THE NEW Broomfiled Hospital shuttle bus service has began.

The new bus will travel the ten minute journey between the hospital and the Chelmer Vallery Park and Ride every half an hour.

The service costs just £3 per adult passenger and includes unlimited travel for the day on all other Chelmsford Park and Ride services (Sandon and Chelmer Valley).

Free travel is open to concessionary pass holders after 9am.

Cllr Kay Twitchen, Essex County Council Deputy Cabinet Member for Transport, Planning and Environment, said: “There is high demand for parking at Broomfield Hospital, and we have capacity at Chelmer Valley Park and Ride.

"The service will be run for a year.

"Continuation after that will be dependent on usage, so I would urge people to take advantage of this unique service if they want to keep it.

“The primary focus of our Park and Ride car parks is to provide parking for shoppers and commuters in the city centre, but it makes sense in this case to accommodate the Trust’s request to run a shuttle bus from the car park to Broomfield, as part of their travel plan.

“We’re pleased to be working with Mid Essex Hospitals Trust to improve parking and transportation for patients, staff and visitors at Broomfield Hospital.”

From Chelmer Valley, the first bus will leave at 06.37, running every 30 minutes at 07 and 37 past the hour until 17.07 with the last two buses departing at 17.47 and 18.25.

The return journey from Broomfield Hospital will start at 06.50, running every 30 minutes at 20 and 50 past each hour up till 17.20. The last buses will depart at 18.00 and 18.40.

Carin Charlton, Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust Executive Director of Strategy and Corporate Services, said: "Mid Essex Hospitals is pleased that the County Council has approved this pilot project. Broomfield Hospital is fortunate to have a number of regular and reliable bus services for patients and visitors coming from across Essex, and this will be a welcome addition to these services for patients, visitors and staff.

“This new route has been made possible by the close working between the Trust and the County Council, and we are pleased that monies we contributed to transport infrastructure as part of our town and country planning obligations have been invested in this way to directly benefit the patients, visitors and staff to our hospital.

“The Trust is very mindful about sustainability and the environment and its role in the community and is pleased to support projects that promote more sustainable travel to and from our hospital site."