Enhanced bus services between North Norfolk and Norwich launch next week

More frequent and faster bus journeys from North Norfolk to Norwich are due to start next week as part of Norfolk County Council's plan to improve bus services across the county.

Sanders Coaches will operate the new X40 service which is an addition to the existing X44 and 44a timetable and provides more frequent services from Sheringham and Cromer to Norwich.

The X40 will run Monday to Sunday and offer a quicker journey for those people travelling the full distance between the North Norfolk Coast and Norwich. The total journey from Sheringham to Norwich will take 1 hour 15 minutes (15 minutes quicker than the 44a service). The first bus arrives in Norwich at 8:15am and the last bus gets back to Sheringham at 7pm.

The route starts at Sheringham Station and stops at; Beeston Regis, West Runton, East Runton, Cromer, Roughton and Alby before travelling non-stop to Hellesdon and on to Norwich. On Saturdays and Sundays, the X40 will also stop at the villages of Marsham and Hevingham.

Charles Sanders, Managing Director of Sanders Coaches said; "Adding this route in to our timetable gives passengers a fast and direct service which takes the most direct route through Cromer and scoots along the A140 all the way to Hellesdon. We've also tweaked our X44 timetable which now gives people the option to easily hop off at the Tesco store near the airport and join the Konectbus 512 service to the UEA and Norfolk and Norwich hospital with minimal wait time in-between. At just £2 a journey until the end of June now is a great time to try the bus and sit back and enjoy the comfort of one of our brand-new buses. We look forward to welcoming you aboard."

This service enhancement is being funded by the £49.55 million funding which Norfolk County Council was successful in securing from the Department for Transport (DfT) to use on implementing the county-wide Bus Service Improvement Plan over the next three years.

Grahame Bygrave, Director of Highways, Transport & Waste said; "Being a rural county our bus services are absolutely vital to ensuring residents can remain independent and access services. Having fast and frequent services means people really can 'choose the bus' more often."