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The Dales & Bowland Community Interest Company was established in February 2007.
News about our initiatives to benefit local residents and visitors to the Yorkshire Dales and Forest of Bowland appears below.
Summer DalesBus Services 2013
Details of the network of Summer Sunday and Bank Holiday bus services in the Yorkshire Dales managed by the Dales and Bowland Community Interest Company are now available on the DalesBus website. Some Sunday buses now run all year round and these are joined by the first seasonal extra buses for summer from Easter Sunday 31st March 2013.
Thanks to continued support from our major funding partners: Metro, DITA, the National Trust and Sovereign Health Care Trust, the core network will be similar to last year. Support from these partners and other organisations will allow a comprehensive network to be offered throughout the Dales, with some exciting innovations for 2013.
Survey shows importance of Dales bus services
A recent detailed survey of summer visitors by
bus and car to the Dales carried out on behalf of the
Dales Integrated Transport Alliance (DITA)
shows that:
Buses are important both for residents and visitors. Of the bus users who responded to the survey 37% were Dales residents, 43% were day trippers and 16% visitors staying overnight. Around a third of bus users could have travelled by car, which would have caused a substantial increase in carbon emissions.
Buses make a significant contribution to the local economy. More than half of bus users would not visit the Dales without the bus service, and Dales businesses would lose their spending of at least £2.8 million per year if the buses were to cease.
About 1 car user in 7 said they could use buses for their journey; a greater choice of tickets available on all buses and trains in the area was the most important suggestion to encourage greater use of public transport.
The survey was carried out by QA Research of York on behalf of the Dales Integrated Transport Alliance (DITA) and supervised by the Dales and Bowland Community Interest Company which organises Sunday and Bank Holiday bus services in the Dales.
Helen Flynn, Chair of DITA, said “The visitor survey results show that the bus network plays an important part in Dales life, indeed it is a lifeline for young people who are without independent means of transport and for people who do not own, or have had to give up ownership of a car. Our next steps are to find ways of coaxing visitors out of their cars from time to time, either once they have arrived in the Dales or when planning journeys to the Dales. This will help keep rural bus and rail networks vibrant and sustainable, and provide people with real transport choice.”
Chris Nash, Chair of the D&BCIC, noted “This survey shows that both residents and visitors to the Dales need good bus services 7 days per week. Without these services, many people would be unable to enjoy the splendour of the Dales, and the result would be a substantial loss to local businesses”.
New Office for D&BCIC
From 1st March 2012, our office facility provided by the Yorkshire Dales Society has relocated to Gargrave. You can now write to us at:
The Dales & Bowland Community Interest Company, Canal Wharf, Eshton Road, Gargrave, North Yorkshire BD23 3PN or call us on: (01756) 749400.
Please note that our office is only open limited hours, but an answerphone facility is available when the office is closed, and you can also email us.
Timetable Leaflets for Local Businesses
In conjunction with the Friends of DalesBus, the Dales & Bowland Community Interest Company is able to supply timetable leaflets for its services to local businesses and organisations who are able to display them. For details please contact us.
Metro's Summer Timetable Booklet can be downloaded here (700KB PDF file).
Metro's Winter Timetable Booklet can be downloaded here (2.1 MB PDF file).
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