Bath - Melksham - Devizes buses from 5th April 2020

Following up http://www.passenger.chat/22375 - a fresh thread for a new beginning with what (IMHO^▸ and initial analysis) looks like it covers just about all the bases for a sensible and sustainable bus service for all significant current passenger flows and with passenger number growth potential too. THANK YOU to Faresaver and to Wiltshire Council for coming up with this solution - very much in line with what passengers have been asking for in various inputs including community meetings. Thanks to Michelle Donelan MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) and all the passengers and other interested parties who have been encouraging the council and the bus company to adopt a solution like this - it looks (from a first study) as good common sense for passengers and route development (which, sadly, has not always been the case with public transport changes in Melksham)

Wishing Faresaver good luck with this service – going more than that. (re)Offering help and assistance in the new era. Looking forward to using their services much more now that they're covering evening runs. Also looking forward to a stable service with fewer changes so that it can build and the your driveway in Melksham can become your "Park and Ride" for Bath. No need to take the car at all.

Faresaver have published timetables for Bath – Melksham – Devizes bus service to run from 5th April 2020, replacing their existing service X72 and providing additional journeys at times of day / week when First Bus have been the sole operator. The First bus service ceases on 4th April, from that time, Faresaver will be the only commercial bus operator on the route.

So - what does the new timetable look like?

From 5th April 2020, Faresaver will run from Melksham to Bath
24 services each Monday to Friday
23 services Saturday
5 services Sundays and most bank holidays
Timetable at http://www.faresaver.co.uk/timetables/5e6a52903a3b5.pdf (and mirrored at http://www.mrug.org.uk/fs272_20200405.pdf (shorter URL ;-) ))

On Monday to Saturdays, there will be 2 buses an hour during the day, leaving Bowerhill at :14 and :45 after the hour, 10 minutes later at Melksham Market Place.

The bus at :14 will be on route 271, originating from Melksham Forest and running via Whitley, Kingsdown and Bathford.
The bus at :44 will be on route 272, originating from Devizes and running vis Shaw Hill and Box.

Evening and Sunday services will be on route 273, originating from Devizes and running from Bowerhill via Melksham Forest, Melksham Market Place, Whitley and Box.

Buses will return from Bath at :15 (route 271 via Whitley and Melksham Forest to Bowerhill) and :45 (route 272 via Shaw Hill and onward to Devizes). Connections off buses until the 15:45 from Bath will be offered onto connecting route 270 to Urchfont; Sunday services on route 273 will continue to Urchfont as service 270

Faresaver can be reached on 01249 444444 or by email at enquiries@faresaver.co.uk . They are online at http://www.faresaver.co.uk with links to all their timetables, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/faresaver.co.uk/ . Their website advises "For timetable enquiries contact: Traveline: 0871 200 22 33. Calls cost 12p per minute plus your phone company's access charge. Lines open 0700 - 2200"

Faresaver expect information to be available in the Tourist Information Centre, the Library, and the Town Hall from Monday (a date given to us by the area board).

Commentary

I will add a technical follow up post later today

Service prior to 5th April 2020

For the record, from 6th January 2020 to 4th April 2020, Faresaver have been running
19 services Monday to Friday
11 services Saturday
0 services Sunday
Timetable at http://www.faresaver.co.uk/timetables/5e10efdb21aa2.pdf and mirrored at http://www.mrug.org.uk/fsx72_20200102.pdf

The First Bus service (18 services Monday to Saturday, 5 services on Sunday) ceases after service on 4th April 2020
This timetable is mirrored at http://www.mrug.org.uk/d3_20191110.pdf
The Single Buses of Swindon service on Monday to Friday continues to run
Melksham to Bath by train, changing at Chippenham or Trowbridge, remains 17 (M-F), 16 (Sat) and 14 (Sun) services.