Bletchley Bus Station

Image: © Stephen McKay Taken: 10 May 2023

When the creation of Milton Keynes new city was announced in 1967 the principal bus operator in the area, United Counties, must have thought it represented a huge opportunity for new traffic. As is well known, however, the planners of the day saw the motor car as the future and designed an urban environment around it; little thought was given to the provision of public transport. It wasn't until the 1980s that a new bus garage was built in the city at Winterhill (although it has since closed). In preparation for privatisation, a new operator called Milton Keynes Citybus took over in 1986; it ran a fleet of uncomfortable minibus conversions which appeared in a particularly insipid yellow and grey livery - these vehicles can have done little to encourage people to use the service. After various changes of ownership, the operation was eventually acquired by Arriva and is now run by their Shires and Essex division. At least they use proper buses and the main routes are reasonably frequent although, thanks to the way the city is laid out, there can be little penetration into the housing estates. Bletchley bus station forms the southern hub and a bus on route 5 to Wolverton via Central Milton Keynes can be seen departing.

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