Bus firm plans extra £4m for More buses (From Bournemouth Echo)

Bus firm plans extra £4m for More buses

WILTS and Dorset is planning to spend £4 million on an extra 30 More-branded buses for Bournemouth - but unprofitable routes in Poole could be axed to pay for it.

Just days after it was confirmed that parent company Go Ahead had missed out on acquiring Bournemouth's Yellow Buses, Wilts and Dorset has announced the next stage of its ambitious expansion plans.

The company intends to increase competition in Bournemouth by running More buses to Castlepoint via Charminster and doubling the frequency of current services into Christchurch and extending these to Somerford.

But upping the ante has its price - and managing director Alex Carter has confirmed the company will continue to review services that are becoming increasingly unviable, including low-frequency bus services in the Poole area.

The company has already surrendered a number of low-margin school contracts back to Dorset and Poole councils.

Mr Carter said: "There is no point in operating empty buses when there are areas that are crying out for better services.

"It's simple - people need buses and buses need people."

Explaining the expansion plans, he said passengers would soon see Wilts and Dorset buses on routes where previously there has been no choice of operator.

"If we are to maintain our extensive rural services within Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire, we must generate income from the highly-populated areas and main commuter routes," he said.

"We are set to invest £4 million over the next six months to spread the network to let more people benefit from More choice."

First published: July 29, 2005