Our award-winning Shopper Shuttle

Our shopper award

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Our Shopper Shuttle provides free transport up and down Sutton’s mile long High Street. Half the High Street is on a gradually steepening incline that is difficult for older or less mobile visitors to navigate with their shopping. Our shuttle provides the opportunity to access parts of the High Street that have effectively become ‘beyond reach’.

The shuttle has become a popular community asset in the High Street and we believe it is unique within the BID industry and unique within a pedestrianised town centre environment in the UK. Launched in December 2013 initially as an eight week addition to our Christmas shopping campaign the shuttle was immediately popular with both our levy payers and shoppers.

Following the success of our initial campaign the Successful Sutton board agreed to retain one buggy operating a service 6 days per week (Monday Saturday), 9am–5.30pm. We regularly receive ‘thank you’ letters from the public praising the operation of the buggy and the customer service provided.

The service is funded partially through levy funds and partially through sponsorship. For 18 months the buggy was sponsored by the Post Office. The buggy makes approximately 6 return trips per hour, with an average 8 passengers per return journey. Approximately 1,728 passengers per week are made on the buggy – approximately 89,000 passengers per year. Results of our annual customer feedback survey are consistently high. In September 2015 the survey recorded a 92%‘Excellent’ rating from over 355 buggy users who completed feedback forms. The shuttle is unanimously supported by the Successful Sutton board and a significant majority of our levy payers – who have identified the service as an integral element of the town centre visitor experience offer, a valuable community asset and a high profile deliverable from the BID. Regular feedback from passengers confirms: • a significant number of elderly passengers only visit

Sutton because of the shuttle service. • over 90% of passengers recognise the service is funded by local businesses – enhancing support for the local community and fostering civic pride. • 70% of levy payers have confirmed sales as a result of passenger use of the buggy.

In November 2016 we were very proud to win a prestigious national British BIDs Award for the contribution the shuttle makes to Sutton town centre. I want to show my appreciation of the shuttle in the High Street. The shuttle has brought me back to Sutton to shop because the slope is too much for me. It’s a very popular services for us ‘oldies’ and it is always full. Long may it continue. It is good to be back in Sutton.

Margaret – Sutton resident

The Shuttle really is a brilliant idea, and I am extremely grateful.

Joyce – Sutton resident

I very much appreciate the shuttle service, and I hope it continues. It is a great help to people that are less mobile but still want to get up and down the High Street without finding it too tiring due to the hill.

Sylvia – Sutton resident

I would just like to say a big ‘Thank You’ for the shuttle service. May this service continue to help us older visitors who struggle with the hill.

Helen – Sutton resident

It is a wonderful service and without it we would be unable to shop in Sutton.

Jim & Maureen – Sutton residents

Some of the simplest ideas turn out to be the best.

KEY FACTS

The buggy makes on average 6

return trips per hour, carrying 8

passengers per return journey, and approximately 1,728

passengers per week use the buggy, which totals approximately 89,000

passengers per year.

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