Free Town and City Buses

[61653 HTAFC]

Inspired by this quote:

Councils balance the books in different ways

For example the free bus was axed Bradford, converted to a paid for bus in Leeds, there was never one introduced in Halifax, but a free bus remains in Huddersfield and also in Dewsbury of all places.

In this thread:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/coach-station-but-no-bus-station.169082/

Which towns and cities have free bus services operating? Some are expected (Manchester which I think has 3) whilst some are surprising (Dewsbury which is a ghost town, and Huddersfield which doesn't really need one), and there are a few places which ought to have one or have lost one due to cuts (Sheffield for example).

So, which places have such services and which ones could do with one?

 

[ag51ruk]

Nottingham has Centrelink, which is free in the city centre

 

[Alexbus12]

Inspired by this quote:

In this thread:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/coach-station-but-no-bus-station.169082/

Which towns and cities have free bus services operating? Some are expected (Manchester which I think has 3) whilst some are surprising (Dewsbury which is a ghost town, and Huddersfield which doesn't really need one), and there are a few places which ought to have one or have lost one due to cuts (Sheffield for example).

So, which places have such services and which ones could do with one?

Greater Manchester has 5, 3 in Manchester City Centre, 1 in Bolton and 1 in Stockport. Though the Manchester City Centre routes are to be reduced from 3 routes to 2

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Nottingham has Centrelink, which is free in the city centre

So it has free and paid sections? How is that managed/enforced?

 

[InterCity:125]

Bristol has a hospital free bus.

 

[ag51ruk]

So it has free and paid sections? How is that managed/enforced?

You have to pay on the section between the Rail Station and Queens Drive Park and Ride - I assume it's managed like the Heathrow free-flow zone where you just get on and either pay a fare or don't!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Bristol has a hospital free bus.

As does Taunton, or did anyway.

 

[route101]

Not UK but Melbourne used to have one and has a free tram.

 

[bluenoxid]

I understand that some American cities operate free in the downtown.

It’s not impossible to achieve with electronic ticketing and a tap in/tap off system.

 

[tbtc]

I think that the Rotherham - Parkgate bus is still free - https://www.travelsouthyorkshire.com/timetables/rotherham/1128/ - this half hourly service (a Powells 'decker last time I saw it) is what's left of the twelve-minute FreeBee service that used to run round the remainder of what's left of Rotherham Town Centre - my understanding is that Parkgate kept subsidising a free bus into the centre of the retail park until the Tram Train opens.

 

[edwin_m]

You have to pay on the section between the Rail Station and Queens Drive Park and Ride - I assume it's managed like the Heathrow free-flow zone where you just get on and either pay a fare or don't!

It was originally like this and then a year or so back became paid over the entire route. Then when the Broadmarsh work started they made it free in the city centre again, presumably as a means of getting people to alternative bus stops.

 

[Bungle965]

Wakefield still has it's free bus, the operator (I think tetleys although may be wrong) have just bought some new Optare Solo's for the role.
Sam

 

[Ianno87]

Birmingham had quite a short-lived one in about 2007 or so. Don't think it even lasted 2 years.

 

[Ayman Ilham]

Wakefield still has it's free bus, the operator (I think tetleys although may be wrong) have just bought some new Optare Solo's for the role.
Sam

I thought Arriva Yorkshire operated that one!

 

[ag51ruk]

I understand that some American cities operate free in the downtown.

It’s not impossible to achieve with electronic ticketing and a tap in/tap off system.

Seattle had this when I first started visiting in 2006, but stopped it a few years ago due to the cost and concerns over fare evasion. For journeys starting in Downtown you paid as you left the bus if outside the free travel zone.

 

[Robertj21a]

I thought Arriva Yorkshire operated that one!

Nope, Tetleys

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Nope, Tetleys

Originally Star Travel (who also operated the Dewsbury service from introduction) then Arriva, now Tetley Coaches of Leeds.

Of the surviving West Yorkshire free buses, only Huddersfield has stayed with the same operator from the start. That operator (Yorkshire Tiger's Honley depot) has changed ownership twice though!

 

[howittpie]

Nottingham has Centrelink, which is free in the city centre

Nottingham also has the L22 and L23 Gamston to Clifton localink operated by CT4N wether that is official but have always been free buses over the last 6 months of using them.

 

[bussnapperwm]

Birmingham had quite a short-lived one in about 2007 or so. Don't think it even lasted 2 years.

