Bus service improvements have delivered a success to County Hall at the MJ magazine customer service achievement of the year awards.

Bedfordshire County Council was nominated in four out of sixteen categories in the competition, which recognise top quality services and performance.

And the authority picked up the customer service achievement of the year award thanks to considerable improvements made in home-to-school transport.

The school transport improvement project has seen the introduction of a fleet of brand new, easily identifiable, yellow school buses, which come equipped with CCTV and seatbelts.

There are now 24 buses operating in the area, covering a total of 32 home-to-school journeys.

Coun Tom Wootton, portfolio holder for highways at County Hall, said: "Our yellow buses have been a fantastic success - the number of other councils who have looked at what we have done proves that.

"I am very proud of the team that made this possible. What they have achieved is wonderful."