MAJOR changes to cut congestion at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital are among a package of measures in a bold bid to improve connections across Worcester.
From September 3, the bus stop position for the 38 and X38 services at the Royal will be moved to improve its punctuality and avoid the often-chronic traffic in the area around the children’s hospital.
The services will terminate at the accident and emergency department during the afternoon peak hours to avoid the worst of the congestion and speed up journeys for hospital workers and patients.
First Bus chiefs have also revealed a new U1 service, which will serve students and other passengers every 30 minutes, with specially timed morning journeys to ensure students arrive at the university before the typical teaching day gets underway at 9.15am.
The new route will complement the links already provided by the 31 and 31a services to ensure there will be buses linking Worcester and the university every 15 minutes.
First has also unveiled changes to some services to retail and business parks to help shift workers get to and from work, including an additional morning journey on the X44 to the Malvern Retail Park.
An extra evening trip on the 35 service to the Shire Business Park has been added while an extra morning journey on the 34 service to serve the Shire Business Park will run at 6am.
There will be an improvement to the frequency of the 30 service between Dines Green and the city centre and the 35 service between Blackpole and the city centre between 11am and 2pm on Saturdays to cater for increased demand.
Both services will move from every 15 minutes to approximately every 12 minutes.
Rob Pymm, commercial director for First West of England, said: “These changes will bring benefits to lots of our passengers, particularly students and shift workers by offering better connections to the city’s university and retail and business parks.
“By making some tweaks to other services, such as the improvements we’re making on the hospital route, we’ll also be improving punctuality for our customers.
“With adult single fares still £2 and our on-board Tap On, Tap Off technology making payment quick and easy, we’re making bus travel accessible to even more people.”
First Bus has consulted on the new routes with local organisations, including Worcestershire County Council and the Worcestershire Royal Hospital.
