Bus service changes
Details of bus service changes.
Public transport service changes – May 2025
Service change from 12 May 2025
Route 165 (Leighton Buzzard – Wingrave – Aylesbury) will have a new timetable and will be operated by Red Rose Travel from 12 May 2025.
Buses will no longer run direct to Stoke Mandeville Hospital. However, there are several bus routes connecting the hospital with Aylesbury Bus Station.
For journey planning and bus times, visit the Traveline website.
Service change from 19 May 2025
Red Eagle route 61 / 61A (Aylesbury – Tring – Pitstone – Dunstable) will have minor timetable changes, with some journeys re-timed to run 5 or 10 minutes later than currently scheduled.
You can find timetable updates on the Red Eagle website or check routes using the Traveline journey planner.
Spring Bank Holiday Monday 26 May 2025
Bus routes in the Central Bedfordshire area will operate a Sunday service on bank holiday Monday 26 May 2025. Visit your local operator’s website or use the Traveline website for up-to-date bus times.
Train services will be amended over the bank holiday weekend. Major engineering work will take place on the line between Bedford and Luton between 24 and 26 May 2025.
For train times and service updates, visit the National Rail Enquiries website.
Public transport service changes – 1 June 2025
Mid and east Bedfordshire area
A2B Travel route 96, 96A (Stotfold – Arlesey – Letchworth) will have a new timetable, broadly to the same frequencies as now, but journeys in the morning peak will be slightly earlier and some afternoon journeys slightly later to provide better times for students at Pix Brook Academy. Bus stops on Arlesey Road near to Etonbury Academy and Pix Brook Academy will be relocated to provide better access to Pix Brook Academy.
Stagecoach route 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D (Bedford – Shefford – Hitchin – Stevenage) will have a new timetable, broadly to the same frequencies as now, and will run via Old Town in Stevenage. The school day journeys that run as route 9C will now run as route 9B on school days and school holidays.
Stagecoach route MK1 (Bedford – Barton-le-Clay – Luton – Luton Airport – Milton Keynes) will have a new timetable, broadly to the same frequencies as now.
A number of Stagecoach routes in Bedford will have timetable and route changes, including route 8 which will provide additional journeys between the town centre and Bedford Hospital (North Wing).
Leighton Buzzard and Linslade area
The Leighton’s Buses network (routes L1 to L6) will have a new operator, Centrebus, after the expiry of the existing contract. All routes will have a new timetable and some have route changes.
All Arriva services will now run to and from West Street every day instead of using High Street on days when the market is not operating. Buckinghamshire / Red Rose Travel and Centrebus services will continue to use High Street except on Tuesdays, Saturdays and event days when they will run from West Street.
Route L1 will continue to run from Leighton Buzzard Station, via the town centre, Sandhills, Roman Gate, Grovebury Retail Park and Grovebury Road to the town centre and Leighton Buzzard Station on Monday – Saturday daytimes.
Route L2 will continue to run from Leighton Buzzard Station, via the town centre, Church Street, Chamberlains Barn, Briggington Way, Hockliffe Road to the town centre and Leighton Buzzard Station on Monday – Saturday daytimes.
Route L3 will no longer run an anti-clockwise loop via Apex Park and Chamberlains Barn, these areas will only be served during the daytime by routes L2 and L4.
New route L3 will provide a Monday – Saturday evening service from Leighton Buzzard Station and town centre via Chamberlains Barn, Apex Park, Roundel Drive, Sandhills, Roman Gate and Grovebury Road to town centre and Leighton Buzzard Station.
Route L4 will have a change of route, and will now run from Leighton Buzzard Station, via the town centre, Brooklands Drive, Leighton Road, Fraserfield Road, Stanbridge Road, Billington Park and Richmond Road to the town centre and Leighton Buzzard Station on Monday – Saturday daytimes. Early morning and early evening buses will not serve Billington Park or Richmond Road, and Saturday buses will not serve Richmond Road.
Route L5 will continue to run from the town centre, via Linslade (Mentmore Road, Grasmere Way, Derwent Road, Knaves Hill, Leighton Buzzard Station), then town centre, Hockliffe Road, Meadway, Garden Hedge to the town centre and Leighton Buzzard Station on Monday – Saturday daytimes.
Route L6 between Linslade and Leighton Buzzard town centre will no longer run.
New route L6 will provide a Sunday daytime service from Leighton Buzzard Station and West Street via Chamberlains Barn, Apex Park, Roundel Drive, Sandhills, Roman Gate, Grovebury Retail Park and Grovebury Road to West Street and Leighton Buzzard Station.
