Bus protest goes to London

5:30am Thursday 22nd November 2007

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PROTESTERS were heading to London today as part of a fight to save a Hampshire bus service.

Downing Street, the headquarters of South West Trains and the offices of Hampshire County Council will face a wave of protest from angry passengers and bus users fighting to keep the Romsey to Winchester rail link service, which is due to be axed at the beginning of December.

Campaigners are delivering a petition signed by thousands of residents together with a list of destinations to show transport chiefs how much they value the integrated public transport system.

Since the decision to axe the 11-year-old service was announced campaigners have collected signatures and held protests in Romsey and Winchester to gather support.

Campaigner Nadine Taylor said: "We are in the middle of a vigorous and dynamic campaign with four weeks to go and everything to play for."

Following a public meeting with transport bosses and local politicians South West Trains agreed to fund additional morning and evening bus services on an existing bus timetable until July next year to see if a train commuter service would be viable.

The company say not enough rail passengers are using the bus to get on to the mainline train service but protesters have questioned the transport chiefs' information gathering. Hampshire County Council says it will independently monitor the extra bus services to see if they would be profitable.

Despite forming a working party with transport bosses to help find a way to promote and boost the value of the bus route until next summer, campaigners say they will continue their protests against axing the route, which also serves communities in Ampfield, Hursley and Woodley.

South West Trains say the rail-link currently loses the company nearly £100,000 a year and that with more rail journeys planned between Romsey and Southampton Central stations commuters will be accommodated.