Peak hour bus travel now available to concessionary pass holders during school summer holidays
English National Concessionary pass holders will now be able to travel before 9.30am, where journeys begin or end in the borough, during the school summer holidays following a successful proposal suggested by Cheshire West and Chester Council.
The offer is for a limited time and will run from 25 July until 2 September 2022.
The Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said:
While people are returning to public transport, passenger numbers at present are below the numbers travelling prior to the pandemic. This is particularly the case among people who are eligible for free bus travel in the borough. The newly established Enhanced Bus Partnership Board met this week and approved an initiative put forward by the Council for people with concessionary passes to travel before 9.30am on bus services beginning or ending in the borough during the school holidays. During term time buses can be full at peak times, which may present problems for some of our residents, we hope that this offer now schools have closed for the summer holiday period, will encourage residents back to bus travel. I hope this will boost the number of people using buses in the borough by providing some of our vulnerable or more anxious residents with additional flexibility to travel freely earlier in the day.
An Enhanced Partnership is an agreement that enables councils to work with operators to set shared aims to improve bus services. The Council and bus operators will monitor this initiative through the Enhanced Partnership, which involves council officers and bus company representatives covering the unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester.
The Council is aware that unfortunately there are a number of strikes taking place at the moment, but hopes that those able to take advantage of the offer are able to do so.