A PROPOSAL by Stagecoach South that would see the axing, from August 30, of the No 65 Alton to Farnham bus route and a reduced town centre service has caused public outrage.

Angry bus users are decrying the demise of what, for some, is a “vital life line”.

In Alton, a new town centre service 23 would only operate from 8.45am to 3pm Monday to Saturday, and the withdrawal of the 65 bus would leave the village of Bentley with no service at all.

Stagecoach argues that in order to continue to provide a sustainable service in the Alton area, it needs to encourage increased patronage by fare-paying passengers by improving the more popular services such as the 64 Alton to Winchester route. This, according to Stagecoach South commercial manager Adam Hawksworth, will make it easier for the company to support those services that are less profitable but which provide a community service.

Having got wind of the proposed changes and/or read the article in last week’s Alton Herald, objectors argue that contrary to a claim by Stagecoach that this is not the intention these changes will leave some passengers “high and dry”.

The removal of the 65 bus, which runs from Alton, via Bentley to Farnham, Aldershot and on to Guildford, is a major bone of contention. Mr Hawksworth claims the route is not well patronised, regular users say that it is.

Many use the bus on a regular basis to travel to and from work and college, or to visit Farnham Hospital, and they say that while they could use the train it is more expensive, doesn’t accept bus passes, and the stations are too far removed from the services they wish to access.

In Bentley, the station is a mile outside the village, along an unlit country lane and with a footpath that requires regular crossing of the road.

Bentley residents have launched an online petition calling for the 65 service to remain. One posting, by Stagecoach South customer services supervisor Rob Kerry points out that this is a commercial route, which means it must generate enough revenue to cover the running costs, but that the route no longer carries enough fare-paying passengers to do this.

As a result, as of the end of August, the 65 will only run between Guildford and Farnham. This, he says, doesn’t mean there will be no buses connecting Alton and Farnham, only that Stagecoach will not be operating them on a commercial basis.

Hampshire County Council has been made aware of the situation and is currently assessing the viability of supporting the service.

Like others, Alton man Jeremy Bayliss believes Stagecoach is relying on local people to demonstrate a continued need for the service, so it can put pressure on the county council to pick up the cost.

Others believe the service could easily be run on a two-hourly rather than an hourly basis between Alton and Farnham, using a single rather than a double-decker bus.

One Turk Street man says he, like other workers and students who use the service, is a fare-paying passenger who has been using the 65 bus for years to get to and from work. He is worried he could lose his job if the service is axed. Due to health issues he would be unable to walk from the station and values the “door to door” service afforded by the buses.

He suggests the introduction of a £10 per year fee for those receiving Hampshire County Council bus passes to help cover the costs.

Some senior bus pass holders, like Penny Carmichael, have also suggested paying a reduced fare supplement and are urging Stagecoach rather than cancelling the 65 to consider a less frequent service.

Wooteys ward councillor Derek Gardner was unhappy over the suggested 23 town centre service, arguing that for those who do not have a car and may be elderly and/or disabled and reliant on the bus service, the reduced hours would severely restrict their ability to be able to access the town in the late afternoon and evening, and on a Sunday. He suggested the introduction of an hourly rather than a half-hourly service could enable an extension of provision into the evening.

Former Alton Line Users’ Association chairman Chris Campbell believes Stagecoach is trying to “pull the wool over our eyes” in suggesting that it would be faster and easier to catch a train from Alton to Guildford, pointing out that not only are the stations too far out but that the need to change at Aldershot for Guildford would prove too big an ask for some elderly folk.

Current Alton Line Users’ Association chairman David Jones said that he was lobbying from the Farnham end to keep the 65 bus which, he agreed, was well used and highly valued by the communities it serves.

They were both speaking at a meeting of Alton Town Council’s planning and transportation committee which resolved to invite Stagecoach to a meeting starting 2pm on Thursday, August 20 – sooner if possible – to discuss the matter. The meeting would be open to the public.