New Bus Service Between Cherry Willingham and Nettleham

Villagers in Cherry Willingham, Fiskerton, Nettleham and Reepham are welcoming moves by PC Coaches of Lincoln to introduce a new bus service between the villages, providing a direct link between the Doctors' Surgeries.

PC Coaches has agreed to operate the '4b Nettleham to Cherry Willingham' route from Monday, 12th December 2011 following consultation during the summer by the company, which called on people to tell them where they wanted new services.

Cherry Willingham Parish Council made representations to the firm for a service connecting residents to Nettleham, where the main doctors' surgery for residents is located.

An agreement has been reached and the route will see buses leave North Greetwell from 9.15am and run via Cherry Willingham, Fiskerton and Reepham.

PC Coaches' Operations Manager, Mr. Phil Shirley, said:

"Currently there is no direct service. This is something the council came to us with to see if we would look at it. It's viable so we have done it for them. There's a use it or lose it element. 

"There's no set period but it will be reviewed after three months and we will keep monitoring its progress and work with the parish council. 

"We thought if people told us what they wanted then we are halfway there to providing a service as there are people that want it."

Mr. Shirley added that discussions were continuing with a couple more parish and town councils about establishing new services.

Cherry Willingham resident Mr. Dave Holmes said: 

"I think this will be a welcome service. 

"Opening hours for the Cherry Willingham surgery are limited at best and extending that would have been better. 

"But people have to rely on the Nettleham branch and as many residents are elderly, the distance is a pain. 

"This bus service should help greatly."

New Bio-Fuel Buses Launched in Lincoln

The Lincolnshire Echo has reported on a trailblazing project that uses food waste from landfill to fuel buses has been officially launched.

A fleet of 11 Stagecoach buses, which are the first of their kind in the UK, was unveiled at Lincolnshire Showground yesterday. The programme managers say reduced emissions from the biomethane gas-powered vehicles will reduce damage to the environment.

The project was joint funded by Lincolnshire County Council, which provided £260,000 of investment, and the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA), which injected a further £100,000.

The launch ceremony was conducted by Stagecoach Group chief executive Mr. Brian Souter who said:

"Waste is a big issue for every family and household up and down the country and councils now face major taxes for landfill.

"This is an innovative way of taking something that's a big problem for society and turning it into a fuel of the future."

A special refuelling facility has been installed at Stagecoach's Great Northern Terrace depot, near Lincoln. Investment from EMDA has helped fund this new fuel infrastructure.

Ms Diana Gilhespy, executive director of regeneration at EMDA, said:

"We are delighted that these bio-methane buses are being trialed. We feel it is vitally important to explore innovative ideas for reducing carbon emissions in the East Midlands transport industry."

The project will run for six to 12 months on a number of routes in Lincoln. Lincolnshire County Council and Stagecoach will then review its success and decide if it will be rolled out across more routes in the county.

Cllr. William Webb, Conservative (Holbeach Rural Division) and Executive Member for Highways and Transport, said:

"I am delighted to be associated with Stagecoach on the launch of this project.

"It will have much benefit to the county and the people of Lincolnshire and will benefit people in the whole country."

Improved Bus Services Connect Lincoln Fringe With Direct Trains To London

Today sees changes made to the InterConnect 3 service that runs from Grimsby, through Market rasen, Welton, Nettleham and into Lincoln and vice versa. The Monday to Saturday journeys will no longer serve Wheelsby Road and Hainton Avenue in Grimsby, running instead direct via Bargate.

The timetable will operate into Lincoln as follow:

For a full pdf of the timetable click here.

Also, local residents will benefit from a £1,000,000 bus service linking Lincoln to Newark every hour, and connecting to London, also begins today. Six gleaming Stagecoach buses will regularly motor down Tritton Road on to Newark Road, North Hykeham and the A46 to Newark.

The route, called InterConnect 3X, will begin operating this morning and passengers will be treated to leather seats and easy access for buggies and wheelchairs aboard the new vehicles, called Executive Connect.

In Newark, there will be a call at Northgate Station, Lincoln's nearest rail portal to London, Leeds, Newcastle and Scotland, among other destinations.

