THE D3 bus service, which travels from Nottingham to Newark via Lambley, Woodborough, Calverton, and Oxton, is to be axed next week. Centrebus, which took over operation of the route just last month, has confirmed that next Wednesday’s bus will be the last.
This week's D3 bus en route through Lambley. Next week's service will be the last.
The D3 was operated by Veolia Transport England until 3 October 2011, when it and several other routes were taken over by Centrebus. The company’s commercial director Dave Shelley told dumbles.co.uk: “This route, which receives no local authority subsidy and does not generate sufficient revenue to cover its direct operating costs, has been identified for withdrawal.”
The service operates only once each week, on Wednesday. It departs the Broadmarsh Centre at 09.35, passing through Lambley at 10.10, Woodborough at 10.20, and arriving in Newark at 11.25, according to the timetable. The return journey leaves Newark at 14.15 and arrives back in Nottingham at 16.05.
Although Centrebus confirmed that the D3 would “not operate after 20 November”, the once-weekly schedule means that the last service on the route will in fact be next Wednesday, 16 November 2011.
I do not know whether it was due to the fact that the service is finishing, or just normal fluctuations in usage, a head count on what turned out to be a very well-used trip (with very few seats left)last Wednesday indicated that the vast majority use the service from Arnold northward with roughly half of these boarding between Woodborough Village and Moor Lane (inc Calverton). This has sort of backed me up on a proposal that I have made to Notts County Council regarding the possibility of extending their tendered no.3 (Southwell-Lowdham-Hoveringham-Fiskerton-Southwell-Newark) so that it runs via Oxton, Calverton and Woodborough to Lowdham. However, the officer responsible for the tender has just registered a minor route revision, though is willing to consider any suggestions for the service in the New Year.
Personally, I believe that the way the D3 operated did not do the service justice. Firstly, since Veolia Paul James (now Centrebus) took over the running, the coach (not the best vehicle for villages who wanted to do their main shopping in Newark) was based near Melton Mowbray, running as an extra journey on the already regular 19 Nottm-Oakham for positioning purposes. Two bus stations were used in Nottingham (which have to be paid for), and then there is the matter of the 3 hours’ layover. A local operator with spare capacity could possibly run this service more effectively, and possibly tag on a return journey to Fernwood, a large development that used to have a local bus but now relies on a service that more or less by-passes the estate.
Ideally, I would like to see a return of a regular daily service from the area to Newark- not only for shopping, days out, hospital, etc but to also enable local people better access to employment- catching up to three buses each way or a bus and a train to travel to a local large town can be extremely inconvenient and expensive, especially where each change brings in a different operator. Good transport links bring many benefits, but with the economic situation, things are unlikely to improve. However, small steps can be made in the mean time- if you use the D3 and would like to see such a service reinstated, and can commit to being a regular user, or support my suggestion for the extension of the 3, please contact the Passenger Transport office at NCC (passengertransport@nottscc.gov.uk)
Thank You.
We have a Village Plan in Oxton, and I am chairman of its Transport subgroup. I think we can join forces on this. Well Done. Paul Hallett
Hello Paul. Sorry, but I have only just spotted your response to my post here. I am beginning to think that it may be an idea to set up some sort of group representing local public transport users, not only to lobby for improved/restored services, but also to work towards encouraging further patronage. Some of our local villages are facing a great deal of development, and I am sure that it would be agreed that the last thing we need on our narrow lanes is more cars.
If you are still interested in joining forces, please email me at cllr.d.sharp@btinternet.com
Thank You