Cuts by West Sussex County Council will save £300,000 from its £2.57million budget for supported services.
Following a public consultation (Buses December), early morning and early evening journeys are being removed from some routes, with Saturday services withdrawn elsewhere.
Most services affected are run by Compass Bus, including 74 (Amberley-Horsham), which is reduced from six days a week to two except at peak times, and the 89 (Horsham- Haywards Heath), similarly altered from six days a week to three.
Once-a-week shopping routes 93 and 96 into Midhurst and the 150 into Selsey are withdrawn, the council describing them as ‘extremely poorly used service[s]’ and pointing out that some community transport alternatives exist.
Burgess H0an alternative.
Some Stagecoach routes around Chichester will also be reduced, alongside the pruning of journeys on three routes operated by Metrobus.
Roger Elkins, cabinet member for highways and infrastructure, says: ‘We have been working really hard to try to limit the impact this will have for passengers and I would like to thank the bus operators, district and parish councils and community groups who have been working with us on this.’
The council will not make any changes before April, saying: ‘We will be working with local communities to see what can be done to help any residents who don’t have alternative transport.’
