BUS CUTS OUTRAGE

Council members, meeting on Thursday last week, were shocked to hear that the cuts would take effect from July 1.

They declared that the proposal to cut the service to Ringmer from four days a week down to one was totally unacceptable. The service was a lifeline to people who would otherwise lose their ability to get into Lewes, they said.

Chairman, Cllr Bob Peters, said: 'It shows a warped sense of priorities when, on the one hand the Government promotes free public transport for everyone over 60 and yet at the same time we find the county council, on financial grounds, reducing this service for a group of the most needy people who are utterly dependent on it.'

Councillors were particularly angry at what they regard as a lack of consultation with either users of the service or local councils.

Said parish clerk Nick Hall: 'The maximum anxiety has been caused to people and there has been no prior opportunity to explore the scope for measures to avoid or reduce the cuts.

'Another result of this lack of consultation is that Thursday is being proposed as Ringmer's designated day for the service when for many users it is the least convenient day, given that both the Delta Disability Social Club and the Evergreen Club meet on this day.'

The council has written to the county council, setting out its objections and highlighting the implications for local people if the decision is not rescinded.