PROPOSED cuts to bus services to and from Kingsbridge will mean residents who rely on public transport will be unable to leave their villages on a Sunday.

The services in line for the cuts include the X64, 93, 162, 164 and the F17 Fare Car and mean that commuters may also find their travel options limited.

The X64 runs from Exeter through to Salcombe and the proposal will completely withdraw this service on Sundays and public holidays.

The 93 runs from Dartmouth and out to Plymouth on the A379. This service is proposed to continue running on Monday to Saturday, but will no longer run on Sundays or public holidays.

The 162 runs from Kingsbridge to Loddis-well, Monday to Saturday, and the proposal would remove the late Saturday services: the 5pm from Kingsbridge to Loddiswell, the 5.15pm from Loddiswell to Kingsbridge, the 5.30pm from Kingsbridge to Hope and the 6.15pm from Hope to Kingsbridge.

The 164 runs from Kingsbridge to Totnes; in the proposals, the early services will be cut on Saturday: the 6.25am from Kingsbridge to Totnes and the 7.05am from Totnes to Kingsbridge. The council states that this is due to 'low usage of these journeys'.

It will remove the early rail connection to Totnes Station on Saturdays, but the Monday to Friday timetable will remain unchanged.

The F17 Fare Car was introduced to improve accessibility, passengers book and pay separately as they would normally for a taxi, but share the advertised timetable and this will be completely withdrawn due to low usage.

County Councillor Julian Brazil said: 'I'm very disappointed. The message from these cuts is clear – if you don't drive you can't travel in the South Hams.

'Bus deregulation has been a disaster for us. Large bus companies have cherry picked the profitable routes and have a relationship with the county council that appears far too cosy. We need to re-regulate the buses using local companies where possible and use the profitable routes to cross subsidise those less economic.

'Once again it's all about money and the vulnerable will suffer most. It's no way to carry on in a civilised society.'

Some people voiced their concerns when we spread the word on Facebook. With Gemma Trivett branding it 'ridiculous' and Jackie Bratt saying: 'Awesome, reductions in an already mediocre service'.

A spokesman for Devon County Council said: 'We are launching a consultation on proposals to cut £1.7 million from its annual public transport budget over two financial years.

'Councillors agreed this month to reduce expenditure on bus services that require council funding to operate. People across the county are now being asked for their views on the proposed reductions to services.

'It's the first time in four years that the authority has proposed cutting bus services to meet a reduced budget, but the reductions are needed as part of the County's efforts to save £110 million by 2017 – £50 million in the coming financial year – due to its reduced settlement from central Government.

'That is despite the local authority having already saved £100 million over the past four years.

'The County Council has set up a three-year fund of £100,000 per year, to help Community Transport providers broaden their services to include more general access for local communities.

'It is hoped this will mitigate some of the impact of proposed cuts to around 100 public transport services across the county.'

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Councillor for highway management, said: 'We have pledged that no communities which are currently served by a bus will be entirely cut off, and these proposals intend to protect weekly links.

'Even when these savings are introduced, we will still be spending over £4 million on public transport.

'On top of that, we'll be paying the bus companies in Devon a further £2.5 million over and above what the Government gives us to fund pensioners' free bus passes, which costs the county more than £9 million a year to run.

'We have made significant efficiencies in transport in previous years to provide the required savings, which has meant that bus services have not been reduced for the past four years, but unfortunately service reductions are no longer avoidable.

'We're facing a 14 per cent reduction in spending in the next financial year, despite the Secretary of State claiming we're receiving a 0.5 per cent increase.

'We're asking for comments on our proposals for thinning services, which will reduce choice in terms of travel time and destination, but the package of reductions minimises the impact - compared to achieving the savings by alternative approaches on public transport – while reducing spending.

'The starting point for the services proposed for withdrawal or reduction has been those services with low usage or the high cost of subsidy, some costing more than £20 per passenger trip. Clearly we can't afford to continue providing that level of funding.

'The County Council will be providing additional funding for community transport to enable them to widen their service and help reduce the impact of these cuts, although we recognise the added benefit this will provide will be localised and limited.'

The consultation closes on Monday, April 20. Full details of all of the proposals, and the feedback information, are available online at: new.devon. gov.uk/publictransportbudget/.