Jersey – Bus Timetable Changes proposed for January

2012-11-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — In partnership with new bus operator CT Plus Jersey, the Minister for Transport and Technical Services is putting forward alterations to bus timetables from 2 January 2013, as the first stage in a series of proposed changes towards a vision of a better bus service that meets the needs of Jersey.

Most services introduced on 30 September 2012 will not be affected by the new schedules, however it is proposed to incorporate several key enhancements.  These are:

• Service 15: Extended route and more departures creating a high-frequency corridor between Jersey Airport and Greve d’Azette.  Daytime frequency increases from every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes on Mondays to Saturdays, with more buses on Sundays.  Most journeys will extend from Liberation Station to Le Marais via Georgetown, including evenings and Sundays, replacing old service 18.
• Service 20: New service, linking together old service 19 and part of old service 23, creating cross-town links and boosting bus frequencies in the northern part of Grands Vaux.
• Service 13: New service, directly replacing service 3A but at a higher frequency and with most journeys connecting to a revised service 3 at Durrell, allowing through journeys to Rozel Bay.
• Service 3: Additional peak period departures and many journeys extending to Durrell, connecting with new service 13.  Improved Saturday frequency and an hourly service to Rozel Bay in the evenings.  Buses on Sundays reintroduced.

Significant improvements to the passenger experience will be provided from the start of the revised timetable, with the introduction of a new high-specification bus fleet.  Double decker buses are being specified for all journeys on service 15, considerably enhancing bus capacity through Georgetown with no reduction in frequency.  New compact buses with the same high levels of comfort will be introduced on service 20, with the latest design of single decker bus operating on all other routes.

As a result of these changes, some other routes are altered:

• Service 1: Revised route via Havre des Pas instead of Georgetown, replacing service 18 along the coast and providing faster journey times between St Helier and the south-east coast.
• Service 1A: Revised route via Route du Fort and Green Road instead of Georgetown.
• Service 18: Withdrawn and replaced by the changes to services 1, 1A and 15.
• Service 19: Withdrawn and incorporated into new service 20.
• Service 3A, 3B and 23:  Withdrawn and replaced by new services 13 and 20.

This timetable will be in effect until further notice, but more improvements are expected to be publicised in advance of Easter.  Deputy Kevin Lewis, the Minister for Transport and Technical Services, said: “I am delighted that CT Plus Jersey is taking steps to enhance our bus service straight away.  I look forward to further enhancements being announced in early 2013.”  He continued, “I want to encourage members of the public to contact Transport and Technical Services over the next two weeks with their views on these proposals.”

A full list of changes to bus services will be published in the Gazette section of the JEP on Thursday 1 November.  A copy of this public notice can be downloaded from the States of Jersey website at www.gov.je along with details of the proposed timetable.  Comments are requested before Friday 16 November 2012.

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