New Bus Service for Viking Park and West Heath

Congleton has a new ‘Beartown Bus’ service – the 93A/C circular from the Fairground Bus Station to Viking Park and West Heath.

The 93A (anticlockwise) route leaves the Bus Station at 10 minutes past every hour from 8am to 6pm.  Its route goes up Rood Hill, past Tesco and Congleton Retail Park to Viking Park, then along Wolstenholme Elmy Way to Back Lane and Holmes Chapel Rd (A54). Finally, it travels along West Rd/West St and Antrobus St to return to the town centre.

The 93C does the same route in a clockwise direction, starting at 08:40 with the final bus leaving at 17:40.

Cllr Kay Wesley, Chair of the Town Council’s Community Committee, got on the first 93A bus as it left the Bus Station. She said:

“I and fellow councillors, as well as many residents, have been asking for the return of a West Heath branch of the much-loved Beartown Bus service for years. It is marvellous to be able to get to the shopping centre and Viking Park without needing a car, and for residents living on the Holmes Chapel Road side of West Heath to be able to hop on a bus into town.

“I mentioned the new service on social media and within a few hours more than 100 people had responded positively. This demonstrates the demand for better Congleton bus services that we have seen before in our surveys.

“Many thanks to Cheshire East Council and D&G Bus for adding the 93A and C. This is part of the local allocation of new government funding for bus services around the country. I hope it is just the start of new, improved and extended bus services for Congleton.”

Cheshire East Council recently launched a Bus Saver pass for 16-19 year olds, which allows them to travel anywhere in the borough for £1, and can be used on the new 93A/C bus. Other bus passes such as the Older Person’s, Disabled Person’s and 18-21-year-old Care Leaver Free Bus Pass can also be used on the service.

The town council conducted a survey of residents about bus services in 2021 in which more than 80 per cent of respondents said they would consider using the bus to travel from their home to the town centre if there were a stop within a five-minute walk.

Full timetables for the new 93A/C buses can be found at: 

https://www.dgbus.co.uk/bus-services

Pictured - Cllr Wesley gets on the first 93A bus.