Bus services across Derbyshire are set to have improved timetables and, in some cases, extended routes, with the funding coming from the Government.
Derbyshire County Council were successful in gaining £47m to improve bus services in the county. Some of this money is being used to improve timetables on 17 routes. Two of these routes have already started, and another 15 will start over the next few months.
The improvements will include running additional buses at evenings and weekends, adding extra journeys during the day, running 2 an hour where currently there is only 1 for example and extending services to new destinations.
Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal, said:
“This is great news for everyone who currently uses bus services, and we hope will tempt more people to give the bus a go.
“These improvements are all in response to people asking for more services so we are confident they will be used.
“Using the bus can be a real alternative to using the car for every journey, and for many in the county they are their only form of transport.”
Roads Minister Richard Holden said:
“People up and down the country deserve a modern, reliable, and affordable public transport system. That is why we have provided Derbyshire County Council with £47 million to boost its bus services.
“Supporting bus operators in Derbyshire with providing more services and extending timetables across 17 routes is great for local residents, who will now benefit and be able to make the most of the fantastic work, business and leisure opportunities Derbyshire has to offer.”
Services 55 and 170, which run around the Chesterfield/Matlock/Bakewell/Alfreton areas have had additional buses running from 27 March.
Service 55 (which goes from Alfreton to Chesterfield via Tibshelf) has been extended to Chesterfield Royal Hospital and the train station every day. It has also been extended to Wimsey Way industrial estate in Somercotes morning and evenings, Monday to Saturdays, so that workers can use the bus to get to and from their jobs.
Later evening services have also been added, with the last bus leaving Chesterfield at 11:15pm (previously 6.15pm) and Alfreton at 10:15pm (previously 6:30pm). On Sundays there are 3 later services with the last bus being 11:15pm.
Service 170 (which previously went from Chesterfield to Bakewell) has been extended from New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield, to the train station and there are extra evening journeys at 7pm, 9pm and 11pm from Chesterfield (previous last bus 6:15pm) and 8pm, 10pm and midnight in the other direction (previously last bus 6:15pm). These 3 late buses have also been extended from Bakewell to Matlock to fill a gap between these 2 towns Monday to Saturday.
Details of the other 15 routes are all below.
This service will start from 22 May:
401 – Burton, Hatton, Doveridge, Uttoxeter
Extension of the route to better serve the Dove Valley Business Park at Foston. An extra two early morning services in each direction (5.10am and 6.10am from Burton-Upon-Trent and 5.15am and 6.15am from Uttoxeter), and extra evening journeys (8.25pm and 9.25pm from Burton-Upon-Trent and 9.45pm from Uttoxeter) would also operate.
These additions would allow staff to get in for the early and evening shifts at Dove Valley Business Park, as well as improving links to Burton hospital for both staff and visitors.
This service will start from 27 May:
X17 – Sheffield to Matlock via Chesterfield
Enhancing the frequency of the route from a current hourly service to every 30 minutes between Sheffield, Chesterfield and Matlock, with every other journey also being extended onto Matlock Bath and Wirksworth.
These services will start from 25 June:
Ilkeston Flyer – Cotmanhay, Ilkeston, Derby
Improving the frequency of the evening service Monday to Saturday to half hourly (currently hourly from 8.40pm from Ilkeston and 8.15pm from Derby).
My15 – Ilkeston, Long Eaton, Old Sawley, East Midlands Airport
Introduction of a new Sunday daytime service between Ilkeston and Old Sawley to better mirror the Monday to Saturday service. Increasing the frequency to half hourly between Ilkeston and Old Sawley from 9.30am to 6.30pm.
Rainbow 1 – Nottingham Eastwood Heanor Ripley/Alfreton
Improvements to the Alfreton to Eastwood via Somercotes evenings journeys to provide improved access for employment and leisure opportunities.
This service will start from 10 July:
Transpeak – Derby to Belper, Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton
Enhancement of the service to include an hourly Sunday service. Currently, this only runs every 2 hours.
These services will start from 23 July:
218 – Bakewell to Sheffield
Extension of the hours of operation to include two additional evening return trips Monday – Saturday (7.40pm and 9.40pm from Sheffield, 8.40pm and 10.40pm from Bakewell). Currently, the last buses are at 6.40pm from Sheffield and 7.38pm from Bakewell. And an additional Sunday morning service at 8.45am from Bakewell (current first bus 9.47am) and a 7.50am from Sheffield (current first bus 8.40am).
Comet – Derby, Little Eaton, Ripley, Alfreton, Clay Cross Chesterfield
Introduction of an hourly Sunday service from Derby between 8.05am and 7.05pm, and from Chesterfield between 9.20am and 8.20pm.
Sixes 6.1 – Derby, Belper, Wirksworth, Matlock, Bakewell
Extending the hours of operation Monday to Saturday. The last Bakewell – Derby service will leave at 9.35pm (currently 4.35pm). The last Bakewell – Matlock service will leave at 10.45pm (currently 6.30pm) and for Derby – Matlock and Bakewell where the last service will at 10.15pm (currently 4.50pm).
Villager 1 – Derby, Royal Derby Hospital, Etwall, Hatton, Burton-on-Trent
Addition of two new round trips on a Sunday at 6.40am and 6.15pm from Derby to Burton (currently the first bus leaves at 7.40am and there is a 2 hour 10 minute gap between 5.05pm and 7:15pm).
The enhancement provides an earlier morning departure and arrival in Derby, Etwall and Hatton, with the hourly service continuing until 7.15pm from Derby.
The earlier journey also enables connections to Royal Derby Hospital for staff shift changeovers from other early morning services arriving from Derbyshire.
This service will start from 24 July:
185 – Fairfield Connect – Buxton town service
Extension of the service to include the Harpur Hill area providing an hourly cross town Buxton service until 7.30pm, which would include links to the Devonshire Hospital and the southern area of the town where large scale residential development is currently taking place.
We are working hard with bus companies on the following service improvements, and will announce start dates for them as soon as we have them:
4/8/9 Burton, Swadlincote, Melbourne, East Midlands Airport
Improving the frequency in the evenings and weekends to create a regular 15 minute frequency service between Swadlincote, Newhall and Burton.
1/1A – Chesterfield, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Markham Vale Environment Centre & Industrial Estate, Bolsover, Shirebrook, Langwith
Currently, only one of three buses an hour on the 1/1a serves the Markham Vale Environment Centre (MVEC) Industrial Estate with the other two services staying on the A632. This proposal would see all three buses serving the MVEC.
74/74A – Chesterfield, Brimington, Staveley, Duckmanton/Mastin Moor
In Duckmanton, alteration of Service 74 to only serve the Mastin Moor area and provide an enhanced frequency.
90/90a – Yew Tree area, Chesterfield, Barrow Hill, Staveley
Extension of the Service 90 to serve Duckmanton and Markham Vale Environment Centre every hour, and the 90a to serve the new residential estates being constructed off Inkersall Road. There will also be a direct links to MVEC from Clowne for the first time.
