HAMPSHIRE’S mobile library service is to be scrapped from June 30.

The decision to end the service was officially approved by Andrew Gibson, Hampshire County Council’s executive member for culture, recreation and countryside, during his decision day on Monday as the authority attempts to reduce its costs by £1.7m by 2020.

The county council has said that more than 100 of its mobile stops have fewer than four customers and that the service costs £161 per person to operate. The mobile library service serves 2,230 customers at 250 stops across the county.

It is to be replaced by a volunteer-run home library service that hopes to develop links with voluntary groups that provide community transport to help people in rural areas access libraries.