Council launches consultation on its FlexiLink bus service

Cheshire East Council is inviting comments on proposals for its FlexiLink service, as it looks to improve and modernise its offer to passengers.

FlexiLink currently provides travel opportunities for Cheshire East residents who are aged 80 or over, have a disability, or live beyond the reach of any other public transport.

FlexiLink offers a demand responsive service. Rather than operating to a set timetable or route, it provides shared transport to passengers who specify their desired location and the time of pick-up and drop-off.

Over the past nine months, the council has carried out a review of the service to understand how it has been performing in relation to its own ambitions for the local bus network and in light of wider changes across the bus industry in Cheshire East.

The council is now consulting on proposals which aim to improve and expand the current service, which is funded by the council as part of the supported bus network.

The council aims to make FlexiLink available to more users throughout the borough. 

Councillor Craig Browne, chair of Cheshire East Council’s highways and transport committee, said:

“Our bus service improvement plan ( BSIP ) sets out the ambition for the local bus network to improve the speed, reliability, and quality of public transport, to encourage more residents to travel by bus and make fewer car journeys and to contribute to carbon reduction targets. 

“A modernised FlexiLink service will help to achieve this. 

“I encourage people to respond to our consultation – whether they are an existing FlexiLink user or not – so that we can provide a service that has greater benefit to local communities.”

The proposals being consulted on include:

• Expanding the eligibility criteria for passengers
• Expanding the current operating hours and days Improving integration with the mainstream bus network 
• Modernising the booking and scheduling system
• Introducing a new fare structure, including options to charge for concessionary pass holders.

The consultation runs until 30 September.

Paper copies of the consultation are also available at libraries and at customer service centres at Delamere House, in Crewe and at Macclesfield Town Hall.