Four free buses trialled on rural routes

Four free bus routes are being trialled through a network of rural areas by Leicestershire County Council.

From Monday, there will be routes from Diseworth to Loughborough, Bottesford to Bingham, Blaby to South Wigston via Narborough, as well as Blaby to Hinckley.

The LC18, LC19, LC20 and LC21 buses will run on weekdays from 10:00 to 14:00 on a 12-month trial, with the council providing the vehicles.

Councillor Andrew Hamilton-Gray, cabinet member for highways and transport at the council, said the trial was about identifying major gaps in the local transport links and addressing them.

The trial services will operate through towns and villages across Leicestershire, with passengers encouraged to provide feedback to the county council through its website.

One of the routes, the LC21, will make three return trips from Sapcote, stopping in Burbage, Hinckley and Stoney Stanton.

Councillor Luke Cousin, of Stoney Stanton Parish Council, said the new service was a positive step for residents at a time when many households were facing financial pressures.

"Having good, useful bus routes is absolutely critical. You can't deliver any kind of local plan or active travel strategy without reliable public transport," he said.

Another route, the LC20, will serve Littlethorpe, Narborough, Blaby and Glen Parva.

Julie Whitehouse, of Narborough Parish Council, said residents in the area, including those in neighbouring Littlethorpe, welcomed the new trial and hoped they made full use of it.

"I think it will be really useful. It's a service that we've not had before, and I really hope our residents will use it and that it becomes a permanent fixture.

"I've come across a number of people who have said to me, both personally and professionally, that we need a service to Blaby in particular. That's why we're quite excited that this might work."

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