Buses in Swindon

Buses in Swindon have been the major method of Public Transport in the region since the beginning of the 20th century.

Introduced in 1927 and replacing the tram system in 1929, the area is now served by numerous operators.

Contents 1 History 2 Bus Station and Fleming Way 2.1 Original Bus Station 2.2 Existing Bus Station 2.2.1 Redevelopment of area 2.3 Use of Fleming Way 3 Routes 4 Operators 4.1 Andybus 4.2 APL Travel 4.3 Hatts Coaches 4.4 Megabus 4.5 National Express 4.6 RH Transport 4.7 Stagecoach in Swindon 4.8 Thamesdown Transport 4.9 Wilts & Dorset 5 Fares 6 See also 7 Notes 8 External links

History

Swindon Corporation was the local council formed by the 1901 Municipal Borough charter, the corporation started to operate electric trams in 1904.

Motor-bus operation started in 1927 and two years later all the trams were replaced by this form of transport. In 1942 Swindon became one of the first authorities to take delivery of the "Arab" made by Guy Motors.^[1] One of these, No. 51 (DHR 192), is now preserved at RAF Wroughton near Swindon which is an Annex of the National Museum of Science and Industry and open to the public on certain days of the year.

On local government re-organisation in the early 1970s the name was changed to Thamesdown Transport under which it operates to this day.

Rural and inter-urban bus services around Swindon were mainly operated by Bristol Tramways (later known as Bristol Omnibus Company), which established a branch in Swindon in 1921. Bristol became part of the National Bus Company, and in 1983 the Swindon branch was transferred to a new company, Cheltenham & Gloucester Omnibus Company, operating in Swindon under the name Swindon and District. Cheltenham & Gloucester was sold to its management in 1986, and absorbed into the Stagecoach Group as Stagecoach in Swindon in 1993.

Bus Station and Fleming Way

Original Bus Station

Before 1966 Swindon had no bus station, and buses departed from street stops in and around Regent Circus. The first Bus Station was opened in 1966 on the site of the Tram station in Corporation Street. Following expansion it eventually took up most of the land between Manchester Road and Fleming Way.

The main Bus Station area was demolished in the 1980s on construction of the current facility, with the old site being redeveloped into office accommodation now used by Zurich Financial Services.

Existing Bus Station

Constructed in the 1980s adjacent to the former site of Thamesdown Transport's garages, the current Bus Station consists of a number of bays with an adjacent Multi-storey car park.

It predominantly acts as a Terminus for buses serving destinations outside of the Swindon Urban Area or non-frequent services. It is also used as a Coach Station, with services for National Express, Megabus and international services leaving from here. In recent years, following increased immigration from Eastern European countries, regular services to Poland have been introduced.

Redevelopment of area

In 2004, Swindon Borough Council announced the proposed redevelopment of the Town Centre area including the Bus Station.^[2] Thamesdown Transport moved from their Corporation Street home to a new facility at Barnfield in 2005,^[3] with the land earmarked for conversion to commercial properties. As well as town centre offices, the project area also makes provision for housing, shops, cafes and restaurants.^[4] The plans announced would lead to the demolition of all buildings in this area, including the current Bus Station,^[5] and also the change in use of Fleming Way to public transport use only. A new Bus Station development is part of the proposal.^[5] In April 2011, serveral bus services were diverted to the Bus Station instead of their stops to allow for roadworks which are removing the Whalebridge roundabout at the top of Fleming Way.^[6][7]

Use of Fleming Way

Bus stands were erected in Fleming Way with a subway under the road linking Northbound and Southbound stops. This area is used as a major through-stop by services traversing the town that are operated by Thamesdown Transport or Stagecoach in Swindon.

