Tracks to Trees: New bus service links National Memorial Arboretum to rail network

A new dedicated bus service has been launched to improve accessibility to the National Memorial Arboretum.  This new bus service, funded by Staffordshire County Council and operated by Diamond Bus East Midlands, will make it easier for visitors to travel to the free-to-enter 150-acre estate using public transport.

“The National Memorial Arboretum is the Nation’s year-round place to remember, and our team is continually working to remove accessibility barriers as part of our commitment to remaining freely open to all,” said Mark Ellis, National Memorial Arboretum Lead. “Remembrance has been a fundamental human need for millennia and thanks to this new bus service, people who either don’t own a vehicle or prefer more sustainable transport options will now find it much easier to travel to the Arboretum to reflect, remember, and forge new memories together.”

A newly liveried bus, featuring images of the National Memorial Arboretum’s gardens and memorials arrived at the Arboretum for the first time at 11am on Friday 14 March. This bus will provide a seven-day regular shuttle service between Tamworth Station and the Arboretum, one of the Midland’s largest visitor destinations.

In addition to calling at the railway station and Tamworth town centre, the bus will stop in Alrewas Village allowing for connections with the 12 Bus Service to Burton and Lichfield, previously the nearest bus service to the Arboretum. Each journey will cost £3 per passenger and trips are free of charge for National Concessionary Bus Pass holders.

“We are thrilled to launch this new bus service, which provides Tamworth residents and those in the surrounding area with an affordable and sustainable option to travel to the National Memorial Arboretum with ease,” said Cllr Robert Pritchard, Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Support Member for Highways (Operations South). “This initiative aligns perfectly with the county council’s commitment to improving connectivity and promoting greener travel options across Staffordshire. I hope everyone takes advantage of this fantastic service to explore one of our most valued landmarks.”

The launch coincides with the start of English Tourism Week (14-23 March), a nationwide celebration of England’s exciting and vibrant tourism sector which supports 200,000 SME businesses, employs 2.6 million people and generates about £71.6 billion annually for the economy in domestic visitor spending.

“The Local Visitor Economy Partnership is supportive of sustainable itineraries we can market to visitors and locals, and this is something we will promote via Visit Staffordshire,” said Cllr Philip White, a board member of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP). “Tamworth rail station is an area of interest for Staffordshire’s visitor economy, being only a stone’s throw away from several major attractions on foot and public transport – Tamworth Castle, the National Memorial Arboretum, National Forest and Lichfield Cathedral are all fantastic nationally renowned attractions in and around this area.”

Since opening to the public in 2001, the National Memorial Arboretum has grown into one of the Midlands largest visitor destinations, welcoming over 300,000 visitors each year. The Arboretum is a key contributor to the local visitor economy, creating jobs, and supporting hundreds of businesses across the region through local sourcing of products and services.