A new open-top bus service in Woodbridge will not only provide convenient links between the Railway Station, Bus Station and town centre shops this summer. It will also enable visitors to get an enhanced roof-top view of the town’s historic features, and to go on to the National Trust Sutton Hoo site where they can pay an entrance fee to visit the ship burial site and exhibition centre.

The service, which is linked to the railway timetable, has been arranged by Woodbridge Town Centre Management Group to attract visitors to the town and to encourage them to use public transport. It will also enable local people to have a completely new view of their town and the surroundings.

Dr Marion Wells, Woodbridge Town Centre Co-ordinator, said "We have worked closely with Ipswich Buses to bring this service to Woodbridge and plan a really interesting route. It will give a real boost to tourism and encourage people to explore all the interesting parts of this lovely town. We recently ran a special preview service for Suffolk tourism officers and they were bowled over by the attractiveness of the town."

The service, provided by Ipswich Buses on behalf of the CitySightseeing Bus company, will operate for eight weeks, twice a week (Thursdays and Saturdays), from Thursday 19 July to Saturday 8 September, inclusive.

It will start from Ipswich, and return there at the end of the day, after operating an hourly circular route within Woodbridge from 10.30am to 4.00pm. The route starts at the Railway Station, goes up Ipswich Road to The Seal public house and down Warren Road to get a splendid distant view of the Tide Mill, back to Station Road, up Quay Street to Market Hill and Buttrum’s Mill, before going back down New Street. It will then leave Woodbridge for Melton village and station, and Sutton Hoo.

The return journey to the station will be via Lime Kiln Quay and The Turban Centre. There will be about ten drop-off and pick-up points en route, plus stops at any service bus stops on request. All-day tickets (Adult £5, child/concession £3, family of up to two adults and three children £12) will allow passengers to hop on and off the service throughout the day.For a one-trip ticket or for a trip between two stops on a single journey, the price is adult £2 and child £1.

SCC Concessionary pass holders travel free of charge. All other authority pass holders pay the concessionary fare.

The bus is sponsored by Woodbridge Town Centre Management Group, East Suffolk Travellers Association, East Suffolk Community Rail Partnership, and Woodbridge Community Council.

Timetables will be available from Ipswich and Woodbridge Tourist Information Centres, Sutton Hoo and other outlets along the route in Woodbridge.

For more information, please contact
Malcolm Robson, Ipswich Buses on 01473 232600
Woodbridge Tourist Information Centre 01394 382240
Woodbridge Town Centre Co-ordinator 0783 015 8780.