RURAL bus services face the axe, affecting thousands of passengers, as the council looks to cut a further £500,000 from its spending.

Two models have been drawn up for consultation which could see Powys County Council cut funding to 11 or 12 rural services, which could affect as many as 80,000 passengers a year.

As part of the proposals rural locations including Llanfair Caereinion and Llanfyllin will be heavily affected with both communities up in arms about the proposed cuts.

The cuts come as Powys County Council looks to reduce its overall budget by £70 million by 2020.

Currently there are 29 bus routes operating in Powys and 27 of them are subsidised by Powys County Council. Only two are run by commercial bus companies.

THE OPTIONS:OPTION 1, Bus services under threat:76 – Llanrhaeadr to Welshpool – used by 10,445 passengers – cost £90,608
74 – Llanfyllin to Shrewsbury – used by 16,346 passengers – cost of £78,397
87 – Foel to Welshpool – used by 12,986 passengers – cost £73,733
45 – Rhayader to Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells – used by 16,571 passengers – cost of £146,648
73/78/84/ 89 – Llanfair Caereinion to: Oswestry/ Llansilin to Oswestry/ Newtown/ Welshpool – used by 8,134 passengers – cost of £54, 326.
T57 – Elan Valley to Rhayader and Llandrindod Wells – used by 3,540 passengers – cost of £36,720
84 – Llanfair Caereinion to Newtown- used by 833 passengers – cost of £37,717
T41/T58/T59 – Felindre to Knighton and Kington/ Knighton to Gravel Arches/ Knighton Town – used by 3,156 passengers – cost of £53, 472.
T83/T81/T84/T75 – Llanidloes to Newtown/ Newtown to Caerhowell/ Newtown to Bettws Cedewain/ Newtown to Llangurig – used by 2,048 passengers – cost of £36,811
Total passengers affected: 79,510, total saving: £690,878OPTION 2, Bus services under threat:73/78/84/ 89 – Llanfair Caereinion to: Oswestry/ Llansilin to Oswestry/ Newtown/ Welshpool – used by 8,134 passengers – cost of £54, 326.
76 – Llanrhaeadr to Welshpool – used by 10,445 passengers – cost £90,608
45 – Rhayader to Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells – used by 16,571 passengers – cost of £146,648
T57 – Elan Valley to Rhayader and Llandrindod Wells – used by 3,540 passengers – cost of £36,720
41 – Kington to Knighton and Newtown – used by 13,354 – cost of £161, 892
T41/T58/T59 – Felindre to Knighton and Kington/ Knighton to Gravel Arches/ Knighton Town – used by 3,156 passengers – cost of £53, 472
T83/T81/T84/T75 – Llanidloes to Newtown/ Newtown to Caerhowell/ Newtown to Bettws Cedewain/ Newtown to Llangurig – used by 2,048 passengers – cost of £36,811
84 – Llanfair Caereinion to Newtown- used by 833 passengers – cost of £37,717.
Total passengers affected: 63,532, total savings: £700,640.

Model one would see 17 bus services provided across Powys with a further five routes connecting more rural communities.

This would accommodate 867,000 passengers per year, costing approximately £1.8m per annum and covering more than 2,246,429 kilometres.

While model two would see 18 bus services provided across Powys with a further seven routes connecting more rural communities.

This model would accommodate around 883,285 passengers per year, costing approximately £1.8m per annum and covering 2,244,885 kilometres.

Both models include a retained “town” bus service for Newtown and Welshpool.

Aled Davies, county councillor for Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant and Llansilin, said that Montgomeryshire’s most rural villages look to have been targeted as part of the review.

He said: “I’m not happy with the council as they keep cutting services to the most rural areas and soon there will be nothing left.

“If they are going to make these cuts then it begs the question whether it is worth running a bus service at all. I also feel sorry for the bus operators who have tendered for these contracts and many have invested in new busses which they will now have to sell at a reduced rate.

“These cuts will have huge implications as most people who use the buses from villages want to head into town to see the GP or for work and the cost of a taxi is huge.

“Whereas people in the towns have more options and can easily get a taxi but are also keeping their bus services. I think there should be an equality of service for all across Powys. It looks as though these rural communities of Montgomeryshire have been targeted.”

Llanfyllin bus campaigner Jane Lane said that although one model suggests retaining a service in her town she queries how often the services will run and whether it would be needed by commuters at times.

Councillor John Brunt, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “Public transport is a service that Powys chooses to provide although we don’t have to do so by law. 

“We also support 19 community transport schemes and in a county like ours, fully recognise the importance of both services.

“However, the financial pressures we are under mean that we need to reduce the current spend. 

“I would urge residents to get involved in the consultation and have their say about which option would, in their view, provide the most robust and sustainable network for the county going forward.”

Views on the consultation can be given via an online consultation which is available on the council’s website www.powys.gov.uk/haveyoursay

The consultation page provides details of the current bus provision plus two options that the council have drawn up and a survey to capture views. Copies of the proposals will be available in libraries from June 1. The consultation will close on Monday, June 29.

Alongside this some drop-in sessions are being planned for Ystradgynlais, Newtown, Llanfair Caereinion and in either Knighton or Presteigne. Dates and times will be announced shortly.