Basingstoke MP Maria Miller caught up recently with Edward Hodgson, Managing Director of Stagecoach South, and Jayson Smith, Basingstoke Operations Manager, at Basingstoke Bus Station.
They discussed a wide range of issues, including how best to ensure that new housing developments can have a good bus service, with the need to link to the railway station becoming increasingly important. More bus services now terminate at the railway station, which also provides good access to the town centre through the Malls.
They also discussed the bus fleet and the move to “greener” vehicles. Stagecoach South have just put their first electric bus into service (at Guildford Park and Ride), although there are still difficulties with respect to electric buses’ range. New diesel buses are however much cleaner than the old vehicles, with nitrogen dioxide emissions 75% lower. Maria urged them to prioritise investment in new buses for Basingstoke.
Maria said: “I was pleased to meet with Stagecoach South to discuss our local bus services and hear about the steps they take to make sure they are providing the services people need. I was interested to learn about the “greener” new buses, which we need in Basingstoke as soon as possible; and the measures Stagecoach take to reduce air pollution, including a standard instruction to their drivers to switch off their engines if they are standing stationary for more than a minute or so.”