CAMPAIGNERS are concerned that a consultation report into rural bus services has only just been made public – months after the decision was taken to axe routes.

Dorset County Council sought views on how people might be affected by plans to save £500,000 by cutting subsidies to once or twice weekly rural bus links.

The authority said it would instead support the development of more community-based transport schemes. Dorset Community Transport has since stepped in and is providing some services.

Councillors made the decision in February to axe the ‘market day’ routes, despite impassioned pleas to save the ‘lifeline’ services.

DCC has stressed that councillors did have a report on bus

users’ views when making the decision – but the report has only been made available to the wider public now.

The West Dorset Western Area Transport Action Group (WATAG), which has been pressing the authority for months to publish the consultation results, says the report clearly shows how people valued the services. It was finally handed a copy of the report last week while a copy has just been published on Dorsetforyou.com

Almost 1,300 people took part in the consultation with around 40 per cent saying they use the bus weekly or more frequently. The main reason for travel was given as shopping or medical appointments. Many wanted to comment on the X12 Weymouth to Salisbury bus which went via Dorchester, Puddletown and Blandford.

There were fears that people would become rurally isolated and lose independence if it was lost, and there were concerns over residents not being able to access health facilities, leisure activities, or visit shops.

One user said: “Cutting routes in small villages and rural areas prevents residents from accessing shopping routes, markets, medical appointments and school runs. It will make travelling impossible as there are no alternative options.”

Another said: “Loss of the route will isolate myself, family and neighbours and take away our independence.”

WATAG Chairman Peter Smith said: “We have been asking for this report for months and now we have seen it, it demonstrates how valued these services were.

“We realise the county council has to save money but removing all services like this is not the answer.

“We’re very unhappy there been such a delay in producing this report.”

A Dorset County Council spokesman said: “The full results of the Rural Bus Review consultation were available for the Cabinet meeting in February, but the results have only recently been published on the website. The delay in publication is due to resource constraints. The results were available beforehand for anyone who asked for them.”

WATAG will discuss the report at a meeting on Thursday, July 28 at the W.I. Hall, North Street, Bridport, at 6.30pm.

* A further consultation is running regarding proposals to reduce the transport budget by £1.85m with 42 public and school bus routes under review. A consultation ends today.