Big changes planned for controversial MK Connect buses as council strives to improve service in Milton Keynes

The council has announced a trial of radical changes for the city’s MK Connect bus service.

As the system reaches its third anniversary, they are running a six month pilot scheme that will result in shorter wait times for people in certain areas.

Currently passengers in rural areas are waiting up to 70 minutes for the MK Connect buses to pick them up, it has been revealed.

The pilot scheme will see MK Connect vehicles restricted to one of three zones, rather than covering the whole city. This avoids situations where a driver drops off one passenger in the south of the city, in areas such as Bletchley, then immediately collects another in the north, in areas such as Olney.

The city council hopes by zoning the service, rural wait times can be reduced by more than three quarters – aiming for 15 minutes or faster.

The city council estimates that most journeys made during the pilot will remain within one zone, which means passengers won’t need to change vehicle.

However, a passenger whose journey takes them out of their pick-up zone may be asked to change, either to another MK Connect vehicle or to a bus if the journey follows an existing bus route.

Passengers who are asked to change vehicle will only be charged for one leg of their trip, so they won’t pay more than they usually do.

Changes won’t be needed when bus services are less frequent, such as on Sundays or after 7pm.

The demand-responsive system was launched almost two years ago, after MK Council scrapped many of its subsidised bus route. They replaced them with a fleet of electric vans offering a “bespoke” service that people can book in advance via their phones or online.

The pilot scheme is due to start on Monday April 8 and will run for six months.

Cllr Jennifer Wilson-Marklew, Cabinet member for Public Realm at Milton Keynes City Council, said: ““We’re running this pilot to check whether people prefer faster collections or the convenience of one vehicle, and we’re doing it for six months so all passengers can give it a robust test.

"What people tell us will help determine how we organise MK Connect in the future. MK Connect can be real lifeline so it’s important we get everyone’s informed feedback to help us make fair decisions.”

MK Connect was launched in 2021 after the council scrapped many of its subsidised bus routes. It’s an on-demand service with a fleet of seven-seater vehicles, which local people can book on an app or by phone.

They then before share journey with other passengers going in the same direction.

The council says more than 1.1m trips have been taken on MK Connect since it was introduced. The green initiative, which is the largest of its kind in the UK, has won several awards including a ‘Best Public Transport’ transport industry award.

But the scheme has also proved controversial, prompting complaints from some people saying timings are erratic and the booking system is too difficult, particularly for older people with no access to the internet.