AN MP has asked residents which bus route is most important to them.

This follows confirmation that the government had approved the £3.4 million funding of Worcestershire County Council's plans to improve county bus services last month.

West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin held discussions with Malvern Link county councillor Karen Hanks recently.

Their focus was the failings of current local bus services and identification of areas that need enhancements, with the MP asking locals to write in and pinpoint areas where the council's focus should be for service improvements.

Mrs Baldwin said: “I welcome this huge boost to our local bus funding and also welcome the ‘Get Around for £2’ fares, but local people tell me they need better bus connections to use buses more.

“North Malvern wants its bus route back and the bus stop I visited in Leigh Sinton only gets four buses a day, with the earliest one to Worcester at 10:26.

“I met with the managing director of First Bus earlier in the year and he pledged to add extra services to the 44 route but there are still huge swathes of West Worcestershire that are currently left without decent provision."

She praised the county council's new bus-on-demand service calling it "excellent" and "innovative", but nevertheless, she indicated the coverage areas require some refining.

Mrs Baldwin added: “If we are to make progress on our net zero targets, we must make it much easier for people to jump on bikes, buses and trains to make their commuter and leisure journeys.

“Worcestershire County Council has a huge pot of cash to support local bus services and I am eager to hear from my constituents about where they think the council should focus its efforts to get more people back onto buses.”