PROPOSED cuts to bus services in Crewkerne, Chard and the surrounding villages have been compared to the Beeching railway cuts by a South Somerset District Councillor.

Somerset County Council needs to reduce the public transport budget by approximately £1.5 million in 2012/13 and is proposing to cut several routes in the county to make the saving.

These include N12 Clapton/West Chinnock to Crewkerne Monday to Friday Nippybus and the 90/91 Chard to Crewkerne Monday to Saturday Stagecoach two-hourly service.

But Conservative district councillor Sue Osborne, who represents the Windwhistle Ward, said: "The cuts to more rural routes could make the rest of the network unprofitable like the Beeching cuts did with railway lines. I'm particularly concerned with Clapton, Wayford and Winsham, if they lose this route they won't have anything.

"I don't know if the council realise the black hole they are opening up.

"Transport is an important area, it can be devastating, for elderly residents particularly, to lose it.

"We shouldn't take this lying down and I feel even though the deadline for the consultation survey has passed we should still be making noise, so people don't think it's gone away."

Mrs Osborne is working with Liberal Democrat councillor for Ilminster, Kim Turner.

She said: "I am going against the Conservative county council but I was elected to represent the people of this ward and they want these services to stay.

"I will work with anyone, regardless of political party, to best serve my ward."

MP David Laws was in Winsham on Friday to support residents opposing the cuts. He was in Merriott the week before to receive their petition against the proposals.

He said: "Residents are understandably very angry about the county council's plans to axe all the bus services to this very large village.

"A whole string of other proposed cuts would isolate many villages in our area, including large settlements such as Winsham – where it would be simply bizarre if there were to be no public transport options for those without a car.

"There is even an extraordinary proposal to axe the service which goes out to the new hospital in South Petherton – an astounding example of un-joined-up thinking.

"We all know that times are tight for councils and for all of government but it is impossible to justify leaving major communities such as Merriott and Winsham with no public transport connections at all."

David Laws Column – p12