The Foo Fighters play Milton Keynes Bowl this Saturday (2nd July). If you are coming by public transport, Then you need to know that Thames Valley Police do not allow any buses to drop off at the Bowl itself. Buses and coaches are normally directed to the Old Bus Station, Oppisite the Central Rail Station. You then need to walk along Cycle route 51 to the bowl, It is well signposted, and usually heavily supervised along its entire route.
Route 51 Highlighted in Red
If you are arriving by National Express coach, You will most likely be dropped off at Milton Keynes Coachway. From here you can catch the Service 300 to the Central Rail Station, But please remember the last bus back in the evening is 2258, and that the bus will obviously only have a limited amount of space.
If you are travelling by Rail, Walking Route 51 starts right outside the station. Turn right as soon as you exit the station, Walk untill you get to the end of the building and turn right onto the footbridge across the railway line, Then follow the Route 51 signs from there. When returning at the end of the concert, London Midland normally operate a queuing system outside the station. Please bear in mind that the last “all stations” train is at 2311, and the last “fast” train to London is at 2346. The train company have been known at the last minute to provide extra services, But nothing is currently available on their website.
4 Between Two Mile Ash – Wolverton
7 – Between CMK and Furzton
On the 22nd May bus services across Milton Keynes will be changing. On our key services, the changes are being made to improve punctuality and reliability and to better reflect the current demand for our services. Other services are having to change to reflect the changes to MK Council’s contracted services. Where there are new operators for services, please contact MK Council for more information or pick up one of the Travel Guides at local outlets including MKube on Midsummer Blvd, opposite the Point.
Listed below are the details of the changes for each service
Route 1
Newton Longville or Fenny Stratford – Bletchley – MK Hospital – CMK & Rail Station – Newport Pagnell – Olney& Lavendon or Cranfield
Following customer feedback we intend to simplify this service and current 1/1A/1B/1C and X9 are changed to:
• Half hourly service between Bletchley and Newport Pagnell
• At the north end, one bus an hour will go to Cranfield and one bus an hour will go to Lavendon
• At the south end, one bus an hour will go to Lavendon and one bus an hour will go to Fenny Stratford
• 1A service will operate on Sundays only between Lavendon and Bedford
• Connection from Olney/Lavendon on weekdays to Bedford is withdrawn and replaced and covered by the Stagecoach P1 service
• Stagecoach will also operate a replacement 1C service to Stagsden and Chicheley from Bedford & Milton Keynes
Route 2
Westcroft – Kingsmead – Oxhley Park – Grange Farm – CMK & Rail Station – Downs Barn – Willen – Poet’s Estate – Newport Pagnell
• Minor changes to the timetable
• Revised Sunday route between MK Station and CMK
• The service will also not operate via Hazeley School and Kingsmead at the request of MK Council
Route 3
Woburn Sands – Wavendon – Kingston – Open University – Monkston – CMK & Rail Station
• Between Woburn Sands and MK Central station there are no significant changes however service is withdrawn from Fishermead due to low usage and to improve journey times to CMK.
• Fishermead section is replaced by MK Council routes 28 and 29.
• Service between MK Central Station, Bradville and Bradwell Village is to be replaced by MK Council routes 23 and 33.
Route 4 & 4A
Bletchley – Far Bletchley – MK Hospital – Springfield – CMK & Rail Station – Two Mile Ash – Wolverton
• Mon – Fri the service between Bletchley and MK Central Rail station continues to operate up to every 7/8 mins. On Saturdays it will operate up to every 10 minutes
• The link between Two Mile Ash and Wolverton is restored on this service
• North of CMK buses will operated up to every 15 mins, Mon- Fri and up to every 20 mins on Saturdays.
• Improved faster journey times between Greenleys and CMK and the service will also serve Hodge Lea
• The service to Shenley Church End is replaced by service 7 (see below for more detail)
• Service to Crownhill will be replaced by MK Council route 28
Route 5
Wolverton – Stony Stratford – Bradville – CMK & Rail Station – MK Hospital – Bletchley – Lakes Estate
• Route will not longer serve Hodge Lea (will now be served by route 4)
• Adjustments to timetable to improve timekeeping across route
Route 7
Bletchley – – Furzton – Shenley Church End – CMK & Rail Station – Neath Hill – Bradville – Oakridge Park – Wolverton
• Service between Greenleys and Wolverton will now be operated by Route 4
• No change to the route between Wolverton and CMK
• Will now serve Shenley Church End
• Route 7A withdrawn and section between CMK and Bletchley is replaced by MK Council route 28.
• Service 7 will continue to operate up to every 30 minutes on weekdays between CMK and Bletchley via Furzton
• Service will also serve the new development at Oakridge Park once infrastructure is in place
Route 8 8A
Westcroft – Shenley Brook End – CMK & Rail Station – Kingston – Walnut Tree – Caldecotte – Bletchley
• Minor changes to timetable to improve reliability
• No change to routes
Route 14
• Service is withdrawn following loss of funding from Northampton CC route is replaced by Stagecoach service, 89.
Route 25
• This service will be operated by Vale Travel under contract to MK Council
Route 30/31
• There are no changes to these services
Route 32
• There are no changes to this service
Route 33
• This service will be operated by Z&S under contract to MK Council
Route 42/43
• This service will be operated by Z&S under contract to MK Council
Route 80
• This service will no longer operate
Route 150
Aylesbury – Leighton Buzzard – CMK
• The Sunday service will not longer operate via Bletchley or Little Brickhill. This change is effective from 15th May
Route 300 – Platinum MK
Magna Park – Coachway – Broughton Gate – Kingston – CMK & Rail Station
• A new timetable was introduced on 21 April following the opening of the A5130
Route 639 School Service
• This route will be operated by Z&S under contract to MK Council
There are changes to other services currently not operated by Arriva and you can find out more information by visiting the MK Council’s transport pages by clicking here
MK Council has decided to reduce the travel privillages of all ENCTS (England National Conessionary Travel Scheme) from 23rd May…
“With effect from Monday 23rd May, the council here have decided to terminate the pre-0930 Monday-Friday concession (excluding public holidays) that currently allows Milton Keynes ENCTS passholders free travel within Milton Keynes borough. Instead, during these times ENCTS passholders will be subject to the same fares, terms and conditions as non-ENCTS passholders.
However the post-2300 Monday-Friday free travel concession (excluding public holidays) for Milton Keynes ENCTS passholders within Milton Keynes borough WILL remain.”
Below is the MK Council proposals for Bus services from April 2011, Including some Commercial Decisions that Arriva are wanting to implement at the same time, The dcument is a bit heavy going, and as I’m driving a bus this weekend I haven’t had time to pick the interesting bits out, But if anyone wants to have a go, Feel free to comment with anything that You find 🙂