Changes are being made to the connectVILLAGES bus service in the north of the Island, which will see the reintroduction of some scheduled services to Jurby.
The move follows feedback from passengers and consultation with the community through local MHKs.
From Monday 4 November, minibuses will leave Jurby Bretney at 9.25am, 11.25am and 12.25pm, Jurby Threshold at 9.30am, 11.30am and 12.30pm and reach Ramsey at 10am, midday and 1pm. The service will leave Ramsey bus station for Jurby at 9am, 11am and midday. All passengers waiting at the stops at these times will be collected and pre-booking will not be necessary.
The services will continue to be flexible and passengers can be collected from their homes along the way by contacting the team on +44 1624 697440 or visiting www.bus.im/connect
Standard fares will apply for the services, which will run Monday to Saturday, in addition to existing scheduled services arriving at the Jurby Threshold shelter at 6.55am, 8.15am, 9.02am, 2.52pm, 4.12pm, 4.27pm, 5.27pm, 6.22pm, 7.04pm, 9.02pm and 10.54pm Monday to Friday, and at 6.55am, 8.02am, 2.02pm, 5.27pm, 9.02pm and 10.54pm each Saturday. Sunday services will remain unchanged.
Jason Moorhouse, Member of the Department of Infrastructure with responsibility for Public Transport, said:
‘The connectVILLAGES on-demand service was launched in November last year, and has proved popular with many by providing flexibility door-to-door and the opportunity for greater social inclusion.
‘The need for some fixed scheduled services has been identified, however, and bus vannin has created the new timetable by looking at demand through booking patterns. These new flexi-services will not follow a fixed route, but customers will be able to rely on minibuses leaving Ramsey bus station, and the Bretney and Threshold stops in Jurby, at certain times.’
He added:
‘These changes are designed to complement the on-demand foundation of connectVILLAGES, and people can still ask to be picked up along the way.’
Bookings for connectVILLAGES can be made online at www.bus.im/connect or by calling +44 1624 697440 between 8.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Journeys can be booked up to 21 days in advance or until 4pm on the day prior to departure.
