Am I alone in being very concerned about the recent announcement that the reimbursement paid to bus companies under the concessionary bus pass scheme is to be cut by 30%. The largest bus operator in the Bay, Stagecoach have already stated that a reduction in their services and fare increases will be likely if this cut is implemented. Should Stagecoach decide to cut both the frequency of some services or cut services altogether I feel this will have a negative effect not just on people living, working and studying in the Bay but also on our holiday trade.

Fewer bus services first of all means fewer bus drivers, more unemployed people to add to the already large queue at the job centre and for Housing and Council Tax Benefits.

Then, because there are fewer bus there will soon be more cars on the road at a time when every right thinking local authority should be looking for ways to reduce their number.

People who have a job and use the bus to get to work will have to get used to the idea of leaving home much sooner each morning, less frequent buses means fuller buses, I hope our bosses here in The Bay are understanding when they are told by their employee for the nth time the bus went straight passed at the bus stop.

Anyone with children who use the bus to get to school. Getting them up even earlier than at present could be come a serious problem. If there isn't a suitable bus any more they will have to be driven to school and picked up again in the evening, think of the difficulties that will cause for parents and the traffic jams it will cause around just about every school in The Bay.

Holidaymakers have often commented to me how easy it is to get round the area using our bus services, Paignton, Brixham, Totnes, Babbacombe, Exeter, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot, Buckfast even Kingswear and Dartmouth are so easily accessible by bus from Torquay. Next time they come here it is likely that that attitude will change, as will the destination of their next summer holiday. We don't get enough holidaymakers as it is, we can not afford to drive them away like this.

However I am not as yet desperately concerned about the level of cuts that Stagecoach may bring in should they feel that the level of income is insufficient to sustain some of their routes. They are a large nation company with sufficient financial backing to continue operating in The Bay for sometime in the hope the reimbursement may at some time in the future return to a more sensible level.

My greater concern at this time is with the smaller bus operators here in Torbay. I speak of Local Link, Country Bus, Rail Link and Devonian Motor Services. These bus operators at present cover areas in Torbay which Stagecoach do not. I say at present because these operators do not have the financial backup that Stagecoach and FirstBus do and are not likely to be able to continue operating at the current level or even at all should the reimbursement be reduced to the level Torbay Council seen set on implementing.

A few examples of services provided by these companies are the services from Torquay and Paignton to Cockington, from Torquay direct to Torbay Hospital and the Willows, Brixham to the Willows via Occambe Farm and areas of Paignton not served by Stagecoach. Other service include Torquay to Meatfoot and Daddyhole, Paignton to Broadsands and Galmpton, Paignton to Stoke Gabrial. All of these service allow people to go shopping, visit their doctor or, and most importantly, to visit friends. Those living in these areas without cars will be forced to rely on friends or taxis which will cause many elderly and less able people to become virtual prisoners in their own homes.

A convenient local bus service might not exactly be enshrined in any Charter of Human Rights but it is a vital part of the wellbeing of any community. To risk destroying it is not what a forward looking local authority should be doing. And at a time when everything possible should be done to reduce the numbers of cars on the road reducing or eliminating bus services is not the way to go.

I urge everyone to write to their councillors expressing their concern regarding the probably effects implementing these cuts could have on The Bay before it is too late. Send a copy to the mayor at the Town Hall as well in the hope that the council will look a little more carefully at the effects this cut in the reimbursement could have. Saving money is important these days but not if it is going to have severe and long term effects that the council don't seem to have considered.

David C Banks

Torquay