College and University launch new subsidised bus service

A new X1 bus service between Lancaster Railway Station, St Martin’s College and Lancaster University is being launched on Monday 25 September, running every 15-20 minutes throughout the day.

The bus service means that staff , students and visitors will have the option of leaving their cars at home and can commute to the campuses directly via trains and buses.

It also provides a new direct link from the Marsh to Bowerham and Scotforth- a considerable benefit to the local community.

Service X1 is a partnership between St Martin’s College, Lancaster University and Stagecoach. St Martin’s and the University are subsidising the Stagecoach-run bus service with £17,500 each for the first twelve months. Stagecoach is also investing in the new service, which it is hoped will become self-financing as local residents discover journeys that can now easily be made by bus.

The College’s contribution is coming from its Green Transport Fund, which is money raised from the not-for-profit car parking charges on campus used to fund alternative transport initiatives.

The service will bring the average daytime bus frequency to the University down to 4 minutes. The journey time from the University to Lancaster Station is just 14 minutes.

Mike Baker, Head of Estates at St Martin’s, says:

“We’re very pleased to be supporting this bus service in partnership with Lancaster University. We’re committed to supporting alternative transport schemes and making it easier for people not to use their cars to travel to campus. From an environmental standpoint, and in an effort to ease local parking difficulties, it is important we do what we can to reduce car usage.”

Mark Swindlehurst, Director of Estate Management at Lancaster University said:

“The new service will not only make a difference for visitors and students to both campuses, but is a step towards realising our positive environmental and alternative transport schemes.”

The X1 timetable is included in bus timetable leaflet 130 or can be downloaded online from http://www.lancs.ac.uk/users/transport