Ringwood's new pollution-free transport

8:11am Wednesday 25th July 2007

Comments (0)   Have your say »

ONE of the UK's greenest public transport systems was launched last week in the New Forest - the New Forest Horsedrawn Omnibus Service.

A love of rare Suffolk punch horses and concerns about the heavy traffic in the New Forest led Stephen Jones and Mo Hall from Ringwood to set up the service, which is partly financed by the New Forest National Park Authority's sustainable development fund.

The Journal reported in January that the pair had tracked down an original 1906 double decker horse-drawn omnibus from a dusty old barn.

Mo explained that this was still being restored but in the meantime they had managed to source another omnibus from Holland.

They are now offering two types of trips - a circular tour of Ringwood, which links up to the Ringwood Brewery on Wednesdays when the brewery tour is offered and a day trip around the New Forest.

I joined several people on the tour of Ringwood pulled by six year-old horses Rupert and Obi - short for Obadiah Elliott, the inventor of the road spring!

Jean Beamish, from Sussex, was one of the many people on the tour.

She said: "If you're not very good on your feet it's a great way to see the countryside."

Glasgow resident Jane Gotts agreed and added: "It's so relaxing, you forget there are cars on the road."

And it was surprisingly relaxing - travelling at the pace of the Forest as Mo put it.

In fact leaning out the side of the omnibus reminded me of being on a safari, only there were no elephants!

"Please mind the tree - elbows in," Mo called as we approached the Town and Country Experience, one of the stops on the Ringwood tour.

Some people disembarked as the omnibus met their coach while others hopped on - that is the beauty of it, people can hop on and off at the many stops.

Mo and Steve can even reserve tables for people at one of the many stops and can pick them up again later as they are running three trips a day on this tour.

The omnibus is also capable of carrying bikes so cycle rides can be incorporated and it is wheelchair friendly.

And there are walks into the Forest from the Elm Tree pub in Hightown Road, the following stop.

Then it was on to Liberty's Raptor and Reptile Centre where the horses received a welcome shower from a hose. Lynda Bridges, partner at Liberty's, said: "It's a good thing for Ringwood itself and a great way to see the forest. I hope people support it, both locals and tourists."

New Forest District Council's tourism officer, Paul Fulford, enthused about the omnibus's green credentials: "From our point of view its another important element of car free tourism and also the green leaf project.

"For us it's really important because it is environmentally friendly as little CO2 is used in the operation."

He added that it could potentially link up with the New Forest Tour, another car free initiative in the area.

"We are all trying to make an effort to reduce our carbon footprint," he said.

The Ringwood tour costs £7 for adults, £5 for children or £20 for a family ticket.

And anyone who comes to Ringwood by bus and shows a bus ticket gets a 20 per cent discount.

Tickets for the Forest day trip cost £15 for adults, £12 for children and £50 for families, but need to be booked in advance.

Timetables are available from Liberty's, the Town and Country Museum and Ringwood tourist office. The omnibus runs every week from Mondays to Thursdays, until the end of September.