Stagecoach’s pioneering ‘Little & Often’ network in Ashford, launched last February with 30 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter City 45s, is to be revised and see Optare Solos replace them.
The Sprinters, supplied by EvoBus (UK), are owned by Stagecoach and maintained under contract. They will be distributed around other non-South East group companies on yet-to-be determined low-usage routes.
Speaking to routeone, Stagecoach England and Wales Regional Director Michael Watson says: “The project was really useful to stimulate demand, and now we need to go to the next level.”
The changes, from 3 June, will see the ‘Little & Often’ brand applied to 17 Solos, obtained from within South East’s existing allocation as a result of other network changes.
Ashford is served by four ‘Little & Often’ routes (B, C, E and G). All the routes connect suburbs with the town centre.
In future, routes A, B, and C will be Solo operated, while E and G become part of other standard bus routes. Route A is currently operated by Darts. Route B drops back from every 10 minutes to every 12 minutes.
Since the introduction of ‘Little & Often’, Stagecoach has seen 35% more passenger journeys. Of the new passengers, 60% previously travelled by car,.
Despite this success, a Stagecoach survey found that 45% of customers said they were not satisfied with the legroom and seat comfort, leading to the removal of the Sprinters.