CHANGES have been made to the Tavistock Country Bus service, following requests from clients and a review of routes.

The service, run by Tavistock Community Transport, provide a vital link for its customers in the town and outlying villages.

Joanna Humphrey, secretary of the transport group, said: 'We have had requests from various people to change the routes, and also had people requesting routes on different days, plus on some of the routes have lost clientele for various reasons.

'We run the service with the community in mind, specially for people who can't get around easily, but we do have to watch costs and have had to do some economising.'

The main change to the routes run by the bus includes the amalgamation of the 114 and 117 services, to increase passanger numbers between Tavistock and Launceston.

This service now runs twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It passes through Lamerton, Milton Abbot, Lawhitton, Lifton, Portgate, Lewdown Lewtrenchard and Chillaton.

Joanna said: 'We appreciate that these changes mean that we no longer serve the hamlets of Kelly, Bradstone, and Meadwell, but we are intending to start a new service to those hamlets and one to Peter Tavy later in the year.'

Joanna said the town service changes were to increase the service to include Redmoor Close and incorporating the Courtlands area, as requested by residents, on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Saturday services remain the same to Exeter, Truro, Plymouth, Paignton and Torquay on the first, second, third and fourth Saturdays respectively and Dawlish every fifth Saturday.

The changes have already been implemented from Monday this week.

For further information contact the Tavistock Country Bus on 07580 260683.

Joanna added: 'This is an answering service so please leave a message with your name and contact number and we will return your call as soon as possible.'