A VITAL bus service will be scrapped if civic chefs push forward with proposed £140m cuts, it has been warned.

The Stagecoach 46 service, which travels between North Baddesley and Winchester, would disappear if Hampshire County Council completely cuts funding to subsidised bus services, as it looks to save cash by April 2019.

Now civic chiefs are being urged by one transport company director to rethink proposals of slashing the budget, or risk leaving vulnerable residents without transportation.

In a letter seen by the Romsey Advertiser, Stagecoach managing director Edward Hodgson, pictured inset, has revealed the cuts would force the company to scrap routes.

“Should the council proceed with its proposed cuts, the 46 route would, with the exception of one schooldays-only journey, cease and I am very concerned that this will leave North Baddesley without a bus to Winchester and Valley Park completely unserved by local buses, isolating those without access to private transport with a consequent loss of independence for sections of the community,” he warned.

“We very much understand the great financial pressure the council is under and recognise that some difficult decisions need to be made to ensure that the council can continue to balance its budget.

“However, we feel that the proposed wholesale withdrawal of all investment in local bus services will remove services which are relied upon by local communities, leading to significant hardship for local people who will no longer have access to these transport links.

“Further, it will significantly undermine the very real progress that has been made in developing the wider bus network which is helping deliver a comprehensive and sustainable bus network for Hampshire.”

As reported, cabinet members at Hampshire County Council have backed proposals aimed at reducing the authority’s overall spending by £140m by April 2019.

The proposal includes £56m cuts to social care services, £30m cuts to children’s services and £1.2m cuts to school crossing patrols.

Subsidised bus services and community transport could also lose entire funding to save £4m, while up to a half of the county’s recycling centres could be closed and the hours of the rest cut to save £1.2m.

Mr Hodgson added: “Like the council, bus operators also have limited resources and financial challenges. Whilst operators have, during previous budget cutbacks, been able to soften the impact by catering for some of the residual demand with the commercial bus network, we have reached a point where this is no longer possible.

“The proposed cuts for 2019 would unfortunately mean complete withdrawal of virtually all of the affected services and journeys which the council currently has responsibility for.”

“We urge you to think again before adopting a wholesale withdrawal of the entire budget which will leave so many of the most vulnerable in your division isolated and unable to play their full part in society.”

Baddesley Lib Dem councillor Alan Dowden said the loss of the “vital” service would be a “terrible thing” for the area, and has vowed to continue the fight against the cuts.