STUDENTS and shift workers across Worcester are set to benefit from new bus services later this year.

First Worcester announced it is planning to introduce a new U1 service every 30 minutes, with specially timed morning journeys to ensure students arrive at the university before the typical teaching day gets underway at 9.15am.

There will be a slight change to the bus stop position for the 38 and X38 services at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, to help avoid traffic congestion in the area around the children’s hospital.

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The services will now terminate at the A&E department during the afternoon peak hours to avoid the worst of the congestion and speed up journeys for hospital workers and patients.

There will also be changes to some services to retail and business parks in the city to help shift workers get to and from work.

This will include an additional morning journey on the X44 to the Malvern Retail Park; an extra evening trip on the 35 service to the Shire Business Park; an extra morning journey on the 34 service to serve the Shire Business Park at 6am.

There will be an improvement to the frequency of the 30 services between Dines Green and the city centre and the 35 services between Blackpole and the city centre between 11am and 2pm on Saturdays to cater for increased demand.

Both services will move from every 15 minutes to approximately every 12 minutes.

The proposed changes are part of a bi-annual review of routes by First Bus and will come into force on Sunday 3rd September.

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Rob Pymm, commercial director for First West of England, said: “We’re delighted to announce this investment in improving bus services across Worcester.

"These changes will bring benefits to lots of our passengers, particularly students and shift workers by offering better connections to the city’s university and retail and business parks.

"By making some tweaks to other services, such as the improvements we’re making on the hospital route, we’ll also be improving punctuality for our customers. 

“With adult single fares still £2 and our onboard Tap On, Tap Off technology making payment quick and easy, we’re making bus travel accessible to even more people.”

First Bus consulted on the new routes with local organisations, including Worcestershire County Council and the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, ahead of them coming into effect in September.