Trivia: Free bus routes in the UK

[SouthEastBuses]

Here is a question I'd thought I would ask:

Could you make a list of all bus routes in the UK where travel is free for everyone (and not just ENCTS users)?

A couple of examples I have in mind: the Taunton Park & Ride PR1 (First Buses of Somerset) and the Manchester Metroshuttle routes (First Greater Manchester).

Another former example, more local to me, was the Crawley Asda bus, however in 2020, you now have to pay £2 to use the service so it no longer counts.

 

[WY Bus Spotter]

Huddersfield Free Town Bus
Dewsbury Free Town Bus

 

[zero]

Wakefield freecitybus
Stockport shuttle (withdrawn)
Heathrow freeflow zone buses (withdrawn)
IKEA Wembley free bus (withdrawn, not a proper bus or proper bus route)

 

[ACBest]

The Oakham Hopper, run by Rutland County Council, using one of their own minibuses is a free service these days.

 

[D6130]

Bradford free city bus.

 

[RELL6L]

How about this one, discovered by Roger French a couple of weeks ago.....

The secret rural bus route that’s free to ride

Sunday 17th July 2022 Here’s another entry for Britain’s Top 10 Quirkiest Bus Routes. It links many villages and hamlets in north Somerset which otherwise have no bus service.The timetable comprise…

busandtrainuser.com

 

[InOban]

isn't the shuttle between Glasgow Central and Queen Street free?

 

[Flying Snail]

isn't the shuttle between Glasgow Central and Queen Street free?

Only free to those with rail tickets (and other valid free bus travel) AFAIK there is a fare listed for it.

I have variously had drivers ignore or rudely wave on passengers trying to show tickets and on another occasion call back people not showing tickets.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

How about this one, discovered by Roger French a couple of weeks ago.....

The secret rural bus route that’s free to ride

Sunday 17th July 2022 Here’s another entry for Britain’s Top 10 Quirkiest Bus Routes. It links many villages and hamlets in north Somerset which otherwise have no bus service.The timetable comprise…

busandtrainuser.com

Must be run by Somerset Passenger Transport Solutions...

 

[Flange Squeal]

Sainsburys at Watchmoor Park, near Camberley in Surrey, have a weekday shoppers service to various locations on different days. It is operated by Stagecoach’s Aldershot depot.

https://handsbusblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/sainsburysshopperbus.pdf

Sainsbury’s (Watchmoor Park) free shopper bus
Timetable valid from 1 January 2018
This free service is operated by Stagecoach South with financial support from Sainsbury’s. The bus serves different areas on different days of the week, so please check the days and times carefully.

Shopperbus 1: Owlsmoor & Sandhurst
operates Wednesdays only
Sandhurst, Village Inn 0952
Owlsmoor, Yeovil Road Shops 0959
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1010
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1210
Owlsmoor, Yeovil Road Shops 1220
Sandhurst, Village Inn 1227
Little Sandhurst, School Hill 1233

Shopperbus 2: Old Dean, Heatherside & Frimley
operates Wednesdays only
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1055 1310
OId Dean, Highland Road 1105 1320
Heatherside, Wheatsheaf 1112 1327
Frimley, White Hart 1120 1335
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1125 1340

Shopperbus 3: Cove, Fleet & Church Crookham
operates Tuesdays only
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park - 1240
Elvetham Heath, Ulric House 0951 1259
Fleet, Oat Sheaf 0958 1307
Church Crookham, The Wyvern 1007 1316
Church Crookham, Crossroads 1017 1326
Pondtail, Kings Road 1022 1331
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1040 1349

Shopperbus 4: Frimley & Ash Vale
operates Mondays only (except Public Holidays)
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 0930 1210
Mytchett, Crossroads 0942 1222
Ash Vale, Station 0945 1225
North Camp, Lynchford Road 0950 1239
Farnborough, Old Town Hall 0955 1235
Farnborough, Kingsmead 0959 1239
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1010 1250

Shopperbus 5: Pinewood Park & Hawley Lane
operates Fridays only (except Public Holidays)
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 0930 1210
Prospect Estate, Shops 0942 1222
Sandy Lane, Pinewood Park 0946 1226
Cove, Whetstone Shops 0950 1230
Cove, West Heath Bridge 0955 1235
Fox Lane, Derry Road 1002 1242
Hawley Lane, Shops 1006 1246
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1010 1250

