THE ROUTES
THE TIMETABLE
THE FULL STORY
The Henley Hopper, the new Henley Town Bus Service, will launch on Tuesday 13th October 2020. TK Travel, a local, family run company, has been appointed by the Council to provide this vital community service. A new 22 seater Mellor Strata bus, with a low emission Euro VI engine, has arrived at TK Travel’s depot and will soon start to travel the 151, 152 and 153 routes covered by the previous bus service.
The service is programmed to start on Tuesday 13th October and a low key launch event will be held on Saturday 17 the October when residents are invited to come and see the bus, meet staff from TK Travel and see the sanitising processes that the company uses to help make the service as safe as possible.
The service is not profit-making and is supported through housing developer financial contributions, and a subsidy from Henley Town Council, which has been supporting the routes since Oxfordshire County Council removed all its bus subsidies as a cost-cutting measure in 2016.
TK Travel are a family run company, voted “Best Minibus and Coach Hire Company in South East England” in 2019 by SME News. They are taking their responsibilities with regard to the Coronavirus pandemic very seriously and can be seen sanitising their coaches on a video on their website: https://tktravelltd.com/#services.
Buses will be able to take up to 12 passengers at a time with the current restrictions in place.
The new service will run on the previous routes, with an extension to serve Highlands Park. The route numbers remain the same.
The service will run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 2pm. If the service is successful, the Council and TK Travel hope to extend it in the future.
The service remains hail and ride – if the bus can safely stop, it will pull in wherever it’s flagged down. Concessionary bus passes are also valid on the service. With low access, plenty of space for wheelchairs and shopping trolleys, together with air conditioning, a comfortable ride is guaranteed.
TK Travel and Henley Town Council are also aware that the service must comply with the Government’s safer transport guidance for operators. As a result we will be limiting the numbers to 12 and ensuring that the bus is sanitised.
All passengers will have to wear face masks and hand gel will also be provided.
Timetables can be collected from Henley Town Hall or the bus and will be delivered to all houses in the town. Visit the TK Travel website at www.tktravelltd.com or the Henley Town Council website at www.henleytowncouncil.gov.uk to see the timetable online. TK Travel can also be contacted by phone on 0118 9700 600.
HRG Town Councillor, Stefan Gawrysiak, said “We are delighted that the new bus service is about to start to serve the residents and members of our community”
Katie Gripton of TK Travel said “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Henley Town Council to deliver the bus service for Henley community. We are a family run company and we put customer service and the community at the heart of what we do. We are looking forward to starting the new service next week.
.
HRG Councillor Stefan Gawrysiak, Chair of the Henley Town Council Bus Working Group, with Tony Floyd and Katie Gripton of KT Travel
.