THREE key bus services in Evesham will come under the direct control of Worcestershire County Council from next week, it has been announced.

The move follows a decision by operator First to deregister the routes and the County Council, which will administer the service through private operator Cresswells, has promised improvements in the services.

The three services affected are the 553, 561 and 587 and provide key links to schools, businesses, shopping and leisure facilities for people living in the town.

Some minor changes to the existing timetables will occur and users are being encouraged to get new timetables.

The 587 will also be extended out to the Vale Business Park, providing local commuters with the opportunity of catching the bus to work for the first time.

In addition, in the afternoons, it will now go to Four Pools and Fairfield, enabling pupils from all residential areas to use the bus for school journeys.

Emilie van de Graaff, the county council's passenger transport development manager, said: "It is great news for the people of Evesham that we are able to keep these services going and I hope that more and more passengers will use them. We are focussed on improving the bus network in the district and county and hope that the residents of Evesham will find the extensions we have made to the routes helpful."

Councillor Bob Banks added: "This is great news for Evesham. As a county council we work really hard to ensure that passenger transport links are maintained and indeed improved wherever possible in a continual effort to make it easier for residents to travel by bus."

A single flat fare structure operates on all services. Adult tickets cost £1 for a single trip or £1.80 for a return. Child tickets are 70p or £1.25 for a return.

Those with a concessionary pass (age 60 or over or with a disability) will be able to benefit from free travel on these services, as with all other Wychavon and countywide bus services.