New deal keeps bus service from Aylesbury to Buckingham running

The service, run by Arriva to serve villages to the north of Aylesbury, was due to finish on July 28 after the company notified the council that they would not continue to fund the service.

Following discussions the council confirmed yesterday (Thursday) that the Red Rose Travel bus company will take over the route with a revised timetable which will include services from Buckingham Tesco to Maids Moreton being absorbed into other routes.

The existing eight-times-a-day subsidised Route 60 runs from Aylesbury to Buckingham and Maids Moreton, serving Oving, North Marston, Granborough, and Winslow, carrying between 30 and 40 passengers a day.

It's one of 46 bus routes across Bucks that the county council supports with a £1.8 million fund from taxes to give access to local communities.

The new route 60 timetable will provide six journeys each way between Winslow and Aylesbury, with three extended to Buckingham.

Meanwhile between Buckingham and Maids Moreton, Monday to Friday journeys will be run by routes 18 and 151, while on Saturday routes 131 and 132 will operate the service.

Mark Shaw, the county council's deputy leader and transport cabinet member said that during negotiations for an alternative provider, officers had considered journeys made by school pupils, by people getting to and from work, and by people who would otherwise be socially isolated.

He said: "Our rural routes receive some of the highest levels of subsidy and we work closely with bus companies to encourage greater use.

"With route 60 I believe the new arrangements we've negotiated provide support that most closely matches the needs of users."

Arrangements for the new routes can be viewed in the bus timetables section of the council website