Celebrity chef Raymond Blanc steps in to save vital bus service in Oxford

Tap to watch a video report by ITV News Meridian's Wesley Smith.

Celebrity chef, Raymond Blanc, is chipping in to save essential bus services connecting Oxford with his hotel in Great Milton which has just been granted planning permission to expand.

According to Blanc, not only this will help him to recruit more staff, but it will also prevent villagers from being cut off from the city centre.

Back in January, bus operator Stagecoach said the number 16 was no longer sustainable, leaving many devastated.

Since then, Raymond Blanc and the Oxford Bus Company have teamed up to replace it with new route 46.

Local resident Dalya said: "It's massively important to me as someone with disability and mobility issues, I was stranded with out a bus and am now reconnected to shops and vital services. I can go swimming and meet friends and go out in the evening."

• Dalya told ITV News Meridian how important this bus service is for her.

However, residents say they know other areas are still without a service and are calling for more frequent services.

The Oxford Bus Company says it's open to more partnerships like the one with Raymond Blanc to pay for the services.

• Celebrity chef Raymond Blanc spoke to ITV News Meridian about the new bus service.

Blanc said: "We are part of a community and it will help Great Milton, we lost a bus service 4 years ago. It's a recruitment tool as well and i would like to have far more local people working with us like in Spain or Italy".