TRY the bus - it may be better than you remember it. For the first two Saturdays in October, operators of most services in Huntingdonshire – Huntingdon and District and Whippet Coaches – are offering return journeys on most of their services for the price

TRY the bus - it may be better than you remember it.

For the first two Saturdays in October, operators of most services in Huntingdonshire - Huntingdon and District and Whippet Coaches - are offering return journeys on most of their services for the price of a single.

And some town centre traders in Huntingdon will be providing special offers for holders of valid bus tickets on both days.

The Hunts Post has teamed up with the two operators, with the enthusiastic backing of Cambridgeshire County Council, in a bid to boost use of public transport in the district and encourage people to shop in Huntingdon, St Neots, St Ives and Ramsey, instead of going further afield.

Hunts Post editor Andy Veale said: "When we made a number of test journeys earlier in the summer, Hunts Post reporters and other colleagues were impressed by many aspects of the services they used, although reliable information was sometimes hard to come by.

"So we wanted to do our bit to reduce the impact on the environment by encouraging people to use the buses.

"The operators tell us that services are far better now than those who don't use public transport regularly will remember from the past, and that travellers will be pleasantly surprised by the experience. Many buses are new and very comfortable. We want to give them the chance to impress you."

Information on all bus services is available on Traveline on 0871 200 22 33, but the operators believe the quality of information on their own lines is far superior to the industry-wide bureau. H&D is on 01480 453159 and Whippet 01480 463792.

The offer applies to all services within Huntingdonshire on Saturdays October 6 and 13, and includes journeys from Cambourne and Papworth to Huntingdonshire destinations. Journeys to and from Cambridge are excluded.

The deal covers not just shopping trips but leisure journeys too, so readers may wish to check out the two operators' websites - or telephone them - to find out how extensive their networks are within the district. H&D is on www.huntsbus.co.uk

and Whippet on:

www.go-whippet.co.uk

Whippet Coaches director Peter Lee said yesterday: "Using buses is the way forward for everyone. You can lower your carbon footprint and your stress levels, by letting the bus take the strain out of your journey.

"While you travel, you can attend to other things such as reading, listening to music, texting friends or just planning your day. The more you use the buses, the more investment can go into the infrastructure and the better it can become."

Katy Sismore, Huntingdon's town centre manager, has approached traders about special deals on the two days. "Early indications are very promising," she said yesterday.