A BUS passenger from Callow End claims the service is so unreliable she has started taking taxis to Worcester in order to get to work on time.

Insolvency consultant Elly Parker-Smith often has to go to Birmingham for court appearances, but has missed the 8.35am train three times recently because the bus was late.

She claimed that even if the bus arrives in Callow End on schedule at 8.10am, there are often delays while the driver fills in record sheets, stops to take phone calls, or chats with other drivers.

"The service is a joke," she said.

"They never seem to have a float, which is a major problem, because the nearest place to get change at 8am is half a mile down the road.

"If I miss my train to Birmingham and lose my slot in court, my client and I can be stuck there all day waiting for the case to be heard.

"So rather than risk being late again I am going to have to pay £8.50 for a taxi three or four times a week."

County councillor Tom Wells said the unreliable service was defeating the object of Worcestershire County Council, which was pumping money into public transport in an effort to persuade people to leave their cars at home.

"I am getting lots of complaints from passengers about the 7.30am service from Great Malvern being five or 10 minutes late getting into Worcester, so that people are late for work," he said.

"In the evenings it's a lot worse. The 17.50 bus from CrownGate never leaves on time and sometimes doesn't turn up at all."

Tony Halford, of Astons Coaches, said keeping records of concessionary fares was required by the council and drivers were sometimes called by mobile phone.

But the buses were leaving Malvern on time and peak hour traffic was to blame for making them late into Worcester before 9am and after 5pm.

"We are doing our best to adhere to the county council's timetable and we have tachograph evidence to show exactly what is happening, but I am not surprised this lady misses her train.

"We can't jump over traffic queues and the journey takes about 20 minutes longer at that time of the morning," he said.

"The New Bridge starts to snarl up at about 7.55am and if you leave Callow End at 8.10 you will be very lucky to get into CrownGate by 8.25."