Routes

For detailed information on a service, please see the relevant operators article

No	Operator	Route	Mon-Fri	Sat	Sun	Notes
1, 1A	TTL/SIS	Fleming Way - Middleleaze/Ramleaze	Yes	Yes	Yes
2	TTL	Fleming Way - Nythe - Covingham	Yes	Yes	No
5	SIS	Swindon - Marlborough - Pewsey - Salisbury	No	No	Yes
6	SIS	Bus Station - Kingsdown	Yes	Yes	Yes
7, 7A	SIS	Swindon - Highworth/South Marston Park	Yes	Yes	Yes
8	SIS	Fleming Way - Freshbrook	Yes	Yes	Yes
11	TTL/SIS	Haydon Wick - Wroughton Park and Ride/East Wichel	Yes	Yes	No
11A	SIS	St Andrews Ridge - Haydon Wick - Pinehurst - Fleming Way	No	No	Yes
13, 14	TTL/SIS	Haydon Wick - Fleming Way - Eldene/Liden	Yes	Yes	Yes
15, 15A	TTL	Fleming Way - Haydon Wick/Fleming Way - Oakhurst - Haydon Wick	Yes	Yes	No
16	TTL	Fleming Way - Great Western Hospital (To Serve New College from 8th Jan)	Yes	Yes	Yes
17	TTL/SIS	Penhill - Park North	Yes	Yes	Yes
18	TTL	Fleming Way - Park South - Great Western Hospital (Not Serving GWH from 8th Jan)	Yes	Yes	No
19	TTL	Fleming Way - Sparcells	Yes	Yes	No
19A	TTL	Fleming Way - Hillmead - Sparcells	Yes	No	No
19B	TTL	Sparcells - Link Centre - Fleming Way - New College	Yes	No	No
20, 20B	TTL	Bus Stn - Stratton - Covingham - GW Hospital	Yes	Yes	No
21	TTL	Fleming Way - Penhill (Operating Until 8th Jan ONLY)	Yes	Yes	No
22, 25	TTL	Bus Stn - West Swindon Centre/Windmill Hill	Yes	No	No
23	TTL	Fleming Way - Stratton Park (Operating until 8th Jan ONLY)	Yes	Yes	No
24	TTL	Blunsdon - Haydon Wick - Fleming Way - Old Town - GW Hospital	Yes	Yes	No
No	Operator	Route	Mon-Fri	Sat	Sun	Notes
26	TTL	Fleming Way - Rodbourne - Fleming Way	Yes	No	No
27	TTL	Lydiard Fields - Fleming Way - Kembrey Park	Yes	No	No
28	TTL	Fleming Way - Groundwell	Yes	No	No
29	TTL	Fleming Way - Barnfield (for B&Q)	Yes	Yes	Yes
30	TTL	Fleming Way - Walcot East - GW Hospital;	Yes	No	No
31	ANDY	Swindon - Royal Wootton Bassett - Malmesbury	Yes	Yes	No
32	APL	Swindon - Cirencester	Yes	Yes	No
46, 46A 48, 48A	TTL	Swindon - Hungerford/Marlborough	Yes	Yes	No
47, 47A	TTL	Swindon - Lambourn/Uffington	Yes	Yes	No
49	SIS	Swindon - Devizes - Trowbridge	Yes	Yes	Yes	Sunday service - Swindon to Devizes only
51 / 151	SIS	Swindon - Cirencester - Cheltenham	Yes	Yes	No
53	TTL	Swindon - Purton - Ashton Keynes/Cricklade	Yes	Yes	No
55, 55A	SIS	Swindon - Royal Wootton Bassett - Chippenham	Yes	Yes	Yes
60	HATTS	Swindon - Cepen Park	Yes	No	No
64	#RH Transport	Swindon - Carterton - Witney	Yes	Yes	No
65	SIS	Swindon - Shrivenham - Longcot - Faringdon	Yes	Yes	No
66	SIS	Swindon - Shrivenham - Faringdon - Oxford	Yes	Yes	Yes
70 / 80	SIS	Swindon - Marlborough - Ludgershall	Yes	Yes	No
71	SIS	Swindon - Wroughton - Thorney Park	Yes	Yes	No
72	SIS	Swindon - Wroughton	Yes	Yes	No	Replacing Route 54
73	SIS	Swindon - East Wichel - Wroughton	Yes	Yes	No
No	Operator	Route	Mon-Fri	Sat	Sun	Notes
74	APL	Swindon - Fairford	Yes	Yes	No
X5	WD	Swindon - Pewsey - Salisbury	Yes	Yes	No	see also Stagecoach Route 5
X47	WT	Swindon - Wantage	No	Yes	No

More details of bus changes can be found at the travel shop in Fleming Way. Details Correct as of 25 December 2011. Severe reductions to Evening and Sunday services are anticipated from June 2011 due to a total withdrawal of funding from Swindon Borough Council.^[8]

Operators

Andybus

Andybus provides services to Royal Wootton Bassett, Malmesbury from the Bus Station.

APL Travel

APL Travel provide services to Royal Wootton Bassett, Lydiard, Minety, Ashton Keynes and Cirencester from the Bus Station. APL Travel have taken over the service of Routes 74 and 75 from Stagecoach Swindon. This extends the services of APL travel to Lechlade and Fairford, from the bus Station.

Hatts Coaches

Hatts Coaches provide services to Chippenham and Cirencester from the Bus Station.

Megabus

Megabus provide low-cost bus services to Cheltenham, Gloucester and London from the Bus Station.

National Express

National Express provide nationwide coach travel from the Bus Station.

RH Transport

RH Transport provide services to Carterton and Witney, as well as to Wantage on a Saturday.

Stagecoach in Swindon

Stagecoach in Swindon operate in West and North Swindon and in rural areas. The company also provides the night bus services. Services terminate at both the Bus Station and Fleming Way.

Thamesdown Transport

Thamesdown Transport operate the majority of Swindon's urban services and school buses. They also provide the Park and Ride services, Hospital Express (for the Great Western Hospital) and contract lunchtime link services to companies such as Thames Water. Services terminate at both the Bus Station and Fleming Way.

Wilts & Dorset

Wilts & Dorset operate services to Avebury, Marlborough, Pewsey and Salisbury from the Bus Station.

Fares

The majority of tickets purchased on Thamesdown Transport and Stagecoach in Swindon services are honoured by both operators. For more information on fares and tickets offered, refer to the individual operators' article.

See also

• Transport in Swindon

Notes

External links

• Swindon Borough Council public transport homepage
• Swindon Park and Ride
• EFE Showbus photo gallery- Swindon Corporation Passenger Transport Department and Thamesdown Transport