Bus services to Milton Keynes

See the letter below from Milton Keynes council. It means that unless something happens there will be not evening services to Milton Keynes. After the loss of evening services to Bedford two years ago Cranfield faces the prospect of a being a young person, non-car user unfriendly place after 6 pm. 

Dear Ms Davey - Hunt

BUS SERVICES BETWEEN CRANFIELD AND CENTRAL MILTON KEYNES   

I am writing to you regarding changes to bus services between Central Milton Keynes and Cranfield with effect from 22^nd May 2011.

Currently routes 1, 17/17A, and 158 operate between Cranfield, and Central Milton Keynes. All three services receive financial support from Milton Keynes Council. In addition to providing through journeys between Cranfield and Milton Keynes the three services provide local journeys between Cranfield University and Cranfield.

Details of the changes to services are as follows;

• Service 1 provides an hourly Monday to Saturday daytime service via Newport Pagnell. A revised timetable will be introduced, but there will be no change to the frequency.  

• Service 17/17A provides an approximately two hourly Monday to Saturday daytime via Moulsoe, Coachway and Kingston. The route of the service between Kingston and Central Milton Keynes will be revised to include Woburn Sands and Bletchley. Passengers using the service wishing to travel to Central Milton Keynes can either stay on the vehicle or reduce their journey time by changing at Coachway to a more direct service.

• Service 158 provides two return evening journeys Mondays to Saturdays between Milton Keynes and Cranfield. Subject to final approval this service will be withdrawn.

The changes to services 1 and 17 are such that local journeys will continue to be provided, but the withdrawal of service 158 will mean that there will be no local journeys in Cranfield Monday to Saturday evening.

The withdrawal of service 158 has been discussed with Central Bedfordshire Council and a request has been made by Milton Keynes Council for a financial contribution towards the service. Unfortunately Central Bedfordshire Council has declined to make any contribution.

In addition to writing to you to notify you of the changes I therefore also wish to investigate whether Cranfield Parish Council or Cranfield University, to whom I am also writing, would be willing to make a financial contribution towards retaining the evening service.

If you wish to consider the matter I am happy to provide details of the current contract cost and surveys of passenger use that have been undertaken of evening journeys.

I look forward to your response.

Stuart Simmonds

Passenger Transport Officer (Operations)