Free electric bus trial
A free electric bus service is to be launched for passengers travelling to and from Slough town centre.
The council has partnered up with Iver based electric bus specialists BYD UK and Thames Valley Buses for the free to passengers electric bus service.
The three month trial period, which will be funded by the council, will begin in the last week of October and will use the experimental bus and cycle lanes along the A4 to offer residents a fast, reliable and an environmental friendly bus service to and from central Slough.
It will operate on a loop from its starting point at Station Road, near Junction 7 of the M4, through to Slough town centre and onto the Sainsbury’s roundabout at the junction of Yew Tree and Uxbridge Road.
The hourly loop service will also incorporate St Andrew’s Way, Cippenham.
The vehicles will be fully electric ensuring no fossil fuel emissions and lower carbon emissions that a traditional bus service, contributing to cleaner air along the route and reduced noise.
On board, the buses will have comfortable modern seating, air conditioning and USB ports for phone charging during the Monday to Saturday shuttle service.
Cllr Rob Anderson, cabinet member for transport and environmental services, said: “The experimental bus and cycle lane was introduced to help residents socially distance during the ongoing pandemic alongside making road space available for active and sustainable travel.
“I am delighted we have provided the funding to now introduce a free, fast and environmentally friendly electric bus service which will operate daily along the length of the temporary lane.
“Residents often quote the price of public transport is one of the key blockers stopping them leaving the car at home and jumping on the bus. So we have taken the blocker away with this trial.
“This free service will provide residents with a speedy, frequent service into central Slough and I look forward to seeing them on the buses.”
Cllr James Swindlehurst, leader of the council, said: “We have not been shy in sharing our plans to increase the amount of sustainable travel in Slough and pledged in our 2019 manifesto to ‘create a public transport corridor for the town centre’.
“This trial actively promotes public transport as fast, free and reliable alternative to private vehicles for short journeys, which we hope will encourage residents to hop on the bus and leave the car at home when needing to travel to and from central Slough.
“This improvement in the town’s public transport offer has been made possible by creating space on our highway network and residents can expect this free bus trial to be the first step on the journey to building a better, cheaper public transport network in Slough.”
The council has partnered up with Iver based electric bus specialists BYD UK and Thames Valley Buses for the free to passengers electric bus service.
The three month trial period, which will be funded by the council, will begin in the last week of October and will use the experimental bus and cycle lanes along the A4 to offer residents a fast, reliable and an environmental friendly bus service to and from central Slough.
It will operate on a loop from its starting point at Station Road, near Junction 7 of the M4, through to Slough town centre and onto the Sainsbury’s roundabout at the junction of Yew Tree and Uxbridge Road.
The hourly loop service will also incorporate St Andrew’s Way, Cippenham.
The vehicles will be fully electric ensuring no fossil fuel emissions and lower carbon emissions that a traditional bus service, contributing to cleaner air along the route and reduced noise.
On board, the buses will have comfortable modern seating, air conditioning and USB ports for phone charging during the Monday to Saturday shuttle service.
Cllr Rob Anderson, cabinet member for transport and environmental services, said: “The experimental bus and cycle lane was introduced to help residents socially distance during the ongoing pandemic alongside making road space available for active and sustainable travel.
“I am delighted we have provided the funding to now introduce a free, fast and environmentally friendly electric bus service which will operate daily along the length of the temporary lane.
“Residents often quote the price of public transport is one of the key blockers stopping them leaving the car at home and jumping on the bus. So we have taken the blocker away with this trial.
“This free service will provide residents with a speedy, frequent service into central Slough and I look forward to seeing them on the buses.”
Cllr James Swindlehurst, leader of the council, said: “We have not been shy in sharing our plans to increase the amount of sustainable travel in Slough and pledged in our 2019 manifesto to ‘create a public transport corridor for the town centre’.
“This trial actively promotes public transport as fast, free and reliable alternative to private vehicles for short journeys, which we hope will encourage residents to hop on the bus and leave the car at home when needing to travel to and from central Slough.
“This improvement in the town’s public transport offer has been made possible by creating space on our highway network and residents can expect this free bus trial to be the first step on the journey to building a better, cheaper public transport network in Slough.”
