A FREE bus service that has gone from strength to strength is now expanding, adding an additional day, after it proved so popular with local residents.
The community bus service, which was funded by the Parkway Shopping Centre launched in July and has since provided a much-needed link for local villages and surrounding areas to the Parkway each Monday.
Since the service began the response has been terrific and the number of customers using the route has continued to grow each week.
Zoe France, Centre Manager at the Parkway explains: “Since launching the new service we have surveyed customers in the shopping centre and they have told us how much they value the weekly bus service as existing public transport routes are very limited for them.
“Many of those we spoke to asked if the service could be extended to a Friday and with financial support from Tesco we are delighted to announce that we will be introducing the extra route during the run-up to Christmas”.
The new Friday service will run from 3rd November up to and include 22nd December and it will operate the same times and same route as the existing Monday service which is as follows:
The Parkway Community Bus will pick up at 10.30am from The Bluebell Acklam Road, Jack Simon Way (new housing estate “Upper Acklam”), Maltby Village, Thornton Village, Stainton Village, Hemlington Hall Road and Coulby Farm Way, arriving at the Parkway Centre for 11am.
The shuttle service will then pick up residents from Turnberry Way, Guisborough Road, Connaught Road, The Avenue, Cypress Road and Gunnergate Lane arriving back at The Parkway Centre for 11.30am.
Return journeys will be at 1.30pm, returning to Acklam first, followed by a 2pm pick up from the centre, returning to the Marton areas.
Ali George, Customer Experience Manager at Tesco Coulby Newham, said: “I’m delighted that Tesco are able to support the community bus and as a result expand the service. We want to be a great neighbour and supporting initiatives like this, which have such a positive impact mean we can bring genuine benefit to the community during the run-up to Christmas”.
Zoe added: “As a shopping centre that sees itself as very much the heart of the community, we wanted to make a difference and I am proud that we have been able to do that and also build on it with the help of Tesco.
“With everything under one roof, including many food and fashion stores plus places to eat, shoppers can really make a day of it and also get their Christmas Shopping in the bag”.