How bus service changes in Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East Northants will affect you

Several bus routes across the north of Northamptonshire are being withdrawn, replaced or merged after Stagecoach announced a series of changes.

The alterations, which come into effect on October 30, come after the operator reviewed its network to ‘provide a more sustainable bus service for the future’.

They say changes to how people travel since the Covid pandemic, rising costs and the availability of staff – having cancelled hundreds of services over the past year – have all played a part in their decision.

Mark Whitelocks, managing director of Stagecoach Midlands, said: “In consultation with the county councils we have reviewed services and the changes being made are designed to ensure the network is more sustainable as we move forward.

“The pandemic has changed how and when people travel. For some the need to commute daily has changed and our choices about how to shop and where we meet with family and friends has also changed. We have to reflect those changes in our network as well as the realities of the changes in the economy that are impacting the cost of running bus routes and the availability of staff to drive and maintain our fleet.

“Its now time for us to make some changes to our services and the alterations in October will enable service to run more reliably which will help us deliver better services for our customers.”

Here’s how the changes will affect you:

Service 1 (Corby to Kingsthorpe/Beanfield): Monday to Friday minor timetable changes. Saturdays pre-0900 and post-1500 will run every 30 mins.

Service 2 (Corby): Service will run hourly between Corby Business Academy and Corby town centre Monday to Saturday only. A new Service 20 will be introduced to operate between Corby and Oakley Vale. Service 19 (Kettering to Corby): will continue to provide links from Kettering to Kettering General Hospital, Desborough and Corby. In Corby Service 19 will operate via Lewin Road in Great Oakley.

Service 2A 2B, 2C are withdrawn.

Service 2 (Kettering): Service 2 in Kettering will be withdrawn. The section of route around Highfield Road will be covered by Service 50. Buses will not serve Northumberland Road or Ventura Park. For customers travelling to and from Northumberland Road or Ventura Park alternative journeys are available on the X4 Service on the A509, Pytchley Road.

The section of route on Service 2 between Kettering and Corby will be withdrawn. Customers will still be able to travel between Kettering and Corby on Service X4, where the frequency between Kettering and Corby will be enhanced to up to every 30 minutes, or Service 19.

Service 3 (Corby to Lodge Park/Danesholme): Monday to Friday minor timetable changes. Saturdays pre-0900 and post-1500 will run every 30 mins.

Service 5 (Great Oakley, Corby, Corby Business Academy): Withdrawn. Route 2 & 20 will offer alternative journeys.

Service 4 (Corby): Withdrawn

Service 10 and X10 (Kettering to Northampton): Minor timetable changes.

Service 44 (Irthlingborough to Wellingborough): Withdrawn. Route 50 will provide links between Irthlingborough, Bugby Drive, and Irthlingborough. Route 48 will provide links from Irthlingborough to Wellingborough.

Services 47 and 48 (Kettering to Wellingborough): Services merged into one consistent route, numbered 48 which will run via Kettering, Barton Seagrave, Burton Latimer, Finedon, Irthlingborough, Stanton Cross and Wellingborough on an hourly frequency (Monday to Saturday). Connections possible at Irthlingborough with Service 50 to provide facility for journeys to Bugby Drive, Nene Park, Higham Ferrers, Rushden and Rushden Lakes. On Sundays buses will run every two hours.

Service 49: Replaced with service X46. Service X46 will serve Irchester, Rushden and Rushden Lakes.

Service 50: Service diverted via Highfield Road in Kettering replacing part of Service 2. Buses will continue to run hourly Monday to Saturday, with a two hourly frequency on Sundays. Timetable will allow connections between Services 48 and 50 at Irthlingborough.

Service W1: Minor timetable change.

Service W2/W2A: Standardised half-hourly route and timetable on route W2 running direct along Nest Farm Road.

Service X44: Withdrawn.

Service X4: Kettering to Corby section enhanced to run every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime. Northampton to Kettering section of route will continue to operate up to every 30 minutes. Buses between Corby & Peterborough will remain hourly.

Services 276 and 278: Service 278 withdrawn.

Changes have also been announced to a number of routes which serve Northampton.

They include:

Service 2 (Northampton to Blackthorn): Afternoon journey times adjusted to improve reliability.

Service 3 (Northampton to Camp Hill): Section between Camp Hill and East Hunsbury Tesco withdrawn.

Service 5 (Northampton to Southfields): Section between Northampton and Duston withdrawn and replaced by changes to services 9/9A and 15. Service continues to run as now between Southfields and Northampton.

Service 7A (Northampton to Rectory Farm): Withdrawn.

Service 8 (Northampton to Kings Heath): Buses will run up to every 20 minutes.

Service 9/9A (Northampton to Duston): Service 9 journeys from Duston towards the town centre will be diverted to serve Sainsburys at Sixfields. Service 9A journeys from the town centre towards Duston will be diverted to serve Sainsburys at Sixfields.

Service 12/12A (Northampton, East Hunsbury, Wootton Fields, Brackmills): Some early and late journeys withdrawn. On Sundays buses will run hourly.

Service 15 (Northampton to St Giles Park): Service extended to St Giles Park replacing part of service 5. On Sundays buses will run hourly.

Service 55 (Northampton to Swan Valley): Service extended in Pineham to provide a service to Sainsbury’s at Style Way.

Services 80 and 81: Service 81 withdrawn. Passengers should use Service 80.

Service 88 (Northampton to Silverstone): Sunday service withdrawn. On weekdays the 0735 from Potterspury will be retimed to run the same route as the other 88 journeys. This will create a Silverstone departure at 0720, arriving in Northampton 0820. This will facilitate onward connections to Northampton College.

Service D3 (Northampton to Daventry): Monday to Saturday buses will run up to every 90 mins.