WILL BRIGG SEE MORE DIAL-A-RIDE BUSES?

During Brigg Town Council discussions several months ago about public transport provision in North Lincolnshire, there was reference made to the award-winning CallCollect bus service operated from within the boundaries of nearby Lincolnshire.
Sometimes you see CallCollect vehicles dropping off passengers in Cary Lane, Brigg.
It’s a sort of dial-a-ride facility, with passengers booking transport up to a week in advance to pick them up at pre-arranged times.
In North Lincolnshire Council's area, Brigg Blog wouldn’t be at all surprised if we eventually see something similar taken onboard, so to speak, with subsequent reduction in some of the subsidies for traditional, strictly timetabled bus services.
Lincolnshire County Council tells us CallConnect has just  seen one of its most successful years.
Services grew by 23.5%  - from around 201,200 journeys to more than 250,000.
In the Market Rasen and Caistor Area, from which we reckon the CallConnect vehicles visiting Brigg originate,  usage rose from 19,000 to over 21,000 (an 11.1% increase)
Lincolnshire County Council's Executive Member for Highways and Transportation, Councillor William Webb, said: “The CallConnect service plays a crucial role in keeping people connected to public transport throughout the county’s towns and villages, especially in the light of a reduction in our annual transportation budget which helps to subsidise bus services. It’s so easy to use - people can just pick up the phone to book a ride whenever they need one.
“We’ve extended the opening times and made smarter use of technology. There have been improvements to the CallConnect online booking service and people can book by text message, too. During busy periods, we also operate a callback service so that people don’t have to wait to get through on the phone.”
CallConnect Manager Paul Sanders said: “As we enter our second decade of service we are looking forward to working even harder to ensure that patronage is high, that people are getting the service they want and that customers can access the service as easily as possible. That’s our New Year’s Resolution.”
Much-appreciated, subsidised buses in Brigg at the moment include those that visit some of our housing estates on Thursdays and Saturdays (see picture) - a great help to the elderly and those with mobility problems. The Wolds Villager also offers a very useful link with Wrawby and Barnetby.





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