Norfolk Green (Now Stagecoach Norfolk) to be binned

[overthewater]

Its nine full size buses, West Norfolk Community Transport Ltd are getting: http://www.wnct.co.uk/news/

West Norfolk Community Transport Ltd, which already trades as ‘Go to Town’ on some routes it runs into Lynn from outlying areas not served by conventional bus companies, has announced its investment of £1 million to launch new routes for the town and area following the decision by Stagecoach to largely exit the area.

The company is a registered charity, so that any money made over and above costs is guaranteed to be ploughed back in to provide specialist dial a bus routes for those people who are unable to use ordinary buses, either because of their own mobility issues or because local transport is not provided in their village or near to their home.

The fund has been put together in order to buy a new depot, offices and maintenance area at Old Meadow Road, Hardwick, plus nine full size buses, all of which will be fully accessible, and all but two of which will have ’18 plate registrations and should be delivered from their British builders in time for the launch date. In a major boost for the town’s air quality, these brand new vehicles have all the latest engine technology, and on-the-road tests show them to have emission levels so low that they equate to one tenth of modern diesel cars.

The company will strengthen its ‘Go to Town’ brand and take over from Stagecoach town routes 2 to 5 on Sunday April 29th. Routes 2 (North Lynn) and 3 (South and North Wootton) will both run every half hour six days a week and less frequently on Sunday. Route 4 will be diverted via North Lynn and Lynnsport Way and run at up to half hourly intervals, so that parts of North Lynn will have an increase from the existing three to in future four per hour. This new route, is to get ready to provide buses to the new Orchard Place development, when the roads are completed and open.

The range of fares and tickets on offer will be changed and expanded, and whilst fares will be a little higher than with Stagecoach the discounts available are aimed to attract new users to the buses.

“This unprecedented investment by a local charity is good news for the whole town” commented Howard Russell, Chief Executive of West Norfolk Community Transport Ltd, who was new to the post last November. “It is good news because it makes a real step forward to dealing with air quality issues, and it is good news too because it will help fund our charitable aims and objectives”.
He added that the investment would only work if the plans attract people back onto the buses and help free up the ever-more-clogged town centre area roadspace. “It is not good news for anybody to be sitting in the routinely gridlocked traffic around the town centre” said Howard “and especially not for us to invest to stand still and that is why we are calling on both the County and Borough Councils to take bold and radical steps to end the current state of affairs which, as one South Wootton Councillor recently described it, will strangle the town centre’s economy.”

Details of the company’s new route timetables can be viewed on our website here or on our Facebook page, where fares and ticketing information will be added nearer the introduction date. It is also creating a new website dedicated to ‘Go to Town’ routes which will be launched soon. Further information is available on 01553 776971.

 

[overthewater]

Stagecoach has at long last got around to telling people itself:

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/servi...rticle?SituationId=ID-13/04/2018-14:20:32:665

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/east/norfolk-notice

Norfolk Depot Closure
We announced some time ago that we were withdrawing our bus operations from King's Lynn.


We are pleased to announce that routes affected have been covered by various other operators but not necessarily at the same level of frequency.


We still operate some services including the 505 and if you require any further information, please visit the Norfolk County Council website or see below for more details.
From Sunday 29 April 2018, Stagecoach will no longer operate the following services:

It seems not everything has been replaced:

* 6 TO BE ANNOUNCED

* X29
Between King's Lynn and Fakenham: Lynx bus Service 49 operating every two hours
Between Fakenham and Holt: TO BE ANNOUNCED
Between Fakenham and Easton College: TO BE ANNOUNCED


We will continue to operate the following services: Please note that some of these routes have changes to the timetables:
* Route 50 SERVICE 50 No changes to the current timetable.
* Route 55 Replaced by new Services 45 and 45A. Minor changes to timings
* SERVICE 45/45A will serve the Walpoles, Hay Green and Trinity All Saints then via the A17 to King's Lynn.
* Service 45A will also serve these points and operate via Clenchwarton and West Lynn.
* Route 56 SERVICE 56 Minor changes to timings.
* Route 66 SERVICE 66 No changes to the current timetable.
* Route 505 SERVICE 505 Daytime service reduced to every 30 minutes. Hourly journeys operate via West Lynn. Minor changes to Sunday timings New commuter Service X55 on School Days running fast between Sutton Bridge and King's Lynn.

 

[borage]

More Coasthopper details from Sanders:

Coasthopper has been extended for 2018 from Cromer eastwards to Mundesley and then inland to Nth Walsham ( CH5 ) allowing for many more travellers to access this superb, and wondefully scenic,bus route that serves the beautiful North Norfolk Coast. Our friends and colleagues at Lynx bus will be operating the section from Wells to Hunstanton and Kings Lynn in the west of the County. We have 10 Coasthopper Liveried vehicles serving this route which will be half hourly between Wells and Cromer ( Coasthopper 4 ) and Hourly between Cromer and Nth Walsham ( Coasthopper 5 )

Interesting note about ENCTS:

We accept all English Concessionary Travel Card Passes on all services operated by Sanders so you have the freedom to travel whenever you like for FREE. However we do need you to scan your card on every service you join otherwise we do not get paid. So if your travelling through Cromer from service CH4 to CH5 or vice versa you need to scan on both services even though you will on the same bus - We are jappy for you to do this as you leave the vehicle - as long as your pass is recorded we will get a payment.

 

[MrTurbostar170]

According to the image in this article it would seem WNCT are getting streetlites for the Go To Town brand.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/new-bus-company-in-kings-lynn-1-5491423

A community transport charity has invested £850,000 in a fleet of buses and taken on 18 staff to take over four bus routes....

...From Sunday, the Hardwick-based company will be running services to and from the town centre from North Lynn, North and South Wootton, the Grange/Pandora and Gaywood Park.

Chief executive Howard Russell said it had invested £850,000 in nine brand new environmentally-friedly buses which created less emissions than a diesel car. He said staff had been employed and were now being trained...

 

[Silver Cobra]

I was wondering what was going to happen to the buses that Stagecoach brought in for the Coasthopper route 2 years ago, if they would sell them to Lynx for continued use on the route or if they would be moved to another depot within East. Turns out they have been moved to Bedford, as I spotted at 16-plate Coasthopper bus running the route 71 Hitchin-Bedford service this morning. Makes sense for East to want to retain buses that are only 2 years old, and is a welcome addition to the Bedford fleet.

 

[jamesontheroad]

So, a few weeks on, how are things going?

I only really see this services at the Norwich end, where I've noticed that the branded First buses on route 28/29 have now been re-vinyled to emphasise the continuity of the 28/29/X29 routes.

 

[overthewater]

Some minor improvements are being made shortly with a improved sunday service on the Go town routes.

https://www.wnct.co.uk/news/2018/10/timetables-for-2-3-are-changing-from-25-november/

Our Sunday timetables for 2 & 3 are changing from 25 November, please see new timetables

Plus Last week, there was a open consultation.

https://www.wnct.co.uk/news/2018/10...an-event-on-wednesday-17-october-10-00-14-00/

Your Bus Matters are holding an event on Wednesday 17 October 10.00-14.00 at the bus station, giving passengers the opportunity to discuss with operators about their service. We would like to see as many of you there to hear your thoughts and ideas. We will be in our bus on Bay H.