COMMUTERS in west Wiltshire have been urged to get on board the region’s buses, as a fortnight of free travel is introduced.

Fees will be waived on bus routes around Bradford on Avon and Melksham, in an attempt to encourage more people to take the bus.

Climate Friendly Brad-ford on Avon have worked with Wiltshire Council to produce a leaflet promoting the Route 98 town service, to be distributed to every household in the town. The bus travels every hour through Bradford, from Sainsbury’s in the south up to Down’s View near St Laurence School.

Shay Parsons from the group said: “With so much congestion in the town centre, to have something that you can hop on every hour is brilliant. Often by the time I’ve done my shopping it has come back around. If more people use it there’d be less congestion and better air quality in the town.”

Pensioner Doreen Gordon uses the town bus to go shopping. She said: “I don’t know what I’d do without it.”

No fares will be charged from August 4 to 16 on the bus, which runs hourly from 7.48am to 6.18pm.

The Melksham Metro service 14/15 will also be included in the fare freeze, with passengers able to travel between the town centre and the Leekes store on Beanacre Road.

Horace Prickett, Wilt-shire Council portfolio holder for transport, said: “It’s a question of use it or lose it.

“With an hourly service connecting with the train station, it’s a superb link-up with public transport.”