Bus changes on Route 9 in Swindon

[whole diary]

[ellendune]

One of the bus services from Wroughton into Swindon has changed its route this week. The No 9 now only goes to Swindon (no longer to Freshbrook) and has been diverted via Middle Wichel.  So it will no longer serve North Wroughton who now only get a service from the hourly No 49 Trans Wilts service.  However the frequency of the No 9 has been increased to 4 an hour - in theory anyway.

Stagecoach, the operators, announced the change about 3 weeks ago with such little information as to the route that most of the bus users were up in arms convinced they would have no service.  People also confused as would need to use stop on opposite side of route in some cases. Even when the timetable was published it would have took some detective work to identify the route and when asked Stagecoach refused to publish a map - which might have allayed many peoples fears.

Also initially some bus stops were put up in quite frankly dangerous locations (need to cross the road on a blind bend, no footway and a ditch behind narrow verge).

The first week of the new service has been quite frankly a shambles with busses cancelled or delayed. With people being made late for work and journey times (including the wait) of

So people have been looking who to blame.  The drivers have got some of the stick - which is unfair.  We believe this is purely a commercial decision by Stagecoach, but people are blaming Swindon Borough Council and even Thamesdown Transport for the change.  I try to explain how little influence SBC have these days unless it is subsidised (I don't think they subsidise No 9, but I believe No 49 is funded by SBC and Wiltshire), but there is a vacuum of information.

1) How can I find out if the service receives any subsidy from SBC?
2) If the service is unreliable is there any regulator that people can complain to?

[bobm]

If you look at www.swindonbus.info which is run by the council there are footnotes on routes which receive subsidy. Service 9 doesn't appear to receive any funds but the new route 4 does.