Huntingdon takes to the midi
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WHY WERE two Eastern Counties bus drivers out last week knocking on doors in villages to the north and east of Huntingdon? Because this week sees the introduction of a new multi-purpose midibus service in these areas and they were introducing themselves to the residents of the areas served by it.
Different services will be operated each day of the week into areas where there is too little demand for a regular stage-carriage service — but too much for a do-it-yourself village minibus.
The duties of the drivers will include collecting shopping in the market town of St Ives, taking London commuters to Huntingdon station, and taking villagers to their doctor.
The service will work like this : Monday to Friday, two commuter runs from St Ives to Huntingdon followed by a run from Alconbury to Huntingdon for workers and school-children.
Monday : a market-day service into St Ives from outlying villages. Drivers will also collect ordered shopping— probably for mothers and the elderly—in St Ives during the two hours layover.
Tuesday and Friday: A dial-abus service from the sparsely populated area to the west of Sawtry into the town. In between dial-a-bus duties a scheduled town service will be worked.
Wednesday: A surgery service from outlying villages into Yaxley. Those with appointments at the health centre will automatically have a seat booLed on the bus.
Thursday: Scheduled services for Oundle market day from Yarwell and Alconbury.
This experimental midibus service will run for at least one year, initial support of up to £5,000 having been guaranteed by Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire county councils. Estimated weekly costs are £260.
To meet the peak loads expected on the commuter service Eastern Counties have bought a 25-seater Alexander integral A-Series bus. The drivers will be based at St Ives and local control exercised by an inspector.