We have recently developed our ideas for the Wantage community bus route which aims to access as many residential areas of the town as are practicable and connect them with the major town facilities. Our proposed route is presented in the map that can be viewed below and consists of two interconnected parts known as Route 1 – East Loop and Route 2 – West Loop. Together these form a figure-of-eight with a common section serving the Mably Way Health Centre, Sainsbury’s, The Market Place and The Community Hospital.
Route 1 – The East Loop starts from the Market Place and proceeds via the Community Hospital to Charlton, then to Kingsgrove via the bus gate. From Kingsgrove the minibus uses King Alfred Way to reach the Health Centre, then returns via Sainsbury’s to the Market Place.
Route 2 – The West Loop starts from the Market Place serves the Community Hospital and the Springfield Road area before travelling via Ormond Road and Portway to Ham Road. The minibus serves Naldertown and Stockham and Whittington Crescent en route to the Health Centre, then returns via Sainsbury’s to the Market Place. Each route will take approximately 30 minutes and after returning to the Market Place the minibus will switch between the two routes. It is proposed that the bus will offer an hourly service from Wednesday to Saturday between 9am and 5pm approximately. We hope to arrange for the service to be visible on travel Apps such as the Oxford Bus App. The minibus will use existing bus stops where these are available, and other sections will operate as Hail-and-Ride with preferred boarding points advertised. County Council older persons bus passes will be accepted as will debit/credit cards. We have yet to purchase a minibus, but we intend this to be wheelchair friendly. If you have any comments on our proposal or wish to offer help in any way, please contact the Deputy-Mayor Councillor Iain Cameron at Iain.cameron@wantagetowncouncil.gov.uk