Shopperbus 6: Yateley
operates Thursdays only
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 0930 1210
Blackwater, Aldi 0935 1215
Darby Green, Globe Farm Lane 0941 1221
Yateley, Potley Hill Road 0943 1223
Cricket Hill, Handford Lane 0946 1226
Monteagle Lane, Vigo Lane 0948 1228
Yateley, St Swithun’s Church 0955 1235
Yateley, Manor Park 0959 1239
Yateley, Potley Hill Road 1001 1241
Darby Green, Globe Farm Lane 1003 1243
Blackwater, Post Office 1009 1249
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1014 1254

Shopperbus 7: Frimley Road & Yorktown
operates Thursdays only
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1105 1310
Frimley Road, Toshiba Roundabout 1108 1313
Crabtree Road, James Road 1110 1315
Yorktown, London Rd / Frimley Rd 1115 1320
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1125 1330

Shopperbus 9: Camberley
operates Monday to Friday (except Public Holidays)
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park - 1130 1410
Camberley Station 0915 1140 1420
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 0925 1150 -

Shopperbus 10: Frimley Green
operates Mondays only (except Public Holidays)
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1100 1310
Frimley, Church Road 1105 1315
Paddock Hill, Balmoral Drive - 1320
Frimley Green, Rose & Thistle 1110 1328
Paddock Hill, Balmoral Drive 1118 -
Frimley, Church Road 1123 1333
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1128 1338

Shopperbus 11: Cove & Southwood
operates Fridays only (except Public Holidays)
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1050 1310
Hawley Lane, Shops 1055 1315
Fox Lane, Derry Road 1059 1319
Cove, West Heath Bridge 1105 1325
Southwood, Morrisons 1108 1328
Cove, West Heath Bridge 1111 1331
Fox Lane, Derry Road 1117 1337
Hawley Lane, Shops 1121 1341
Sainsbury’s, Watchmoor Park 1126 1346

 

[madannie77]

The National Trust is funding a free bus from Cockermouth to Buttermere daily from 23rd July to 4th September this year. The operator is John Hoban.

https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/vis...strict/buttermere-shuttlebus-from-cockermouth

Catch the free shuttle bus from Cockermouth to the beautiful Buttermere valley. This bus was popular in 2021 and we have secured funding to run it again in 2022. If you have any questions email [email protected]

The bus runs everyday from 23 July until 4 September 2022.

Cockermouth to Buttermere​

Cockermouth	08:10	09:30	10:50	13:00	14:20	16:35	17:50
Low Lorton	08:25	09:45	11:05	13:15	14:35	16:50	18:05
Buttermere	08:48	10:08	11:28	13:38	14:58	17:10	18:25

Buttermere to Cockermouth​

Buttermere	08:50	10:10	11:30	13:40	15:30	17:10	18:30
Low Lorton	09:10	10:30	11:50	14:00	15:50	17:30	18:50
Cockermouth	09:25	10:45	12:05	14:15	16:05	17:45	19:05

 

[LOL The Irony]

There's a Knutsford to Handforth Dean free bus run by d&g.

https://www.dgbus.co.uk/assets/t2_2020-06-15.pdf

There's also one from Offerton.

https://www.dgbus.co.uk/assets/t3_2018-11-12.pdf

 

[32625]

Falmouth park and ride

 

[Andyh82]

Bradford free city bus.

Hasn’t run for years, was withdrawn at least 5 years ago

 

[Dr Day]

Herefordshire run free buses at the weekends. I believe TrawsCymru had a similar Sunday initiative a few years ago.

Bus travel – Herefordshire Council

Information about Herefordshire bus travel and bus timetables

www.herefordshire.gov.uk

 

[PTR 444]

Morebus operate a shuttle bus between Poole bus station and the large ASDA store over the railway, which used to be free but I think you now have to pay.

 

[Djgr]

In my memory there was a free bus across Liverpool city centre in the 1970s, although I can't easily find anything online to support this.

Think Maggie put the kibosh on this.

 

[zero]

There's a free minibus around Richmond Park on Wednesdays.

If someone wants to start a non-UK thread I can think of quite a few.

