Pronto (bus service)
| Pronto | |
|---|---|
_-_3_May_2025.jpg) Pronto-branded Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC operated by Stagecoach East Midlands in Chesterfield in May 2025 | |
| Overview | |
| Operator | Stagecoach East Midlands |
| Status | Operational |
| Former operator | Trentbarton |
| Route | |
| Start | Chesterfield |
| Via | Mansfield |
| End | Nottingham |
| Timetable | Pronto timetable |
Pronto is a bus route that runs between Chesterfield and Nottingham via Mansfield.
History
[edit]
The "Pronto" brand was launched in 2005 and was shared by Stagecoach East Midlands and Trent Barton, who jointly operated the route as replacements for their competing 737 and 747 services. Some tickets issued by the two companies were valid on all services, while others were only accepted on services operated by one company.[1][2]
In 2012, there was a dispute between the two operators resulting in Stagecoach timing its services to run five minutes before the Trent Barton services.[3] It was short-lived, and consistent headways were restored.[2]
In June 2018, Stagecoach upgraded their operation of the Pronto to double-decker operation, launching eleven new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMCs on the route to replace existing single-deck Alexander Dennis Enviro300s.[4][5][page needed]
In February 2020, Trent Barton withdrew from the route, leaving Stagecoach East Midlands as the sole operator.[6]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mansfield-Nottingham section of the route was temporarily reduced from every 10 minutes to every 15 minutes in 2021, though the change has since been reversed in September 2024.[citation needed]
Route
[edit]The route operates between Chesterfield and Nottingham via Mansfield. From Monday to Saturday between Chesterfield and Mansfield, the service is half-hourly, while between Mansfield and Nottingham the service operates every 10 minutes. On Sundays the service runs hourly from Chesterfield to Mansfield, and half-hourly between Mansfield and Nottingham.[7]
Incidents
[edit]In October 2019, three buses in a row failed to pick up a wheelchair user who was waiting at a bus stop in Mansfield. Following a complaint, Stagecoach apologised and stated that two of its drivers would face disciplinary action.[8]
On 16 December 2024, a Pronto double-decker bus carrying 20 passengers came off the A60 road near Ravenshead and fell into a ditch, ultimately colliding with a tree. No injuries were reported following the incident.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Stagecoach and Trent Barton team up Pronto". Buses. Vol. 57, no. 609. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. December 2005. p. 10. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ^ a b Foreman, Oliver (17 February 2020). "A tale of two operators and one bus route". Focus Transport. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Foreman, Oliver (1 September 2012). "Outbreak of Competition on Pronto". Focus Transport. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ "Stagecoach launches 11 new Pronto buses". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Lidstone, John G.; et al. (19 July 2018). "Fleet News England & Wales". Buses. No. 749. Stamford: Key Publishing. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ "Pronto partners part as Trent Barton withdraws". Buses. No. 780. Stamford: Key Publishing. 20 February 2020. p. 9. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ "Pronto timetable" (PDF). Stagecoach. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ "Wheelchair user 'forced to wet himself' after buses fail to stop". BBC News. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Moore, Joel (16 December 2024). "Double-decker bus crashes into ditch on main Nottinghamshire road". Nottinghamshire Live. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
External links
[edit]- Stagecoach East Midlands Pronto website
Media related to Pronto (bus) at Wikimedia Commons
