Haverhill to Clare bus route saved after new provider is found
Suffolk County Council (SCC) has agreed terms with a bus company to save a service from Haverhill to Clare from being scrapped.
For some years Beestons has run the 236 Sudbury to Haverhill service, but it took the decision to stop providing the Clare to Haverhill section of the route from August 28.
Neither section of this route were operated with any public subsidy and the decision to reduce the services lay entirely with the company and not SCC.
However, the council realised that a replacement service was required and it is subsidising the new service.
It has made a contract with Haverhill outfit, The Big Green Bus Company, who operate a number of services already in Cambridgeshire.
To avoid duplication of the route numbers this service will operate as route 18 and it will start on August 30.
Cllr Mary Evans, the Deputy Leader of Suffolk County Council, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Rural Affairs and councillor for Clare, said: "“I am delighted that Suffolk County Council has managed to retain the Clare-Haverhill bus service.
"It is an important route for residents.
"It’s great news that a new bus operator, The Big Green Bus Company has signed up to run the rout and even better news that they have managed to reduce the fares.”
The Big Green Bus Company will be offering fare reductions coupled with a discount when passengers buy ten-journey tickets.
Fares between Haverhill and Clare are coming down from £7 return for an adult to £5.95, £3.30 for a single and £26.40 for ten tickets with reductions for a child from the current £6 return to £3 for a return, £1.65 for a single and £13.20 for ten tickets.
Unfortunately, through tickets for passengers seeking to travel across the two routes, from Haverhill to Clare and then from Clare to Sudbury will not be available.
All students who previously travelled on the Haverhill to Clare section of the 236 route will shortly receive new school bus passes for service 18 to ensure they can get to school.
