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27 Jun 08Route ONE's 100,000th Passenger
A three-year-old boy has been awarded his very own bus stop to mark a major milestone for one of Poole's most popular bus routes.
Bus fan Joseph Hainsworth was the 100,000th passenger in a year to travel on the Route ONE service linking Poole town centre, hospital and railway station with the Old Town and the Quay.
Joseph and his family are regular travellers on the distinctive sky blue Route ONE hopper buses, which run up to every 15 minutes on a circular route linking all the attractions in the town.
To celebrate the milestone, Joseph was presented with a Route ONE t-shirt, model bus and also his own personalised bus stop sign.
Joseph's mother Joanne said: "My little boy Joseph loves all of the buses, but his favourite is the Route ONE bus. He calls it the little blue bus, Route Toot.
"Route ONE is invaluable to us. It's great to live near the town centre but sometimes it's too far to walk with Joseph and our shopping bags. Route One gives us the freedom to get around and explore the park and the Quay without the need to get the car out of the drive."
"Its an excellent service and a lifeline to some of the older passengers we meet who use it for shopping and hospital appointments."
Cllr Mike White, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Transportation, Borough of Poole, said: "We have been delighted to develop our Route ONE service. To reach the milestone of 100,000 passengers in the last 12 months is a fantastic achievement."
The Route ONE service now runs Monday to Saturday from 7.25am to 6.20pm. Fares are a real bargain at 50p for a single journey, or £1 for a 'hop-on, hop-off' ticket offering all-day travel. Up to two children under 15 can travel for free when travelling with a paying adult.
Julian McLaughlin, Head of Transportation Services, Borough of Poole, said: "Route ONE has shown that a frequent, attractive bus service can offer a real alternative to using the car and help reduce congestion."
Chris Harris, Public Relations Manager for Wilts & Dorset Bus Company 
, said: "We are delighted by the numbers of people travelling on Route ONE. Our helpful and professional drivers have ensured that it is the friendly way to travel around Poole."
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