FOUR bus services subsidised by Bournemouth and Poole councils are set to continue after the contracts were re-tendered.

The contracts, which have a combined value of £394,000, have been awarded to Yellow Buses and Morebus.

The two companies operate over 90 per cent of bus routes in Bournemouth and Poole, but other services receive a financial subsidy from the councils.

From Monday, April 9, a number of changes to the four services will take effect.

The H1 Broadstone to Bournemouth service, operated by Yellow Buses, will revert to the number 18. The route will remain the same, but the first journey from Broadstone on Saturdays will be withdrawn.

The U8 Talbot View Estate and Kinson service will become route 36. The service will continue to run hourly and will be operated by Yellow Buses.

The C1 Bournemouth to Castlepoint section and D1 Poole to Christchurch route will be revised as a new number 20 service from Poole to Castlepoint, and a separate 33 service from Bournemouth to Christchurch.

The Bournemouth to Castlepoint section of the C1 and the D1 from Poole to Christchurch will be revised as a new route 20 from Poole to Castlepoint and a separate 33 Bournemouth to Christchurch route.

The section of D1 route between Poole and Bournemouth town centre, and the section of C1 route between Bournemouth town centre and Castlepoint will be joined and run as one through service. This will become route 20, operated by Morebus.

The service will continue to operate on an hourly basis, however the early morning journeys will no longer operate and there will be a gap in the afternoon timetable on school days.

The C1 service between Alum Chine and Bournemouth is operated commercially by Yellow Buses and this will be covered by a new route 7 as part of their network changes.

The section of D1 route between Bournemouth town centre and Christchurch will continue to be operated hourly with minor changes to timings. The service will become route 33 and continue to be operated by Yellow Buses.

David Squire, managing director of Yellow Buses, said: “We are very pleased to have retained the three routes that fit in very well with our revised network, which comes into effect from April 9.”

Andrew Wickham, managing director of Morebus, said: “We are pleased to have been chosen to operate this important route and will continue working closely with both councils to ensure those travelling with us receive the very best possible service here.”

Councillor Ian Potter, cabinet portfolio holder for planning, regeneration and transportation, Borough of Poole, said: “I am pleased that we have been able to retain the majority of these services and remain within budget. These contracts have been awarded on a long-term basis, and I hope that passengers will continue to make the most of them.”

Full details including links to the new timetables are available at bournemouth.gov.uk/bustravel with printed versions also available from the bus operators in due course.