SERVING A NEW TOWN. UNITED COUNTIES OPERATION IN MILTON KEYNES
A description is given of the bus services operated in Milton Keynes by the National Bus Company subsidiary United Counties. Milton Keynes is a fast growing new town, approximately 7 miles from end to end with a future population expected to reach 300000. The new town was designed with the idea that all residents would own cars and therefore there would be no need for a bus service. The various new housing estates have an individual network of narrow roads and are joined to each other and the city centre by a grid pattern of larger trunk roads. Bus services are therefore confined to the main roads. No home is more than 400 M away from a bus stop and because the services run on main roads a fairly close headway of 15 min interval can be maintained. Reliability is aided by the good road network and consequent low level of congestion. Experiments with dial-a-ride services penetrating into the housing areas were not a success; most passengers preferred to use the more conventional services. An egalitarian approach to fare levels is operated and a zonal system applies with five fare levels. Off-bus fare collection has been encouraged using a ticket called the quad costing 1.10 pounds and comprising a square card divided into 4. Each portion entitles the holder to one journey of any distance on a citybus service. The tickets are available through retail outlets, post offices and libraries. Despite its car-oriented origins Milton Keynes hs emerged as one of the bright spots of NBC stage operation. (TRRL)
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00076392
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Corporate Authors:
Ian Allan Limited
Terminal House
Shepperton, Middlesex England TW17 8AS - Publication Date: 1983-8
Media Info
- Features: Photos;
- Pagination: p. 348-349
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Serial:
- BUSES
- Volume: 35
- Issue Number: 341
- Publisher: Ian Allan Publishing, Limited
- ISSN: 0007-6392
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Bus routes; Bus transit; Buses; Fare collection; Fares; New towns; Paratransit services; Planning; Public transit; Tickets; Transportation operations
- Uncontrolled Terms: Zone
- Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
- Old TRIS Terms: Bus services
- ITRD Terms: 329: New town; 1144: Operations (transp network); 143: Planning; 378: Region; 241: Tariff; 8119: United Kingdom
- Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00381469
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
- Files: ITRD, TRIS
- Created Date: Mar 30 1984 12:00AM