Proposals for a direct Honiton to Exeter bus route are shelved as they would leave Alfington, Ottery and West Hill residents with a reduced service.

A THREAT to a vital Ottery St Mary bus service has been shelved.

Proposals for a direct bus route between Honiton and Exeter would have seen residents in Alfington, Ottery and West Hill who are reliant on the number 380 bus left with a reduced service according to Devon county councillor Roger Giles.

Cllr Giles said: "I am delighted that a threat to these bus services has been removed. I wrote to John Richardson-Dawes of Devon County Council expressing my concerns on June 5. I am very pleased to have had a copy of a response (from Mr Richardson-Dawes) in which he says that DCC could not support such an initiative."

Mr Richardson-Dawes, of The Transport Co-ordination Service for Director of Environment, Economy and Culture said: "To alter the 380 to make it more direct would entail removing service from existing passengers, particularly those at Ottery St Mary, which would not be acceptable.