Big First Bus changes with evening and Sunday services and Festival Park link

Rob Andrews
·2-min read

Transport giant First Potteries is ripping up its timetables once again - with new evening and Sunday services and better links to Festival Park. The changes come into force from Sunday 1 September.

They are part of attempts to improve punctuality and give passengers a better experience. A number of buses are also changing their route numbers.

Here's the full list of First Potteries timetable changes:

  • Service 3 has been renumbered to the 103 bringing it in line with the 101 service. It will run as a standalone service between Hanley and Crewe;

  • Services 3A / 4 / 4A will be replaced by the 38 clockwise (Newcastle - Kidsgrove - Hanley) and the 39 anti-clockwise (Hanley - Kidsgrove - Newcastle). Service 3A, which currently terminates at Butt Lane and Service 4, currently operating between Hanley and Waterhayes, will be replaced by a new 38a operating from Kidsgrove to Waterhayes and a 39a service operating the return journey from Waterhayes to Kidsgrove. The new service pattern creates new cross-city links between the north of the city and Festival Park;

  • Service 6A will have an additional journey Monday to Friday from Blythe Bridge at 6.03am;

  • Service 21 is getting a new Sunday service between Hanley and Trentham - with the first journey from Hanley at 9.40am and from Trentham at 10.10am. There will also be minor timetable changes Monday to Friday to improve punctuality;

  • Service 22 will run with minor timetables changes to improve punctuality, with the last journey on a Saturday continuing through to Longton. A new Sunday service will operate starting at 9.30am from Newcastle and 10.07am from Longton;

  • Service 23 will receive minor timetable changes to improve punctuality;

  • Service 25 will receive timetable changes for the new university term;

  • Service 43 will have a new Sunday service from Hanley to Milton starting from Adams Street, in Milton, at 9.32am with the first service of the day from Hanley Bus Station at 10.17am;

  • Services 98 & 99 will receive minor timetable changes to improve punctuality.

First Potteries commercial director Ian Smith said: "We remain committed to investing in the improvement of bus services across the Potteries area. These changes are driven by the valuable feedback we've received from both our customers and drivers, as we strive to enhance punctuality and ensure a positive travel experience for everyone.

"We're excited to introduce new services like the 38/39 and to add additional journeys on existing routes like the 6a, along with making adjustments to improve punctuality throughout the region. In areas where services are changing or being reduced, we've worked hard to provide alternative routes that those communities can access."

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