Staffordshire & South Cheshire

MORE BUS SERVICES AND ADDED CONVENIENCE

From 10 May 2009, First is introducing a number of operational service changes designed to positively respond to customer requests and generally deliver improvements on selected services.

"We are always pleased to listen to our customers views, especially in the current economic environment, and we will endeavour to respond positively wherever we can,' said Paul De Santis, Firsts commercial director for bus services in North Staffordshire and South Cheshire. "The May changes will deliver more services for some customers and added convenience for others.'

Responding to customers needs route 26 (City Centre Hanley " Newcastle, via Weston Coyney - Meir - Longton) is being extended. Existing Monday to Friday, 10 minute off peak services will be extended from Longton, to Meir and Weston Coyney.

The new extension, service 26A, will provide Coalville and Park Hall customers with an off peak direct service to Meir and Longton, as well as to Hartshill for the Central Outpatients and Pathology services. Two buses per hour will serve Coalville, with one bus per hour serving Park Hall.

All routes will be operated by easy access, low floor, buggy friendly buses making the new links convenient for the elderly and parents travelling with children.

Monday to Friday, and Saturday, off peak journeys of route 17 (Newcastle " City Centre Hanley via Bradwell) are being rescheduled. From 10 May these off peak services will be retimed five minutes earlier. This retiming is being introduced in order to ease potentially dangerous stand congestion at Newcastle Bus Station and deliver enhanced safety for customers using this busy terminus.

From the same date, route 23/23A (City Centre Hanley " Longton, via Stoke and Blurton) will benefit from some minor re-timings in the morning peak period. These are being introduced in order that customers will benefit from speedier journey times as well as added service convenience.

"The current commercial operating environment is particularly challenging, "concluded
Paul De Santis. "However, we regularly monitor the performance of our network to ensure that services are provided efficiently and effectively and were confident that the May changes will deliver real advantages for customers. Id urge them to make sure theyre aware of the changes so that they can make most of the benefits that become available. '