Has anyone used Callconnect in Rutland?

I know nothing about this particular service, althought there is a similar scheme in Surrey Heath, where I live.
I assume you have checked out the website.
https://www.rutland.gov.uk/rutland-buses/callconnect

Out of curiousity, I put in Barnsdale Gardens and it appeared not to recognise them. You might want to go to the website and try your actual journey.

I haven't used it, but it's the same kind of scheme as The Cotswold Robin. We also have similar, quite new, schemes in Cumbria.

However I doubt it will serve the gardens because it only serves places with no fixed route bus service. Now Exton (the next village) has vestigial services on the RZ1 and the 184.

Also (and more importantly) the Gardens, while in Call Connect Zone 2, are only about 200 yards from the Barnsdale Hotel on the Monday to Friday hourly R9 Stamford to Oakham route- https://www.rutland.gov.uk/rutland-buses/bus-timetable-r9

Looking on street view there is no marked stop, it's one served by custom and practice, where you give a clear hand signal to the passing driver, but in the detailed version of the timetable there is a stop called 'Barnsdale Avenue (adj)' (Stamford bound) and 'Barnsdale Avenue (opp)' (Oakham bound).

The stop Stamford bound will be on the sidewalk where the weight limit sign is, and opposite on the sidewalk opposite, across the traffic island (but the driver will confirm that).

most rural councils have some form of this. "on demand" might be pushing it, in reality it's "requestable". First you need to download the App and then set up an account. Then, in advance, you fill in the form for the journey you want to make. The buses have 12-16 seats and sometime before the journey a person has to sift the forms and try to fit all the requests into a sequence that works, your requested time, pickup and drop off points can all be slightly altered to suit - it's the public transport verson of herding cats - and that person will know the regulars. At this point it may sound like simply booking a cab would be easier but you have to bear in mind that pensioners with an all England bus pass often don't have to pay, my local service was costing about £17 subsidy per trip until it was reorganised.

The Barnsdale website is way out of date and quotes a scheduled bus route that no longer exists - Streetview shows that the council spent money building a safe bus stop at the gates before the route was withdawn and the sign was taken off it!. Google Maps say it's 1 mile from the Barnsdale Ave stop to the entrance to the gardens.

Thanks everyone!

Stuart- Is there a bus stop on the R9 route between Stamford and Oakham that lets you off at Barnsdale hotel which is 200 yards to the Gardens? That would be perfect.

Lin C - I did download the app, made an account and created a "dummy" trip on the site from Stamford bus stop to Barnsdale Gardens. It found me several options on a Friday morning taking from 17-29 minutes and stating it would be free. However, I'm not sure how reliable it would be, how I would get back again or if the "free" applies to me which is why I was looking for more information.

me.crewe- If it is 1 mile walk to the Gardens from the bus stop, I prefer to do my walking in the Gardens (some mobility challenges) which is the reason I was looking at Callconnect. A cab seems like a good back up plan.

mmm, Google maps gave me a wrong scale earlier. Having got a different scale now I've done what I should have done earlier, and been upstairs to get OS Landranger maps #130 and 141 out (such a short walk is split across maps!). That invisible stop on the R9 certainly exists, but having just measured the road walk on the physical map, it is pretty much exactly one mile.

It is showing as being part of a long distance walk called the Viking Way, all the way to Hull.

But yes the service is free to everyone, up until 31 March 2027, then it says it is £3 per journey. You can book between 1 hour and 7 days before travel, so you create a different journey for the return. I wonder if the £3 will become £2 if the 2027 £2 fare cap goes ahead.

Personally I would want to book a return journey early enough, such that I could leg it to Exton village for the RZ1 or to the R9 stop if required.

Stuart

Thanks so much for clarifying the distance. It makes sense to book a separate return journey.