A series of changes have been made to Stagecoach East’s X5 coach route, which operates using a fleet of dedicated Plaxton-bodied Volvos. The Cambridge to Oxford service is now running at an enhanced frequency, having permanently added a vehicle to the existing Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR).
The company will also trial an additional stop on the route by travelling into Buckingham on the journey after consultation with passengers.
The changed timetable will see a number of stops in St Neots cut from the route after passenger feedback suggested the service was being significantly delayed in the town.
Philip Norwell, Stagecoach East’s commercial director, told CBW: “It is not so much about improving reliability because the X5 was running well before and we have had a positive reaction to the changes made, especially from residents in Buckingham.”
There will also be an additional service between Cambridge and Bedford. The changes tie in with Stagecoach’s Bedford bus rural services, which has replaced the Planet-named services with the new Stagecoach in Bedfordshire branding.
The X5 was re-launched by Stagecoach in 2008, which saw the company honoured with The Express Operation of the Year award at the 2009 UK Bus Awards. The company also won the Coach Marketing Award at the 2010 UK Coach Awards for the route.
