A new fleet of wheelchair accessible buses is taking to the roads in Norfolk next month as part of a series of timetable and route changes to services.

By SHAUN LOWTHORPE

Public affairs correspondent

A new fleet of wheelchair accessible buses is taking to the roads in Norfolk next month as part of a series of timetable and route changes to services.

Norfolk County Council has unveiled a series of changes to

its £4.5m-a-year subsidised services, with a number of new or replacement services and some routes having extra buses.

Many will now comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and the changes will mean a number of new low floor easy access buses on routes.

However, the overhaul will see a number of student bus services cut in Yarmouth.

Changes to services are as follows:

Ambassador 837: Aylsham - North Walsham - Yarmouth Colleges

This college service is to be replaced by the Swift 837 service, to a similar timetable.

Amza 730: Reedham - Acle - Yarmouth

College, work and Saturday services will be replaced by Ambassador 730 and will be a DDA compliant bus. Lingwood will no longer be served at peak hours or on Saturdays. A daytime shopping service on this route will be provided commercially Monday to Friday by Amza that will serve Lingwood.

Anglian 23/23A: Gertrude Road, Norwich - Eaton Park

This service is to be renumbered 999 following a commercial arrangement with Radio Norwich. It will be part funded and part commercial and operated by new DDA compliant buses. There are more buses serving The Avenues, and Buckingham Road will also be served. From September 2, the timetable will operate every 40 minutes to help improve timetable reliability.

Anglian 58: Bungay - Poringland - Norwich

This evening service is renumbered 588 to coordinate with other Anglian daytime and Sunday services. There are no changes to the First 58 or 58A services.

Anglian 59: Wicklewood - Wymondham - N&N Hospital - Norwich

This service is replaced by the Konectbus 9.

Anglian 121: Eaton - Norwich

A new Sunday service started on this route on 19 August.

Anglian 577: Loddon - Beccles/Yarmouth

This service will be operated by a DDA compliant bus. The 6pm service from Beccles to Loddon will be retimed to leave at6.45pm and renumbered X2 as part of improvements to the evening X2 service.

Anglian 580: Diss - Harleston - Bungay - Beccles - Yarmouth

This service will be operated by DDA compliant buses. The new timetable is increased to an hourly frequency through much of the day, offering additional journeys. Some buses will also serve Flixton Road in Bungay.

Anglian 588: Bungay - Poringland - Stoke Holy Cross - Norwich

The evening part of this service will be operated by DDA compliant buses. There are some timetable changes during the evening, but no changes to daytime or Sunday services on the Anglian 588 route. However, in August the Sunday 588 service was retimed and extended to serve Halesworth in Suffolk.

Anglian X2: Beccles - Loddon - Norwich

The evening part of this service will be operated by a DDA compliant bus. There will also be extra buses during the evening, but no changes to daytime or Sunday services on the First X2 route.

Caroline Seagull 821: Belton - Yarmouth Colleges

This college service is withdrawn, however, students will be offered passes on First Eastern Counties bus services at any time, including college holidays (excluding the summer holidays) and weekends between the start of September 2007 and the end of July 2008.

Caroline Seagull 822: Martham - Yarmouth Colleges

This college service is withdrawn, but students will be offered passes on First Eastern Counties bus services at any time, including college holidays (excluding the summer holidays) and weekends between the start of September 2007 and the end of July 2008.

Caroline Seagull 830: Lingwood - Acle - Yarmouth Colleges

This college service is replaced by the Anglian 007, which will also operate throughout the day commercially in addition to the usual transport to Yarmouth colleges.

Caroline Seagull 838: Ormesby - Yarmouth Colleges

This college service is withdrawn, but students will be offered passes on First Eastern Counties bus services at any time, including college holidays (excluding the summer holidays) and weekends between the start of September 2007 and the end of July 2008.

Caroline Seagull 878: Alpington - Loddon - Yarmouth Colleges

This college service is to be extended to serve Alpington, Bergh Apton and Thurton.

Caroline Seagull 879: Hedenham - Loddon - Yarmouth Colleges

This college service is to be extended to start at Ditchingham.

Caroline Seagull 882: Belton - Yarmouth Colleges

This college service will be replaced by the Ambassador 882 service.

Konectbus 9: Wicklewood - Wymondham - Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital - Costessey

This new service replaces Anglian 59 and will be operated with a DDA compliant bus. The service is to be reduced to two hourly off-peak to reflect current passenger numbers, but will offer the same timetable at peak hours. Passengers from Little Melton to Norwich will need to change buses at the N&N to get to Norwich, but Konectbus will offer through tickets on their other services. This new service is also extended to Costessey Park & Ride and Longwater retail park every two hours off-peak. Workers' buses will operate every 30 minutes between the N&N and Costessey Park and Ride site at peak times.

Konectbus 604: Norwich - Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital - Costessey Park & Ride

This service will no longer serve the N&N. The Konectbus 9 service (above) will instead provide a link between Costessey Park & Ride and the N&N. The park and ride service will operate direct to Norwich bus station via A47 and A11 on all journeys.

Our Bus 731, 732: Acle - Filby - Yarmouth

The 732 will be discontinued, replaced by the Anglian 731 with an improved timetable with certain parts being altered within the new timetables.

Sanders 4, 44: Holt - Cromer - Aylsham - Norwich

There are some minor timetable changes to this service, which is renumbered to service 4 between Holt and Cromer and service 44 between Cromer and Norwich.

Sanders 34: Stalham - North Walsham - Norwich

There are some minor timetable changes to this subsided service off- peak. The service is to be renumbered to service 34 between Stalham and North Walsham and service 7 between North Walsham and Norwich.

Sanders 735: North Walsham - Yarmouth

Some minor timetable changes, with all journeys renumbered to 736.

Sanders 736: Cromer - North Walsham - Yarmouth

There are some minor timetable changes to this partly subsided service. Service 736 runs from Great Yarmouth to North Walsham, with journeys between North Walsham and Cromer renumbered to service 6.

Travel information about all bus services in Norfolk from Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 or visit their website at www.travelineeastanglia.co.uk