A POPULAR bus service that links Crewe’s key employment and retail sites is to be replaced by a commercial operator as part of a revised service.

The one1ink service, which is funded by Cheshire East Council through a one-off Department for Transport grant, has operated for more than two years.

From April 1, the one1ink service will operate as a commercial service through D&G Buses, with a number of changes aimed at improving the busy service.

Cllr David Topping, cabinet member in charge of the environment, said: “Cheshire East Council has given one1ink a great start, with more than 190,000 journeys being made on it since it began in 2013.

“The aim was always to secure the financial sustainability of the service in supporting the All Change for Crewe programme for our residents and businesses.

“Working with D&G to ensure that this popular service would continue to run, we have managed to sustain one1ink beyond the funding period and ensured it will be a commercially successful bus service.”

As part of the revised service, the first bus will leave Crewe Railway Station’s main entrance at 5.23am, providing a much earlier service to the town centre.

This will allow workers to arrive at Crewe Business Park and Crewe Gates Industrial Estate by 6am, with the last bus departing later at 7.14pm.

Leighton Hospital, a much-needed destination, has also been added to the route.

To enable improvements, the frequency of the main one1ink service will change to half hourly and buses will no longer serve the business park at less busy times of the day.

To maintain the 15-minute frequency between the town centre, Rolls Avenue and Minshull New Road, new services to the Marshfield area and Nantwich will be added for most of the day.

On Sundays, service 38 will operate instead of the 1A and 1B, linking Nantwich to Crewe railway station, and giving Rolls Avenue a Sunday service for the first time.