Sidmouth Town Council has added its voice to the campaign against Stagecoach’s cuts to local bus services.

The town’s Chamber of Commerce and the MP for East Devon, Simon Jupp, have already raised their concerns with the company.

From Sunday, July 31, the number 9 buses from Sidmouth to Sidbury and Honiton stopped running after 7pm. The service between Sidmouth and Exeter has been reduced. The 9A has also stopped running beyond Seaton, and instead, Axe Valley Minibus Travel is running a revised service on that section of the route.

Sidmouth Town Council discussed the cuts at its meeting on Monday, August 8, and agreed to lobby decision-makers to get the buses reinstated. It will also work with other town and parish councils in East Devon to defend the district’s bus services.

The council said it is very concerned about the impact on people who rely on the buses to get to work, school, college, shopping or health appointments – particularly those on low incomes who will be the hardest hit. Councillors are particularly critical of the loss of the Sidbury evening service.

They are also ‘hugely disappointed’ that the cuts were introduced just three weeks after being announced by Stagecoach, and that Sidmouth Town Council was not consulted about them.

The MP for East Devon, Simon Jupp, said he had met Mike Watson, the managing director of Stagecoach South West, to discuss the issue.

He said: “Mr Watson is taking the concerns from the community seriously and agreed to explore possible options at my request. I’m hopeful a solution for Sid Valley services can be found.”

Sidmouth Herald: Corinne Sycamore of Potburys Funeral Service, who has launched online and paper petitions against the loss of the evening bus serviceCorinne Sycamore of Potburys Funeral Service, who has launched online and paper petitions against the loss of the evening bus service (Image: Contributed)

Meanwhile a petition against the loss of the Sidbury evening service, started by Sidmouth resident Corinne Sycamore on Change.org, has now collected nearly 1,100 signatures. Paper copies are available at Potburys, The Red Lion Sidbury, The Rising Sun Sidford, the Radway Cinema, Blunts hairdressers, The Courtyard, The Swan and The Anchor. Corinne is asking people to write to her at Potburys Funeral Service describing how the change will affect them, so that she can collate their responses and send them to Stagecoach.

Stagecoach said the timetable changes across Devon are in response to staff shortages, and were based on data on ‘very poorly used journeys’ as well as consultation with Devon County Council.