Two bus routes avoid the chop (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Two bus routes avoid the chop

TWO key bus services in the Vale and Cotswolds which faced the axe after a row over free travel for pensioners have been saved.

An agreement between Worcestershire County Council, Wychavon District Council and the operator, Evesham-based N S Cresswell, has secured the future of the 973 Tuesday service from Pershore via Evesham to Moreton and the 575 Friday service from Pershore via Great Comberton to Cheltenham.

Both will continue to operate as normal, providing key links to shopping and leisure for people living in the rural areas of Wychavon.

The county-wide agreement on free travel at any time had been agreed with all the other private operators in the county, but had met resistance from Cresswells.

However, Mary Shephard of Cresswells, said: "We're delighted to have worked out a way to keep these services going, and hope that more and more passengers will continue to use them.

"We are hoping now to continue the close partnership working with the district and county councils to improve and promote the services."

Wychavon spokeswoman Louise Bennett added: "We are focussed on continually improving the bus network in the district and to avoid cutting these key services means we can move in the right direction."

It was also confirmed this week that those with concessionary passes - aged 60 or over with a disability, will be able to benefit from free travel on these services as with all other Wychavon and countywide bus services.

Passenger transport development manager Emilie van de Graaff, from the county council, said she was delighted that concessionary pass holders will be able to benefit from free travel on the services for their trips to Cheltenham and Moreton.

The scheme, which came into force on April 1 this year, allows free county-wide travel for those eligible across both district and county boundaries, including travel before 9.30am, which makes it one of the widest-ranging schemes in the country.