Several key bus routes will be reinstated this winter after Ipswich Buses had to make cuts following staff shortages. 

In October, Ipswich Buses suspended journeys on routes 8, 9, 10 and 13 through Ipswich, which served the Chantry, Whitton, Castle Hill and Whitehouse areas.

Fewer buses made the journeys during the shortage, with traffic along the routes dropping by about 20 per cent. 

Ipswich Buses started an accelerated training programme to attract new drivers, in which they offered a starting salary of £13.50 an hour which works out at £27,300 for a 39-hour week.

Now, the service has announced that they will begin increasing the number of buses that serve each route. 

Prior to the reduced services, passengers had noticed a number of cancellations on an ad hoc basis. 

The number of buses on Route 13 through Chantry to Tesco had been cut from six to five an hour with a few adjustments - meaning there are 15% fewer journeys on weekdays and 20% fewer on Saturdays.

On Route 9/10 to Whitton and Castle Hill there was a reduction from six to five buses an hour.

On Route 8 to Whitehouse the number of services dropped from five to four an hour after noon.

As Ipswich Buses now have a sufficient number of trainees, route 8 journeys were reinstated on Sunday (December 3). 

Route 13 journeys will be reinstated on December 17, 2023, and routes 9 and 10 journeys will be reinstated in the new year from January 2, 2024. 

Dan Basset, managing director at Ipswich Buses, said: "We are pleased to see the improvements in our recruitment processes improve our establishment position, and to be reinstating journeys. 

"We appreciate there are still some journeys suspended, and we are doing everything we can to resume normal services as soon as possible."