TRANSPORT bosses have moved to reassure Stourbridge bus users that a vital service used by the elderly will continue after a contract change.

Arriva currently operates the 288 bus service, from Stourbridge Bus Station to Norton, which many older residents hop on to venture into town but the company’s contract expires in October.

Bus user Bruce Thomson said elderly people have been worrying that the service, which goes through Pedmore and Oldswinford, will not be replaced.

But a spokesman for Centro has today (Friday) confirmed West Midlands Special Needs Transport will take it over.

Spokesman Peter Cameron said: “In line with our normal process for subsidised services we invited all operators in the region to bid to run the service.

“Bidders had to meet a set of criteria detailing the timetable, route and types of vehicle which must be run on this route and West Midlands Special Needs Transport made the offer that provided the best value for money for the public purse.”

He added: “The 288 is felt to be a socially necessary service because without it some folk living along the route, especially the elderly, would be left without access to public transport, making it very difficult for them to get to key destinations.”

Mr Thomson said: “There’s a lot of people who would be in a mess without it - and it’s a very social bus. I use it a lot to go shopping and to the swimming pool.”

Keith Myatt, regional marketing and communications manager for Aviva, confirmed the company would no longer be running the hourly weekday 288 service from October 26.