A NEW bus route connecting Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye has launched, with members of the public turning out to see the bus on its maiden journey.

The Daffodil Line 232 service is now running every two hours, seven days a week, and will provide an evening service on Fridays and Saturdays.

The route runs from Ledbury to Ross-on-Wye via Much Marcle, Dymock, Newent, Gorsley and Upton Bishop.

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It will start from Ledbury Railway Station before stopping at the town's Market Hall and Deer Park.

The service will then head to Glebe Orchard in Much Marcle, with further stops at St Mary's Church in Dymock, Newent's Lake Car Park, Gorsley Goffs School and the Old Gore Cross in Upton Bishop. The route will finish at Cantilupe Road in Ross. 

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Clare Stone, chairman of community action group Buses4Us, said the towns of Ross-on-Wye, Newent, and Ledbury have always had close lines and have had good public transport connections for as long as anyone can remember. 

Last year, commuters were "devastated" by Stagecoach's move to cut the bus service which used to link them to Ledbury. The bus firm said it was not viable and removed the 132 service which ran from Gloucester to Ledbury via Newent.

Ahead of the launch, she said: "After over a year of hard work and amazing co-operation and team effort across our communities the Daffodil Line is finally here.

"As a celebration and a thank you we have invited the mayors of each of our towns to come and send the bus off, on its first day and we’d be delighted if you would join us too."