Yellow Buses will be in the pink – as well green, blue, purple and several other colours –as it launches a revised network this weekend.
The bus company keeps its iconic yellow but is bringing in a distinctive colour coded fleet with bespoke branding for its various routes. It is also returning to simple route numbers with suffixes.
Other changes from Sunday include:
- Timetables based on realistic running times using real-time data.
- Restoration of through buses from Poole to Christchurch.
- More buses from Bournemouth to Christchurch with up to 18 journeys per hour on weekdays (Route 1).
- Through services from Castlepoint to Poole (Route 3).
- Increase in services from Bournemouth to Kinson (Route 5).
The revised network follows a major public consultation involving 1,200 street surveys, focus groups and other passenger feedback mechanisms.
David Squire, Managing Director, said: “The changes we are making will ensure a simple to understand, high frequency network that is both punctual and reliable at an affordable price.
“Everything is in place for Sunday’s launch of our revised network. It has been a tremendous team effort and I think our 15 million passengers will notice a positive difference in our services from April 8.”
Apart from repainting and rebranding the bus fleet, timetables and information have been updated at more than 1,000 bus stops.
Yellow Buses operates a fleet of 140 buses and 16 coaches with more than 410 staff.
The company carries just under 15m passengers a year with its vehicles operating nearly five million miles across the Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and East Dorset area.
Last month Yellow Buses was named as the top operator in Bournemouth and Poole – and joint third nationally – in the latest annual Bus Passenger Survey, produced by the independent watchdog Transport Focus.
Timetables for the revised network can be found on Yellow Buses’ website at www.yellowbuses.co.uk
They are also available at the Travel Shop, local libraries and Yellow Buses’ head office at Yeomans Way, Bournemouth.