Passenger numbers on Swindon buses 30% below pre-pandemic
Local residents are urging bosses to improve the reliability of services
Last updated 25th Jan 2023
It's been revealed that passenger numbers on many Swindon bus routes are currently 30% below pre-pandemic levels.
The new figures, from Stagecoach West, come after hundreds of Swindon residents signed petitions - urging bosses to improve the reliability of local buses. They want services to be more frequent, with fewer cancellations and better punctuality.
Angela Atkinson, from Grange Park, is a frequent bus user. The West Swindon blogger has told us why she believes local services aren't up to scratch.
"If I want to go out in the evening, I've got to get a bus at 5:30pm, as there isn't another one until after 7pm. Sundays, I just don't bother, as they're only once an hour.
"There needs to be some circular routes now ... you have to go into town and then you go back out again. It just takes too long to go anywhere. It's ridiculous!" she said.
A car journey from Angela's house to the Orbital Shopping Park is 10-15 mins. According to Angela, that same trip takes "close to two hours" on a bus.
'There have been challenges operating buses across Swindon'
Key stakeholders from across the town met for Swindon's inaugural bus summit earlier this month, at the Leonardo Hotel. Bus operators were joined by South Swindon MP Sir Robert Buckland, local councillors and residents - to discuss how to encourage people back on-board.
Stagecoach West and Swindon Bus Company have now pledged to make a formal partnership with the Borough Council, to improve the bus network across Swindon.
Greatest Hits Radio has spoken exclusively to the Stagecoach West Managing Director, Rachel Geliamassi.
"There have been challenges in operating buses across Swindon and really across the whole of the UK.
"Coming out of COVID, it's been an incredibly difficult time. There have been constraints around resourcing and getting enough bus drivers ... but we've finally turned a corner and actually got that stability now that we've been waiting for.
"We need to build our Swindon Enhanced Partnership and we need to be lifting the network and giving people the punctuality, the reliability and the routes that they're really expecting and deserve to have," she said.