New orbital bus service for Peterborough

The new 12-month trial of Orbital Bus Service 29, which is due to start on 1 March 2021, is the latest of Mayor James Palmer’s commitments to provide alternative ways to travel across the city without using the car.

Operated by Stagecoach, the bus service, will run from Monday to Saturday between Serpentine Green, through the Hamptons and the Ortons then non-stop to Peterborough City Hospital. Six round trips will be provided each day between 9am and 3pm with hourly intervals.

Normal Stagecoach fares apply, including the acceptance of all bus passes.

Buses currently run from the Hamptons & the Ortons to Peterborough City Centre. There is also a frequent bus timetable from the city to the hospital, but the focus of the trial service is measuring whether there is an economic demand for the orbital bus route, designed to travel around the edge of the city, helping to cut unnecessary traffic into and out of the centre.

Mayor James Palmer said:
“Whilst the spread of Covid is having a large impact on the number of people using buses and other means of general transport, it is important to have viable and useable alternative, rather than using the car, available for people to use as the current pandemic restations are lifted.

“As we take on the overall administration of bus services across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, I am determined for us to drive bus recovery through genuine engagement and understanding of the communities who are served by these vital transport routes.”

“I hope this long-awaited Orbital bus service will not only provide a quicker, more direct route to the city hospital for people living on the periphery of Peterborough, but it will help cut unnecessary traffic into and out of the city centre.”

Councillor John Holdich, Leader of Peterborough City Council said:
“As the city continues to grow, we want to make it as easy as possible for people to make their way around whether that’s on foot, bike, by car or public transport and we also want to limit the amount of traffic coming into the city centre. This new orbital bus route is exciting news as it ticks both those boxes.

“I am sure the new service will be welcomed by residents of the Hamptons and the Ortons as it will offer them a more direct bus to access the hospital or Serpentine Green shopping centre.”

Darren Roe, Interim Managing Director for Stagecoach East said:
“We are very pleased to be starting our trial of the new Orbital Bus Service 29 this March. The new service will provide a regular round trip route linking Serpentine Green, the Hampton and the Ortons to the City Hospital. By travelling around the edge of the city, the new route will provide direct access to the City Hospital for those living on the outskirts of Peterborough as well as cutting out commuter traffic that often builds up within the centre to create a more efficient, circular route for hospital staff and visitors.

We are also offering our 15% on-bus NHS discount on this route for NHS staff at the North West Anglia Foundation Trust, including Peterborough City Hospital, who can present valid ID.” For more information, please visit: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/east/north-west-anglia-nhs-discount