THREE bus routes are being changed to satisfy increasing demand and as a response to passenger complaints.

Bus company First will be making improvement to routes 26, 17 and 23/23A from Sunday.

Route 17 from Newcastle to Hanley via Bradwell is being rescheduled.

Overcrowding in the stand at Newcastle Bus Station has prompted the bus company to change the timetable so each bus will run five minutes earlier.

Route 26 from Hanley to Newcastle, via Weston Coyney, Meir and Longton, currently runs every 20 minutes but will now operate every 10 minutes.

A new extension service, 26A, will provide Coalville and Park Hall customers with a direct service to Meir, Longton and Hartshill. Two buses per hour will serve Coalville and one will go through Park Hall.

Route 23/23A which travels from Hanley to Longton via Stoke and Blurton will be rescheduled in the peak morning period.

The timetable for this route used to allow time to negotiate road works on the D road. Now these are complete bus drivers are arriving at their stops earlier and have had to wait more than 10 minutes before setting off again. New timetables will mean a speedier service.

Paul De Santis, pictured, First's commercial director said: "We are always pleased to listen to the views of our customers and we will endeavour to respond positively wherever we can.

"These three changes will deliver more services for some customers and added convenience for others.

"The changes to the 26 route are the most major. It is a long route and about 18 months ago we doubled the frequency in some parts to every 10 minutes. Now we are going to extend that.

"We had letters and a petition from people in Park Hall asking for a service there and we were picking up a lot of general comments from Coalville residents who wanted a service there, so we hope these will be successful additions.

"The change to route 17 is simply to move it away from another service which is operated from the same stand in Newcastle by a different company.

"Comments from customers are very important because if we didn't make changes such as this we would still be offering the service we delivered in 1920."

Hospital domestic, Nick Butter, from Milehouse, Newcastle, said: "I've have seen the number 17 stop at Newcastle bus station very congested with so many people waiting for a bus it is dangerous but rescheduling the bus to leave five minutes earlier is not going to solve the problem. First need to put more buses on the route."

Passenger David Collins, aged 57, from Silverdale, added: "I use the 17 bus every day and some of them go to Silverdale and some others don't. First say their bus arrives on this route every 10 minutes but you end up waiting a lot longer for them. Sometimes there is standing room only"