Guildford Shuttle

Infobox Bus transit
name = Guildford Shuttle

logo_size =


image_size =
image_caption =
founded = 2000
service_type = Free shuttle
stops = Train station, Castle, North Street, Bus station.
ridership = 60 000 per year
fuel_type =
operator = Safeguard Coaches
leader = Guildford Borough Council

The Guildford Shuttle was a free town centre shuttle bus which linked various parts of the centre of Guildford, Surrey. Introduced in September 2000, it was withdrawn from August 30 2008. [ [http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2034951_decision_to_scrap_shuttle_bus_confirmed_ Surrey Advertiser - "Decision to scrap shuttle bus confirmed"] Accessed September 20 2008.]

History

Introduction

The service was originally introduced following a feasibility report by Guildford Borough Council to the policy and resources committee in October 1999. The initial aim of the service was to provide an extension of the recently introduced at the time Artington park and ride service, by linking up the railway station, the bus station and Guildford town centre and High Street. As ideas developed the service was also thought to help businesses around Milkhouse Gate and Bakers Yard, who were at the time claiming loss of trade due to Castle car park scheme. [ [http://www.guildford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/58B159D4-B055-44FE-803D-890EDFB29D6D/0/Item04IAnnexI.pdf Guildford Borough Council report - Review of the Guildford Shuttle bus service] Accessed September 20 2008.] The service began operation in September 2000.

Lifespan

Originally running as a six month trial scheme, the contract was tendered annually until 2004, when a three year agreement was reached, starting in 2005. Throughout the service's life, the route has been run by local bus company Safeguard Coaches. The route ran all day at a 20-minute frequency.

At first, a Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer Mini Pointer Dart was acquired for Safeguard to use, but the council wanted to use an Optare Alero, one of which arrived slightly delayed later. However, this proved too small and so another Mini Pointer Dart was acquired. The length of vehicles able to run on the route has always been restricted due to a sharp left hand turn from Quary Street into Castle Street.

Withdrawal

In July 2008, the council announced that it intended to withdraw the service, claiming that it was costing too much to operate and not enough people were using the service. This was met with fierce opposition by users, the local Liberal Democrats challenging the decision. [ [http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2032511_lib_dems_challenge_shuttle_bus_decision Surrey Advertiser - "Lib Dems challenge shuttle bus decision"] Accessed September 20 2008.] Campaigners tried to keep the service running, one 91-year old man staying on the bus for a whole day non-stop while it travelled the route and surveying users of the service. [ [http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2033743_91yearold_on_mission_to_save_shuttle_bus Surrey Advertiser - "91-year-old on mission to save shuttle bus"] Accessed September 20 2008.] .

A decision to replace the service with an advanced booking "dial-a-ride" service were met with resistance, users claiming it was "inflexible" and that "people don’t know days in advance when they will want to go somewhere and when they want to be picked up." [ [http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2034951_decision_to_scrap_shuttle_bus_confirmed_ Surrey Advertiser - "Decision to scrap shuttle bus confirmed"] Accessed September 20 2008.] Campaigners also reject the idea that there are commercial bus services that provide a replacement. General acceptance is that the commercial bus network in the town is good, but around half of the route is on roads unserved by other buses. One councillor said that operating the service may be illegal if commercial services are available.

Some success for the campaigners was for the council’s environment and housing scrutiny committee to ask the executive to rethink the decision to end the service. [ [http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2034820_battle_to_save_shuttle_bus_ Surrey Advertiser - "Battle to save shuttle bus"] Accessed September 20 2008.] However, in a further step Safeguard said that they were now "unwilling" to operate the service.

The service ended on August 30 2008 as planned. Since then, there have been further campaigns to reintroduce the service. One report appeared in the local paper comparing the shuttle and the route of commercial bus services, further criticising the council's view that existing replacements operate. Examples given were the fact that users have to go to the back of the railway station, a long way out and not wheelchair accessible. Also, the most similar commercial bus route, Arriva Guildford & West Surrey's number 36, serves into the bus station on its way up the hill in Guildford, as a result continuing around a one way street and emerging half way up North Street. This contrasts with the shuttle, which ran to the Lower High street. Currently, no bus services stop here anymore. [ [http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2035761_wheels_fall_off_alternatives_to_shuttle_bus Surrey Advertiser - "Wheels fall off alternative to shuttle bus"] Accessed September 20 2008.]

The town's local newspaper, the Surrey Advertiser, and lead a campaign, entitled "Bring back our bus", thoughts the protests. In one edition a whole page was dedicated to letter on the subject.

At the end of September 2008 Guildford's most senior politician, MP Anne Milton, backed the newspaper's campaign, saying that she had asked the council to "consider its decision" and that the bus "is more important with the post office having moved further up the street". Joining her calls, Liberal Democrat MP Sue Doughty said the replacements proposed are "quite inappropriate", "poorly thought through", and that the bus was "essential". [ [http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2036159_mp_backs_shuttle_bus_campaign Surrey Advertiser - "MP backs shuttle bus campaign"] Accessed October 10 2008.]

The beginning of October 2008 brought a new development. A group of residents applied to get a petition launched on Gordon Brown’s personal website, bringing the debate to Downing Street. [http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2036602_guildford_shuttle_bus_battle_reaches_downing_street Surrey Advertiser - "Guildford Shuttle bus battle reaches Downing Street"] Accessed October 3 2008.]

Route

The shuttle ran in a mainly anti-clockwise circular service around Guildford town centre, although ran in a figure of eight to get to the railway station due to the town's one-way system. The service started at 0915 (0835 on Saturdays) and ran every 20 minutes throughout the day until 1654 (finishing at 1714 on Saturdays).

*Railway station "front entrance"
*Lower High Street "White Lion Walk"
*Castle
*Sydenham Road "Milkhouse Gate"
*"'Sydenham Road "Bakers Yard"
*Epsom Road "High Street"
*Upper High Street "near Grammar School"
*North Street "Library"
*Lower North Street "Marks & Spencer"
*Friary bus station "Stand A"
*Railway station "front entrance"

ee also

*Safeguard Coaches
*List of bus operators of the United Kingdom

References

External links

* [http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspublications.nsf/f2d920e015d1183d80256c670041a50b/15b95d1f381a78038025729f003bb468/$FILE/Guildford_Shuttle.pdf Surrey County Council timetable for the service]