PENSIONERS and students in Eastleigh could be left stranded after a Hampshire bus company slashed its services.

Solent Blueline says it has been forced to make the cuts due to soaring costs but councillors say they are concerned for vulnerable residents who rely on buses as their only means of transport.

Bus operator Solent Blue Line will replace its Red Rocket buses with Bluestar buses from February when timetable changes are made to the network. These changes will result in the complete loss of three Red Rocket routes, affecting passengers in Eastleigh and Winchester.

Councillor David Airey, Eastleigh Cabinet member for transport, said: "It is a bit of a bombshell to have to be looking at reorganisation yet again when some of these services were only altered in September.

"Eastleigh needs a network which has a period of settled service because residents have suffered a lot due to a number of upheavals. I'm less than happy with this news."

Councillor for Chandler's Ford East, Pamela Holden-Brown added: "I'm absolutely appalled because it is mainly the elderly and young students who will suffer. What will they do now?"

Diane Andrewes, secretary for the Eastleigh Southern Parishes Older People's Forum, blames the bus firm for failing to advertise its services.

She said: "Red Rocket A is the only means of getting to the airport and station. It's ridiculous to stop a service before it's had a chance to work.

"The problem has been that the service hasn't been advertised and many pensioners are not aware of these routes."

Alex Hornby, operations manager at Solent Blue Line, said that the cut in services follows heavy losses as operating costs continue to rise.

He said: "We deeply regret making a decision to walk away from existing bus services that our staff have worked hard to establish.

"Accelerating fuel and insurance costs combined with inadequate concessionary fare agreements for the over-60s mean that we need a significantly higher volume of fare-paying passengers to ensure that these services cover their costs."

These and other changes to buses in the Waterside area will kick in on February 24.

How will it affect you?

Red Rocket A between Eastleigh, Hedge End and Hamble will continue to run at peak times only.

Red Rocket B between Boyatt Wood and Eastleigh will be redirected to use Baby Bluestar E1/E2/E3 which goes from Eastleigh to Winchester.

Red Rocket C between Eastleigh and Valley Park will be renamed Baby Bluestar C1 and only run from Eastleigh to Fryern Hill, cutting services to Chandler's Ford and Hiltingbury.

Red Rocket D between Eastleigh and Chandler's Ford will be axed altogether.