Maidenhead & Windsor

The Maidenhead Royal Borough's commitment to improving public transport will bring about even better bus services for local residents, thanks to three new initiatives starting next month.

The result of the Maidenhead borough's partnership with Courtney Coaches, they will mean:

* shoppers in Windsor's Dedworth area be able to get back home from their superstore shopping by a direct bus link
* there will be increased Sunday access to local town centres and Boulters Lock with a new Maidenhead - Windsor Sunday service
* Maidenhead's evening economy will be helped with an extended evening town centre/Sawyers Crescent service.

Service 6: new Dedworth loop

Since the commercial decision by First and BAA to make changes to the Heathrow service, Dedworth residents doing their Tesco shopping or visiting the GPs' surgery have been left without access to a direct bus home. However, this unsatisfactory situation is about to change, thanks to alterations to the Courtney's 6 service which will provide a loop to cover most people affected.

On its journey from Maidenhead to Windsor the bus will turn left off the Dedworth Road into Smith's Lane, Aston Mead, Gallys Road, Testwood Road and Ruddlesway and then left back onto the Dedworth Road towards Windsor. On its return journey this loop will be done in reverse - from the Dedworth Road right into Ruddlesway, Testwood Road, Gallys Road, Aston Mead, Smith's Lane and right onto the Dedworth road, where the service will continue towards Maidenhead.

New Sunday Service 8S: Bracknell - Maidenhead - Boulters Lock - Windsor - Bracknell
There will new opportunities for travel to Windsor, Maidenhead and Bracknell town centres – and to take in the popular Boulters Lock riverside area of Maidenhead – thanks to a new two-hourly Sunday service Starting at 9:30am from Maidenhead to Windsor, it will return from Windsor at 10:30am, with the last departure to Maidenhead at 4:30pm. The service starts in Bracknell at 08:45am, and the 4:30pm service from Windsor will continue on from Maidenhead to Bracknell arriving at 5:30pm.

New evening service 7A: Maidenhead - Sawyers Crescent
Maidenhead's evening economy looks set to benefit from this extended evening service, with the bus leaving from Frascati Way, via the High Street, at 8:49pm and 9:30pm.

Cllr Antony Wood, lead member for Maidenhead traffic and transport, said he was delighted that the council's partnership with Courtney Coaches had resulted in yet another boost for bus services in the borough - and now it was up to local people to make them a success.

He said: "We have been keeping a close check on local bus services and with this new clutch of improvements we are responding to what passengers tell us they need. In Dedworth, for example, we have been searching for several months for a way of covering the gap left by the commercially-driven changes to the Heathrow route and I am confident residents in that area will be delighted by the new loop.

"The new services will start at the beginning of July and we will be reviewing the 8S and 7A evening services to check that passenger numbers justify them being on the road – so we need as many people as possible to use them to make sure they are a success."

Exact fares, please!
In common with many bus operators across the country, Courtney Coaches has announced it is introducing a new 'exact fares' system on all its services from Sunday July 2.

This means:

* more efficient and faster services because, with no waiting for change, it will take less time for passengers to board
* better security for both drivers and passengers - fares will be deposited in on-board vaults so there will be no direct access to the cash taken on the buses
* passengers who pay for fares with either a £10 or £20 notes will be issued with a change receipt that can be redeemed within a month at Courtney's head office in Bracknell
* improved convenience for customers by further expansion of the Courtney Smartcard which removes the need for cash on the buses.

The exact fares system is being widely advertised on all Courtney services to ensure passengers are fully aware of the changes ahead.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead