News - Vale Council shares bus route award success with partners M&S

25th August 2010

Representatives from the Vale of Glamorgan Council and Marks & Spencer met recently to mark the official presentation of an award obtained for the introduction of the successful Service 90 bus route which links Barry Waterfront to Culverhouse Cross

The award was presented to the Vale Council and Marks & Spencer by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK) Cymru Wales as part of the 2010 National Transport Awards 2010, in recognition of their partnership in promoting service 90.

The bus route project was awarded runner up within the Partnership category, clearly demonstrating the quality of collaborative working involved.

Neil Enoch from Marks & Spencer was joined by Cllr Jeffrey James, cabinet member for planning and transportation, Rob Thomas, Head of planning and transportation at the Vale Council and Andrew Eccleshare, public transport officer, in accepting the award from Professor Stuart Cole and Martin Evans from the University of Glamorgan in their capacity as representatives from CILT.

Professor Cole said: "This is exactly the kind of service which will help persuade shoppers and retail employees to switch from car to public transport. The service has a clock face timetable to enable passengers to remember the departure time easily and is spread over the shopping day.

"The Vale of Glamorgan Council and Marks & Spencer are to be congratulated twice over - once for introducing this new, very successful service and secondly for winning this prestigious award, which is justly deserved."

The service is funded by a private sector financial contribution, which was made by Marks & Spencer under Section 106 planning obligations secured by the council for the store's re-development. Between its launch in September last year and June 2010 the service has racked up a total of over 23,396 journeys, equating to well over 2000 journeys each month.

Based on a cost of £125 per operational day the basic cost per passenger journey equates to £1.21, showing excellent value for money. This cost continues to fall as demand and patronage for the service increases.

Neil Enoch, Marks & Spencer, said: "The service has proved to be extremely popular with our customers and we are very pleased to be recognised in this way by the CILT."

Cllr Jeff James, cabinet member for planning and transportation, added: "It is a pleasure to share the award with Marks & Spencer as the original agreement between them and the Vale Council has resulted in the creation of a new bus serving the people of the Vale."

Timetables are available at various locations including the Council's Dock Office, Civic Office, Barry Library, Marks & Spencer, onboard the service vehicle and online via the Council website here.