THE possibility of a half-hourly bus service between Ross-on-Wye and Hereford could be on the cards when the A49 through the city is taken out of the National Highways network.

The promised bypass west of Hereford will enable the de-trunking of the main road which will enable not only “faster and more reliable” bus journeys, while “key corridors”, yet to be listed, will be given bus priority or even bus-only status.

This in turn will boost the viability bus services between Hereford and its market towns.

A recent public consultation showed there is a clear appetite for change in the county, with nearly half of all respondents disagreeing with the statement ‘I have a good choice of travel options’.

Herefordshire’s cabinet member for transport Cllr Philip Price said: “We are confident that through the measures set out in this plan, Herefordshire’s transport system will continue to support a high quality of life for residents, enable successful businesses, and provide enjoyable experiences for visitors.”

The county is looking to install more electric vehicle charging points, along with zero-emission buses, initially within Hereford, before expanding out to the rest of the county.

New, appropriate speed limits will also be set, including 20mph outside identified schools.