Wymondham Flexibus

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Wymondham Flexibus

• Dee Jackson
• Planning and Transportation

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Spot the Bus Stop
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Community Factors

• Wymondham - thriving market town
• 10 Miles from Norwich
• Provides health, leisure, educational shopping
  and employment opportunities
• Good bus/rail links to Norwich
• Poor links to and from surrounding villages

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Why a flexibus?

• Conventional services in decline - too costly
• Roads unsuitable for full size vehicles
• Supports Local Transport Plan objectives-encouragi
  ng sustainable transport and social inclusion
• Offers a reasonably priced, convenient
  alternative to the car

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Key Objectives

• To provide a reasonable priced alternate option
  to the car
• To provide access to
• Employment
• Medical
• Shopping
• Leisure and social purposes
• To support LTP and LPSA targets

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History

• Successful in Rural Bus Challenge grant in 1999
• Support grants secured from Countryside Agency,
  District Council and a number of Parish Councils
• Initially carried low number of passengers
  perception was simply another community transport
  scheme for older people
• April 2003 saw opportunity for change - further
  bid to the Countryside agency for funding
• 2007 Capital investment New vehicles

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Key Improvements

• Public consultation
• Flexible elements made totally DRT
• Links with conventional services
• Dedicated marketing campaign
• A POSITIVE BRIGHT NEW IMAGE

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Challenges

• Buying a vehicle and contracting out the service
• Finding a vehicle operator with local bus
  knowledge
• Changing perception
• Marketing the service

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Headline results

• New improved service started
• Eye catching livery designed by local schools
• 40 increase in passenger numbers
• The cost per trip has more than halved

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Headline results (cont.)

• Attracted a wider audience
• Won a National Transport Award
• Recognised as good practice by DfT
• More demand second vehicle needed
• New low floor accessible minibuses

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Wymondham Flexibus
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Whats Next

• Success brings new set of challenges
• Day time service at full capacity
• Promotion of the commuter service
• Booking by text message concept
• County-wide services in other areas