Travel will be free on Sunday 1 June 2025.
Arriva routes F70, F77 (Luton Airport – Luton – Dunstable – Leighton Buzzard – Milton Keynes) will be replaced by new Arriva routes X2 and X3 which will follow the same line of route between Luton Airport and Stanbridge (X2 direct, X3 via Stanbridge and Tilsworth), then X2 will run via Fraserfields Way and Hockliffe Road (X3 will continue to run via Stanbridge Road and Roundel Drive.)
Between Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes, both routes will serve Newton Leys, X3 will run via Stoke Hammond. Route X2 will have an evening and Sunday service, and on weekdays, there will be an earlier bus from Leighton Buzzard to Luton Airport, and a later bus from Luton Airport to Leighton Buzzard. In Leighton Buzzard town centre, buses will serve West Street every day of the week and no longer run via High Street on days when the market is not operating.
Arriva Route X4 (Milton Keynes – Heath and Reach – Leighton Buzzard – Aylesbury) will have a new timetable, and the route between Heath and Reach and Milton Keynes will be changed, with buses no longer running via Bletchley town centre. In Leighton Buzzard town centre, buses will no longer run via High Street on days when the market is not operating, buses towards Aylesbury will depart from Hockliffe Street / Market Square and buses towards Heath and Reach and Milton Keynes will depart from Lake Street / Library every day.
Read more about Milton Keynes changes on Arriva's website.
New Red Rose Travel route 150 (Leighton Buzzard – Aylesbury) will run approximately every 2 hours on Monday – Saturday daytimes between Leighton Buzzard (High Street / West Street) via Leighton Buzzard Station, Southcourt Avenue, Wing, Bierton. On school days, journeys will extend via Tring Road in Aylesbury.
Dunstable and Houghton Regis Area
Arriva routes 23 / 23A Luton – Leagrave – Linmere (Lidl Distribution Centre) / Upper Sundon will have minor timing changes, to suit shift times at Lidl Distribution Centre better, broadly to the same frequencies as now.
Arriva routes 24, 25, 26 (Luton – Bushmead – Bramingham Park – Leagrave – Luton and Dunstable Hospital) will be replaced by new routes 4 and 4A.
Route 4A will replace route 24 between Luton and Dunstable Hospital and Luton town centre, and will run every day.
New route 4 will operate hourly on Monday to Friday daytimes, Luton – Bushmead (Cromer Way) – Bramingham Park – Leagrave – Lewsey Farm – Dunstable, providing new links to Dunstable town centre and via the Woodside Industrial Estate.
Arriva route 31 (Dunstable – Luton – Farley Hill) will be re-numbered route 1, with no change to the timetable that was introduced on 20 April 2025.
Arriva routes 321 (Luton – St Albans – Watford / Watford Hospital) and 721 (Luton – St Albans – Hemel Hempstead) will have minor timing changes, broadly to the same frequencies as now.
Arriva routes A and Z (Luton Airport – Luton – Busway – Dunstable – Houghton Regis) will be combined as a circular service.
New route A will run clockwise from Luton Airport and Luton direct via the Busway to Dunstable town centre, then to Houghton Regis, Tithe Farm, Parkside (Windsor Drive), Lewsey Farm, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Challney and via the Busway to Luton and Luton Airport.
New route Z will run anti-clockwise in the opposite direction to route A.
These routes will no longer serve the Dolphin Drive section of Parkside Drive where route Z currently operates (see route L).
Both routes A and Z will run 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, bringing a new, all-night service offer to Houghton Regis and Lewsey Farm, improving connections to Luton town centre and onwards to the Airport.
Arriva routes F70, F77 (Luton Airport – Luton – Dunstable – Leighton Buzzard – Milton Keynes) will be replaced by new routes X2 and X3 which will follow the same line of route between Luton Airport and Stanbridge (X2 direct, X3 via Stanbridge and Tilsworth), then slightly different routes through Leighton Buzzard and in to Milton Keynes. There will be earlier and later buses than now.
New Arriva route H will run between Luton Airport and Houghton Regis North (Thorn Turn) via the Busway, Dunstable town centre and Houghton Regis. Buses will be every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes, and hourly mid evenings and Sundays.
New Arriva route L will run between Luton Interchange and Linmere (Waterslade Way) via Busway. Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Farm and Parkside Drive. Buses will be every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes, and hourly mid evenings and Sundays.