Bus firm ready to bring back vital lost links

An independent bus operator is preparing to re-open stops shut by April's County Hall cuts and splash £150,000 on three new vehicles.
One of the buses Catch22 is looking to buyOne of the buses Catch22 is looking to buy
One of the buses Catch22 is looking to buy

Catch 22 has been expanding its network in Wyre since Stagecoach walked away from a raft of routes in April this year, when £1m of subsidies were withdrawn.

Now boss Phillip Higgs is ready to invest to bolster his company’s position on two key routes.

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Service 23, currently the Cleveleys circular, will run hourly and will be extended to Blackpool Victoria Hospital linking a number of roads and areas that lost bus services as a result of the April cuts – including Lawsons Road in Thornton and parts of Norcross and Carleton.

Changes are also being made to Service 24 which will have additional early evening departures from Cleveleys and more frequent Saturday services.

Weekday journeys after 9.30am will operate a short diversion into the School Road area of Thornton, restoring a direct link through to Cleveleys.

If approved the new timetables will commence in early December.

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The Marton-based firm is also ready to sign a deal on a £150,000 investment in three low mileage buses which will go into service on the revised network.

Philip Higgs, Managing Director ,said: “Now our small network of routes has become established, it is time to invest in newer vehicles and we look forward to introducing these on Service 24 from late November.”