New Slimbridge Shuttle
Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership and WWT Slimbridge are excited to announce the launch of the Slimbridge Shuttle.
Along with Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership we are excited to announce the launch of the Slimbridge Shuttle.
This a new local minibus
service that connects the communities of Cam, Dursley and Slimbridge with
the railway station at Cam & Dursley and WWT Slimbridge on Saturdays and Sundays over summer 2023.
The service is the first of its kind in Gloucestershire, and started on Saturday 20 May and will run until Sunday 27 August. It has been commissioned by Gloucester Community Rail Partnership and is be run by Community Connexions, with support from Cross Country trains and GWR.
As well as taking passengers from the station to Cam, Dursley and WWT Slimbridge, it gives local residents access to main line trains to and from Bristol, Cheltenham and Gloucester using public transport, and links up communities along its route. The Slimbridge Shuttle has also been designed with visitors to the area in mind, and stops at the Shepherd’s Patch on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, near the Tudor Arms pub, Black Shed café and Tudor Caravan Park.
The 16-seater bus service runs hourly, from around 8am to 6pm, on Saturdays and Sundays during summer 2023. The route starts from the south end of Dursley town and stops at Dursley bus station, Cam village, Cam & Dursley Station, Slimbridge village, Shepherd’s Patch and WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre. It calls in at Cam & Dursley station on the way to and from Slimbridge, taking rail passengers to Cam & Dursley villages as well as dropping off Slimbridge visitors at the station.
Fares are £1 for a single journey or £2 for a return, cash accepted only. Bus pass holders and WWT volunteers travel free, and there are concessions for under 18s.
There is one wheelchair space which can be booked in advance by phoning Community Connexions on 0345 680 5029.
Mobile tickets can also be purchased using the MyTrip by Passenger app. Just download from the Apple or Android store and search for Community Connexions in the operator list.
WWT Head of Sustainability Lucy Smith has helped to develop the new service, and explained:
WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre is really pleased to be part of this service which will enable our existing and new visitors to come to the site without needing to bring a car. We hope it gets good levels of uptake during the trial to make the case to retain and expand the service in the future. I’ll be using it to visit the site and go to the station at the weekends!
Sunday 27 August was the last day of the pilot initiative.
