Carousel 'reluctantly' axes part of A40 commuter service to Heathrow to 'reduce financial losses'

Carousel Buses has announced a raft of changes to its services, due to come into effect on June 3 – including scrapping part of the High Wycombe to Heathrow A40/740 route amid falling passenger numbers. 

The section of the bus route between Uxbridge and Heathrow is being withdrawn, with some commuters who work at the airport but live in Bucks saying they are "disappointed" and will struggle to commute. 

Responding to the concerns on Wednesday night, Carousel said they were "open" to discussions with the airport about reinstating the service in some way. 

Carousel Buses managing director, Phil Southall, said: “Some changes to services have been made as part of a network review, this includes reinstating a 15-minute service between High Wycombe and Beaconsfield and a new service to Slough and Wexham Park Hospital.

"The A40 service has not been withdrawn, it has simply been renumbered 101 and will operate the existing A40 route between High Wycombe and Uxbridge only, rather than continue on to Heathrow.

"Passenger numbers on the Uxbridge to Heathrow section were negatively impacted by TfL’s contracted A10 service, which runs every 15 minutes with lower fares set by the Mayor.

"Without financial subsidy it became impossible for us to compete with TfL’s £1.50 flat fare on the Uxbridge to Heathrow route.

"We approached Heathrow Airport about withdrawing from the airport before making our decision to end the service at Uxbridge, but they did not wish to provide funding and no way forward to keep the service in its current form was identified.

"We reluctantly withdrew the link to reduce financial losses and enable us to continue operating other important routes.

"We remain open to talking to Heathrow Airport about how we reinstate the service in some way.

"Currently for passengers looking to travel to Heathrow we advise changing services at Uxbridge onto the TfL bus network.”