The Good News is that Stagecoach has published its new Lancaster Bus Guide. The Guide includes, for the first time, an easily-portable paper version of the company's bus network map for Lancaster, showing clearly where all the services go and where the boundaries of the various Bay Rider and Bay Rider Plus ticket areas are.
Unfortunately, only Stagecoach services are included but as this is a commercial publication by the company that is not unexpected.
Also included are times of first buses to Lancaster and last buses back on each service, although in the case of the 40/41 to Preston and 42 to Blackpool the times given are the first buses to those towns and last ones back to Lancaster. A summary of the frequency of buses on each route is also shown.
As the Guide points out, details of single and return fares for all journeys can be obtained from the company's website but the Guide itself gives details of Day Riders, Mega Riders and Explorer tickets that offer better value for regular users.
The Bus Users' Group was invited to review and comment upon an early draft of this publication and we are pleased to see that most of our suggestions have been incorporated, leading, we hope, to an improved end product. The Guide is available from the Stagecoach Enquiry Office in Lancaster Bus Station.
Less good however is the situation with the electronic bus information display at the bus station. This handy device, telling passengers the time of the next bus on each service from the Bus Station and the departure stand it leaves from, has been out of action since the start of the week.
The Bus Users' Group understands that the problem is not merely technical and that the display is likely to be out of commission until at least the middle of next week. However a spokeman from Lancaster University, which maintains the display following the county council's withdrawal of funding, has told us that a solution is in sight. The University is also working on a project to enhance the display and the quality of the information shown which it hopes to bring to fruition towards the end of the summer.
