Go2Gate is a new demand responsive service created by Heathrow Airport and Thames Valley Buses which started on Saturday 19 August. The new route will run from 0300 to 2330hrs seven days a week, exclusively serving the area of Dedworth. Go2Gate can be booked for travel between residents’ homes and Heathrow’s terminal 5 via the service’s app.
For the first week of Go2Gate’s operation, all trips were free for those with a discount code, and English National Concessionary Travel Scheme passes are valid for free off-peak travel. The normal single fare is £5 with discounts for groups, and £2 for those who work at Heathrow Airport on production of their ID.
Thames Valley Buses explains that all trips must be booked in advance on the app, though they can be made as long as 28 days ahead or as late as 20 minutes before travel. The approaching bus can be tracked on the app up to 30 minutes before it arrives.
According to Thames Valley, ‘the new demand responsive service will run along many through roads in Dedworth so most people will be less than a two minute walk away from a pick-up point.’ The service will be run with brand new 12-seat minibuses that have air conditioning and leather seats with seatbelts.
Thames Valley Buses General Manager Simon Fisher said: “Heathrow tendered for this new connection and although we had the option of submitting a traditional service, they opted for our flexible service submission. We have partnered with Padam, a leading tech company in this field and a subsidiary of Siemens, to host our app and booking.
“We are hoping for at least 20,000 journeys in the first year and there has been a lot of interest in the service. Whether people are flying off somewhere or work at the airport we are making it so much easier to get between Dedworth and Heathrow and home again any day of the week at times that suit.
“Go2Gate is a minibus exclusive to the Dedworth area that is more like your own personal taxi and although many people jetting away will travel only occasionally we hope the people working at the airport will see this as a real benefit.”
Said Matthew Wooll, Route Development Head for Surface Access at Heathrow: “This new Go2Gate service is a fantastic addition to Heathrow’s public transport network. We want all of Heathrow’s passengers and colleagues to have access to good public transport at the times they need it. Travelling more sustainably will help reduce congestion and emissions, and Go2Gate will also help keep the cost of travelling down. This will be achieved through some great value tickets, including discounts for passengers travelling together and also if you work at the airport.”