A THREAT to a public transport lifeline between Severn Beach and Cribbs Causeway has been lifted.

Following protests from the community, South Gloucestershire Council has come up with the cash to rescue the 625 Sunday and Bank Holiday service from the village to the regional shopping complex and on to Bristol.

An hourly service will continue on these days after fears that the service was set to fall victim to a council bus shake-up.

Council spokesman Debra Davies said: "We have revised our budget estimates for the coming financial year following lower than expected prices for some emergency contracts, so it has been possible to rescue the 625 service.

"The timetable has been modified and these Sunday arrangements will apply for the time being."

Ward councillor Peter Tyzack who presented a protest petiton to a recent full meeting of the council, welcomed the decision but also called for improvements to existing publc transport services.

"I now want to see some sensible discussions with bus and train users about changes that could be made to improve what we have got already," he said. "Officers should be sitting down with users and finding out what is actually required. For instance I have heard people say that the service into Bristrol isn't that important and that the crucial bit is the link with Cribbs." Cllr Sheila Cook (Almondsbury) said she was delighted the council had listened to the views of local people.

"The council is supposed to be looking at ways of improving public transport and taking away this important local service would have been a crippling blow to Severn Beach," she said. "As the Mall has a large bus interchange this is often a key way for residents to access bus services to a much wider range of destinations.

"It's also good news for those who have to cope with the Mall traffic. Sundays and Bank Holidays especially can be the busiest times and create a traffic nightmare. To even contemplate cutting public transport on these days was a completely misguided idea." Cllr Cook said residents deserved credit for their campaign.

"The council must give special attention to rural communities like Severn Beach for whom access to services can be difficult," she said.

"For them, the need for decent public transport is all the more important." The new timetable will be available on South Gloucestershires website