IT'S all change on the buses in Burton next month when operators Wilts & Dorset terminates the More M2 high-frequency service linking the village with Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole.

To step up the frequency of the M2 from every 10 minutes to every seven minutes, a shortened Poole-Boscombe-Poole route will be introduced from May 25.

The announcement by Wilts and Dorset confirms long-running rumours in Burton that the More services which have been running since December 2004 were coming to the end of the road.

But the bus company plans to fill the gap by launching a new route giving a faster and more direct journey from Burton to Christchurch and Bournemouth.

The new X12 service will run every 15 minutes and will run via both the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch hospitals to Christchurch and continue to either Burton or Lymington.

No replacement is planned for the section of the M2 route between Purewell and Somerford as Yellow buses already operates a regular service for those areas.

Wilts & Dorset public relations manager Chris Harris said the changes were being made to meet increasing demand for the M2 service from Poole to Boscombe without stranding passengers wanting a fast service between Bournemouth, Christchurch, Burton and the New Forest.

He said: "To sustain the network we must make the best use of our fleet. This is becoming more crucial as we, like other bus operators, face rising fuel and operating costs and have to absorb concessionary fare payments.

"Our planning team has considered all the viable options and suggestions from customers and local authorities before implementing these changes.

"We hope that they will encourage more people to change their hop-in-the-car habits and take the bus instead."

New timetables will be available during May from travel shops, the Wilts & Dorset information line on 01202 673555 or on-line at wdbus.co.uk