CHANGES to the bus service in the Pewsey Vale got off to a tricky start on Monday when the online booking service hit a glitch.

A new timetable for the Connect2Wiltshire bus service came into force at the beginning of the week, but pensioner Nev Cooper was not feeling the connection.

Mr Cooper, 82, of Bottlesford, near Pewsey, tried on Monday last week to book a trip to his doctors’ surgery in Pewsey using the www.bookaride.net but it constantly failed.

He said: “The changeover to the new system has been very poor. There has been very little publicity and it is difficult to get answers about what is happening.”

On Monday a Google search for Connect2Wiltshire buses still went to a timetable that came into force in January, 2012 and the Wiltshire Council website did not have a link to a new file with the updated timetable.

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “There have been some glitches with the online booking. If people are not able to access this they should ring instead.”

A notice on the Connect2Wiltshire bus website said: “We are currently experiencing difficulties with the online facility, following the timetable change.

"If you are unable to book your journey online and you need to travel soon, please phone the Connect2 booking line 08456 525255 followed by option 1, alternatively if your regular stop is now a timetabled stop, you can hale the bus, without making a booking.”

Wiltshire Council said the changes came into force following a consultation exercise last year which included working with the Devizes and Pewsey community area partnerships and the Devizes Passenger Transport Group.

A spokesman said: “The new timetable includes more buses running from Devizes through to Pewsey, where several journeys have been timed to provide connections with trains to Newbury, Reading and London.”

Horace Prickett, portfolio holder for transport services, said: “The previous services were too costly to run and were not sustainable at a time when councils all over the country need to save money.

“I am delighted we have been able to work with local groups to put together something which saves money, but continues to provide a really good service for people in the community.

“The Connect2 Wiltshire services in the Pewsey Vale will now be run in a more cost effective manner, while still catering for the travel needs of the majority of its customers and local residents.”

The new timetables are available at www.bookaride.net/PV-Timetable-leaflet-web.pdf or by post by calling 01380 860100