Green Line routes 700, 701 and 702

Infobox Green Line coaches route
number=700, 701 and 702


operator=First Berkshire & The Thames Valley
garage=Bracknell
vehicle=Scania K114IB/Irizar Century
Volvo B7R/Plaxton Profile
pvr=7
start=Bracknell
via=Windsor
Slough
end=London
length=30 miles (48 km)
level=Daily
frequency=Hourly with extra peak journeys
time=1 hour 40-50 minutes
day=07:15 to 22:53
night=No night service

Green Line routes 700, 701 and 702 are limited-stop express coach services, currently operated by First Berkshire & The Thames Valley as part of the large Green Line Coaches network. It operates between Bracknell and London.

History

Green Line routes 700, 701 and 702 are one of only two sets of Green Line routes not to be operated by Arriva Shires & Essex. Arriva own the Green Line name, and as such use of the brand name by First is under agreement to them.

In May 1982, the Berkshire Buckinghamshire Bus Company started a Green Line service with Alder Valley. To bring together all of the Berks Bucks Bus Company which terminated at London Victoria into one depot, route 702 was extended into Bracknell, previously only having run as far as Legoland Windsor. [ [http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/busworld/beeline/timeline.html Busworld - “The BeeLine timeline”] Accessed 21 May 2008]

To begin with, Volvo/Jonckheere coaches were transferred from Slough for the services. Armchairs’s London commuter routes C1 and C2 became Green Line route 701, with the existing Slough to London Green Line route 701 passing to Armchair. [ [http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/busworld/beeline/londonlink/702firstsunday.html Busworld - “GreenLine 702 comes to Bracknell”] Accessed 21 May 2008]

The route was operated by a fleet of Scania N113CRB/Berkhof Excellence 1000 coaches, displaced from the Reading RailAir service. In 2001 and 2002, a number of Plaxton Premiere and Expressliner were used on the service, but these were soon moved away.

The services introduced the "Rainbow Fares" scheme in 2004, which enables passengers to choose the cheapest fares if they don't need to travel at a particular time.

In 2005, some Volvo B7R/Plaxton Profile were moved from First Cymru to operate the service. The run in standard First livery with Green Line stickers. After three new vehicles were put on the Reading RailAir service, three of the existing Scania K114IB/Irizar Century were painted into and are now used on the Green Line livery. [ [http://www.buszone.co.uk/FBeeline.html Bus Zone - First Berkshire] Accessed 28 April 2008]

In April 2008, one of the Plaxton Profiles used on the route was repainted into a traditional version of the Green Line livery.

Three Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini double deckers were ordered for the service at around the same time, and are due to enter service in autumn 2008.

Current route

Route 700 runs between Windsor and London only, and route 701 at peak times the whole route plus some Bracknell housing estates. Route 702 is the standard service, running the whole route at a basic hourly frequency. [ [http://www.rainbowfares.com/timetables/index.htm First Berkshire & The Thames Valley - 700, 701, 702 timetable] Accessed 28 April 2008]

Route departing Bracknell

*Bracknell "Bus Station"
**Great Hollands "Square" †
**Birch Hill, "Ringmead" †
**Birch Hill, " Heronade" †
**Sports Centre, "Bagshot Road" †
**Harman's Water, "Shops" †
**Bullbrook, "Broad Lane" †
*Ascot, "Heatherwood Hospital"
*Legoland "Main Entrance" ‡
*Legoland "Staff Entrance"
*Windsor Hospital, "St Leonards Road"
*Windsor, " opposite Parish Church"
*Chalvey, "McDonald's"
*Slough, "outside bus station"
*Langley, "London Road, High Street"
*M4 motorway
*Hammersmith
*Kensington High Street
*Hyde Park Corner
*London Victoria, "Buckingham Palace Road"

Route departing London

*London Victoria, "Green Line coach station, Colonnades stop 1"
*Hyde Park Corner
*Kensington High Street
*Hammersmith
*M4 motorway
* Langley , "London Road, High Street"
*Slough, "Bus station, bay 8"
*Chalvey, "McDonald's"
*Windsor, " opposite Parish Church"
*Windsor Hospital, "St Leonards Road"
*Legoland "Staff Entrance"
*Legoland "Main Entrance" ‡
*Ascot, "Heatherwood Hospital"
**Bullbrook, "Broad Lane" †
**Harman's Water, "Shops" †
**Sports Centre, "Bagshot Road" †
**Birch Hill, " Heronade" †
**Birch Hill, "Ringmead" †
**Great Hollands "Square" †
*Bracknell "Bus Station"

;Notes:
* † - Route 701 only
* ‡ - Only when the park is open

Fares

There are a number off different fares used on the service. These vary from the standard bus-like singles and day returns to season tickets. The service is most notable for the use a the "Rainbow Fares" scheme, which was introduced in 2004. This encourages passengers to travel on the less popular journeys, as they are priced the cheapest. In theory, if a passenger doesn't mind what time they travel at, a single journey will cost £1.

Ordinary bus fares are also available between Bracknell and Langley.

Rainbow Fares

Towards London

;Singles:

;Returns:

As part of the Rainbow Fares scheme, in some instances it is cheaper to buy two single tickets than a return, which is why returns aren't available on some journeys. Passengers with "orange" return tickets can use then on any First bus in the Berkshire area.

Children aged 5-15 can get half the adult fare, and students with ID are entitled to the child fare. Senior citizens with free travel passes can use them between Bracknell and Langley, and any pensioner can get a half fare on all of the route.

eason tickets

Unlike standard bus services, routes 700, 701 and 702 offer season tickets. These can also be used most other First Berkshire & The Thames Valley buses. Tickets have to be purchased by calling the company, but weekly tickets are available from the driver.

References

External links

* [http://www.greenline.co.uk/ Green Line Coaches website]
* [http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/southeast/berkshirethames/home/ First Berkshire & The Thames Valley website]
* [http://www.rainbowfares.com/ Green Line 700, 701 and 702 website]
* [http://www.rainbowfares.com/timetables/index.htm Full timetable - First Berkshire & The Thames Valley]
* [http://www.busmap.org/tt4/701.pdf Full timetable - Transport for London]