St Ives faces devastating cuts to its bus services if current proposals by Stagecoach go ahead.
Five routes affecting St Ives are included the list drawn up by the bus operator and liable to be “withdrawn as unsustainable”.
St Ives to Ramsey, St Ives to Chatteris, St Ives to Somersham, St Ives to Boxworth and St Ives town service all face the axe.
The town is one of many across Cambridgeshire affected by Stagecoach’s announcement it will end 18 services at the end of October.
“The loss of services could not have come at a worse time,” Cllr Sarah Conboy, executive leader of Huntingdonshire District Council said today.
“Our joint administration is extremely concerned that the decision by Stagecoach to withdraw services will have a significant impact on our residents who are reliant on buses and use them to get to places like school and work.”
Cllr Conboy said: “We are very keen that authorities with the power to reinstate public bus services understand how important they are to our residents and do all they can to ensure they have public transport options that enable them to continue their daily lives.
“We want to make the transition to a fairer, greener Huntingdonshire and this requires a robust network of public transportation. With these changes, residents in our rural areas are now facing a future with complete dependency on private cars and the resulting carbon emissions.
“The cost-of-living crisis is challenging many residents and finding alternative ways to travel will impact heavily on their finances. The loss of services could not have come at a worse time.”
Following a review of bus routes across Cambridgeshire, Stagecoach has confirmed a new bus network will be effective from Sunday 30 October 2022.
