Fight to save commuter link bus

12:00pm Monday 22nd October 2007

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A CAMPAIGN has been launched to save a bus route that links a Hampshire market town to the major rail route to London.

Protesters waved placards, handed out leaflets and gathered signatures for a petition as they launched their fight against plans by South West Trains to axe the service between Romsey and Winchester station.

The rail operator has told passengers that the Monday to Saturday service, which calls at Ampfield, Woodley and Hursley, will end in December, leaving dozens of commuters and school pupils stranded.

Residents along the route say it will not only disrupt their daily journeys, but will force more people on to the roads, causing further congestion in and around both Romsey and Winchester.

Concerns were also raised about the number of sixth form students who rely on public transport for connections to Peter Symonds College in Winchester and Barton Peveril College in Eastleigh.

Campaign organiser Matt O'Connor, founder of the dads' rights group Fathers 4 Justice, said everyone who heard the service was being axed was upset by the news.

"Together with post offices being axed people in the area just want to know they can have a reliable service but if this goes ahead they won't even be able to get on a bus to travel to another post office," he said.

"The commuter links to Romsey and Winchester to London are vital and South West Trains are turning the town from a backyard to a graveyard."

Caroline Nokes, Test Valley councillor for Romsey Extra, joined the protesters and collected signatures from angry local residents.

She said: "This is bad news for Romsey. The people in this area need an integrated public transport system that they can rely on and by pulling this service they are just being forced into their cars and adding to congestion which is already a problem."

Cllr Nokes also said large businesses such as IBM have many employees who relied on the regular service.

"People need a reliable service and this is one that is busy," she added.

County councillor Mark Cooper said he was concerned that the end of the 11-year service would create a downward spiral that would end up taking more and more people away from even more public transport.

"This is a service that is regular and that people can rely on. It makes no sense to end it."

A South West Trains spokesman said that about 60 passengers use the service daily and that it was not financially viable to continue it. He added that there were other bus links between Romsey and Winchester.

A public meeting is planned for Thursday, November 1, at the Town Hall in Romsey, where Romsey MP Sandra Gidley and local councillors will quiz South West Trains about the axing of the service, from 8pm.