COUNCILLORS in Kinson have welcomed the news that Morebus has stepped in to save bus routes linking the area with Royal Bournemouth Hospital and Castlepoint.

Yellow Buses had decided to drop the R4 and R5 services from its new timetable, due to come into effect next month.

It said the routes were loss-making but that it would still run an early morning service for hospital staff on shift work.

However, Morebus announced that it would step in and will run the services from April 9, before incorporating them into its route 14 from May 27.

Kinson South councillor Laurence Fear raised the issue at a full meeting of Bournemouth council, on the day Morebus announced its move.

Cabinet member Cllr Mike Greene said: “I would like to thank Cllr Fear and his Kinson South ward colleagues for badgering me about this on an almost daily basis since the Yellow Buses announcement.

“Officers and I have been able to use the information from their requests to, in turn, approach Morebus and I am delighted to say that this morning I received confirmation they intend to take over those routes from April 9, immediately after Yellow Buses stop running them.

“Morebus will run those services as they are until May 27, when they will then extend their half-hourly route 14 which currently runs from Poole to Kinson via West Howe. Instead it will continue beyond Kinson to East Howe Ensbury Park, Castlepoint and the Hospital. That does mean a short walk for a few users, but for the vast majority it will mean their current bus links will be preserved.

"I would like to personally thank Morebus, our own officers and of course the Kinson South ward councillors for helping achieve this excellent result.”