CAMPAIGNERS in a South Herefordshire village are calling for a bus company to reverse its plans to re-route a service which would 'cut off' elderly residents.

From September 3, Stagecoach’s number 33 bus, which travels from Hereford to Ross-on-Wye and then on to Gloucester, will no longer serve the side Lea on the Herefordshire/Gloucestershire border.

It will instead leave Lea at the crossroads at the centre of the village and access Gloucester via Mitcheldean.

It means that residents of Lea Residential Park who are over 50 – some with restricted mobility – will be forced to walk down a steep hill, along poorly maintained, unlit footpaths, to access the nearest bus stop and then walk back up again.

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition calling for Stagecoach to change its decision.

Sylvia Nicholls, a resident at Lea Residential Park, said: "The bus has always come straight through but they are going to stop it in the middle of Lea.

"That's fine for people who can walk up the hill with shopping and walk down. But on the mobile home park residents are over 50 so it's obviously an important area where people want to use a bus if they cannot drive."

James O'Neill, commercial manager for Stagecoach, said the change was being made for commercial reasons and the firm had notified Gloucestershire County Council of its intention.

Around 15 passengers used the service each day, he said.

He added: "The county council has the responsibility to address the demand and to put in something at subsidy if there is no commercial provision."