DISCUSSIONS are taking place to organise a new circular bus route around Berkeley to not only service the new hospital but also help isolated communities. District councillor for Berkeley Gordon Craig has spent the last year putting together plans and talking to the county council about creating a new bus route that will not only take Berkeley residents to the new hospital when it opens, but help residents in isolated locations reach local amenities.

"If we can make it happen it will be a fantastic service, I hope we can," said Cllr Craig.

The idea is to replace a current bus service that makes just two trips to Gloucester each day, that Cllr Craig said was uneconomical.

Instead the new route will visit Purton, Sharpness and Berkeley before visiting Cam and Dursley train station, Dursley town centre and the new Vale Community Hospital.

"The idea is to try and link it in with the train times at the station so people can get connections to Bristol and Gloucester. It can also link to the service that stops at Slimbridge to go to Gloucester," said Cllr Craig.

"We could have an hourly, if not every other hour, service going round in circles.

"This would mean if you had a short hospital appointment you would only need to wait an hour or so for the next bus to take you home again."

The plans have been discussed in full with Gloucestershire County Council, and it is hoped the bus service will be running before the new hospital opens.

Alan Barrett, urban transport manager, said: "We are currently taking a second look at most subsidised services in the Dursley/Sharpness/Berkeley area including the service 207 that runs between Thornbury and Gloucester, via Berkeley and Sharpness.

"Cllr Craig's ideas, along with other feedback from the consultation undertaken earlier in the summer, is being considered in the overall service redesign for the area.

"However, we are still working on timetables so are not at the stage to announce details yet."