MOREBUS has been re-awarded 12 bus contracts following a tendering exercise by Poole council - however it has lost one of its routes to rival operator Yellow Buses.

Morebus will continue to operate most of its existing evening, Sunday and daytime services in the local area, with the exception of the 744 (Poole town centre to Oakdale Junior School), which transfers to Yellow Buses from Wednesday, May 1.

Morebus general manager Adam Keen said: “We have been awarded contracts that run for up to eight years, providing welcome certainty for us and our passengers. It will be ‘business as usual’ for those routes. This stability will help us continue to develop our network, the success of which has seen Morebus patronage in the area increase by more than 20 per cent during the past eight years - and more than double in Poole in the last 15 years. This success has allowed us to work closely and successfully with Borough of Poole to preserve service levels during an extended period of budgetary pressure.”