PENSIONERS in Penhill are struggling to walk up a steep hill to catch the bus after a popular service was axed by Thamesdown Transport.

Thamesdown scrapped service 21, which operated in Penhill and Pinehurst, and service 23, which ran through Coleview, from Sunday.

Changes have been made to service 18, which ran between Fleming Way and the hospital via Park South, but now only goes to Park South.

Thamesdown, which is wholly owned by Swindon Council, said the changes were needed because the services were no longer commercially viable due to national changes. Services 16 and 2 have been altered to reduce the impact.

But campaigners say the routes were all well-used and vital for vulnerable people to access services. Labour councillors will tonight call for subsidies to reinstate the routes for six months.

Among those backing the idea is Jim Hayes, 75, of Penhill, who used to rely on the 21 service.

Mr Hayes, who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said many pensioners and mothers with buggies who live in Penhill Valley struggle to make it up the steep hill to catch another bus.

“I just am not able to get up the hill. It has to be taxis, I’m afraid, and it’s costing us. I was able to get a free bus service before,” said the grandfather-of-eight.

“When I cannot afford a taxi I will not be able to go out. We have got free bus passes but they aren’t any good to us.”

Mr Hayes, who used to work at the Thamesdown depot, suggested the company could make savings in other ways and said Swindon needs another bus operator to increase competition.

At tonight’s full council meeting at the Civic Offices, Labour will call for the cabinet to consider paying to reverse the changes to the services 21, 23, 2 and 18 for six months so a public consultation can be held and the possibility of continuing the services can be explored.

Coun Paul Baker (Lab, Penhill) and Coun Fay Howard (Lab Parks) hope to start a debate on the subsidies by amending the motion from Covingham councillors calling for the reinstating of the 23 service.

Coun Baker said: “Thamesdown Transport has said these bus services cannot be reinstated in less than eight weeks unless the council provides temporary financial support.”

The decision to cut the services was made by Thamesdown’s board, whose 10 directors include councillors Keith Williams, Fionuala Foley, Colin Lovell and Peter Greenhalgh.

MD Paul Jenkins said if the council asks for bids to run replacement bus services, the company will respond.

He said the services had become commercially unviable because of a 12 per cent hike in fuel prices in the past year, the Government cutting the level of reimbursement for concessionary fares, and the Government move to cut a grant that provides a rebate on fuel duty for bus operators by a fifth from April.

He said the public and ward councillors were not consulted because there were no alternative options to present.