A NEW bus service has been created to provide a link between Didcot’s Great Western Park estate and nearby Milton Park, where more than 250 businesses are now based.

Thames Travel has launched the new Connector 99 service, offering a direct link between the estate and business park, which is close to the A34 Milton Interchange.

The bus company has provided the service in response to passenger demand.

The new service runs Monday to Friday with buses every 30 minutes at peak times and every hour off-peak.

Thames Travel has also boosted the frequency of its Connector 98 service from Monday to Saturday to operate every 15 minutes between Didcot Parkway and Great Western Park.

A new Sunday service has also being introduced operating every 30 minutes.

Phil Southall, managing director of Thames Travel and Oxford Bus Company, said: “We have listened and responded to customer and partner feedback in relation to services from Didcot.

“The new Connector 99 service is an important addition as it will directly help residents to get to and from a major employment hub during the working week.

“It is one of several improvements we are making to Thames Travel services and builds on the success of the recent night-bus timetable that was introduced.”

Mr Southall revealed that the new bus service had been launched in partnership with Taylor Wimpey – one of the housing developers which has been building Great Western Park.

The company is one of several helping to build some 3,300 homes on the new estate, of which about half have so far been completed since construction initially began in 2010.

The bus company's investment in improved services has included the addition of three new Euro 6 Micro Hybrid double-decker Volvo buses to the Thames Travel fleet.

Mark Edmonds, managing director for Taylor Wimpey Oxfordshire, said: “It’s fantastic to see that Thames Travel is launching a new service between Great Western Park and Milton Park, making commuting even easier.

“As the development grows this is something that residents have been asking for and it is fantastic to see the service growing.”

Last year Thames Travel launched the River Rapids service between Oxford and Henley.