 

[Deerfold]

Hasn’t run for years, was withdrawn at least 5 years ago

Stopped being free 20 Feb 2016, then dropped in stages from being every 10 minutes to every half hour before being withdrawn when LOT collapsed.

 

[Busaholic]

If someone wants to start a non-UK thread I can think of quite a few.

Starting with Luxembourg (all of!)

 

[D6130]

Hasn’t run for years, was withdrawn at least 5 years ago

That's a shame. It must have been about 5-6 years ago that I last used it.

Stopped being free 20 Feb 2016, then dropped in stages from being every 10 minutes to every half hour before being withdrawn when LOT collapsed.

What's LOT?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Huddersfield Free Town Bus
Dewsbury Free Town Bus

Strictly speaking, the Huddersfield one is only free if you're travelling for less than a full circuit. Back when it was run by K-Line they introduced a £1 fare for anyone (predominantly enthusiasts) who completed a full circuit.

At least that used to be the case. May have changed now that Team Pennine run it.

What's LOT?

Ladies Only Travel. Originally a minicab firm, they began operating a few tendered routes in the Bradford area but seemingly over-extended themselves.

 

[341o2]

Falmouth park and ride

Most P&R are free in that you have paid to park your car, and been criticised in that it works out more expensive for foot passengers.

Likewise, the New Forest Show runs a free service between Brockenhurst and the showground on the basis that if you have purchased your show tickets in advance, they include a free bus ride to and from the Show (show is currently day 2 of 3)

 

[Deerfold]

Most P&R are free in that you have paid to park your car, and been criticised in that it works out more expensive for foot passengers.

Are most free? Most I've used (as a passenger, or as someone who didn't arrive by car) have just had a bus fare to be paid, per passenger.

 

[Andyh82]

Are most free? Most I've used (as a passenger, or as someone who didn't arrive by car) have just had a bus fare to be paid, per passenger.

I would agree. I’d say in the vast majority of cases it’s the parking that’s free, and the bus is paid

 

[jkkne]

The Sainsbury’s S2 run by Go North East

Sainsbury's S2 - Team Valley Sainsbury's Shopper's Service

Timetable for Sainsbury's S2 - Team Valley Sainsbury's Shopper's Service

www.gonortheast.co.uk

A quirk of planning laws, Safeway had a store in Wrekenton which they closed and sold to the CoOp as they moved to Team Valley (a 5 minute ride away) as part of the planning the free bus was added to ensure people from Wrekenton and it’s vast estates had access to a a supermarket (this was back in the 90s)

Morrisons then buy out Safeway but immediately sell the store to Sainsburys in 2004 and the service still exists to this day despite Wrekenton centre itself having 3 supermarkets and easy links to a giant Tesco.

The joy of Britain

 

[Howardh]

The 1, 2 and 3 in Manchester (they tour the city centre - I think that's what the OP referred to) and Bolton used to have one, think it still does but never used it.

Also a cheeky one, all those buses that take you from the plane to the terminal!

Edit; is the bus to Cape Wrath free as you would have to have paid for the ferry to get to it??

 

[Andyh82]

The 1, 2 and 3 in Manchester (they tour the city centre - I think that's what the OP referred to) and Bolton used to have one, think it still does but never used it.

Also a cheeky one, all those buses that take you from the plane to the terminal!

And from the terminal to the long stay car parks if you are going down that road

 

[Howardh]

And from the terminal to the long stay car parks if you are going down that road

Yes, that's absolutely a free ride and you don't need to either park your car or catch a flight. The one at Manchester goes from way outside the terminal.

Does the pod thing at Heathrow - and Gatwick too, I've been on that - count as a "bus"? Or a train? Anyhow that's a free ride, whatever it is. Never been on it, but isn't the Heathrow pod on tyres...therefore it's a bus?

If you stay at the Hotel de France in St Helier, you get a free bus ride into town and back, very useful as it's all uphill returning!

 

[341o2]

Are most free? Most I've used (as a passenger, or as someone who didn't arrive by car) have just had a bus fare to be paid, per passenger.

Which is what I said.

You could say the same about school and college buses - Priestlands School, Pennington has several school services and Brockenhurst college also have services running between its various sites. Free if you are a student at either.