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New £120,000 community bus takes to the road

Villager Bus The Villager bus at a bus stopVillager Bus
The new bus runs a scheduled service but also can be hired

A new community bus that has recently taken to the road has seen demand for the service rise.

The Villager Bus, based in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, runs from a number of villages in the north of the county.

The new £120,000 vehicle can carry up to 16 passengers, has space for a wheelchair and is easy to access.

Jos Daalhuizen, a volunteer driver, said trips to places such as Olney, in Buckinghamshire, Bedford, Milton Keynes and Rushden Lakes, in Northamptonshire, were "100% full".

Villager Bus The bus in Olney, BuckinghamshireVillager Bus
The bus travels to towns and villages such as Olney, Buckinghamshire

"The fact the bus is now accessible has made a vast difference," Mr Daalhuizen said.

"People can just walk on with their shopping baskets, when before they had to go up three steps.

"We are now attracting new customers and the bus is really making a statement."

Funds for the bus came from Bedford Borough Council, The Harpur Trust, the Gale Family Charity Trust, Felmersham and Radwell Community Trust, The Wixamtree Trust, The Connolly Foundation and The Christopher HR Reeves Trust.

The service, which is fully run by volunteers, started in 1987 and completes between 250 and 300 passenger journeys a month. The bus can also be hired out.

Villager Bus Passengers in the Villager BusVillager Bus
The bus has a wheelchair ramp, air conditioning, wi-fi and phone-charging points

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