OUTRAGED passengers have said that changes to buses in the city have caused chaos.

Timetable alterations, new services and inaccurate bus stop signs wreaked havoc at Crowngate bus station as late, overcrowded buses left one elderly resident waiting over two hours for a bus because she was been unable to sit down.

Rosemary Walker, aged 59, from Comer Gardens, who catches the 31 service from her home into the city had to wait over 40 minutes for a bus on its first weekday run.

"It was absolute chaos yesterday afternoon (October 16). People were thinking the bus was going to the hospital when it wasn't and now buses aren't going back the same way they came, which is making it even more confusing."

"All they had to do was move the bus stop sign but they didn't even do that."

"If you don't tell people and don't move the signs, people will just automatically go to where they usually wait."

"Nobody at the bus station helped, nobody seems to be in charge."

The service, along with many others, was subject to a number of timetable changes introduced by First Worcester on Sunday (October 15). The 31 bus now runs twice an hour.

"I can't drive so I am relying on the buses. A lot of people I know are relying on the buses, not everybody is able to drive," added Mrs Walker.

"We have no bus up here after 6.45pm. If I needed to go to the hospital I'd have to get a taxi and we're talking about £17.

"It's a terrible service, absolutely terrible."

Residents also criticised the introduction of a new university bus service which they say is underused.

"My ticket is £4 a day but students can go on the bus and it is only 70p into town," said Mrs Walker.

"I feel like a second class citizen in my own city."

Louise Willetts, aged 74, who lives in Hallow Road and also catches the 31 bus into Worcester experienced similar problems.

"The bus stop is the right at the bottom of my drive and I can see them go past from my kitchen window," she said.

"Every bus this morning was late and the 10.47am bus didn't even come at all.

"The bus driver told me that it is just one bus that travels the whole route. So if it is late somewhere else it's going to be late when it comes back."

"The university has its new bus service, they're every 10 minutes and I've seen them go past and there are only a couple of people on them sometimes, so why do we have to settle for a small bus?" she said.

A First Bus spokesperson said: “We have changed the service to meet the change in demand with people who travel on the service.

“We will monitor the reliability of the service based on the details provided.

“Like with all changes we need to let them settle down before we determine what alterations are needed.”