Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith has backed a campaign to reinstate the number 13 service in Harefield

Royston Smith is behind his constituents in the fight to have a regular service running in Harefield.

His support comes after the Daily Echo reported that more than 150 residents attended a meeting at Woodlands College to start a petition against First Bus Company.

During the school summer holidays the company drastically changed its route 13 service from every 20 minutes to every hour, as well as axing Sunday buses and late evening buses.

The change has caused multiple problems for Harefield residents, with late shift workers losing their jobs, school children unable to get to school on time or waiting for almost an hour in the cold if they’re too early, elderly residents being isolated as they can’t get out and ill residents unable to get to hospital.

Now Royston, MP for Southampton Itchen is backing the campaign to bring back a regular service and has sent a letter secretary of state for transport, the Right Honourable Patrick McLoughlin MP.

The letter said: “I have been contacted by a number of residents in my constituency regarding the poor service by First Bus Company and its apparent attempt to put profit over service.

"The latest proposed changes are adversely affecting workers who are trying to get to and from work and provide a living for themselves and their family, and pensioners who would otherwise be prisoners in their homes and communities.

“Central and local government play a significant role in subsidising local bus companies to maintain certain routes and discount travel to certain members of our society.

“Public transport is of vital importance in the city and First Bus is behaving on a profit first, service second principle.

“This situation is only too common. I wondered if we, as a government, could bring any pressure on bus providers to ensure they stop abandoning the less profitable routes, in favour of only those commercially viable.”

Campaigners are trying to get the number 13 route reinstated in Harefield

Royston added: “Huge numbers of Southampton’s residents rely on buses to get them from A to B, and the continued upheaval of bus routes in our city is having a profound effect on local people.

“It cannot be right that bus companies can cherry pick only the most profitable routes and abandon those that are less profitable or break-even.

"Add into this mix that nationally bus companies receive millions of pounds of taxpayer’s money to provide these services, we should expect, demand and receive more.

“It is totally unacceptable that large areas of Southampton have so little in the way of decent bus services. I will continue to work to ensure Southampton’s residents get the best possible bus service.”