THE Yeomans 412 bus service from Hereford/ Broad Oak/ Hereford, via Much Dewchurch, has changed from three times a day, six days a week, to two a day, three days a week.

Now it goes only as far as Kings Thorn off the A49. Here we alight to wait for the Stagecoach 33 service from Ross, with the same on the return journey.

So far the weather has not been too bad but older people, especially those with mobility issues, can find the inconvenience of changing buses and waiting around in the cold quite challenging.

Several bus users had a meeting with our MP in December to highlight the problems. During that meeting they phoned the council but received no reply when they asked if the new timetable was set to fail.

Many passengers I’ve spoken to would willingly pay a £1 concessionary fare per journey. The number of such journeys made throughout Herefordshire in the 12 months preceding these timetable alterations would indicate potential revenue to be raised. Unfortunately, the council does not seem interested.

The smaller operators/drivers cannot be happy with the situation. For example: 1. The 412 bus goes from Hereford to Kings Thorn ‘Out of Service’ – why duplicate the journey?

2. The 412 at 1pm used to pick up passengers on its way to Broad Oak, giving people the option of then going to Hereford in the afternoon. This was stopped with the timetable changes and the bus returns empty.

Cuts have to be made but they seem neither logical nor cost-effective and cannot be “maximising accessibility to public transport”, the stated aim of the council.

With a review this month and the extra money for transport as reported in the Hereford Times, the difficulties faced by people in rural areas and the true intent of those behind the Transport Plan is an important issue.

JANICE JENKINS-BULGIN Garway Hill