CREDITON bus users, Margaret Courtenay and Jean May MBE recently handed over a petition to Cllr Nick Way, who then presented it to County Council leader John Hart in the hope that Devon County Council will rethink the proposed subsidy cuts that will affect bus routes in Crediton.

As a rural area Crediton and the outlying villages are reliant on a regular bus service.

It is proposed that the town bus, which currently does nine circuits of Crediton each day, will be reduced to only four circuits.

Service 315, which runs on Sundays and bank holidays between Barnstaple and Exeter via Bow, North Tawton and Winkleigh will be withdrawn.

Another service to be affected is Service 347, which runs between Crediton and Tiverton via Cheriton Fitzpaine, which will no longer go as far as Tiverton and the early and late services will be withdrawn.

Bus travellers at Cheriton Fitzpaine will be able to get to Tiverton on the 780 Service on a Tuesday, but the well-used Fare Car F9 taxi service will only run on Fridays instead of the current five times a day six days a week.

Jean explained: "We just can't do without a town bus.

"It is the only bus from Primrose Way to the town.

She added: "If you need to go to the doctors there is a bus at 9.30am and then the next one wont be until 11.30am."

The reduction in bus services will affect lots of people in the area and Margaret and Jean collected 200 signatures in support of their petition.

The cuts were decided because the County Council has withdrawn subsidies for routes they consider to be not commercially viable.

Nora Parminter