YELLOW Buses have announced a series of service changes from next month as a direct result of the 'horrendous' gridlock caused by the A338 roadworks.

The company said even though it didn't even run a service on the blighted Spur Road, traffic diverting from the A338 roadworks, together with increasing volumes across the conurbation, had “played havoc” with timetables.

Routes 1, 4/4a, 5/5a, 6, 8, 33 and 36 as well as morning journeys on routes 18 and 60 are all affected by the changes from January 6.

Managing Director, David Squire, said: “The challenges of running a bus network to time have increased dramatically in recent months. Our long-suffering drivers are doing their very best to keep to the timetable but the horrendous traffic congestion has played havoc.

“Although we do not operate any services along the A338, the traffic that is being displaced as a result of these works is having a significant impact on the rest of the road network in Bournemouth. It is making our services late, especially during the morning peak."

He said the places which were hardest hit included the Christchurch/Iford/Hospital area, and Kinson, Northbourne, Wallisdown and Ensbury Park.

“As a result we will be changing the timetables of the above routes in order to improve punctuality and we will also be changing the morning journeys of routes 18 and 60 which serve the schools,” he said.

Route 1 will continue to operate across the conurbation from Christchurch to Poole every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday. The combination of Routes 1/1a/1b and 33 will continue to provide 15 journeys per hour between Bournemouth, Boscombe, Pokesdown and Christchurch.

Yellow Buses has also coordinated the evening service so that a bus is provided every ten minutes Bournemouth to Christchurch, with the last bus from Bournemouth at 0020, and from Christchurch at 0012.

The timetables for routes 6 and 8 have been changed to better match up with shift patterns for businesses along Wallisdown Road. Route 6 between Bournemouth, the University and Bearwood will continue to operate every 30 minutes, Monday to Sunday daytime. The additional journeys between Bournemouth and the University will now operate as Route 6a serving Holdenhurst Road, Springbourne, Richmond Park Road and Alma Road.

Buses will depart from Bournemouth and the University every 15 minutes Monday to Friday. Route 8 will operate specific journeys at peak time from Southbourne, but will also operate hourly Monday to Friday daytime between Boscombe and Wallisdown.

The news comes as the Bournemouth Echo revealed the human impact of the roadworks. Motorists complained of having to spend £100 a month extra on fuel, of people late for kidney dialysis, and drivers reduced to tears in their cars.

*Details of the changes can be found on Yellow Buses’ website at www.yellowbuses.co.uk