A TRANSPORT chief has hit back at claims that "people have been left marooned" after residents said there had been cuts to bus services.

The campaigning group Vale Bus and Rail said bus services in the Vale of Evesham had reduced or disappeared due to cuts.

But, councillor Mike Rouse, Worcestershire County Council cabinet member with responsibility for highways and transport, denied the bus group's claims.

Evesham Journal: CABINET: Cllr Mike RouseCABINET: Cllr Mike Rouse (Image: NQ)He said: "Even over a five-year period, and despite the pandemic, we have seen minimal cuts to services across Worcestershire and no net cuts to services in Evesham.

"Any cuts have quickly been replaced by other services incorporating the route or other operators stepping in.

"The pandemic is a good starting point given that patronage effectively went to 0 and has had to build back.

"We are still down around 30 per cent on some services rising to 50 per cent amongst concessionary pass-holders. 

"I have personally attended three engagement sessions that included the group in recent years, including a public meeting just last year.

"There was an additional special meeting for pensioners too that local county councillors attended.

"To suggest we have not engaged on this issue in recent times is demonstrably untrue."

Julian Palfrey, chairman of Vale Bus and Railway, said some of the cuts over the past ten years have seen villages like Drakes Broughton have just one weekly bus to Worcester and Pershore and the direct daily return service linking the villages of Eckington, Defford, Pinvin, and Drakes Broughton with Pershore and Worcester withdrawn at Covid and not restored.

He said that there had also been cuts to the  hourly 247 Evesham-Redditch service, which now has five buses each way on weekdays and three on Saturdays, making access to appointments at the Alexandra Hospital, Redditch, more difficult.

He added: "Despite Councillor Rouse’s views Vale Bus and Rail (formerly the Vale Public Transport Group) will always work to safeguard and promote services.

"We believe, however, much more needs to be done by the county council as public transport authority in the interests of its customers."

Worcestershire County Council hopes to roll out a Worcestershire On Demand service which will come to Evesham later this year.

Cllr Rouse added that in addition to the on-demand service, the council is also looking at how recent government money can help with bus priority measures, upgrades to shelters, and timetabling information.