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The Future shape of local bus services in Plymouth

Plymouth City Bus have issued the below consultation. Please take part if you can.

'During 2010 and 2011 Plymouth Citybus will be initiating a number of alterations to its Local Bus Network with the goal to making the whole network simpler, more direct, and much easier to understand.

Your views are very important to us.

If you have any views, suggestions or ideas for the future please could they be sent to:

By post:	Peter Oliver, Commercial Manager Plymouth Citybus 1 Milehouse Road Plymouth Devon PL3 - 4AA
By Hand:	Our City Centre Travel Shop on Exeter Street above the Bus Station Letter to be marked for the attn of Peter Oliver
By email:	peter.oliver@plymouthbus.co.uk
On the web:	www.plymouthbus.co.uk through our contact us page.

We will not be able to reply to every correspondence but each idea and suggestion will be considered as we plan the future shape of your local bus network for the future.

Plymouth Citybus welcomes your views at all times, however we hope to be able to implement the first of our changes mid June 2010. Therefore any views received before the 12th March 2010 could have considerable input into how the next service change takes shape.'

Follow Plymouth Citybus on Twitter

Twitter is not just for a bit of fun, Plymouth Citybus aims to keep the site up to date with road closures and any other sudden operational difficulties that may affect us, accidents etc.

With the recent bad weather Twitter has already proved very successful in getting out/back information on traffic problems and what we are doing about it.

Of course it will be also a great place to find out about changes to bus services and to provide feedback to us on our operations.

You can now follow Plymouth Citybus on Twitter & Facebook!

Become a fan of Plymouth Citybus on Facebook

Join our Twitter friends.

With Twitter it is also possible to receive SMS text every time we tweet something onto the site. (Please check Twitter web site for details and costs) It is not our intention to use Twitter for marketing, only for service information and day to day operational issues.

Just follow the links from the Company web site www.plymouthcitybus.co.uk

Councillors give the 'Go-Ahead' to sell CityBus

For details see http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/newsreleases?newsid=212630

Plymouth City Bus Prices (from 5 Nov)

Please click here to view the new Plymouth City Bus prices

Joining the movement

Phil Curtis who works at Orange tells his story of his cycle ride to work, and how he saves on motoring costs

'Up until about eighteen months ago I don’t think I had ridden a bike for a least twenty years, although I’d often thought perhaps I should do something to get a bit fitter. Like many of us today, I spend most of my working day behind a desk, in my case working for Orange, at Langage Business Park. Living only about three miles away I didn’t want to be tied to driving to work everyday, I’d already tried walking which seemed to add another hour onto the working day. Seeing the Cycle2Work scheme advertised on the intranet at work and after making a few enquiries, I decided to invest in a new mountain bike.

I have to admit the first few rides were a bit painful; rediscovering muscles not used for quite a while, but “biking it” has now become part of my daily routine. After the first couple of weeks, muscles began to loosen up and my fitness levels started to improve. Although part of my journey to work is on roads with no dedicated cycle routes, my confidence cycling amongst traffic soon grew. Road network improvements at Langage and the addition of cycle ways around Deep Lane junction, Sandy Road and beyond, plus the ongoing development of off road cycle routes running through Plympton has also helped tremendously, and continues to improve safety for cyclists around the area, especially at busier times. If I’m not in too much of a rush after work, I take a longer route home through Chaddlewood, Glen Road, across to Saltram Estate before heading back via Plymstock. Much of the ride is off road and a really good way of de-stressing after a busy day!

I now insure my car through a pay as you drive scheme, working out far cheaper than conventional car insurance. Parking at work is never a problem, with ample undercover spaces available for bikes. Buying a bike through the Cycle2Work scheme is not only restricted to use for commuting too and from work. For me, cycling has also developed into a hobby, in my spare time I now range further afield, either using the National Cycle Network routes around Plymouth or on quieter Devon lanes into the South Hams or towards Tavistock and the moors. “Biking it” is saving me money, helping to get fit and given me a new interest - overall not a bad investment!'

Interested? - then look at the cycling page for information on local cycle routes and maps

The Cycling page contains more information on Sustrans.

Plymouth Citybus service changes commence from the 25th October 2009

Summary of the changes:

New Service 5 and 5A for Plymstock (includes evening services)
Increased frequency for the Service 43 (Ernesettle to City Centre)
Increased frequency for the Service 26 with new evening and Sunday Services (Saltash to City Centre via Devonport)
Change of route on the Service 34 (Service withdrawn from Mutton Cove and is instead to operate to Torpoint Ferry)
Change in route and frequency of the Service 25 (Reduced in frequency but extended to Drake Circus and Mayflower Street)
Service 52 to be withdrawn. (Plympton to Derriford Hospital). This route currently serves Langage

Click here for full details

Langage is now connected into the Plymouth cycle network-but what about the hills?

Maps showing recent extensions are can be seen on the Cycling to Langage page. This also includes a map showing the cycle route from Ivybridge.

