Bus services across county to expand

Changes are being announced to Charnwood and Harborough bus services

More than 20 Leicestershire villages with no bus routes are set to be served by a raft of new services.

The bus network centred on the Charnwood and Harborough areas is being expanded with changes to nine services.

A new FoxConnect on-demand bus service is also being launched for five south Leicestershire areas around Tilton on the Hill, Great Glen, Church Langton, Ashby Magna and Saddington.

Leicestershire County Council transport lead Ozzy O'Shea said the authority had "listened to people's feedback".

The new routes and updated timetables will begin from Monday 17 March and will be published on the council's Choose How You Move site.

Routes being changed include the LC5 service for Thurmaston - Sileby - Loughborough, Centrebus 154 between Leicester and Loughborough, Kinchbus 2 for Loughborough - Quorn - Barrow - Sileby and the Diamond 129 service between Ashby and Loughborough.

There will also be changes to Arriva's 56/56A service for Scraptoft - Thurnby -Leicester, the LC4 for Fleckney - Market Harborough - Foxton and the LC10 between Market Harborough and Lutterworth.

The timetable changes include extra provision at evenings and weekends, said the council.

'Cheaper and greener'

O'Shea said: "We have listened to people's feedback, and thanks to government cash we have been able to work with operators to enhance bus services.

"We have focused on individual community needs.

"Buses and public transport are a cheaper and greener option to get around

"Adding Sunday services and evening routes means that people will have more journey choice, making buses and FoxConnect the preferred method of travel."

Further changes will take place in April, while town services will be reviewed this summer.