PEOPLE who depend on buses fear they will be left stranded in their own homes and unable to go anywhere if Wiltshire Council’s proposal to drastically cut services goes ahead.

More than 100 routes all over the county are being scrutinised to see how well used they are and whether they can be scrapped to save cash as they are operated by bus companies, like Stagecoach West and Salisbury Reds, with funding from Wiltshire Council.

The consultation running until April 4 is proposing to stop all subsidised evening, Sunday and bank holiday bus routes and reduce more than 70 services, such as the number 80 from Marlborough to Swindon, which also goes to Great Western Hospital, to just two or three journeys a day.

Bus passengers are being urged to fill in the questionnaires being left on buses, in libraries and council offices. It can also be completed online at: wiltshire.gov.uk/subsidised-bus-services-consultation or people can call 0300 456 0100 to have one posted to them.

Frank Day, 61, who lives in Broadfields, Pewsey, regularly uses buses because he is registered disabled and only has one lung, so cannot walk far.

He is already feeling the effect from the council’s last round of cuts in August, which saw routes of the Connect2 bus, which passes through Pewsey and the surrounding villages, become limited as part of a consultation.

But these new changes are yet to even officially come into effect until next month, and the service is now facing these fresh new cuts and withdrawal of its night service.

Mr Day said: “I won’t be able to get out anywhere. It is ridiculous, I am going to be stuck in my house, and everyone that uses buses will lose out.”

Wiltshire Council currently spends around £4.3m a year for concessionary bus passes for pensioners. Last year, they spent £5.1m on subsidising bus services and say they will save £804,000 a year by withdrawing services after 7pm and on Sundays and bank holidays.

However for Ogbourne St George resident Lynn Wainwright, 51, who cannot drive, it is a cut too far.

“I will be horrified if the proposal goes ahead,” the mother-of-two said.

“It sounds silly but buses are vital lifelines for people who live in the sticks and cannot drive, especially elderly people. They want everyone to be environmentally friendly and encourage people to not use their cars, so how will this help?”