A COUPLE is launching a bus service, requested by Warrington residents, that will provide crucial links to other towns for the first time.

The new routes, due to start on Monday, are geared towards the community and will run from Warrington to St Helens Hospital and Peasley Cross Hospital and Penketh to Warrington Hospital.

It also includes services direct to Billinge, Upholland and Skelmersdale and a direct link to the new St Helens College Technology Campus.

The service, called Line One, Warrington – St Helens – Skelmersdale, will use single decker buses, and operate hourly, Monday to Saturday.

It is operated by a company called Strawberry, the brainchild of Oliver and Lorraine Howarth and is located at Linkway Distribution Park, St Helens.

Oliver, who used to be an operations director for Blackpool buses and trams, said: “I have been looking for a place to set up a bus service for some time.

“I felt that in the area I’ve chosen there was a gap in the market. We’re not trying to compete with other bus services and our fares will be in line with them.”

The couple liaised with Warrington Borough Council, Mersey Travel and Lancashire Public Transport and attended Penketh and Sankey community meetings to find the places most in need of new buses.

Oliver added: “We promise to run a high quality bus operation which builds on our experience in the bus industry – with nice people driving good buses.

“We want to encourage people to think about the environment a bit more, get out of their cars and travel in a more sustainable way.

“We believe that the way to do that is through listening to people and offering them new services which meet their needs, are good value and of sustained quality – the recipe for success.”