Green Line route 724

Infobox Green Line coaches route
number=724 (including 725 and 726)


operator=Arriva Shires & Essex
garage= Harlow and Ware
vehicle=Mercedes-Benz Citaro
pvr=7
start=Harlow
via=Hertford
St Albans
Uxbridge
end=Heathrow Airport
length= 92 miles (57km)
level= Daily
frequency=Every 60 minutes, 120 on Sundays
time=2 hours 12 mins - 3h 36m
Varies with time of day
day=03:35 until 00:39
night=No night service

Green Line route 724 is a high-profile limited-stop express bus service, currently operated by Arriva Shires & Essex as part of the large Green Line Coaches network. It operates between Harlow and Heathrow Airport, and is partly funded by the British Airports Authority (BAA). It is the only Green Line service to be operated by buses rather than coaches.

History

Route 724 was started in 1966, on a similar route to the current day service.

In 1998, a fleet of nine DAF SB220/Plaxton Prestige were purchased, with extra luggage space built in. These were some of the first low floor wheelchair accessible buses to operate in the United Kingdom.

These were replaced in August 2006 with a fleet of nine new Mercedes-Benz Citaro, an investment of £1.3 million. These were the result of a Quality Bus Partnership between Arriva, BAA and Hertfordshire County Council. These buses seat 39 and also have extra luggage racking. The previous DAFs were refurbished and cascaded around Arriva Shires and Essex, some now branded for route 500 (Watford - Aylesbury). [ [http://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/130806.htm Oxford & Chiltern bus page, 13 August 2006 - "Heathrow to Harlow - Green Line 2006 style"] ]

The most recent development of the route reflects the opening of Heathrow Airport's new Terminal 5 in March 2008. Service 724 will run via Terminal 5 between the Central Bus Station and Terminal 4. [ [http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/__80256E4D002F7E0E.nsf/vWeb/wpDOMR7CQKNQ?Open&show=current&region=Shires%20and%20Essex&town=Heathrow%20Airport Arriva - "Green Line 724 to serve Heathrow Terminal 5."] ]

From 19 May, the service was withdrawn from Heathrow Terminal 4, with another new timetable introduced. Short workings on other parts of the route became numbers 725 and 726.

Current route

This is the route from 25 March 2008, when terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport opened. The service also diverted in St Albans. [ [http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/__80256E280053B5B6.nsf/vWeb/wpDOMR7CTCZ9?Open&show=current&region=Shires%20and%20Essex&town=Heathrow%20Airport Arriva - Service 724] ]

Route departing Harlow

* Harlow "Bus station"
* Ware "College"
* Hertford "Bus station"
* Hertford North railway station
* Panshanger "Herns Way"
* Welwyn Garden City "Bus station"
* QEII Hospital
* Hatfield railway station
* Hatfield "Town Centre"
* St Albans railway station
* St Albans "London Road"
* Garston "Garage"
* Watford Junction railway station
* Watford "Town Hall"
* Rickmansworth railway station
* Maple Cross "The Cross pub"
*Denham railway station
*Uxbridge "Belmont Road"
*Heathrow Airport "Central Bus station"
*Heathrow Airport "Terminal 5"

Route departing Heathrow

*Heathrow Airport "Terminal 5"
*Heathrow Airport "Central Bus station"
*Uxbridge "Belmont Road"
*Denham railway station
*Maple Cross "The Cross pub"
*Rickmansworth railway station
*Watford "Clarendon Road"
*Garston "Garage"
*St Albans "London Road"
*St Albans railway station
*Hatfield "Town Centre"
*Hatfield railway station
*QEII Hospital
*Welwyn Garden City "Bus station"
*Panshanger "Herns Way"
*Hertford North railway station
*Hertford "Bus station"
*Ware "College"
*Harlow "Bus station"

* No longer serves Terminal 4 from 19th May 2008.

See also

*Green Line Coaches
*Arriva Shires & Essex
*Arriva

References

External links

* [http://www.greenline.co.uk/ Green Line Coaches website]
* [http://www.greenline.co.uk/__80256E2700397232.nsf/vWeb/wpNPOK6CJEJ4?OpenDocument Green Line - Route 724]
* [http://www.arrivabus.co.uk Arriva Shires & Essex website]
* [http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/__80256E280053B5B6.nsf/vWeb/wpDOMR7CTCZ9?Open&show=current&region=Shires%20and%20Essex&town=Heathrow%20Airport Full timetable - Arriva]
* [http://www.busmap.org/tt4/724.pdf Full timetable - Transport for London]