The Best Guide for the Neston Area

Neston Connect - a Brand New Local Bus Service

'Use it or lose it' is a cliché, but maybe it's worth saying.

Driver Fred Hall and the new Neston Connect bus

A new bus started this week. It's called Neston Local, or 23, and is driven by Fred Hall, who's a helpful and friendly sort of chap.

The service is 'Hail and Ride' - Just signal for it to stop anywhere on the route.

I caught the first bus from Ladies Walk on Monday morning. In Brook Street a group of ladies took timetables, but didn't want to go where Fred was going. Down Parkgate Road, up Earle Drive, and round the Priory we went. The Priory was blocked by cars parked on both sides of the road, but it didn't take long for their owners to move them. We returned to Ladies Walk, then down Raby Road, and up Raby Park Road.

Still the only passenger, but accompanied by a man from Cheshire West and Chester Council, and a man from GHA Coaches, we negotiated the humps on Breezehill Road and Bushell Road. We toured round Bendee Road, and Bendee Avenue, down Lees Lane, up Stonebank Drive, down Woodfall Lane, and past the Little Neston shops in Town Lane. Still with no other passengers, Fred took me down Badger Bait and along Burton Road, through Ness to Ness Gardens, where I got off to enjoy the sun, while Fred drove to Burton. In Ness Gardens I met two ladies who had just driven from places in Neston where Fred had been, so maybe next week they'll come for their language class on the bus.

The timetable (see below) is a bit complicated. Sometimes Fred turns round in Badger Bait, Little Neston and back to Neston, instead of going to Burton. (I suggested he might turn round at Little Neston Green, so that passengers could get on and off at the Royal Oak bus shelter, but the man from GHA Coaches didn't think that would work: if you want to get on in Town Lane, wait opposite the Post Office, even though there's no bus stop.) Fred runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The bus is due to run for six months, to see how much demand there is. So - use it or lose it!

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Comments

Old Timer

At 16:01 on 20th June 2012, Old Timer commented:

Pleased to see the new bus service but very few people seem to know that it's operating now. I would like to point out an error in the timetable published on this site. The service operates only on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday in both directions. Not as indicated . The times appear correct but it is NOT a Mon. to Sat service as shown. The route shown in the official printed timetable which I obtained from our library, states that the service operates via Stone Park Drive which to the best of my Knowledge does not exist so I presume it means Stonebank Drive. On this point I would suggest the Rock Farm estate would be better served by using Rock Farm Drive leading to Gorstons Lane and then onto Woodfall Lane.

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Old Timer

At 16:06 on 20th June 2012, Old Timer commented:

OOps sorry added to the confusion now. Would like to correct the previous comment The new service operates on a MONDAY ,WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY ONLY in both directions. Apologies. Oldtimer

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Old Timer

At 16:09 on 20th June 2012, Old Timer commented:

Please remember this is a HAIL to ride service as there are no existing bus stops on part of the route.

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Cathy21

At 17:08 on 7th March 2013, Cathy21 commented:

I was hoping to use this service tomorrow 8th March but can't work out what time it will be going along Rock Farm Drive. Also it seems the service will stop after 8th March. I don't think its been publicised enough.

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Cathy21

At 17:09 on 7th March 2013, Cathy21 commented:

Sorry have just worked out the time!

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Cathy21

At 11:32 on 8th March 2013, Cathy21 commented:

I waited in Rock Farm Drive from 10 until 10:30 on 8th March with 6 other people and the little bus never arrived.

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Katie Robson

At 07:31 on 9th March 2013, Katie Robson responded:

Cathy, Cllr Gittins has written a blog about the buses in response to your comment. Copy this link into your browser:
http://bit.ly/X6B23V

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