BELEAGUERED bus firm First has announced a raft of reductions to its services to cope with a lack of trained drivers.

Changes to services will affect commuters on a number of Southampton, Fareham and Portsmouth routes.

Despite a recruitment drive aimed at Polish drivers, the bus firm said there is little it can do until it employs dozens more staff.

First spokesman Patricia Gray said the company has been advertising the positions for which drivers can earn £7.55 per hour.

"We are attending recruitment fairs, placing advertisements and have adopted an innovative idea in that we are recruiting Polish drivers to fill the gaps. We have six and are aiming for 32."

She added that drivers were leaving because of lifestyle changes rather than pay issues.

The routes affected are:

Routes 3/3A which are being reduced from two an hour to one in the evenings. The bus runs from the city centre to Townhill Park, via Portswood. Changes are also being made to the Sunday service.

The 5/5A from the city centre to Lordshill Centre via Southampton General Hospital is having changes made to Sunday services.

The 8/8A services go from the city centre to Lordshill Centre via Shirley High Road. Saturday services are being cut to two an hour.

The 11/11A route from the university to the city centre is being cut back from two an hour to just one in the evenings.

Jill Baston, Southampton City Council's Cabinet member for transport, said: "This is the loss of a core service and is really bad news for passengers."