BUS and rail campaigners have welcomed improvements to the 540 bus service. 

The hourly 540 service from Evesham which serves the Bredon Hill villages of Kemerton. Ashton-under-Hill, Sedgeberrow and Hinton as well as Bredon village looked under threat when former operator Astons Coaches suddenly announced in May it was pulling out from operating the route.

New operator Diamond Bus took over the route from Monday, June 24 and has upgraded the level of service to operate half hourly off peak between 9.30am and 3.30pm on Mondays to Fridays whilst maintaining the hourly Saturday service.

Certain peak services at the start and end of the day have been extended between Evesham bus station and the rail station for commuters connecting into and out of services to Oxford/London and Worcester/Malvern.

Vale Bus and Rail chairman Julian Palfrey said: “Many users of this popular route linking the two towns were extremely concerned when they heard the service might disappear and the decision not only to maintain but improve the service is great news.

"We hope that the service will be developed to provide new off peak bus/rail links at Evesham station – and potentially Ashchurch for Tewkesbury rail station -  to improve access for the leisure market and open up this attractive route for tourists, day trippers and walkers and increase usage to safeguard the service in the future.”