RESIDENTS fear they may be left left marooned due to "devastating" bus cuts.

The campaigning group Vale Bus and Rail said services in the Vale of Evesham have reduced or completely disappeared due to cuts in bus services.

Julian Palfrey, chairman of Vale Bus and Rail, said the rapidly growing village of Drakes Broughton has just one weekly bus to Worcester and Pershore.

It has led to fears of residents across the Vale of Evesham becoming marooned and suffering "serious hardships" to get around the county.

Mr Palfrey said: “Major and devastating bus cuts have caused serious hardship for many users in trying to get to work or further education establishments or to access shopping or medical facilities, coupled with the serious issues of social isolation for young and old.

“Many large villages are also suffering the effects of a total lack of pubic transport facilities and even the rapidly growing village of Drakes Broughton now, with a population of around 2,000, sees just one bus a week to Worcester and one to Pershore from the village centre provided by community transport.

The group say statistics show that Worcestershire has suffered some of the worst bus cuts in the country in recent years.

Vale Bus and Rail is planning a public meeting in Pershore and Evesham to discuss its concerns and has contacted local MPs.

Dame Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire, said she agrees that more needs to be done to get people onto trains and buses.

She added: “Worcestershire County Council have been allocated an extra £209 million to improve local road and public transport projects as well as £3.4 million specifically to improve bus services and I have been working closely with the local transport team to press for specific improvements.

“The on-demand bus service project is also being broadened to cover more areas and our highly valued community transport providers also offer alternatives."

The Evesham Journal has contacted MP for Mid Worcestershire Nigel Huddleston for comment.

Councillor Mike Rouse, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways & Transport, denied the bus group's claims and questioned their statistics. 

He added: "There have been no cuts to bus services in Worcestershire in recent years.

"In fact, we are investing heavily in local services, including in and around Evesham.

“I have met with Julian and his group and I have attended a public meeting in Evesham on this very topic only a matter of months ago.

“The fact is our Worcestershire on Demand service is coming to Evesham and the Vale and I have asked for input into the shape and size of the zone, working with local county councillors.

"Every bus service in Evesham is subsidised by the County Council and I have already said we will continue to safeguard services until at least 2025.” 

This article has been amended to express Worcestershire County Council's Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways & Transport's comments.