Extra bus services launched in Staffordshire

It comes after council bosses consulted with the public last year on what improvements were needed.

From today, the number of journeys between Stone and Longton has increased from two to seven each day and a new hourly service, the 23/23A, is now running from Stone to Hanley. The number of buses on the 841 service between Stafford and Uttoxeter through Great Haywood and Hixon has been doubled.

Eleven routes were looked at in the consultation covering Stone, Uttoxeter, Lichfield and Burton to ensure they provide an efficient service and offer value for money. Services remain the same on the other routes.

County transport councillor Simon Tagg said: "These changes are based on how well the services are currently being used and we have maintained the routes that local people use the most.

"When planning services that are sustainable for the future, we aim to ensure that communities have suitable links to at least one main centre with shops and services. After announcing the initial changes, we have listened to feedback from local people and made further improvements to ensure we are offering a consistent service that represents good value for money."

Councillor Ian Parry, for Stone Rural and the deputy leader of the county council, added: "We currently invest around £3.8 million a year in additional local bus services and are maintaining support at a time when many local authorities are removing funding altogether.

"It is necessary to monitor and review the network so that our allocated financial resource is used in the most efficient way. The task for local people now is to make the best of these services and use them as much as they can."

Around 80 per cent of the bus network in the county operates on a commercial basis.

The county council steps in to provide services to supplement the commercial network to meet local needs.

People can check bus times at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/bustimes and www.staffordshire.gov.uk/busmaps