Birmingham had one before that in the early 2000s numbered 77 run by Travel West Midlands, then Pete's Travel

 

[CMS]

Interesting thread, I hadn’t realised there were so many free routes which aren’t supermarket related or city centre circuits. Of note that from 01/09, the French town of Dunkerque’s entire bus network has now become free, subsidised by local government - even the route which terminates at De Panne station in Belgium (now numbered 20). It’s a relatively large scale operation (about 200K residents in the local area), which has had a trial period of free travel at weekends for everyone, it will be interesting to see if it will work long-term. https://www.lesechos.fr/pme-regions...e-bus-a-dunkerque-devient-gratuit-2201494.php

 

[ashworth]

Which towns and cities have free bus services operating? Some are expected (Manchester which I think has 3) whilst some are surprising (Dewsbury which is a ghost town, and Huddersfield which doesn't really need one), and there are a few places which ought to have one or have lost one due to cuts (Sheffield for example).

I can’t believe that Dewsbury has a free bus service!
I know what you mean about it being a ghost town. I visited Dewsbury earlier this year having not been there for nearly 20 years. I couldn’t believe how the town has gone downhill. Twenty years ago it was quite a nice town with lots of busy and interesting shops and a huge thriving market. This time I just found the town deserted and a scene of dereliction with hardly any market left and dozens of closed down shops many in a very bad state of repair.

 

[Journeyman]

The 398 bus which links Queen Street and Central stations in Glasgow is free to anyone with a rail ticket. Not sure if they actually check tickets, so it might be possible for anyone to use it.

When I was in the Faroe Islands last year, I was surprised to find that all the local buses in Torshavn are free - apparently it's slashed short-distance car journeys in the few years it's been operating.

 

[Stonesourscotty]

Brisbane has two bus and one Ferry route that's free

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Originally Star Travel (who also operated the Dewsbury service from introduction) then Arriva, now Tetley Coaches of Leeds.

Of the surviving West Yorkshire free buses, only Huddersfield has stayed with the same operator from the start. That operator (Yorkshire Tiger's Honley depot) has changed ownership twice though!

The Huddersfield FreeTownBus would work better if it served the HRI and was worked off another route (as it does in Leeds) e.g service 360.

Didn't Tates Travel run the Dewsbury FTB at one point using whatever thy had that was knackered?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The Huddersfield FreeTownBus would work better if it served the HRI and was worked off another route (as it does in Leeds) e.g service 360.

Didn't Tates Travel run the Dewsbury FTB at one point using whatever thy had that was knackered?

Serving the infirmary would be reasonable but I imagine First would kick up a stink with Metro about poached business. It might also be a pain for those wanting the Uni for example, as it'd be quite a diversion. The term-time detour to the new Tech building already confuses some, especially with the laughable destination of "Waterfront Quarter"!

Tate's might well have had a stint on the Dewsbury FTB now that you mention it. I seem to remember an old London Dart on it, still covered in roundels but looking like it'd been stored in a barn for a decade!

 

[Deerfold]

The Leeds one is now just a section of the 5 and not very well publicised. I think it still allow travel on the city section with various operators tickets.

The original quote in the first post misses that Bradford's free bus became a paid for bus then reduced frequency but only disappeared when its operator did.

 

[Andyh82]

The Dewsbury free bus is a rebrand of what was previously the Sainsburys free bus that has run for decades, so I expect they pay for it.

The Huddersfield FreeTownBus would work better if it served the HRI and was worked off another route (as it does in Leeds) e.g service 360.

Why would the town centre free bus serve the HRI when it’s a 10 min bus ride out of the town knowhere near the centre.

And already served by frequent First and Tiger commercial services

 

[Bungle965]

The 398 bus which links Queen Street and Central stations in Glasgow is free to anyone with a rail ticket. Not sure if they actually check tickets, so it might be possible for anyone to use it.

When I was in the Faroe Islands last year, I was surprised to find that all the local buses in Torshavn are free - apparently it's slashed short-distance car journeys in the few years it's been operating.

Both times that I have used the service the driver has taken a surprisingly long look at my ticket before accepting it.
Sam

 

[Journeyman]

Both times that I have used the service the driver has taken a surprisingly long look at my ticket before accepting it.
Sam

They're probably not very well trained in the intricacies of rail ticketing. I've done co-ordination work for rail replacement buses, and we were told never to check tickets - fully training everyone to do it was more expense and hassle than it was worth!

I've never used that service myself, as I can walk it in little more than five minutes.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The 398 bus which links Queen Street and Central stations in Glasgow is free to anyone with a rail ticket. Not sure if they actually check tickets, so it might be possible for anyone to use it.

When I was in the Faroe Islands last year, I was surprised to find that all the local buses in Torshavn are free - apparently it's slashed short-distance car journeys in the few years it's been operating.

My dad tells me that once upon a time in the Soviet Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire, all local buses were free... I'm going to assume that such a policy wasn't a success, or at least wasn't allowed to be!