New and Enhanced Services
With the additional funding, Ulsterbus has been able to develop a total of 50 new and enhanced services across Northern Ireland.
The aim of these services is to make travel to local market towns by public transport more accessible.
Each of the new services has been introduced in phases in partnership with all of the District Depots serving their local rural areas.
The services are designed to:
Award Winning Services
The Causeway Rambler
The Causeway Rambler service, operated by Translink in partnership with The National Trust, has an eco-tourism focus. It encourages visitors to the Causeway Coast to leave their cars behind and explore this scenic area by foot. Tourists can now start their ramble at various points along the coastal path and return to their parked cars by bus.
The Antrim Coast Rural Quality Bus Corridor (QBC)
The first rural QBC was introduced along the route of the flag ship ‘Antrim Coaster’ service. The project was developed in partnership between Translink and DRD Transport (Policy and Support Division).
QBC’s encourage more people to use public transport by offering an increased frequency of service, improved infrastructure and public transport information together with operating high-quality buses.
The Causeway Rambler and the revamped Antrim Coaster service recently won the Exemplar Award from Earthfest 2000, an environmental project funded by the Millennium Commission.
Bright and comprehensive custom-made information leaflets, which included customer response forms, were designed and produced to complement the new services being introduced.
The success of these services encouraged thedevelopment of Translink's 'ABC Scheme' - Access by Bus to the Countryside. The ABC Scheme gained the Runner-up Award in the 'Buses for Pleasure' category of the Bus Industry's annual 'Oscars' in 2001.
In 2003 the Summer Rambler services will include:
The Causeway Rambler
The Mourne Rambler
The Sperrin Rambler
The Lecale Ramber
The Gortin Rambler