But what about the hills? More and more people are acquiring electric bikes, which make a big difference in tackling hills. You might be wondering how much this would cost and what type of range you could expect. Click here to answer you questions on this.

How to find out about Plymouth Citybus Services to Langage

Just click on the Plymouth Citybus icon on the left to view current timetables and fares. Plymouth Citybus have published a new clear underground style bus map covering the City. You can see this on the Travelling to Langage by Bus page.

Changes to Bus Services 5th July

Changes come into effect on 5th July.

For Plymouth City Bus services & timetables please visit: www.plymouthbus.co.uk/citybusservices.asp or contact Passenger Information Line on 0845 077 2223

For Target Travel services please visit www.targettravel.co.uk. Some of these services are shown on the 'Travelling to Langage by Bus' section of this website.

Plymouth Citybus take steps to improve bus reliability

Plymouth Citybus are making slight amendments to routes to Langage from 23 November 2008. Services will be by-passing the congestion hotspot at Drake Circus junction and this is expected to result in improved reliability. There are no changes to the arrival and departure times on services to Langage. The routes are shown in full on the ‘Travelling to Langage By Bus’ section of this website.

For latest news on Plymouth Citybus services see:
http://www.plymouthcitybus.co.uk/citybusservices.asp

Langage Links Launch 22 September


	(Click to enlarge)	Car Sharing	(Click to enlarge)


Cycling to Work	(Click to enlarge)	Giving Travel Advice	(Click to enlarge)

Pre-9am Return Tickets

Plymouth City Bus introduced pre-9am return tickets on 22 September. Sample fares to Langage are set out below:

Langage Links

What is Langagelinks?

A plan to enable employers, the Local Authorities and the Highways Agency to come together to improve travel options and information to staff and visitors to Langage Business Park.

Why is it happening?

To support the growth of businesses in the light of proposed expansion in housing and employment in the area including over 100 hectare expansion of Langage employment site
To help improve transport efficiency and reduce the traffic pressure on the A38 from local journeys
To help manage demand for parking in the area
To help improve the environmental performance of companies particularly in relation to carbon emissions
To enable staff without access to a car to be able to access Langage, thereby widening the job force pool
To promote the benefits of ‘active travel’ as part of the heathly workplace
To enable employers and the Local authorities to work together to achieve a collective benefit and reduce business costs

What is happening now?

A steering group has been formed-and new companies are invited to join
Travel surveys have been carried out and a travel plan has been written. Please email Michael Ginger for a copy
A Langage travel plan website has been created and will be updated
An event is planned for 22 September which will include a commuter challenge and travel information for staff. Companies are being invited to field teams (this can be used to raise cash for charity)

What does this mean for you?

E.g Support from local authorities to promote suitable travel
Cycling: Fit-to-Ride Guide, cycle maps
Walking: Maps and forum to put forward request for new infrastructure
Public Transport: Green Travel Pass (see below); timetables; real time passenger information
Forum for OPCOs to attend to hear ideas for route amendments

Who is involved?

Companies include Orange, 118 118, Tecalemit, Target Travel and Kiddi Caru Nurseries
South Hams Council, Devon County Council, Plymouth City Council and the Highways Agency

What else is in the Travel Plan?

A range of short, medium and longer term measures aimed at widening travel choice
Adoption of targets based on small changes adding up to improve the overall travel situation

Did you know…

The travel plan has analysed travel data from 1200 staff at Langage. This showed a potential to reduce the number of people driving to work by 21%
Individuals' travelling to work by car has risen from 57% in 1985/86 to 70% in 1995/97.
More than 80% cars used for commuting or business have just one person in them.
¼ of all car journeys are less than 2 miles long and over half are less than 5 miles long.
Commuter and business travel constitute nearly 40% of miles driven by car.

Why Langage Business Park?

The growth agenda for Plymouth is high with aspirations from the Government's 'New Growth Points' for Plymouth to increase its population from the present level of just under 250,000 to 300,000 or more by 2026. If this new growth is not managed in a sustainable way through appropriate infrastructure and public transport investment, the impact of such development will have detrimental effects on Plymouth's congestion, in particular to the A38 to the east of Plymouth.

Langage Business Park is at the forefront of the new development initiative, with the surrounding area being expanded to include the new Sherford community, consisting of 5,500 dwellings by 2016 accommodating an estimated 10,000 people and a new energy centre currently under construction.

With no sustainable travel initiatives and measures in place to deal with such increased demand, the effects of congestion will have detrimental effects to the operation of your business, social life and the environment through unreliable journey times, poor air quality and increased costs to businesses.

Why a Travel Plan?

A successful travel plan encourages the use of more sustainable modes of travel, creating viable alternatives to the single occupancy car. Many measures do not necessarily need a huge budget, but can have a massive impact on the mode of travel people choose to use. A successful travel plan will enable your company to continue to operate efficiently and continue to expand.