RESIDENTS of Llangunllo, Whitton and Dolau Green turned up in force to a Powys County Council drop-in session at Presteigne Memorial Hall where the options for the proposed bus routes in the area could be viewed.

The residents were shocked to see that the buses they have relied on so much will be axed if either of the two options goes ahead. Most of the Llangunllo residents are widows and in the past relied on their partners to drive them to Knighton for shopping or other essential trips. Neither Llangunllo nor Whitton has a local shop or post office.

Glenys Middleton from Llangunllo said “If our bus service is axed it would be awful. We could hire a bus, but why give us bus passes if we can’t use them to get where we want to go?”

Olive Mival from Whitton cannot drive and also relies on the bus service provided by Powys Council through Knighton Taxis to get her to Knighton twice a week to do her shopping and for appointments. She said she would be devastated if the service was stopped. Powys Council is having to look at cuts to local bus services because of budget cuts. All the residents filled in questionnaires at the drop-in session and voiced their concerns about the possibility of their bus service being stopped. People who travel on the Llangunllo and Whitton bus then had two meetings, first with MP Chris Davies and then AM Kirsty Williams.

Alice Neilson, who relies totally on the bus service for getting to Knighton said “After the two meetings I have started to feel much more positive."

Chris Davies MP said “I can see how important this bus service is to these residents and after the meeting I had with them on Saturday morning in Knighton, I have spoken to the Powys County Council portfolio holder for transport Cllr John Brunt, who said he will be looking positively into a third option.” Kirsty Williams AM said “Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet with different groups of public transport campaigners in Knighton. All of whom would be severely affected by the council's current plans to cut a large number of bus routes. Many elderly constituents are simply going to be cut off and isolated in their homes, leaving them without means to attend doctors' appointments, do grocery shopping or meet up with friends.

"I will be objecting to the proposals and hope to raise this with the transport minister at the Assembly and consulting with transport experts and local providers of public transport," she continued.