MORE than 20 North Somerset bus routes could be reduced or even axed as council bosses look to save nearly half a million pounds.

A number of subsidised routes that run through Weston, Worle and the surrounding villages will be scrutinised as North Somerset Council decides how to make �440,000 savings.

Passengers were not properly told about plans to axe or amend up to 22 services as council officers failed to follow the correct procedures to inform the public. Although a two-week consultation was launched, few people knew about it.

Upper Bristol Road resident, Ian Wall, cannot drive as he suffers from fits so he relies on Weston’s number five route, which is subsidised at certain times.

He is one of a number of bus users alarmed at the prospect of losing their service.

The 47-year-old said: “I use it about three times a day and after 9am it is always packed, all day, so I can’t see why they could look to reduce or get rid of it.

“A lot of older people use the service and if it went people would have to walk further to other buses and this could be hard for those with shopping – and taxis cost too much.”

Wrington ward representative, Deborah Yamanaka, said she was ‘horrified’ when she received a poster in the post on July 19 explaining that a review was being carried out and people only had until July 29 to comment.

Cllr Yamanaka said: “I was horrified to find that the consultation ended the following week. Knowing how vulnerable the 121 bus service is to a subsidy cut, I spent the next few days doing all I could to alert the Wrington and Redhill 121 bus users to the danger of losing their bus.”

Cleeve, Churchill, Wrington and many other parish councils received a letter from the unitary authority just two days before the consultation ended and Congresbury Parish Council clerk, Jo Duffy, said the lack of information was ‘very unhelpful’.

After the backlash, council bosses decided to extend the deadline for the public to comment until August 12 and the results will be published on December 2.

Parish councils, bus operators and other stakeholders, such as disabled groups, have until September to comment.

North Somerset Council’s executive member for transport, Councillor Elfan Ap Rees, admitted the consultation fluff up, but stressed the importance of wanting people to give their views.

Cllr Ap Rees said: “Officers had not correctly followed usual consultation procedures, in particular not advising ward councillors of the scope and methodology of the consultation.

“We have no fixed views about how the services will run in the future, other than knowing that we have to make savings.”

“We need to find smarter ways, for example using voluntary transport organisations and amalgamating services if possible, to avoid stopping uneconomic services altogether.”