Sidmouth bus service for kids cut

A BUS service used by schoolchildren in Sidmouth has been axed.

A BUS service used by schoolchildren in Sidmouth has been axed.

The 70SCH, which runs from Sidbury to Sidmouth’s All Saints Infants and St Nicholas Junior schools has fallen victim to a round of in a round of Devon County Council (DCC) cuts.

The authority also revealed this week the X53 Sunday service, which runs between Beer, Sidford, Newton Poppleford and Exeter, will also be withdrawn.

DCC is finalising a move to reduce its public transport budget by more than �1million in response to a 28per cent drop in government support.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, DCC cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “We have been clear throughout this process that reductions have been targeted to minimise the effect on the travelling public. We’ve sought to avoid removing the last remaining service away from communities.

“We are continuing to do our best to maintain services wherever possible, and I have discussed the issue of funding for rural bus services with Transport Minister Norman Baker who promised to investigate our concerns.”

Several bus services were saved by DCC but neither of the two under threat in Sidmouth escaped the chop.

The authority this week said proposals to cut services, which have operated to provide transport for students not entitled to use school transport, will go ahead as planned.

DCC promised no other reductions were proposed that are specific to Sidmouth.

The council has contacted schools to offer help in setting up alternative contracts if they want to make their own transport arrangements from April.

Cuts that will save �1.36million from DCC’s �7.76million public transport budget were approved at the end of February.