Safeguard Coaches of Guildford launched its new Sunday service from the town centre to the Royal Surrey County Hospital via Guildford Park, along with some other extra journeys and reduced weekly and monthly fares, at an event on Friday, January 9.
Andrew Halliday, Safeguard’s Managing Director, told guests: “We currently carry 800,000 passengers a year and we aim to raise that to one million.”
Guildford MP Anne Milton; the Mayor of Guildford, Nikki Nelson-Smith; councillors; supporters and friends of the bus company attended the launch outside Dray Court sheltered housing, with some of the residents invited too.
In a speech, Mr Halliday outlined the changes Safeguard has introduced, including a new Sunday service through Guildford Park, the first on that route for 28 years.
The firm, which recently won Gold in the Independent Operator category at the UK Bus Awards, is reducing the price of some weekly and monthly tickets bought online to £10. Child and short journey fares will also be reduced, with a new 10-trip saver ticket launched.
Clutching one of his firm’s awards, Mr Halliday spoke about traffic congestion in Guildford and said Safeguard hopes to play its part by encouraging more people to travel by bus. He acknowledged that some people will still want to use their cars, or cannot travel by bus, but said their journeys will in turn be helped by those who do use buses.
MP Anne Milton thanked family-owned Safeguard Coaches for its service to the people of Guildford.
