An on-demand bookable bus service is being added to a Leicestershire town’s travel network. The move, from Leicestershire County Council, will see passengers be able to book the bus through an app or call centre.
The service, known as a ‘digital demand responsive transport’ option, is to be introduced into Melton from January, with passengers in the borough able to access the service which uses a smaller vehicle “more suited to rural roads”. Separately, five Melton town centre services will also be “redesigned” to cover new developments, “some” industrial estates and “places of interest” that are not currently served, as a result of Government cash.
Additional villages will also be added onto the Melton to Loughborough route, “maximising onward” travel to Grantham, Nottingham, Leicester, and Oakham. Larger buses will serve the schools and colleges in Melton, operating at “key commute times” to cater for students and non-entitled scholars.
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The changes to the town’s network have been funded by the Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus government (BSIP+) grant. The local authority said this had helped it review all supported services across Leicestershire.
Councillor Ozzy O’Shea, cabinet member for Highways and transport, said: “The changes in Melton are the first for our county-wide network review to drive forward a positive change for public transport across Leicestershire. We have looked at flexible transport solutions that best support the area.
“The smaller on-demand buses will operate in zones to maximise convenient connections, and bus users will be able to use an app or a call centre to book their journeys. We’re using this cash wisely and for the benefit of our communities by identifying how our bus network can better serve Leicestershire.”
The on-demand bookable service will begin on Monday, January 6.
The Melton town services to be redesigned are:
- MC1: St Mary’s Way, Redwood Avenue, Clark Drive, Leighton Road, Windsor Street
- MC2: Windsor Street, Hamilton Drive, Queensway, Heather Crescent, Winster Crescent, Alderman Road, Samworth Way Industrial Estate, St Mary’s Way
- MC3: St Mary’s Way, Dieppe Way, Drummond Walk, Staveley Road, Windsor Street.
- MC4: Windsor Street, Baldocks Lane, Melton Sports Village, Windsor Street.
- MC5: Windsor Street, Thorpe Road Hospital Entrance, Heron Crescent, St Mary’s Way.
- The extended connecting services are:
- LCC1: Melton Mowbray – Oakham, serving stops at Great Dalby, Twyford, Somerby and Knossington.
- LCC2: Melton Mowbray – Bottesford, serving stops at Asfordby, Old Dalby, Long Clawson, Harby, and Bottesford.
- LCC3: Melton Mowbray – Grantham, serving stops at Bukminster, Croxton Kerrial, Knipton, and Harlaxton.
- LCC8: Melton Mowbray – Loughborough, serving stops at Asfordby, Burton on the Wolds, Pretswold, Hoton, and Loughborough.
Digital Demand Responsive Transport zones
- Zone 1 for North Melton
- Zone 1a: Scalford, Hoby, Welby, Ab Kettleby, Harby, Harston, Eastwell, Stathern, Eaton, Plungar, Saxelbye, Barkestone-le-Vale, Grimston, Redmile, Old Dalby, Bottesford, Nether Broughton, Knipton, Long Clawson, Branston
- Zone 1b: Saltby, Coston, Saxby, Stonesby, Buckminster, Freeby, Sproxton, Sewstern, Wyfordby, Brentingby, Garthorpe
- Zone 2 for South Melton
- Zone 2: Barkby, South Croxton, Great Dalby, Beeby, Gaddesby, Little Dalby, Barsby, Radcliffe-on-the-Wreake, Pickwell, Ashby Folville, Thrussington, Hoby, Kirby Bellars, Frisby-on-the-Wreake, Eye Kettleby