New evening and weekend bus timetable introduced

The new service will run for a year on a trial basis and will serve western areas of Northamptonshire

A new evening and weekend bus service has been launched to run across the west of a county.

West Northamptonshire Council, following funding from the Department for Transport, has brought in a new schedule for journeys, including routes from Northampton to Rectory Farm, Rushden Lakes and Southfields.

These services will run for a year on a trial basis from 28 July.

Mark Whitelocks, the managing director for Stagecoach Midlands, said the new journeys would give residents "more opportunity to travel for both leisure and employment opportunities”.

Phil Larratt, a councillor on the authority, said bus services play a "vital role" in the community

There will also be a new hourly Sunday service on route five, which runs from Northampton to Southfields via the Riverside Retail Park.

Additionally, buses will run up to every 30 minutes on route eight between Northampton and Kings Heath.

Phil Larratt, a councillor on the authority and cabinet member for highways and transport, said the additional services would "improve work and leisure travel links" for residents.