Record number of passengers enjoy sights of the New Forest from open-top bus (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Record number of passengers enjoy sights of the New Forest from open-top bus
3:30pm Sunday 9th September 2012 in News
A SUMMER sightseeing service that provides car-free trips around the New Forest is celebrating the most successful month in its history.
Open-topped buses operated by the hugely popular New Forest Tour carried more than 15,000 passengers in August, smashing all previous records. The service is now being extended to October 14, giving visitors an extra four weeks to explore the New Forest National Park. The number of passengers has risen from 9,000 in 2006 to nearly 34,000 last year, when more than 147,000 car miles were saved.
Members of the National Park Authority (NPA) say the hop on, hop off tour is the perfect way to view the area.
The tour has two inter-changeable routes that include key villages and tourist attractions, including Exbury Gardens and the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu . Buses are equipped with a storage area for bikes and a GPS-activated commentary that enables passengers to learn more about the history and culture of the Forest.
The New Forest Tour is operated by the NPA in partnership with the Bluestar and Wilts & Dorset bus companies.
Comments(5)
muscliffman
says...
6:54pm Sun 9 Sep 12
Now - nothing! (apart from a very pricey and oddly named 'Citysightseeing' tourist bus in London bus red).
Wonder what this tells us about the Town, the Tourists and the Bus Operators?
snake hips
says...
7:59pm Sun 9 Sep 12
muscliffman wrote:I remember when I was a kid getting on a Christchurch quay and going all the way round to sandbanks and back.. These new ones are a rip off.
Not very long ago a fleet (ten - fifteenish, I think) of open-top Corporation/Yellow Bus Co. open-toppers used to run busy seasonal public services along the seafront overcliffs in Bournemouth.
Now - nothing! (apart from a very pricey and oddly named 'Citysightseeing' tourist bus in London bus red).
Wonder what this tells us about the Town, the Tourists and the Bus Operators?
portia6
says...
6:07am Mon 10 Sep 12
muscliffman wrote:the x53 is good it goes from poole to
Not very long ago a fleet (ten - fifteenish, I think) of open-top Corporation/Yellow Bus Co. open-toppers used to run busy seasonal public services along the seafront overcliffs in Bournemouth.
Now - nothing! (apart from a very pricey and oddly named 'Citysightseeing' tourist bus in London bus red).
Wonder what this tells us about the Town, the Tourists and the Bus Operators?
weymouth and very scenic through
wareham and corfe castle. Try also
the number 50 to studland and swanage
and the 40 to swanage the bus drivers
are very friendly and helpful especially
with the disabled passengers.
DST
says...
9:10am Mon 10 Sep 12
muscliffman wrote:Basically Yellow Buses never put enough effort into advertising the service.
Not very long ago a fleet (ten - fifteenish, I think) of open-top Corporation/Yellow Bus Co. open-toppers used to run busy seasonal public services along the seafront overcliffs in Bournemouth. Now - nothing! (apart from a very pricey and oddly named 'Citysightseeing' tourist bus in London bus red). Wonder what this tells us about the Town, the Tourists and the Bus Operators?
Lots of people never knew it existed.
Also, it only ran after 9.00 and finished by 5.00 - if it ran even an hour earlier and later it would have been a very useful commuter route for a large part of Boscombe/Southbourne
.
It amazes me that there is now no bus service to the end of the Broadway at Hengistbury.
Capricorn 1 says...
4:11pm Sun 9 Sep 12