Cuts to rural bus services would sever vital 'lifeline'

District council proposing to terminate services as part of plan to save £10.8m

PROPOSED cuts to rural bus services could sever a vital “lifeline” between Hungerford and the Lambourn Valley.

That was the warning from pensioner Paul Frances, who is due to report on the proposals to Hungerford Town Council’s highways and transport committee.

Mr Frances, aged 79, has lived in Hungerford for 40 years and, since his retirement, is a regular bus service user.

He was appointed by the town council as its adviser on the local service.

As part of its overall budget cuts, West Berkshire Council proposes to reduce its annual, £1.4m subsidy to public transport operators by £320,000 next year.

Services have been ranked based on the cost to the council per passenger trip, with the most expensive being targeted for savings.

The district council says its analysis suggests that the number 90 Hungerford to Lambourn service should be withdrawn entirely, thereby also affecting passengers in Hungerford Newtown, Shefford Woodlands, Great Shefford, East Garston, Eastbury, Woodlands St Mary and Lambourn Woodlands.

In addition, the No.3 service between Newbury and Hungerford and the No.4 service between Newbury and Lambourn are also likely to be severely affected.

The district council also subsidises several services with additional funding from neighbouring authorities, town or parish councils.

These include Nos 20, 22 and 46 Hungerford to Marlborough and Swindon; No.82 Great Shefford to Wantage; No.90 Lambourn to Swindon and the H1 Hungerford circular.

All these may be reviewed if the funding from neighbouring authorities is withdrawn.

This would affect customers in Ham, Shalbourne, Great Bedwyn, Froxfield, Little Bedwyn, Chilton Foliat, Ramsbury, Aldbourne, Baydon, Lambourn, Hungerford Newtown, Shefford Woodlands, Great Shefford, East Garston, Eastbury, Woodlands St Mary and Lambourn Woodlands.

Mr Frances said: “I, and many others like me, use the bus service five days a week and it’s a lifeline – that’s the only way to describe it. It gets people to the shops and to visit friends in neighbouring villages.

“Without the bus we’d be cut off. The H1 service, in particular, is very well used.

“The services which take in villages like Inkpen and Kintbury are also very busy, in my experience. I accept that the service to Marlborough is not used quite so regularly.”

Mr Frances said he would urge Hungerford Town Council’s highways and transport committee to oppose the service cuts.

He added: “It seems to me that a small increase in taxation – for example, £10 per annum on every householder’s council tax – could help to solve the problem. I believe there would be public support for it.”

West Berkshire Council has announced a consultation on the proposals and acknowledges in a statement: “We must also have particular regard to the transport needs of members of the public who are elderly, disabled or those that may live in rural areas and have no means of transport themselves.”

It says the withdrawal and reduction of services “will inevitably affect some residents who use local bus services for getting to work or travelling for leisure purposes” but that the level of savings required cannot be achieved without them.

You can participate in the consultation by explaining how the proposals could affect you and the wider community online at https:// www.surveymoney.com/r/32XLSVR

The results of the consultation will be considered at a full meeting of West Berkshire Council on March 1 next year.