More cuts for Wiltshire buses

Wiltshire Council wants to save £260,000 per year by cutting what it calls 'poorly used' bus services in the county.

The changes are part of cuts to transport services of nearly half a million pounds. The rest of the savings come from cutting the amount paid to operators for both normal and school buses, and withdrawing denominational school transport.

The council is to invite Area Boards to suggest services in their areas which don't get enough use. It also says it'll work with community or charitable organisations who, in the spirit of the 'Big Society', may be willing to operate services axed by WC.

Bus companies are already under pressure with fuel increases and cuts to government subsidies, so it may be that some routes will become unviable even before WC withdraws its grants. Any natural wastage of this sort would make the decision on which routes to chop much easier.

A general consultation will begin shortly, followed by the drawing up of a list of vulnerable routes. There will then be further consultation before the axe falls, with a view to achieving the cuts by the end of the current financial year.

The cuts come at a time when WC has been given £480,000 by the government to expand community transport. WC intends to use this to provide support to community transport groups, and to set up a fund to which such organisations could make bids for specific projects.