Council funding deal to reconnect Harpur Hill with Buxton bus route next week

The new timetable for the 185 will come into effect from Monday, July 24, restoring the route in full to reconnect stops at Harpur Hill and Buxton Hospital between 8am and 7pm, Monday to Saturday.

High Peak Buses announced in December that it would be reducing the service. sparking outcry from residents and an intervention from the county council, which received £47million from the Government in 2022 to improve bus services.

Though the operator rolled back its initial plans and preserved parts of the service, it continued to stop short of Harpur Hill where passengers were left to rely on the hourly Transpeak service.

Keith Myatt, head of business development at the operator’s parent company Centrebus Group, said: “We’re really pleased to once again work in partnership with Derbyshire County Council and introduce the enhanced local bus services 185 and 186 – the Buxton Buzz – which will see two buses arrive in a dedicated livery to provide the cross-town services linking Fairfield, Buxton town centre and Harpur Hill.

“The Buxton Buzz will operate both clockwise and anti-clockwise loops of Harpur Hill and A515 to serve the new housing developments along with the brand-new Aldi Store currently under construction alongside the A515.”

He added: “I would encourage everyone to leave the car at home and take the Buxton Buzz and help free up our very busy local roads, we have a great range of day, week, three-day and monthly saver tickets along with the £2 single fare make travelling by Buzz a viable alternative to using the car.”

Among those to welcome the news was Robert Largan, who campaigned alongside passengers and councillors to bring back the full service.

He said: “It’s really great to see the 185 bus being restored to Harpur Hill following our successful, resident-led campaign.

“Harpur Hill should never have been cut off. I am glad that the newly released timetable incorporates a regular, fluent service to residents who dearly need it.”

For full details of the new timetable, go to highpeakbuses.com/service-changes.

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