New bus service to aid employment opportunities

BUS services from Tamworth to Nuneaton via Atherstone and Birch Coppice Business Park in Dordon have received a major boost as is hoped to improve employment opportunities.

Stagecoach Midlands has been working closely with businesses in and around Birch Coppice to identify new routes and service times to better match their shift patterns.

The new Service 767 which was introduced from Saturday October 11th, operating between Tamworth and Nuneaton via Birch Coppice and Atherstone provides a very early morning and evening service Mondays to Saturdays which leaves Tamworth Town Centre at 423am.

A Sunday service is also introduced in the early morning and evening, again providing links between Tamworth and Nuneaton via Birch Coppice. There are also some amendments in peak hours to the Mondays to Saturdays existing service 766, with journeys being extended to Nuneaton from Atherstone.

Together these improvements mean that residents of Tamworth without access to a car will be able to seek employment at Birch Coppice and at employers along the route, with the confidence that transport will be available seven days a week. Existing employees at Birch Coppice and local companies in Tamworth and elsewhere along the route will be able to choose to leave the car or bike at home and take the bus.

Birch Coppice is a major employment site, with over 15 medium and large businesses, employing over 4,500 people, including online food retailer Ocado, the automotive parts company Eurocarparts and package delivery firm UPS. Further expansion is expected over the next few years creating even more job opportunities in an already flourishing North Warwickshire economy.

Steve Burd, Managing Director Stagecoach Midlands, said’: “We see a great opportunity to link people living in the Nuneaton, Atherstone and Tamworth areas with the considerable employment opportunities at Birch Coppice.

“The launch of our improved service 766 timetable and new service 767 on 11th October follows considerable consultation with major employers at Birch Coppice, Job Centre Plus, North Warwickshire Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council.

“We sincerely hope that these efforts by all concerned will enable a significant number of people to secure new employment, as well as enabling existing staff at Birch Coppice to travel to and from work in a more environmentally friendly manner.”

Councillor Ray Sweet, North Warwickshire Borough Council member representing Baddesley and Grendon, said: “We have been working hard for about 18 months to encourage an extended bus service, so this is a great development for North Warwickshire.

“The new timetable is specifically geared up to cover shift work and that can only be a big plus for people working at Birch Coppice and for anyone in the surrounding towns and villages who is looking for employment. We look forward to hearing about the success of the new route.“

The timetable for the 766 and 767 service can be seen by clicking here.