Mr. Dave Skepper, Commercial Director for Stagecoach East Midlands, said:

"We were looking to connect Lincoln with the mainline railway service at Newark Northgate. We believe there is a demand for travel to Newark Northgate Station as there are a lot of commuters who drive to Newark and park at the station.

"We wanted to install a regular service to the stretch in North Hykeham as there are a lot of new houses there and this will give people a dedicated hourly service."

This service will also provide connections through to Grimsby on the InterConnect 3.

Snow Continues to Disrupt Local Bus Services

Stagecoach Lincolnshire, who operate local bus services, have said that:

"Due to adverse weather conditions services may be severely disrupted."

As of today, Saturday, 9th January 2010, services are operating as follows:

• Most rural routes may be serving main roads only.
• All other services are still running but may be delayed due to the adverse weather conditions.
• Connect 1 Grantham operating via main roads only.
• Connect 3 Lincoln - Grimsby running with delays, however, Caistor will not be served.
• Connect 6 Lincoln to Skegness is now operating through to Skegness missing Hundleby and Raithby.
• Service 13 operating main Brant Road omitting Valley estate in lower Waddington
• Services from North of city omitting Lindum Hill and operating via Monks Road due to ice on Lindum Hill. We will return to normal route as soon as conditions improve.

Weather conditions may deteriorate further and service details may change regularly. If the weather conditions improve, service level will increase.

Snow Disrupts Bus Services

Local bus services operated by Stagecoach Lincolnshire have been disrupted by the snow and icy conditions. The company say that:

"Due to adverse weather conditions services may be severely disrupted."

As of today, Friday, 8th January 2010, the following services are operating as follows:

• Most rural routes may be serving main roads only.
• All other services are still running but may be delayed due to the adverse weather conditions.
• Connect 1 Grantham operating via main roads only.
• Connect 3 running with delays, however, Caistor will not be served.
• Connect 6 Lincoln to Skegness is nowoperating through to Skegness missing Hundleby and Raithby.
• Service 10 - Louth not operating via South Willingham.
• Service 13 Not operating via Holywell Road.
• Service 2 will operate on main roads only, not estates.
• Tesco Buses will not operate via Lissington, Wickenby or Holton-cum-Beckeringham.

Weather conditions may deteriorate further and service details may change regularly. If the weather conditions improve, service level will increase.

New Nettleham Sunday Bus Service Begins

Stagecoach in Lincolnshrie, the company who operates the number 11 and number 3 bus services through Nettleham, have announced, following countless months of lobbying, that from Sunday, 1st Febraury 2009 a new bus service will connect Nettleham with Lincoln (southbound) and Grimsby (northbound) on the number 3 route.

Giles McNeill said:

"This is the sort of public transport improvement I have been lobbying for over the past three years. I welcome this development by Stagecoach in Lincolnshire who have adopted one om my two main points - namely the introduction of a Sunday Service and secondly, great Evening and Late Night Provision."

Services will run into Lincoln from Nettleham Green from 10:19 and then every hour thereafter until 18:19.

Services will run to Grimsby from Nettleham Green from 08:57 then at 11:57 and 14:57 and in between, hourly, to as far as Dunholme. The full timetable can be downloaded (pdf format) here.

Campaign Diary - Tuesday 8th April 2008

I was out in the village this morning meeting residents, talking about this issues that matter to local people, observing Nigel Kingston's banner across the front of his house - and pondering the lack of any suggestion of what he would do if he's elected - and going to the green to catch a bus into the office.

As I sat on the bus I observed a poster about new Sunday bus services. "Good", I thought, "finally a better bus service". But alas no. The poster was advertising an expansion of bus services for villages south of the city. The '2 service' which links Branston, Heighington and Washingborough with Lincoln will be running every two hours during the daytime on Sundays, but no such provision for the north of the city. I have written a letter to Stagecoach asking if a similar provision could be made for Nettleham, Welton and Dunholme - the '11 service'. I have been a strong proponent of better public transport provision and the Nettleham Parish Council I have worked to improve the services in the village. The 18:20 service from Lincoln was implemented by Stagecoach in response to requests by the Parish Council at my urging.

The video below is, I think, a good example of the positive actions that the Conservative party are looking at to help first time buyers get on the property ladder.