Improvements and additions are being made to the schedules of Stagecoach bus routes in Swindon.

The transport provider has worked with Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Council to co-ordinate these changes, many of which benefited from UK government funding put aside to support the service upgrades.

From Sunday, September 15, there will be additional evening and Sunday journeys as well as increased frequency and punctuality across the timetable.

The 49 route between Swindon and Devizes will now travel twice as often as before, with half-hourly journeys from Monday to Saturdays and hourly journeys on Sundays.

This route will also extend to Trowbridge on Sundays, and include a new daytime connection at Broad Hinton, and the number 9 will extend to Devizes for one evening journey which leaves Swindon at 10.30pm.

The 9 between Swindon and Wroughton will have extra evening journeys from Monday to Saturday and reintroduce an hourly Sunday service which last operated in August 2022.

The 55 between Chippenham and Swindon will now run up to half-hourly on the full length of the route on the evenings of Monday to Saturday.

The number 10 service will now link to Abbey Farm, feature extra trips to Freshbrook Monday to Saturday, and provide links between Kingsdown, Abbey Farm, St Andrews Ridge and Orbital Retail Park on Sundays.

Councillor Chris Watts, Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “We’ve been listening to feedback from residents, and I’m really pleased to see these improvements to these bus services.

“We want to make Swindon a place where public transport is used more often so connecting more areas of the town, and making journeys more frequent, will be a big part of that.

“We look forward to continuing our work with Stagecoach to bring forward more improvements to services that will help build a better and greener Swindon.”

Cllr Tamara Reay, cabinet member of transport for Wiltshire Council, add: “Buses are an important part of life in Wiltshire and play a key role in delivering our Business Plan commitment to developing vibrant, well-connected communities.”

Stagecoach West managing director Chris Hanson said: “We’re delighted to be introducing these improvements and uplifts to our services.

“Thanks to government funding, these changes will make bus travel in Swindon and Wiltshire easier and more convenient than ever, especially relevant seeing as September is ‘Catch the Bus Month.”