A bus company has announced it will invest £1m into new routes and buses when it takes over services previously run by Stagecoach.
West Norfolk Community Transport, a charity which runs the Go To Town public service routes in the area, has stepped in to save a number of routes when Stagecoach largely leaves the area next month.
The £1m investment is hoped to bring nine new buses to serve new routes in the West Norfolk area, as well as buy a new depot, offices and maintenance area at the Hardwick Industrial Estate, in Old Meadow Road, King's Lynn, which is to open this summer.
The bus operater has already recruited 14 new bus drivers, all of whom were former employees of Stagecoach.
Howard Russell, chief executive of West Norfolk Community Transport, said more people should be encouraged to use public transport to ensure their new plans are a success.
He is calling on West Norfolk council and county council to take action against ongoing issues of 'gridlocked traffic' in King's Lynn.
'This unprecedented investment by a local charity is good news for the whole town,' said Mr Russell. 'It is good news because it makes a real step forward to dealing with air quality issues, and it is good news too because it will help fund our charitable aims and objectives.
'It is not good news for anybody to be sitting in the routinely gridlocked traffic around the town centre, and especially not for us to invest to stand still.
'What we want now is for a little bit of back up from borough council and county council in order to makes buses run better, we can only do so much with new vehicles. 'We hope to run a better and more reliable service.'
The company said money made through their services is pumped back into their network to provide specialist dial-a-bus routes for those who are unable to use ordinary buses.
It will take over from Stagecoach Lynn routes 2 to 5 from Sunday, April 29, with routes 2 (North Lynn) and 3 (South and North Wootton) running half-hourly six days a week and less frequently on Sundays.
Route 4 will be diverted via North Lynn and Lynnsport Way and will run at up to half hourly intervals.
Details of the company's new route timetables can be viewed on www.wnct.co.uk
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