One of Colchester United's biggest success stories in their first season at the Weston Homes Community Stadium is set to continue when the U's get the 2009/10 campaign underway at the start of August.

In the first year at the award winning 10,000 all-seater venue, the shuttle bus service from Bruff Close saw thousands of supporters transported safely and efficiently to watch U's first team games.

The service was completely subsidised by chairman Robbie Cowling in its first year in order to provide a free service, and the club will continue to partly subsidise the buses in the coming year, with a small charge coming into force from the Leyton Orient game.

The service will still have pick-ups in the west of the town near to the club's former stadium at Layer Road, whilst an additional pick-up point in the town centre on Head Street - near to the new U's Central club shop - is also being considered.

"We were really pleased with the shuttle bus service in the first year at the Weston Homes Community Stadium," chairman Robbie Cowling told the club's official website.

"Our partnership with First Buses saw us provide an efficient service to and from the ground.

"The club showed considerable generosity to its supporters in the first year to completely subsidise the service in the first year and will continue to subsidise part of that cost in the coming season.

"There will be a nominal £1 cost for a return shuttle bus journey in the coming season, which we believe still represents great value for money and we hope to see our supporters continuing to make good use of this service in the future."

The buses will now also pick up in Head Street, right in the heart of the town centre.

The buses that collect at the Ancient Briton, Drury Arms and Fat Cat pubs will all stop on Head Street at Bus Stop P to collect fans from the town, including those who may have bought tickets from U's Central earlier in the day.

"We are continually looking to enhance the way in which we get people to the stadium on a matchday," Operations Manager Sean McQuaid said.

"By offering a town centre pick-up before the game, we believe it makes life even simpler for supporters to get to our fantastic stadium to cheer on Aidy Boothroyd and his players."

Following last week's announcement that there will be a £1 charge for a return shuttle bus journey, the U's can now also confirm that senior citizens will continue to be able to use the shuttle buses for FREE on presentation of their Essex County Council concessionary pass.

COLCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
FOOTBALL SHUTTLE BUSES FOR SEASON 2009/2010

Pre-Game Departures
Ancient Briton 1:30pm (Saturdays) 6.15pm (Mid Week Games)
Drury Arms 1:40pm (Saturdays) 6.25pm (Mid Week Games)
Fat Cat 1:45pm (Saturdays) 6.30pm (Mid Week Games)

All Pub buses will call at Head Street (Bus Stop P) after departing the pubs.

Bruff Close
1:00pm and at regular intervals until 3pm (Saturdays)
6pm and at regular intervals until 7.45pm (Mid Week)

Severalls
1.30pm, 1.50pm, 2.10pm, 2.30pm, 2.50pm (Saturdays)
6.15pm, 6.35pm, 6.55pm, 7.15pm, 7.35pm (Mid Week)

Post-Game Departures
Return buses leave for the pubs at 5.30pm (Weekend Games) & 10pm (Midweek Games)

Bruff Close
4:50pm and at regular intervals until 6:00pm (Saturdays)
9.30pm and at regular intervals until 10.15pm (Mid Week)

Severalls
5pm, 5.20pm, 5.40pm ,6pm (Saturdays)
9.30pm, 9.50pm, 10.15pm (Mid Week)

Fares
£1 return for all bus journeys.
or
£25 for a Season Ticket including all cup games (Please contact Ticket Sales Point for details)

Concessions
OAPs qualify for free travel only when an Essex County Council Concessionary Pass is presented. No other concessions apply.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO USE THE SERVICE?
• Either walk to Bruff Close or simply make your way to your nearest Bus Stop, take any FIRST Bus services within the Day Ticket & Borough Card Inner Zone, (see map), to get to and from Bruff Close between 12.30pm and 6.30pm on match days, (between 6pm and 10.30pm for evening games).

• At Bruff Close pick up your Shuttle Service. At present, we are not asking fans to use the bus in/bus out stubs on their tickets, but please take note of pre-match information for each game issued on CU-FC.com.

HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST ME TO GET TO BRUFF CLOSE FROM WITHIN COLCHESTER?
See our Matchday Rover service story elsewhere in the Travel Plan section.

WHERE IS BRUFF CLOSE?
Bruff Close is a short walk from North Station forecourt. Walk down Station Approach and turn left to cross Bergholt Road at the crossing. Continue on to Mile End Road and cross it at the crossing just twenty yards up. Bruff Close is directly in front of you with The Big Yellow Warehouse on the right hand side.