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Public transport help

B

Ben84

TS Member
Hi all i am new to this forum and this is my first post. I take my daughter to alton towers at the start of may every year for her birthday. I normally get the train to stoke on trent or uttoxeter then get the bus but I have noticed the bus is not running until the end of may. As I don't drive I rely on public transport does anybody know off any other busses or what the cheapest taxi would be. Thanks all for your help.
 
If only merlin/staffcouncil were prepared to make a huge investment and build re-connect the railway to alton. The payoff would be huge, after all research shows more and more people are turning away from cars and using public transport for long distance travel.

Even just increasing the frequency of direct busses to stoke to more than two a morning would make a big difference. I'm glad someone brought up this issue, its about time it was talked about. Building new attractions is great, but this excludes a good portion of the UK public who don't have access.
 
The times for the buses are terrible - the Nottingham/Derby one doesn't arrive till about 11 if that's an off peak day does not leave you with much time.
 
Morgan Price said:
It's shame that the train to Derby from my closest train station is twice the price than the train to uttoxeter
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Assuming your profile is correct that you're in Wrexham, are you going from Wrexham General? I'd imagine it would be cheaper to get the Sapphire bus and go from Chester to Uttoxeter? (a lot of assumptions on my part though)
 
All AT need to do is buses synced up to trains from 'Tox as they arrive and depart within 10 mins of each other iirc and only once an hour. No knowledge of Stoke, only time I have been was when @Cheese dropped me off to get some tickets before driving to Towers
 
By coincidence, I've just been reading the old guidebooks from the fifties and sixties on Towers Times.
Can't quote directly, but it describes how regular trains arrive at Alton Village, there was access to the Towers via the bottom gate for visitors arriving by train, six lane entry for cars at the main gates, free parking for cars, and they even had their own petrol station, roughly by the courtyard tavern.

As we march on with half a century of progress, err...
 
Robert Jones said:
Assuming your profile is correct that you're in Wrexham, are you going from Wrexham General? I'd imagine it would be cheaper to get the Sapphire bus and go from Chester to Uttoxeter? (a lot of assumptions on my part though)
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There is no public transport from Uttoxeter anymore though (despite it being the closest train station)
 
@evilcod cheers. I wouldn't know as I drive there and was referencing the text I quoted. I am sure that will be useful for others though :)
 
I understand it costs (roughly) £50 an hour to get a bus on the road, would be nice to see some morning services from Stoke/Uttox at xx:45 from Stoke and xx:15 from Uttox (approx 10 mins after each train service gets in), but you'd need to be making a profit on this service for it to be feasible.
 
rob666 said:
By coincidence, I've just been reading the old guidebooks from the fifties and sixties on Towers Times.
Can't quote directly, but it describes how regular trains arrive at Alton Village, there was access to the Towers via the bottom gate for visitors arriving by train
Click to expand...

It looks like rather a slog up from the train station to the old entrance; but the current one is much further away. There are plans for the heritage line to reopen up that section, and I imagine they could generate a decent income off a stop IF a bus shuttle was provided up and down the hill.
 
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