1. Bus Information News for all Swindon Borough Councillors
Local Bus Service Changes January 2013
1. Bus services to the Great Western Hospital
In January 2013 there will be significant changes to bus services provided by
Thamesdown Transport to the Great Western Hospital, which will have an effect on
the local bus network.
Most of the bus services to the Great Western Hospital are currently provided by
Thamesdown Transport and a number of these services have been supported by
Section 106 Planning Agreement funding that is managed by Swindon Borough
Council. Over the years the bus services have been revised to form the present level
of service provision. These bus services provide a service for patients, visitors and
hospital staff as well as assisting the Hospital in coping with its parking capacity.
The Section 106 funding that has supported these services ceases in December
2012 and therefore only commercial services will be provided from January 2013.
The current level of bus services which receive Section 106 funding is shown below.
Please note that some parts of some services are currently operated commercially by
Thamesdown Transport already and will continue to be so.
Route Days Contractor Area Served
Thamesdown
16 Sat / Sun Swindon Fleming Way - GW Hospital
Transport Ltd.
Mon - Fri, Thamesdown
16 Swindon Fleming Way - GW Hospital
Evenings Transport Ltd.
Thamesdown Early morning and late evening journeys funded by
20 Mon - Sat
Transport Ltd. Dorcan Mail Centre s106 agreement.
Swindon - Gorse Hill - Kingsdown - Lower Stratton -
Thamesdown
20 Mon - Sat Greenbridge - Covingham - Eldene - Liden - GW
Transport Ltd.
Hospital
Greenbridge - Covingham -Eldene - Liden - Croft
(Nationwide) - Old Town - Swindon Bus Station
(Service 20B one return journey).
20B Mon -
Fri,24 Blunsdon - St.Andrew's Ridge - Abbey Meads -
Thamesdown
20B,24,30 Mon-Sat, Haydon Wick - Pinehurst - Swindon Fleming Way - Old
Transport Ltd.
30 Mon - Town - Lawn - GW Hospital (Service 24 majority of
Fri service).
Swindon Fleming Way - Walcot East - Cavendish
Square - GW Hospital (Service 30).
Mon - Sat, Thamesdown Swindon Fleming Way - Old Town - Lawn - GW
24
Evenings Transport Ltd. Hospital
Mon – Sat Thamesdown Lawn section of route (Marlborough Rd - Windsor Rd -
24 Lawn
Daytime Transport Ltd. Queens Drive)
Following discussions between Thamesdown Transport, the Great Western Hospital
and the Borough Council to ascertain whether any of these bus services could be
provided commercially, Thamesdown Transport have decided that from January

2. 2013 they will provide the following services on a commercial basis (i.e. with no
financial support either from the Council or the Hospital):–
Service 16 - the daytime Monday to Friday service will continue as present because
it is already operated on a commercial basis.
The evening Monday to Friday service will continue to operate but the frequency will
be reduced to 30 minutes from 15 minutes.
The Saturday and Sunday service will continue but with a reduced frequency of 30
minutes on a Saturday to make it the same as Sunday.
Service 20 - will operate on Mondays to Fridays every 45 minutes as opposed to the
current service level of every 30 minutes.
However, the Saturday service will only run between the Town Centre, Kingsdown
and Greenbridge Retail Park, on an hourly frequency; it will no longer go to the
Hospital. This means that in order to reach the Hospital on Saturdays passengers
from Covingham, Eldene or Liden will need to travel into town on Services 2, 13 or
14 and change in the Town Centre to Service 16.
Please note - There will be no late evening journeys on Service 20.
Service 24 - will be replaced by a new Service 12 between Blunsdon, Fleming Way,
Old Town, Lawn and the Hospital which will operate every 30 minutes as now.
Please note there will no longer be an evening service between the Town
Centre and the Hospital on this route and that Service 12 will operate via
Pinehurst Road rather than Cirencester Way.
Please note that a number of other commercial and financially supported
services provided by Stagecoach, Thamesdown Transport and Wilts & Dorset
operate via the Hospital on their way to and from destinations outside
Swindon. These operate mainly along Queens Drive.
The following services will no longer operate:
Service 20B –This service does not serve the Hospital but was part of a tendered
package of routes. Nationwide Croft Campus can be reached by using Services 2, 7
(Stagecoach), 13 or 14 into the Town Centre and changing on to Service 11.
Service 30 Fleming Way, Walcot East, Cavendish Square and the Great
Western Hospital. For journeys to the hospital , passengers can board Service
16 at New College, or Service 12 along Queens Drive. The town centre can be
reached by using alternative journeys on Services 2,17 and 18. --------------------
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2. Short term local bus contracts

3. In 2012 the Council provided funding to two bus services on a short term basis of
one year in order to provide them with the opportunity to become a commercial bus
service again or enable other opportunities to be explored.
Service 18 Park South to Swindon Town Centre Mondays to Saturdays
In January 2012 Thamesdown Transport deregistered their commercial Service 18
which operated between Swindon town centre, Park South and the Great Western
Hospital. The Council agreed to support the retention of the service from Fleming
Way to Park South only due to the good patronage levels; however, the limited
passenger usage to the Hospital and availability of alternative bus services meant
the section of the Service 18 route from Park South to the Great Western Hospital
was not retained.
This service was secured for at least one year to enable an opportunity for
Thamesdown Transport to return the service to a commercial operation. Following a
year of financial support Thamesdown Transport can continue Service 18
commercially. This justifies the decision to support this service during a difficult
economic period and ensures that Park South like other urban areas has a regular
service to the town centre.
Service 21 Penhill / Coleview to Swindon Town Centre Mondays to Saturdays
In January 2012 Thamesdown Transport deregistered their commercial Services 21
from Penhill to the Town Centre and 23 from Stratton Park and Coleview to the
Town Centre.
Following public concerns, a new Service 21 which linked Penhill (Ramsbury Avenue
area), Stratton Park and Coleview to the Town Centre during the off peak (0930-
1530) was considered by the Council in February 2012.
Approval was obtained for the introduction of this service for one year while demand
was assessed. This service commenced at the end of April 2012. This service has
started reasonably well in terms of passenger usage with an average of ten
passengers boarding in Penhill and four/five passengers boarding in Coleview. It is
hoped that nearer the end of the contact in April 2013 there maybe commercial
opportunities to continue this service.
The Council will be working with local community groups to ensure this level of
service is meeting their requirements and that the availability of the service is
publicised. In addition the Council will be seeking interest from other organisations
including parish councils to see if there are other alternative sources of funding
available.
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4. 3. Other changes to Thamesdown Transport commercial services
Following a review of their commercial bus service network, Thamesdown Transport
will be making a number of other changes to their timetables in January 2013. The
company will be announcing these changes in November.
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If you have any questions or concerns about any of these local bus service changes above
please contact passengertransport@swindon.gov.uk