Supermarket free bus services

[Scotrail88]

i have heard that ASDA have decided to pull the shoppers services across the UK.
Can anyone confirm this?

Would be interesting to see if we can collectively pull a list together of them all.

 

[overthewater]

There have been going down hill for years.......

Fife had some years ago but both were pulled..

Dunfermline Halbeath and Kirkcaldy both had Asda Free buses but both disappeared, around 6 years ago.

* Paisley still has Asda Free bus.
* Aberdeen I think is going, our Aberdeen members could confirm?

 

[Volvodart]

Yes the one day a week Aberdeen city service and the 2 days run from part of Aberdeenshire to Asda Garthdee are ceasing next month.

 

[KGGXXXY]

Don't know how up to date their site is but Gibson still have Asda Summerston (Glasgow North) on their site two services but the timetables won't open. https://www.gibsondirectltd.co.uk/bus-services/

Only thing I can see online about Asda axing buses is in Falmouth in Cornwall https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/asda-gives-end-date-cancelled-1598795

 

[AJW12]

Don't know if they've been axed or not but there's several ASDA shoppers' services in the Lincolnshire area that run once a week: http://www.pccoaches.co.uk/timetables

 

[158756]

Keighley has one I think. Not sure if the Burnley one still runs, it's on Transdev's app, but there's no mention of it to be found anywhere else. If the merger goes ahead either the Asda or Sainsburys will close anyway.

 

[AlexanderPS]

Don't know how up to date their site is but Gibson still have Asda Summerston (Glasgow North) on their site two services but the timetables won't open. https://www.gibsondirectltd.co.uk/bus-services/

The A1 still operates but A2 cancelled.

 

[darloscott]

We (Stagecarriage, Middlesbrough) operate the services from the Middlesbrough store three days a week from various points around the area.

 

[Y961 XBU]

Believe HTL Buses operate one in Liverpool still

 

[Alex 2901]

Keighley has one I think. Not sure if the Burnley one still runs, it's on Transdev's app, but there's no mention of it to be found anywhere else. If the merger goes ahead either the Asda or Sainsburys will close anyway.

Burnley one still runs, I caught it Thursday, in order to kill time till my 9 was due out.

 

[vlad]

There were free buses to the Wolstanton Asda when it opened in the 1980s but they haven't run for years.

A few of years ago a new bus bay was put in for relatively frequent commercial services but they ceased fairly abruptly last year so the choice now is either walk or drive.

 

[Darandio]

We (Stagecarriage, Middlesbrough) operate the services from the Middlesbrough store three days a week from various points around the area.

Are there any timetables for these services now? I did ask several years ago when it was Stagecoach operated, it all seemed like some secret operation.

 

[Andyh82]

Keighley has one I think. Not sure if the Burnley one still runs, it's on Transdev's app, but there's no mention of it to be found anywhere else. If the merger goes ahead either the Asda or Sainsburys will close anyway.

The Keighley service isn’t an Asda free bus, it’s a public service K8 that runs to Asda

There is a free bus for Leeds Asda as well.

 

[gazthomas]

This company operates services in Cornwall, covering Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco: http://www.grouptravelcoachhire.co.uk/shoppers.html

 

[Busaholic]

Local newspaper reported Thursday that Penryn, Cornwall, one being axed. Hayle doesn't have one, so not affected. Almost as though Sainsbury's had taken over already!

 

[ainsworth74]

Wait, ASDA paid for these? I'd always figured they were some sort of Local Authority thing!

 

[overthewater]

Wait, ASDA paid for these? I'd always figured they were some sort of Local Authority thing!

There were a few that were paid for by the local Authortiy but the majority were or are paid for by the Supermarkets. Tesco still has some but its like a KGB trying to get details and even the staff in the shops were never told sometimes...

 

[Busaholic]

Wait, ASDA paid for these? I'd always figured they were some sort of Local Authority thing!

Contracted by Asda, falling outside the usual registration system with the Traffic Commissioners, so unable to charge fares or, indeed, to insist passengers went into Asda let alone buy anything there! Able to use non-compliant with disability legislation vehicles too, and many did!

 

[Busaholic]

There were a few that were paid for by the local Authortiy but the majority were or are paid for by the Supermarkets. Tesco still has some but its like a KGB trying to get details and even the staff in the shops were never told sometimes...

Timetable available in my local Tesco!

