Vital public transport links throughout Northampton have been saved from closure by a bus company.
Following the decision by First bus company to withdraw some of their services in the town, Stagecoach has said it will step in to make sure the key routes are maintained.
First has decided from June 9 they will no longer run routes 12 to Briar Hill/Camp Hill, 28 to West Hunsbury and 29/30 Kings Heath.
However Stagecoach has said that from May 12 they will run services to cover these areas.
Steve Burd, managing director of Stagecoach Midlands, said: “We are pleased to be able to step into what could have been a very difficult position that would have left residents without vital links into the centre of Northampton.
“By introducing these changes we have ensured that people are still able to use the bus for their transport needs.”
Stagecoach will run a service to West Hunsbury on route 10, stopping at Parklands, Kettering Rd, Northampton town centre, Far Cotton, Mereway Tesco and West Hunsbury.
There will also be a route 12 to Kings Heath, Briar Hill and Camp Hill, running from Kings Heath, Dallington Road, Northampton town centre, Far Cotton, Briar Hill and Camp Hill, with a Sunday service to Mereway Tesco.
Stagecoach will introduce other improvements from June 10 with service 16/17 extended to Sunnyside every 10 minutes via Barrack Road and Kingsthorpe.
The bus company said the service will provide a faster way for people into town from Sunnyside and offer through journeys to Northampton College, Weston Favell and Ecton Brook.
The frequency on service 8 will be increased from every 30 minutes to 20 minutes between Northampton town centre and Weston Favell and the route will be extended to Blackthorn and Rectory Farm to provide links to Northampton College and a more direct service to Weston Favell.
Mr Burd added: “The extensions on routes 8 and 16/17 will give people a far better service to Northampton College, one of the largest educational establishments in the county, and a major employment centre and shopping destination in Weston Favell.”
The new timetables for routes 10 and 12 are available online at www.stagecoachbus.com/northants