A major overhaul of Bermuda?s buses is planned including the recruitment of 20 new drivers and passengers no longer having to wait more than 15 minutes for a bus on four key routes.

Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown told a meeting in St. David?s last night that the frequency of buses on routes seven, eight, ten and 11 was to be ?tremendously improved? next year.

He said more details about the changes planned for next April would be revealed soon, adding: ?You will like what you hear. It will make the bus very easy to use from 6 a.m. to midnight.?

Dr. Brown said his ultimate aim was for users to be able to stand at a shelter or stop anywhere in Bermuda and know that they would not have to wait longer than 15 minutes for a bus. ?Next year we will have that kind of frequency,? he said.

Last night?s meeting at Clearwater Middle School was to let residents know that many of their concerns about the number six route between St. David?s and St. George?s ? expressed at a meeting in May ? had been addressed by the Public Transportation Board (PTB).

PTB Director Dan Simmons said a 7.15 a.m. service had been added on Saturdays and the 7.15 a.m. school service would keep running during school holidays.

Other additions included a 9.10 p.m. bus on week nights and two extra services ? 8.40 a.m. and 9.40 a.m ? on Sundays.

He said more bus stops have been installed and extra bus shelters, providing more protection from bad weather, are on their way.

Mr. Simmons said afterwards: ?This was a very cordial meeting. The other one was a little less cordial.?

St. David?s MP Suzann Roberts-Holshouser, who has campaigned for better buses on behalf of residents, thanked Dr. Brown and his team for all their efforts.

She later told that additions to the service had been ?20 years in the coming? but said she couldn?t be happier with them.

She said the extra services were especially needed for those living at the emergency housing shelter in Southside who did not have transport but needed to get to work.

The Government plans to move a bus depot from St. George?s to St. David?s and Ms Roberts-Holshouser said choosing the correct, non-residential location was vitally important.

?It has been suggested that this bus terminal may be located at Orange Hole,? she said. ?This is a residential area. I understand they are moving it from St. George?s because it?s in a residential area and they are seeing a lot of vandalism. I don?t want to see that vandalism in St. David?s.?

She said she hoped the new, improved route six wasn?t a ?bribe? to soften the people of St. David?s towards the new depot.

?We are not going for that bribe. If we need to move the bus depot to St. David?s let?s look at other areas rather than areas where there are residents.?

Dr. Brown told the meeting that people in St. David?s had contributed the most ideas for a name for a new passenger ferry for St. George?s, due to begin operating in early October.