PLANS to cut bus services in Swindon have been met with anger by people across the town.

Swindon Council has withdrawn its funding for the V bus, which is a bookable door-to-door service, as well as for the the number 23 from Okus to Stratton Park and the 74/75 from Fairford.

The number 15 from Abbey Meads and the number 73 from Wroughton are also being withdrawn after money set aside from housing developers to subsidise them ran out.

The council says it has to save £100,000 a year from its transport budget due to the Government cutting the money it gets.

Gloucestershire County Council has now stepped in to save the 74/75 route for the medium term, as most of the journey takes place in Gloucestershire.

Pensioner Mabel Williams, 88, from Stanton Fitzwarren, said the loss of the V bus will leave her totally isolated.

“I’m a poor old lady of 88, I’ve got no transport of my own and it is impossible for me to walk from my house to the next bus stop, that’s a mile and a half away,” she said.

“When we came here first there were buses every day, now how can I go to the doctor’s or to any other necessary appointments?

“Social services are saying they want to help older people to stay in their own homes but when they take away your lifeline how can you?”

Other people say the withdrawal of the number 23 service will badly affect them and it is used by many Commonweal School pupils.

Andrea Lane, 45, and Ian Tanner, 47, both use the service.

Miss Lane, who lives in Curie Avenue, said: “I live in a care block for mental health service users and we all use it, as well as a lot of other people in the area.

“If anything they should be putting on more services rather than less.

“There is nothing at night so we can come into Old Town.”

Mr Tanner, of Queen Victoria House, said: “There are a lot of new flats and houses being built and a lot of people need to use the bus”

A Stagecoach spokesman said: “Swindon Services 73, 74 and 75 are operated wholly under contract to Swindon Borough Council who have chosen to reduce their tendered bus services budget, leading to the withdrawal of these Stagecoach services but also affecting other services operated by Thamesdown Transport.

“We are concerned about the reduction in Swindon Council’s tendered bus services budget at a time when it is considering lowering car parking charges, which will surely decrease one of the council’s principle sources of income and will not be a good move for the well-being of public transport in general.”

A spokesman for the council said: “Swindon Borough Council provides money to run a large number of bus services that aren’t commercially viable, but budget pressures mean some tough decisions have had to be made about which ones to support in future.

“The pressure on funds has been increased by the concessionary bus fare scheme for the over-60s, which the last government told councils to put into operation.

“Swindon Council now has to spend between £300,000 and £400,000 a year to meet the cost of the scheme, which is money that could otherwise be used to fund other transport services.”