The introduction of a bus route linking three villages in the Great Yarmouth area to the town and Norwich has been welcomed by a councillor who set up a petition calling for better transport links. 

From March 12 First Bus will be introducing a number 7 route which will pass through Caister, Filby and Fleggburgh as it heads between Great Yarmouth and Norwich via Acle.

The new route has been welcomed by Adrian Thompson, a Great Yarmouth Borough councillor who set up a petition calling for improved bus services for Filby and Fleggburgh in November 2019.

He said: "Financially it will help people become more independent, be able to shop, seek work and commute to and from work and save on car park charges.

"Environmentally it should get cars off the road, which can only be a good thing reducing CO2.

"I would encourage people to use the service and make it a profitable route in order to improve the service in the future."

M Thompson also thanked everyone who signed petitions, wrote letters and supported him.

A statement from First Bus said: "As a result of feedback and requests from local stakeholders, this service will operate four journeys in each direction on weekdays, timed to provide links into the city centre for work, education, shopping and leisure. 

"In addition to these daytime journeys, there will be a late evening departure to Great Yarmouth on Coastlink X1 (leaving Norwich Bus Station at 2320) that will operate via Fleggburgh, Filby and Caister before Great Yarmouth Market Gates."

A statement from the East Norfolk Transport Users Associaton (ENTUA), said:  "ENTUA has long campaigned for this new service and we do want to see it used to hopefully watch it grow and to expand."

Details of the route and other timetable changes in the Great Yarmouth area can be found at First Bus's website.