Twice-weekly service introduced to link villages around Stockton and to provide social mobility
Villagers in the Tees Valley who have been left stranded following the withdrawal of conventional bus services have regained their mobility following Stockton Borough Council’s addition of a further route to its successful community bus network.
New minibus service 82 operates on Tuesdays and Thursdays and it was launched on 30 November.
It links a number of villages, including Kirklevington, High Leven and Maltby, with Thornaby and Yarm. Five journeys are operated each day during shopping times.
The minibus used carries up to 16 passengers, but when seats are removed, a maximum of three wheelchair users can be accommodated.
“We already operate a similar service in other parts of the borough,” says Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, Councillor Mike Smith.
“We have seen how much it is valued by communities, so we are very pleased to be able to provide the same for residents living in villages in the south of the borough too.”
To use the service, residents must apply for a free membership card. While the minibus runs between Thornaby and Yarm, passengers cannot use it to travel from end to end, because that journey is still possible by using a conventional bus.
Stockton Borough Council operates two other community bus routes in the Tees Valley.
