SCORES of new Blue Buses are raising a few smiles -- because they are yellow!

About a third of the 95 vehicles run in the Bolton area by Blue Bus and Coach Services Ltd are causing people to do a double-take because of their striking yellow hue.

The Horwich-based private bus company bought the yellow buses earlier this year as part of the deal when it took over the Bolton depot and local routes of the Lancashire United bus operation.

The buses will all be repainted blue -- but it will be months before the work is completed.

In the meantime, the yellow buses are being driven around the area proudly carrying Blue Bus signs.

Danny Bentham, a leading Blue Bus driver at Horwich, said: "We are getting the buses painted one a week because we cannot take them all off the road. There are no plans for them to stay yellow. They are going to be painted blue, but it will take between six and eight months before they are all blue."

The yellow buses are generally used for school services.

Danny said that the yellow buses did not seem to have caused any confusion for passengers. He said there had been advance publicity about the takeover and its implications.