There will be major changes to subsidised bus services in Norwich from October 29. The County Council subsidises around 180 bus services in Norfolk which do not attract enough customers to make them commercially viable.

There will be major changes to subsidised bus services in Norwich from October 29.

The County Council subsidises around 180 bus services in Norfolk which do not attract enough customers to make them commercially viable.

These subsidised journeys provide a lifeline for people in rural areas to reach jobs or facilities in the city of in nearby large towns on routes which may not prove profitable enough for a bus company to run alone.

The government insists that councils not only provide contract bus services but necessary services which may not be so commercially viable.

The routes have been changed according to Chris Limbach assistant network manager of Norfolk County Council's Passenger transport unit, “primarily to benefit our customers and find more efficient ways of getting them to where they need to be.”

The changes include:

t Anglian 33 service: The Plumsteads - Norwich. This is to be replaced by First services 14, 14A and 15 which are extended from Dussindale to The Plumsteads on a half hourly basis, Monday to Saturday. First buses from The Plumsteads will also serve Thorpe St Andrew, Sainsburys.

t First 45 service: King's Lynn - Pandora - Gaywood Park. This is replaced by Norfolk Green 45 to a similar timetable and frequency.

t Neaves Coaches 36 service: Happisburgh - Stalham - Norwich. Minor timing changes will be made to the service to improve reliability.

t Norfolk County Services 550/551: Norwich Orbital. Minor timing changes will be made to improve reliability. The service will also be re-routed back to include Drayton Road near Asda and away from Waterworks Road, as a result of customer feedback.

t Norfolk Green service X5: Sheringham - Cromer - Aylsham - Norwich. Minor timetable changes on weekday evening journeys to improve reliability. Extra Sunday buses will be provided in November and December giving an hourly service between Aylsham and Norwich.

t Norfolk Green X6: Cromer - Fakenham. Minor timing changes to improve reliability.

t Norfolk Green X8: King's Lynn - Fakenham. Minor timing changes to improve reliability.

t Simonds Coach & Travel service 118: Diss - Long Stratton - Norwich. The Sunday service has been revised, and the evening service will be withdrawn due to low passenger usage. The last journey from Norwich will be at 17:30.