6 months the University of Bath Students’ Union (SU) has been meeting with First, asking for improvements and suggesting ways to better the service. We are still committed to continuing our work with First and hope that we can make progress with both services.
Alex Nicholson-Evans said: “The issue of “the buses” has been on the student agenda for years. Students just aren’t satisfied with the service they are receiving at the high prices they are currently being charged. I hope that the introduction of some healthy competition in the form of Wessex Connect’s service, alongside the current routes provided by First, will finally see the campus and Lower Oldfield Park being adequately served.”
Ian Robinson said: “We have been discussing improvements to the services to campus for some time. The additional 18 service will introduce a welcome element of competition and will meet many of the issues raised with us by students and staff. Wessex Connect have an excellent track record elsewhere in the UK, including the service to and from UWE, and have demonstrated they wish to work with the University to enhance current provision.’’