Oswestry and Chirk bus service axed

Bus company GHA Coaches will terminate seven of its services which take passengers from the Ceiriog Valley into Oswestry and Chirk due to Wrexham County Borough Council budget cuts.

It is part of a transport shake up that will affect many people in rural communities.

One of the services being axed is the Route 60 service, which carries passengers living in the Ceiriog Valley to Oswestry Bus station for 8.30am, returning after 5pm.

Jane Ballinger, who lives in the Ceiriog Valley, said its cancellation will cause serious difficulties for those who rely on public transport for their livelihood.

"I work at Oswestry Orthopaedic Hospital and to get there via bus once this service is cancelled could mean three different bus changes. I am still waiting for Wrexham Country Borough Council to advise me on what will be the best way for me to get to work on time.

"From the information I have been given, even if I can get here, I will be late for work."

Fellow commuter Chris Smith said: "It's ridiculous, all I keep hearing is talk of budget cuts. The council say they're trying to save money by reducing the bus services, but the only effect I can see it having is making it more difficult for people to get to their jobs."

Several people affected have expressed their anger at the way Wrexham County Borough Council manages its money. There have been calls for the mayoral role to be downsized or abandoned in the town and last month saw an online petition launched to suspend the role of mayor.

A spokesman for Wrexham County Borough Council said the price for subsidising the Route 60 bus was between "£25,000 and £30,000 a year".

Councillor Terry Evans, who represents Chirk South, said: "I travelled on the Route 60 bus this week to talk to some of the commuters, and it seems clear to me that several of them will be greatly inconvenienced by the upcoming changes. Two passenger have disabilities that exclude them from holding a driving licence, one of whom has been using this service for 24 years.

"Granted most of these people will still be able to get to Oswestry on time for work, all be it at a greater inconvenience, but the one lady I spoke to who works in Gobowen won't reach her place of work until after 9.15am."

Edward Reid, Wrexham Council's integrated transport manager said: "Although we had longer term plans to adjust services in the Ceiriog Valley to reduce the cost of the service we had intended to retain service 60 under a reduced operation as we realised that it was appreciated by the local community.

"However, the massive reduction in the budget available to us - 55 per cent of total funding - has forced our hand and we were obliged to make a large reduction in the services in the area, which cost £91,000 annually.

"We recognised Oswestry was a key destination for many persons and as a result we strived to ensure that connections were available in order for residents of the Ceiriog Valley to access employment in the town."