Bus company Arriva have partnered with Forestry England and Milton Keynes Council to put Salcey Forest on the map this summer.
The 33 bus service will be extended to the nearby forest park Monday to Saturday from 24 July.
To celebrate the launch of the new, the bus company plans to run a prize draw on the Arriva Facebook Page from 17th July, with prizes including unlimited Family travel on Arriva buses in Milton Keynes and beyond as well as activities at Salcey Forest.
The route for the 33 bus goes from Leadenhall St Paul's Catholic School to Northampton, passing through Central MK. You can check the route here.
“We’re really excited by this new partnership with Forestry England.” Explains Andrew Godley, Commercial Director at Arriva. “We’re constantly looking at ways of expanding our network to better connect communities and open up new destinations to the people of Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire and surrounding villages. Bringing Salcey Forest into that bus network for the first time gives us a unique opportunity to connect more people with nature, green spaces, and the great outdoors.”
Simon Fowler, Forest Centre Manager for Forestry England, said: “Bringing an Arriva bus service to Salcey Forest will enable more communities and individuals to visit this magnificent ancient woodland and see the spectacle of some of the oldest trees in the area. We strive to ensure that our woodlands offer a great value day out for residents of Milton Keynes and Northampton and this certainly does just that!
"This unique opportunity means that visitors arriving by bus will only need to pay the cost of the bus fare to visit Salcey Forest as there will be no parking fee attached to their visit. Better still, not only is a trip on a low emissions bus great fun but it also plays a huge part in reducing the impact carbon emissions have on our environment and the air we breathe.
The news comes as bus fares are set to increase for residents in Milton Keynes. The company say the changes follows a review of the 'increasing rate of inflation within the market and significant cost increases'.
You can find out more here - Bus fares to increase for people across Milton Keynes
