New Nottsbus On Demand service by Nottinghamshire County Council to service south Newark area

Residents will soon benefit from a new on demand bus service.

From 8 April 2024, the new Nottsbus On Demand service which will replace the 91, 856 and the 857 bus services.

It will connect communities to Newark Castle and Northgate train stations, Newark Bus Station, Newark Showground and Newark Hospital as well as Bingham Marketplace, Bottesford Train Station and East Bridgford’s Blue Diamond Garden Centre.

It is the next phase of Nottinghamshire County Council’s transport rollout, following trials in other parts of the county and will be operating in villages including Car Colston, Flintham and Elston between 9:30am and 2:30pm, Monday to Saturday.

The new service — which will replace the 91, 856 and the 857 bus services — 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.

Journeys can be booked using a free app or with the dedicated phone line on 0115 804 0404.

To find out more about how Nottsbus On Demand works, as well as to view a map of the new zone, visit: https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/transport/travel-notts/travelling-by-bus/nottsbusondemand

Neil Clarke, cabinet member for transport and environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “We’re pleased to be launching Nottsbus On Demand in south Newark.

“Our previous trials in other parts of the county have been well received as passengers like the flexibility of being able to travel by bus anywhere within the zone whenever it suits them within the zone operating hours.

“This new zone will offer vital connections into towns such as Newark, Bingham and Bottesford as well as allowing residents to travel around the zone.

“This is also the first time that one of our Nottsbus On Demand zones will link to Newark Showground and we will also be expanding our South Ollerton Zone which currently connects into Newark town centre to allow passengers to access the showground also.

“The key concept behind our new ‘Nottsbus On Demand’ service is that we send our buses to stops where we know passengers are waiting for them, rather than the bus travelling a fixed route past stops where there maybe nobody to collect.

“It’s still a bus service — not a door-to-door taxi service — but it is far more efficient, environmentally friendly and responsive to public need.

“We hope that this new service will offer residents a reliable, affordable and greener way to travel. By giving passengers the choice as to when they want to travel, we are also able to offer them greater flexibility with their travel plans.”