CUTS to a ‘lifeline’ Grayshott bus service that will to take effect from February 17 have been condemned as “completely unacceptable” by ward district councillor Ferris Cowper.

Hampshire County Council and Stagecoach have just published the new timetable, which will see the almost hourly 18 service from Aldershot through Farnham and Grayshott to Haslemere terminate at Whitehill.

Instead, Grayshott will be served by a new, less regular 23 service, which runs from Haslemere through Grayshott to Whitehill.

Concern about the upcoming changes has already been voiced on Grayshott Community’s Facebook site by two Headley Down families whose children take the 18 to Weydon School, Farnham, and have been left high and dry.

Mr Cowper said: “Bus service cuts almost always hit the most vulnerable members of society and I’m afraid to say I find these cuts to the 18 completely unacceptable. Back in 2011 when I was a county councillor there was a move then to remove the subsidy, but at that time I was able to fight it and keep the service running.

“I understand the county council’s point that times have moved on and the financial pressures on them are even more extreme than they were in 2011. Their goal is to maintain expenditure in adult social care and children’s services, which is laudable, but really all county councils need to find a way of sustaining other important services as well.

“Despite the county’s efforts, adult social care continues to decline as a service and to cost vulnerable residents even more. So by cutting bus services as well, those vulnerable people the county has pledged to assist are actually suffering twice in a most unwelcome double whammy.

“East Hampshire District Council was consulted on an outline of these proposals last July and the portfolio holder expressed opposition. The final details announced are far more significant than were described in July and I think the county should have carried out a further public consultation on these details, which in some areas are quite shocking.

“I know that the senior politicians and officers at Hampshire County Council are well intentioned and want the best. But in my view the county needs to devise a far more imaginative financial strategy than the current one, which seems to me just to cut services as their income falls.”

* Haslemere will benefit from the revival of a former bus service as the 13, running twice hourly Monday to Friday between 10am and 6pm to and from the station via Hammer, Liphook, Whitehill, Alton and Basingstoke.

Haslemere borough councillor Robert Knowles said: “I welcome the reintroduction of the 13 service, which ceased many years ago. With the 13 and 23 service to Basingstoke hourly from Haslemere this is a good new service, with the 19 hourly service remaining from Haslemere to Aldershot, there are many more destinations served by bus from Haslemere. I hope the services will be well used, so that they are retained.”