The Melksham Metro (Town) bus will be free for everyone to use from 4th to 16th August, an encouragement by Wiltshire Council for everyone to try it out.
Normally the bus is free for senior pass holders, and just 1 pound single / £1.50 return for others.
This free bus fortnight is funded by the Department for Transport through an LSTF grant to Wiltshire Council under the ‘Connecting Wiltshire’ brand – the same mechanism that has brought the improved train service, and it’s also brought a new Melksham bus map which will be distributed over coming weeks and will be available at the town hall, tourist information and library. Local Melksham businesses are also helping to deliver the bus maps door to door just prior to the fortnight.
Public Transport Portfolio holder Horace Prickett, came to Melksham to help publicise the fortnight, and the improved public transport in Melksham. He said, “This is an excellent opportunity for Melksham residents to pop into town on the bus, leave the car at home and support our businesses; and having tried it out, perhaps keep using it.”
The services covered by the free fortnight are the route 14 from Melksham Forest / Queensway / Snowberry Lane (every 30 minutes), the route 14 from Dunch Lane / Granville Road and the route 15 from the Hawthorn Road / Thyme Road / Skylark Road areas (every hour) and the route 15 from Berryfield (twice a day).
The Melksham Rail Link bus at 06:50 and 07:20 from Bowerhill, Snowberry Lane, Thyme Road and Melksham Forest to the Town Centre and Melksham Station, and return journeys connecting with evening trains, are always free for anyone to use.
