Free b
Encyclopedia
Free b was a zero-fare
shuttle bus that operated in Cardiff
city centre
, Wales
. The route circled the edges of the city centre anti-clockwise. The service was operated by Cardiff Bus
.
The three 28-seater buses in a yellow and black livery were introduced as part of a multi-million-pound joint council and Assembly Government-funded green initiative designed to encourage sustainable transport.
Cardiff Council announced that because of low ridership, the Free b bus would be cancelled and replaced with an electric shuttle van. Council-operated electric buggies were introduced in October 2010 in order to carry disabled and elderly passengers around the city centre.
Stops
Zero-fare public transport
Free public transport, also often called free public transit or zero-fare public transport, is a single or network of transport services funded in full by means other than collecting a full fare from passengers. It may be funded by national, regional or local government through taxation or by...
shuttle bus that operated in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
city centre
Cardiff city centre
Cardiff city centre is the central business district of Cardiff, Wales. The area is tightly bounded by the River Taff to the west, the Civic centre to the north and railway lines and two railway stations - Central and Queen Street - to the south and east respectively...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The route circled the edges of the city centre anti-clockwise. The service was operated by Cardiff Bus
Cardiff Bus
Cardiff Bus is the dominant operator of bus services in Cardiff, Wales and the surrounding area, including Barry and Penarth. Its hub is Cardiff central bus station...
.
History
The service commenced on 12 October 2009 as a response to the creation of a "bus box" in Cardiff city centre. This was formed from the diversion of the terminus of many of Cardiff Bus's services from the Central Bus Station to stops around the edges of the city centre. The shuttle service was introduced to connect these stops, as well as those of Cardiff's four Park and Ride services.The three 28-seater buses in a yellow and black livery were introduced as part of a multi-million-pound joint council and Assembly Government-funded green initiative designed to encourage sustainable transport.
Cardiff Council announced that because of low ridership, the Free b bus would be cancelled and replaced with an electric shuttle van. Council-operated electric buggies were introduced in October 2010 in order to carry disabled and elderly passengers around the city centre.
Operation
The Free b service followed a circular route that travels anti-clockwise around the city centre linking major bus and rail interchanges. The operates every 10 minutes until 20:00 on weekdays and until 18:00 on the weekend.Stops
- Churchill Way - for Cardiff Queen Street railway stationCardiff Queen Street railway stationCardiff Queen Street railway station is Wales' second busiest railway station in Cardiff, Wales. It is one of 20 stations in the city and two in the city centre, the other being Cardiff Central...
and Capitol Shopping Centre - Windsor Lane
- Greyfriars Road for New TheatreNew TheatreNew Theatre or New Theater may refer to:In the United Kingdom* The New Theatre , Wales* The New Theatre * The Noël Coward Theatre, London * New Theatre , The University Of Nottingham's student run theatre...
- Greyfriars Road - for Hilton Hotel, Queens Arcade, Capital TowerCapital Tower, CardiffCapital Tower located in Cardiff, Wales was the tallest structure in Wales until 12th Sept 2008 when Meridian Quay in Swansea was topped out. Standing at 80 metres to roof height, Capital Tower is slightly taller than Stadium House, which stands at 78 metres to roof height, though inclusion of the...
, City HallCity Hall, CardiffCity Hall is a civic building in Cathays Park, Cardiff, Wales. Built of Portland stone, it became the fifth building to serve as Cardiff's centre of local government when it opened in October 1906. The competition to design a town hall and adjacent law courts for Cardiff was won in 1897 by the firm...
and National MuseumNational Museum CardiffNational Museum Cardiff is a museum and art gallery in Cardiff, Wales. The museum is part of the wider network of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales... - Castle Street - for Cardiff CastleCardiff CastleCardiff Castle is a medieval castle and Victorian architecture Gothic revival mansion, transformed from a Norman keep erected over a Roman fort in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The Castle is a Grade I Listed Building.-The Roman fort:...
- Westgate Street - for Millennium StadiumMillennium StadiumThe Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
- St Mary StreetSt. Mary Street/High StreetSt. Mary Street and High Street are major commercial streets in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff city centre, Wales, which form a major north–south thoroughfare in the centre. High Street begins at the junction of Castle Street on the A4161 and ends at the junction of Church Street and Quay Street,...
- for St David's HallSt David's HallSt David's Hall is a performing arts and conference venue in the heart of Cardiff city centre, the capital of Wales... - Central Bus StationCardiff Central bus stationCardiff Central bus station is the main bus transport interchange in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. With 34 stands, it is the largest bus station in the city and in Wales. It is located adjacent to Cardiff Central railway station forming a major bus-rail-cycle-taxi interchange.The station used...
(stand D1A) - for Cardiff Central railway stationCardiff Central railway stationCardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
and Millennium StadiumMillennium StadiumThe Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage... - Wyndham Arcade - for Hard Rock CaféHard Rock CafeHard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
- Canal Street - for Marriott Hotel, The HayesThe HayesThe Hayes is a commercial area in the southern city centre of the Welsh capital, Cardiff. Based around the road of that name leading south towards the east end of the city centre, the area is mostly pedestrianised....
, St David's and Cardiff Central LibraryCardiff Central LibraryCardiff Central Library , is the main library in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales. Four buildings have been named as such, with the newest building opening on 14 March 2009 and officially being opened a few months later on 18 June 2009 by the Manic Street Preachers... - David Street - for Cardiff International ArenaCardiff International ArenaThe Cardiff International Arena was opened on 10 September 1993, by Shirley Bassey, in front of 5,500 fans. On 1 March 2011, the Cardiff International Arena was officially renamed Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, after the car sales company with a branch in Newport bought the naming rights to the Cardiff...