FUNDING for public transport is to be slashed as Swindon Borough Council announces plans to save £200,000 from its transport budget.

Significant bus service reductions have been proposed as £100,000 of revenue support and another £100,000 from the Dial a Ride and Community Transport budget need to be saved.

Instead, the council plans to develop a community link bus service, called BusLink, which uses a number of transport hub centres to enable passengers to connect with commercial bus services.

Three transport hubs will be created, one in North Swindon at the Orbital Retail Park, one in East Swindon at the Great Western Hospital and another in Old Town, South Swindon.

The BusLink service, which will use mini buses with a capacity of up to 16 people, will collect passengers from previously non-commercial bus routes and deliver them to the nearest regular bus service at a convenient hub.

Ninety-five per cent of Swindon bus services are already free of council subsidies and continued pressure on the borough’s revenue has meant councillors will have to make 100 per cent of Swindon bus services commercially viable by 2020.

Councillor Dale Heenan, cabinet member for sustainability, highways and transport, said: “Ninety five per cent of our bus services do not require any subsidies and as other areas of Wiltshire are running at about fifty per cent it’s clear we’re doing really well in that regard.

“Because of the budget cuts the bus services simply cannot go on as they are. The first hub will be in East Swindon and will mean that local residents have a quick 20 minute journey for hospital appointments and things like that.”

It is thought that, were viable, Dial a Ride services will be incorporated into the BusLink scheme or, failing that, individual travel vouchers may be issued to give people more freedom of choice in how they travel.

Bus users have been urged not to panic as they will still be able to get around the town when they need to.

Councillor Heenan explained: “It’s all about making a more sustainable and efficient service for residents. People don’t like change but I firmly believe that this new approach with mini buses will help people get about.”

James O'Neill, commercial manager of Stagecoach West, said: “Ninety per cent of our mileage in Swindon is operated on a commercial basis and is therefore not under any threat of withdrawal through budget cuts. We do not anticipate any significant changes to our services as a consequence of this review and will continue to work alongside Swindon Borough Council to develop our core network.”

Focus is intended to shift from evening and Sunday bus service provision to providing transport services in areas that are rural or with a high level of social need.

The East Hub Service will be piloted this July and a review is expected in September with all revenue funding expected to be removed from October 2016.

Thamesdown Transport and Dial a Ride were both approached for comment but were unaware of the council’s current plans.