New community transport services to better connect Mid Suffolk
The new services have been funded by Mid Suffolk District Council’s Rural Transport Grants Scheme, after £820,000 was ringfenced for rural transport provision as part of the council’s 2022/23 budget.
The two new services will provide community transport options for residents wanting to travel to and from Stowmarket from surrounding villages, and also connect communities in Debenham, Eye and beyond.
From 1 November, Mid Suffolk Taxi Bus operated by Swift Taxi Cabs will provide transport services across central and south Mid Suffolk.
Initially, they will have two routes available - Stowmarket Circular via Thurston and Stowmarket Circular via Bacton. These routes have been chosen with the areas having been identified as having the greatest immediate need – such as lack of current provision.
Journeys will be free on 1 November to mark the launch. They will then cost a flat rate of £6, with customers able to book and pay online in advance or pay in cash onboard.
A further five routes will then be added over the coming year – with the introduction of the Stowmarket Circular via Debenham, the Debenham Circular via Eye, and the Stowmarket Circular via Wattisham Airfield, with more expected to be added at a later stage.
Details are and will become available as routes emerge via the Mid Suffolk Taxi Bus website.
The service also offers opportunities for promotional partnerships with local businesses, including onboard digital advertisements.
From 4 November, the Rural Connect community bus service operated by Communities Together East Anglia will provide transport services across north Mid Suffolk.
This will operate as ‘demand responsive’ with a pre-bookable door-to-door service. Scheduled routes may be developed at a later stage if there is shown to be demand.
It will cover three geographical areas: Eye and Diss, Eye and Debenham, and Stowmarket - connecting people living in outlying villages with local towns and beyond. It will use a fully electric vehicle as part of the fleet.
Bookings can be made via phone or email up to two weeks in advance, or via card payment on board. Journeys will cost:
• 1 to 4 miles - £ 3.00
• 5 to 7 miles - £ 4.50
• 8 to 10 miles - £ 6.50
• 11 to 13 miles - £8.00
• 14 to 16 miles - £10.00
• 17 to 20 miles - £ 12.00
Strategic stops at rail stations, colleges, as well as employment and leisure hubs, are designed to support commuting residents of all ages.
Both operators will have the flexibility for cross-over where occasionally needed.
The aim of Mid Suffolk District Council’s Rural Transport Grants Scheme is to increase the number of alternatives to solo car journeys. This will, in turn, help lower emissions and improve air quality in line with the council’s and the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership’s net zero emissions targets.
Each service is trialling a different mode of community transport to test user demand and long-term viability.
In bringing forward these new provisions, the council has, and will continue, to closely monitor other related projects across the county and beyond. They include local taxi-bus pilots, a number of Government grant schemes, and existing community transport provision, such as Suffolk County Council’s ‘Connecting Communities’.
The Mid Suffolk Taxi Bus and Rural Connect are designed to be complimentary to these existing services.
“It’s very exciting we’re now ready to launch these new community transport services funded through our Rural Transport Grants Scheme – and it’s great to see operators innovatively rising to the challenges that rural transport inevitably brings.
“The aim is to ensure our rural communities are better connected with key services and locations.
“The transport services are there to be used by all ages. Whether you’re commuting to college, work, or meeting a friend for a drink or dinner, please do take a look at the routes and work out where you may be able to swap out a car journey or more.”
“We’re excited to deliver a fresh new concept in community transport services to the residents of Mid Suffolk.
“Delivering community transport services will always present challenges, but we’re ready, ambitious, and up to the challenge, to ensure residents can connect with the people and places that matter to them. Simply put we are more than just a transport operator; we are a community on wheels, connecting people from all walks of life.
“So, I would encourage residents across Mid Suffolk to head to our Mid Suffolk Taxi Bus website for more details of the routes and new services.”
“Thanks to funding from Mid Suffolk District Council, we can now bring a new community transport provision to the north of Mid Suffolk.
“Having easy and accessible transport options – no matter your age – is vital for our social connections.
“This is a service designed for all ages – whether you’re commuting to work, going to school or popping into town – we’re ready to take you, so you can reduce your solo car trips – even if a few times a month.”