 

[ainsworth74]

There were a few that were paid for by the local Authortiy but the majority were or are paid for by the Supermarkets. Tesco still has some but its like a KGB trying to get details and even the staff in the shops were never told sometimes...

Contracted by Asda, falling outside the usual registration system with the Traffic Commissioners, so unable to charge fares or, indeed, to insist passengers went into Asda let alone buy anything there!

Thank you both! Learn something new every day and all that

Able to use non-compliant with disability legislation vehicles too, and many did!

Ha yes on the odd occasion that I've spotted the one that runs around my area it does seem to be a more, er, heritage vehicle that's used on it

 

[darloscott]

Are there any timetables for these services now? I did ask several years ago when it was Stagecoach operated, it all seemed like some secret operation.

Here's a timetable for ours. Runs Wed Thu Fri usually operated by one of our Scania Omnidekka's. believe it's written into the planning permission for the store so won't be cancelled until the store closes, if it ever does.

 

[Busaholic]

Here's a timetable for ours. Runs Wed Thu Fri usually operated by one of our Scania Omnidekka's. believe it's written into the planning permission for the store so won't be cancelled until the store closes, if it ever does.

Keep an eye on that, then. Many things are written into planning permissions that never happen!

 

[Darandio]

Here's a timetable for ours. Runs Wed Thu Fri usually operated by one of our Scania Omnidekka's. believe it's written into the planning permission for the store so won't be cancelled until the store closes, if it ever does.

Interesting, thanks!

 

[buses7675]

Asda, Hunts Cross, Liverpool service, currently operated by HTL Buses, gets withdrawn from 2nd July

 

[Sleepy]

ASDA Chelmer village (Chelmsford) and South Woodham Ferrers both used to have extensive shoppers bus routes, unsure if they still run.

 

[Cesarcollie]

ASDA Chelmer village (Chelmsford) and South Woodham Ferrers both used to have extensive shoppers bus routes, unsure if they still run.

No both gone some time ago. Shoebury (Southend) remains but finishes at start of July. I understand well over half of the remaining services around the country funded by ASDA are going at about this time.

 

[Cesarcollie]

Keep an eye on that, then. Many things are written into planning permissions that never happen!

Unlikely the planning consent will stipulate a bus service 'for ever' - no developer would agree to that. 3/5/10 years are most common.

 

[Silver Cobra]

ASDA Great Yarmouth has a bus service running from the town centre to the store. I can't remember who runs the service, but I know it's not any of the main operators within Yarmouth (First, Anglia, Konectbus). Whenever I've visited the Yarmouth store in my travels, the vehicle I've seen being used for the service has been an early 2000s white Optare Solo. I imagine that this service will probably be pulled at a similar time to others around the country.

 

[Dai Corner]

Here in South Wales we have the Stagecoach-operated free bus between Blackwood bus station and ASDA and NAT's Newport Bus Station - Sainsbury's. Both are short journeys of about five minutes rather than serving outlying areas.

 

[Deerfold]

The Keighley service isn’t an Asda free bus, it’s a public service K8 that runs to Asda

However it is indirectly paid for by ASDA - it's the result of Section 106 charges on the development.
Originally it wasn't too bad, being an extension on the 719. However, when the frequency of the route dropped from 4bph to 3bph it ran as a separate service. It serves 3 stops, including both termini. Keighley Bus Station, Keighley Rail Station and "ASDA". However the stop at ASDA is so far from the store that it's usually easier to catch it just one stop and use the side entrance to ASDA. As well as the 3bph on this route, the 662 runs at least 6bph with 2bph on the 60 which stops just across the road. It doesn't start until 0905, with a last journey at 1405. On Saturdays it runs until 1605, missing out buses at 1245 and 1305. It's usually run with a double decker, despite very few passengers using it.

http://www.keighleybus.co.uk/cmsUploads/route/files/K8WEBtimetableJuly2017-2.pdf

The Sainsbury's bus in Halifax is a better kept secret. It runs from the bus station to Sainsbury's, serving nowhere else. The timetable is not on the Metro website and the number of the bus is not on the operator's website. There's a timetable at the stop which is about as far from the entrance to the supermarket as it could be whilst still being on their property.

https://bustimes.org/services/c68-sainsburys-halifax-circular

Oh, yes. Sainsbury's is almost next to the bus station. Google maps reckons it's a 5 minute walk, but it doesn't direct you by the shortest route. The bus takes 4 minutes.