A REPORT calling for a change in mind-set on how the county’s buses are run has been scrutinised by councillors.

A draft paper compiled by a cross-party scrutiny group sets out a number of recommendations including asking the county council to take a long-term strategic approach to public transport.

In the report’s foreword, Bromsgrove and county councillor Chris Bloore, who led the group, said: “It’s time to start building bus services up so that buses are seen as an option for everyone, not just those who have no other option, as part of a county-wide strategic approach to address the issues but also to make the most of opportunities.

"This means changing the way we tender for services, giving incentives to our partners to grow bus usage, improving the perception of our bus services and embracing new technology and platforms to improve confidence and accessibility."

Worcestershire County Council agreed at a full meeting in September to carry out a cross-party scrutiny review of the county’s bus service.

More to follow.