From 22 July Nottinghamshire County Council is introducing several new Nottsbus on Demand services across the county.
This includes a brand-new Central Rushcliffe Zone, a Newark evening service and an expansion to the Mansfield service.
Rushcliffe
The new Central Rushcliffe service will run Monday to Saturday from 7am until 7pm and replaces the 850, 852, 853 and 863 bus services. It will operate in communities including Colston Bassett, Hickling, Hickling Pastures, Kinoulton, Upper Broughton, Willoughby-on-the-Wolds, Costock, Bunny, Bradmore, Ruddington, Keyworth and Tollerton. Passengers will be able to travel into selected points in East Leake, Keyworth and Cotgrave as well as Gamston Morrisons to connect to other bus services.
Newark
Newark residents can look forward to a new evening on-demand service that will run Monday to Saturday from 7:30pm until midnight. The zone will not only include Newark Town centre but also Coddington, Balderton, Hawtonville, and Winthorpe. Passengers will be able to connect to both Newark Caste and Newark Northgate railway stations as well as shops, bars, restaurants, and leisure activities.
Mansfield
Mansfield’s current evening on-demand service, which launched in August 2022, will be extended from three nights a week to six. From 22 July it will operate Monday to Saturday from 7:30pm until midnight. The extended service will give night owls more opportunities to head out and explore nightlife as well as a convenient way to commute to work.
Nottsbus On Demand doesn’t have a fixed route or follow a timetable, meaning that passengers can travel anywhere between bus stops and designated points in the operating zone, where there is not already a scheduled bus service running.
An easy-to-use, free app puts booking a journey at passenger’s fingertips, but there is also a dedicated phone line.
Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “We are delighted to offer more flexible and convenient travel options for our residents and visitors with the launch of these new Nottsbus on Demand services.
“Whether residents need to access the shops and amenities in the villages of Central Rushcliffe, enjoy a night out in Newark or Mansfield, they can now book a bus ride that suits their schedule and destination.
“Residents no longer have to worry about timetables, routes or parking as they can just use the Nottsbus on Demand App or phone up to select a pick-up and drop-off point in the zone and we’ll do the rest.
“Our Nottsbus on Demand services are part of our commitment to provide accessible, affordable and sustainable transport and we will continue to invest in these services, so that more people can benefit from this convenient and flexible way of travelling around the county.”
“We have gained valuable experience from our previous pilot zones and so it is exciting to see further expansion of the scheme providing a bus service for our rural communities.”