Simething Old, Something New (1)

The Council Says It Is Wonderful!

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has been working with Stagecoach to improve the bus services in Daventry … 

… with the financial support of Prologis UK, a Solihull-based industrial real estate agency.

These changes to the Stagecoach services came in response to customer demand. Councillor Phil Larratt, the Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste, said the feedback from residents was also considered while making the changes.

Phil must be a busy chap  …

Cllr Phil Larratt said: “Working together with Stagecoach and Prologis UK we have been able to enhance bus services within Daventry, as well as improving the connections to both Northampton and DIRFT (Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal).”

Phil must be rightfully proud of these improvements as he is paraded round Daventry shoulder high by the adulatory voters

So we start at the very beginning, not with Doh Ray Me but with

ROUTE D1 Current

D1 UPCOMING

Will run hourly Monday – Saturday between Rugby, DIRFT and Daventry. This service will now serve the northern part of DIRFT. It will no longer serve the housing estates in Daventry, providing a more direct service between Rugby, DIRFT and Daventry.

DIRFT – Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal.

Without a current map, fbb cannot evaluate the consequences of “no longer serving the housing estates” but it doesn’t sound like an improvement for them! Better for DIRFT, of course – but maybe that is because Prologis is paying! Also better for Rugby and intermediate communities.

The D1 is withdrawn between Daventry and Northampton

But by ditching the service to Hemans Road, Shackleton Drive, Ashby Fields, Lang Farm and Middlemoor (!) buses are 10 minutes quicker. These areas are served by the infrequent D4 and the hourly D6 under the new scheme.

Currently, the D1 – follows the old A45, now A4500, then diverts to an even older bit of the A45 (now a yellow road on the above map) via Flore and Weedon. At the Northampton end, it nips off to serve the Sixfields housing estate …

D2 UPCOMING

Will run hourly Monday – Saturday and two hourly Sunday between Northampton and Daventry. The D2 will no longer serve Southbrook, providing a direct service to and from Daventry, an additional stop in Panattoni Park named Hotel Chocolat in both directions will be added to the timetable.

Pannatoni Park? Sadly, no swings and slides …

So another chunk of estate running excised from the D2 and left to the D5.

And there is a glimmer of better news. The new D2 is also available disconnected from the D3 if you look in the forthcoming changes information.

Seemples.