A £300,000 rescue package for county bus services has been announced by Worcestershire County Council.

A temporary increase in subsidy will provide a temporary respite until August for services being withdrawn by First in the Midlands from January 6.

"The rescue package follows intense activity by this unit in obtaining tender prices from operators and organising the most beneficial and cost-effective services possible," said passenger and fleet transport manager Chris Pettifer.

He said some services the council had managed to retain would not run as frequently as those operating at present, but this was a temporary solution while a complete review is carried out with the help of consultants.

The evening service on routes 36 and 38 between Worcester bus station and Tolladine, Warndon and Perdiswell was withdrawn by First after repeated vandalism.

This is now to be reinstated.

Retained

The service to Perry Wood, Worcester, has been retained in response to passenger requests, but with a reduced frequency of four journeys per day and a revised routing.

It will continue to be run by First, but will now run from the bus station via Newtown Road and Shrub Hill.

The Nunnery Wood High School service from St Peter's and Bath Road has been taken over by Astons Coaches without any county council subsidy. Children's term-time passes will be available direct from Astons.

Early morning journeys on route 44 between Worcester, Malvern Link, Pound Bank and Great Malvern will continue unchanged, except for the 0745 journey from Worcester to Great Malvern, which will be withdrawn.

There will be an amended timetable for the 363 route between Callow End and Worcester, but two buses being withdrawn by First will be operated by Robins Travel.

Evening buses on the 247 route between Evesham, Bidford, Alcester, Studley and Redditch will now continue unaltered.

LMS Travel will operate unchanged the service between Pebworth, Honeybourne, Bretforton, Badsey and Evesham formerly operated by W R Spring & Son. A revised service between Longdon, Sledge Green, Bushley and Tewkesbury will be operated by Boomerang Bus Company from January 22.

From January 22, one Wednesday and one Saturday journey will be withdrawn from the service introduced in November between Upton-upon-Severn, Naunton, Ripple and Tewkesbury.

The service between Ledbury, Colwall, West Malvern, Malvern town centre and Malvern Wells is being revised in the late afternoon and one journey serving West Malvern and Malvern Wells will be axed.

Some services will still be withdrawn and passengers are advised to consult the new timetables, available before January 6.