Bedfordshire bus routes to be axed to reflect changing habits

Stagecoach East said the new network reflect post-pandemic travel patterns

A number of bus routes are to be axed or changed by a bus company to reflect what it called new travel habits.

Stagecoach East said a new bus network would be brought in across Bedfordshire from 30 October.

It included withdrawing routes 72 and 73, which run from Bedford to Sandy, via Biggleswade.

"The review was a requirement of the UK Government's provision of recovery funding for local bus networks across England," the company said.

In neighbouring Cambridgeshire, there has been anger over plans by the same company to stop running 18 routes.

The company said the changes were being made in response to changes in bus-use following the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.

The new network of routes and services would come into effect on 30 October

It meant the 72 service, from Bedford to Biggleswade, via Sandy and Potton, and the 73 service from Bedford to Biggleswade via Sandy, would be withdrawn as they were "unsustainable", the company said.

The firm said that, following customer feedback, the 905 Bedford to Cambridge service would no longer stop at Cambourne.

However, the route 1 service from Kempston to Bedford and the route 9 service to Shortstown would increase in frequency to every 15 minutes.

Route 99 from Luton Airport to Milton Keynes, and route 81 from Bedford to Luton, would be amalgamated into a new MK1 service, it added.

Darren Roe, Stagecoach East's managing director, said: "In line with government requirements, we have designed a new core network to provide a sustainable bus network now so that we can grow services over the long term."

He added that the firm wanted to attract more people out of their cars and onto public transport, as buses were "fundamental to daily life in Britain" and "critical to helping achieve a green economic recovery".

"It can generate vital investment for more electric vehicles, helps keep fares low and ultimately will help us to expand the bus network to meet new demand," he added.