STAGECOACH is to step up its presence on the roads around Swindon, just weeks after local rival Thamesdown Transport came into new hands.

The firm is to launch a new route between Abbey Meads and the Great Western Hospital travelling via the town centre

A new recruitment drive is also just around the corner with 30 new jobs set to be created in Swindon as part of major expansion plans.

Perhaps spurred on by the arrival of a proven operator in the form of Go South Coast, Stagecoach is promising to deliver improvements to its existing services through a 15 per cent increase in operations.

Bosses say their new plans will see Stagecoach deliver an even better service for customers while at the same time providing a jobs boost for the town.

The new route between Abbey Meads and GWH is to launch on April 2.

The recruitment drive will look to take on drivers, engineers and cleaning staff alongside other depot roles.

Stagecoach say the move reflects the company’s commitment to Swindon and comes in response to customer demand for more choice in bus transport in the town.

The new service, to run as the number 3, will offer passengers different connections to existing routes.

It will operate up to every 10 minutes during the day from Monday to Saturday and up to every 20 minutes on Sunday.

Services 9, 10 and Gold 66 are also set to see an increase in frequency with more stops along the routes.

Rupert Cox, managing director of Stagecoach West, said: “We are at the heart of bus travel in the Swindon area and this expansion is a sign of our commitment to bus passengers in the area and in the belief that buses will continue to be a hugely important mode of transport in the years to come.

“We have seen positive growth on our current services and invested significantly in a new bus depot last year.

“We have also introduced 12 new vehicles, at a cost of £2.2 million in the past three years for local people.

“These plans will deliver better connections and greater travel choice for customers and we believe they will help us attract even more people on to our greener, smarter services.”

The news that both Stagecoach and Thamesdown are trying to win customers by responding to demand will be welcome to bus passengers.

For years, the limited resources of the previously council-run Thamesdown Transport had led to a situation where competition was limited.