Swindon Bus Company has denied sending the town's environmentally friendly buses away and replacing them with vehicles that are more polluting.

London-style red double-decker buses have recently been spotted doing the rounds in Swindon, leaving people asking questions.

The local transport firm confirmed earlier this week that it had sent eight Alexander Dennis Enviro 200s buses elsewhere and had drafted in vehicles from the capital to replace them, which will be in use here until December.

But some residents responded to this with concern asking why Swindon Bus Company considers Swindon residents to be 'second class citizens'. 

They believed that the buses, sent to Manchester, were relatively new clean-air buses and had been replaced by ones that were less environmentally friendly, and as such a decision had been made for the people of Swindon to have dirtier air than the people of Manchester.

Swindon Advertiser: Several red buses have been spotted driving around Swindon.

One resident, who wished not to be named, wrote to MP Justin Tomlison about this. 

They said: "If these buses are not suitable for London and Manchester they should certainly not be suitable for any other town or city."

But in a response sent to Mr Tomlinson by a Swindon Bus Company spokesperson, and seen by the Adver, the company said this isn't the case.

"We have brought these in for two reasons. Firstly, the closure of Corporation Street has resulted in lengthy diversions for some services, increasing the time taken for buses to ply their routes," they said. 

"We were left with a choice of reducing service levels to accommodate this or bringing in additional buses and drivers in order to maintain current timetables.

"We opted for the latter course of action, kindly supported by yourselves."

They added: "Secondly, we have loaned some single-deck buses to our sister company in Manchester for a new bus contract there which commences shortly. The service concerned is suitable only for single decks, and the loan is due to late deliveries of new buses for Manchester."

The company also stated the London buses themselves date from 2008/9 and meet the latest Euro VI emission standards, so had they remained in London would be ULEZ compliant.

The Adver has checked the number plate of one of the buses in question, and this is indeed the case.