A NEW transport operator has taken over the running of a popular bus service in Evesham, saving it from closure.
The hourly 540 service between Evesham and Tewkesbury was previously ran by Astons Coaches who announced their withdrawal from the route in May.
Worcestershire County Council quickly looked at re tendering the service with operator Diamond Bus relaunching the route on Monday, June 24.
The service will now run every half hour between 9.30am and 3.30pm from Monday to Friday, with hourly buses on Saturday.
The route serves the Bredon Hill villages of Kemerton, Ashton-under-Hill, Sedgeberrow and Hinton as well as Bredon village.
Certain peak services at the start and end of the day have been extended between Evesham bus station and the rail station for commuters connecting into and out of services to Oxford/London and Worcester/Malvern.
The improved service has been welcomed by local campaigners Vale Bus and Rail (VBR). The campaign group is assisting with publicity and promotion of the service as well as distribution of timetables.
VBR chair Julian Palfrey said; “Many users of this popular route linking the two towns were extremely concerned when they heard the service might disappear and the decision not only to maintain but improve the service is great news.
“We hope the service will be developed to provide new off peak bus/rail links at Evesham station – and potentially Ashchurch for Tewkesbury rail station – to improve access for the leisure market and open up this attractive route for tourists, day trippers and walkers and increase usage to safeguard the service in the future.”
