More bus services to be axed - update

Earlier this year Wiltshire Council announced a series of reductions across the county to many of the services which receive subsidies from the council. Although there was no formal consultation many parish councils and bus users told WC what they thought of their suggestions. The council has now published its final list of services for the chop, though in some cases compromises have been made, or decisions have been postponed pending further reviews. In the list below an entry in italics means changes have been made to the original WC proposal, with the actual change in brackets.

If you'd like to see the full list and the report from WC then go to http://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=437

Within South West Wiltshire the routes affected include:

25. Hindon, Dinton and Fovant to Salisbury - early morning service to Salisbury axed.

26. Fovant and Tisbury to Shaftesbury - Saturday shoppers' service axed.

80. Mere, Maiden Bradley, Frome - Mid-afternoon service from Frome axed.

24. Warminster to Salisbury will use an on-street stop in Salisbury instead of the bus station thus avoiding landing charges.

Zigzag. Corsham, Melksham, Trowbridge. Frequency will be cut to two-hourly. (Saving achieved without need to reduce service)

49. Swindon, Devizes, Trowbridge - Devizes to Trowbridge services after 7pm axed.

X88. Chitterne, Bratton, Bath - Wednesday and Saturday shoppers' service axed. (Wednesday service to be retained)

265. Trowbridge, Bath - Reduction of weekday evening services to two-hourly. Sunday buses after 7pm axed. (Retain 19.35 from Bath on Sundays and 23.15 from Bath on weekdays)

264/265. Warminster, Westbury, Trowbridge, Bath. Council funding will be axed, so the service is likely to become hourly rather than half-hourly. Another operator may though provide additional services.

Westbury Weaver. Fewer buses weekdays and Saturday afternoons. Off-peak Westbury to Frome bus axed. (Changes to Saturday and Dilton Marsh to Frome services deferred pending a further review of West Wiltshire buses.)

50,54,57. Warminster and villages. Saturday afternoon services axed. (Changes deferred pending a further review of West Wiltshire buses.)

51. Chapmanslade to Warminster. Wednesday shoppers' bus axed.

C2W. Wylye valley. Shared taxi service axed.

.................

Your say: "As usual those that make the decisions, don't need to use the services that are axed, shameful. Public transport in West Wilts is dire as it is, now even worse. No wonder people have to rely on cars- green issues, forget it!"